I discovered Creel Lodge about 20 years ago and I keep coming back.
It’s called a lodge and although it doesn’t have the traditional lodge styled dining and lounge areas, I love it.
It’s right on the mighty Tongariro, the best fly fishing river in the world for libidinous steelhead on their winter spawning run and for bad tempered browns in the summer. You can just walk out the back gate and you’re there.
And after a successful day on the water, there’s nothing quite like walking in the back gate and up past all the other guests enjoying their afternoon beer, while you are nonchalantly swinging a six pound plus steelhead. Look at me. Man hunt good. Primal stuff.
There’s a drying room for your waders, a cleaning room for the trout, there’s a crusty old guy called Horty up the road to smoke and vacuum pack your trout and there’s plenty of local places to eat.
Try Valentinos for some Italian; there’s a pub further up the river which has a curry night every Thursday and we really enjoyed the Tongariro Lodge meals which are open to Creel guests most nights. There’s a full kitchen and fridge in each room and the local supermarket sells everything a civilized person could want … including fresh mussels, ginger, garlic and beer, New Zealand lamb, rosemary, some nice reds, some delightfully soft and tangy cheeses. It’s not hard to take.
The rates are very reasonable and there’s a wireless network if you want to bring your computer and keep in touch with the rest of the world. I wrote my election review articles from the front porch over a bottle or two of the South Island Monteith’s Black Beer accompanied by smoked trout. It’s fun watching New Zealand news services as the journalists there tend to report news, rather than talk to each other and call it expert commentary.
Out in front is Scottie who runs the Creel Tackle House and Steve who ties the flies and there’s a lovely old chocolate Lab who checks out all the guests. Scottie can put you in touch with a local guide, if you need one.
Up the back is the owner Peter, who keeps an eye on things. Creel is open 365 days a year, like the Tongariro. Put it on the bucket list if you haven’t already been.