Guide Profiles
Mark Aspinall (Head Guide)
Mark Aspinall is renowned for his knowledge of the rivers and streams of the Central North Island. This is not surprising considering he is the longest serving full-time fly fishing guide in the Taupo region.
Mark started his guiding career in 1985 after two years in the Forest Service as at trainee ranger. He started guiding for Simon Dickie at Poronui Ranch in 1987 and was head guide from 1998 to 2011. Nowadays he is focused on running his own independant fly fishing business.
Mark's passion for fishing started at seven years of age with expeditions with his father to the Mataura and Clutha Rivers in the South Island. The bug continued when he moved to the North Island initially sea fishing in the Wellington region and eventually settling in Taupo and fly fishing the back country rivers and streams in the area. Even on his days off Mark can be seen casting a line - still one of his favourite pastimes.
Registered Member NZPFGA
David Wood
To say that David Wood has a passion for fishing would be an understatement. He has been fishing for longer than he can remember. Beginning with those formative days fishing down at the wharf with a hand line, and in the creek out the back for eels and fresh water crayfish, to the day his old man shoved a fly rod in his hand, gave him a "Yellow Rabbit" and told him to go and have a crack. From that point there has been little getting in his way of time on the river - his wife, children and travel, being the occasional distractions!
Before David started with Mark Aspinall he leased the Waitahanui fishing lodge for several years, were he lived the dream to fish every day. This truly refined his fly fishing skills in the Central North Island, in particular fishing the Taupo winter season. During this time David was elected President of the Waitahanui Angling Improvement Association. This society is dedicated to conservation, management and improvement of New Zealand fisheries and David is proud to be leading such a group.
David's hunger for fishing will serve you well, whether fighting fresh run Rainbows, or sneaking up on big backcountry Browns - your time together is only ever going to be memorable.
