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Story: Freshwater fish

Smelt fly

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Smelt fly

This trout fly imitates the common smelt (Retropinna retropinna) and Stokell’s smelt (Stokellia anisodon). Common smelt occur in large roving shoals in estuaries throughout New Zealand. In Canterbury, Stokell’s smelt are found with common smelt, and fly fishers use patterns such as this one to imitate these two species of small fish.

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by Carl Walrond

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How to cite this page

Bob McDowall, Freshwater fish – Bullies, smelt and grayling, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/11122/smelt-fly (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by Bob McDowall, published 1 March 2009.