INFLUENCERS ON THE NORTH ISLAND OF NEW ZEALAND

From Princes to Kingz

Jackson Donoghue and Arikinui Webber devising a plan of attack after sighting a good rising fish in the riffle.
Jackson Donoghue and Arikinui Webber devising a plan of attack after sighting a good rising fish in the riffle. Just before, we were stuffing ourselves with summer blackberries so ripe they would fall with a brush from a branch into our hands.
Words and Captions: Benny Sip. Photos: Simone Sippola

A transcript of a recent conversation with my two new flyfishing buddies, Ariki and Jackson. They are 15 years old. They are obsessed.

Jackson: “King, so are you like the top 10 flyfishermen in Wellington?”

Ben: “Easy as. Top five, no question.”

Ariki: “Do you think you’re better than Andrew Harding?”

B: “Andrew who?”

J: “Oooo, that’s aura. You think you’re better than TroutboyNZ?”

B: “Boys, I have no idea who TroutboyNZ is, but wait till you meet my mate Miles.”

A: “I bet you Andrew Harding’s got aura.”

J: “King, do you think you have aura?”

B: “Of course I’ve got aura.”

A: “How much aura do you have?”

B: “I’ve got more aura in my casting hand than most people have in their whole bodies.”

J and A: “Ooooh! Aura! Riz king! Legend!”

B: “Just kidding. Six-seven, six-seven.”

J and A: “Ohhh shiittt! No way!”

B: “By the way, Jacko, why are you always mewing like sigma? And Ariki, even though your name means ‘high chief,’ you’re just a tiny flyfishing prince.”

J: “Ohhh! Aura!”

B: “You’re both skibbity-as little flyfishermen who fish in Crocs and should just go back to Ohio, where you belong!”

A: “Bro! How do you know all this brain rot?”

B: “Boys, I’m still a 16-year-old kid in a 36-year-old’s body. My generation invented brain rot, anyhow. You ever hear of AOL Instant Messenger?”

Back to Issue 17.4