Ciaran Kirkham - I couldn’t have dreamt of a better introduction to saltwater fly fishing. I opened my account with a special tailing kingfish measuring over a meter. On the following trip, we sight fished a ray riding trevally. We have had complete chaos landing multiple kings in a day, including two double hook ups, the countless kahawai also kept the pulse racing. The "It’s better to be lucky then good" would be an apt oversight and I owe a whole lot of gratitude to Gian for his endless patience, expert skipper skills and for sharing his wealth of knowledge. If you’re looking to get out on the flats I can’t recommend him enough.
Bron and Anthony - Between us we have been out with Gian 5 times. Why? well, its pretty good fun! Gian is professional, polite, extremely knowledgeable and his love & passion of the sea and fish are admirable. His expertise and care when handling kingfish is excellent. He takes saltwater fly fishing to the next level. We cant highly recommend kings to be found enough. Try it for yourself :) Epic adventures!
Dustin Habener - It was a long-time dream of mine to catch a kingfish tailing on the fly - permit style - and now, it is a day I will never forget. Gian took us to a beautiful mangrove flat and shortly after made out a dark shape. We planned our approach carefully. When the line went tight we knew were in for a big fight. The fish was unstoppable and Gian had to chase him down with the boat. 25min later we landed the fish of my lifetime. The hook fell out as soon the fish was in the net and I realized how lucky I am. A big thanks to Gian, I couldn't have done it without him.
​
Jack Kós - Fishing with Gian this year has opened my eyes to the world class flats fishing we have right here in Aotearoa. Hooking a kingfish 5ft from my rod tip is something I’ll never forget, especially as it was about 100m away 5 seconds later! The chance to chase fish of this caliber and size in water less than a metre deep is something no angler should miss.
​
Neil Cunnington - Fly fishing to a sightcast ray-riding flats Kingfish had been on my radar for quite some time but had managed to evade my few attempts, that is until I was given the opportunity to share the deck with Gian who did a great job of putting me in the right place at the right time. Gian’s well appointed boat got us up close to where the Kings like to hang out and by day's end we had managed to bring a couple of great fish to the net. I can highly recommend Kings To Be Found if you want to get into some of this action. Thank you for a great day Gian, I look forward to doing it again.
Alex Waller - Trippinontrout - Gian is probably the best flats Kingfish guide you have never heard of! From the moment you step onboard his boat, the vibe is relaxed, fun and easy going. His knowledge of the flats and kingfish in general is unsurpassed and he works incredibly hard to give you the best chance at getting your fly in front of fish. The rest is up to you….
Leon Smith - Holy hell, if anyone is looking to try saltwater fly fishing get in contact with Gian Booysen at Kings To Be Found. He knows his shit and we had an absolutely f$&king awesome day!
Tim Trengrove - Over the winter I was lucky enough to get out fishing with Gian in his new boat. The day dawned overcast with a mild wind. Our target was kahawai on lighter fly fishing gear. Whether we got fish wasn’t a major concern but for me, safety was. Gian went over the safety protocols before launching and provided well-fitting lifejackets. He knew where we were heading, had advised his backup crew and had excellent navigation and communication equipment. I felt thoroughly assured of safety throughout the trip. We did get kahawai on lures wed tied for the day and the fishing was fun. So too was the trip with Gian’s extensive knowledge about the fishery and local area. Im looking forward to going out again and targeting a range of fish in the summer. If you get a chance to go out with Gian, make sure you do. You’ll be in very safe and competent hands.
​
Braeden de Lange - Over the last couple years I've had the good fortune to be able to get out and experience salt water fly fishing with Gian.. From perfect conditions to what can only be called testing weather I can attest that it is nothing short of memorable and highly enjoyable as well as rewarding. While the catching fish is great and always fun I have found Gian to be a highly capable teacher of the art of fly fishing which is always helpful. Not only this but his passion around all that is involved in the sport is infectious making for wonderful days on the water learning about the fish you're catching as well as what works with the flies we are using as well as more about the environment we are interacting with than I would've known otherwise. As always looking forward to the next adventure on the water.
​
Jake Searell - There’s something truly special about getting out on the water at the crack of dawn to hunt some Kings. Gian made sure to remind me to take in the stunning scenery while cruising to our destination, something I would have surely forgotten to do given my groggy early morning state. Gian has a passion for fishing which is palpable when out on the water with him. Being a novice, he all but held my hand, teaching me about the fishing process and how to respect the ocean and its inhabitants. Gian’s skill as a guide on the water and nose for hunting Kings became apparent when I pulled up two Kings in the first 20-mins.. the first Kings I’ve caught! Some might say beginners’ luck but Gian
knows what he’s doing. On our way back to shore, Gian pointed out to a group of fish swimming close to the water’s surface off in the distance, I pretended to see them too, but to my untrained eyes I just saw more water. Sure enough, he was right, Kahawai. Gian got the fly fishing rods out and we reeled in a few more. Thanks for an incredible trip, and I’ll definitely be back!
Riley Flynn - Had an awesome day out with Gian. First time out with someone who knew the ins and outs of how to find kingies and use his gear effectively to produce fish.
Daniel Silas - Truly blessed to think that during a world wide pandemic I was able to try something, like this, for the first time ever!
Mark Green - The success of catching my first kingfish came down to the knowledge I gained from a trip tagging kings with Gian. Not only did you have me hooked up to my first kingfish - but we can only guess its size as it showed us who was boss. Thank you for sharing something about the fishery I am passionate about. I look forward to learning more about the fish we tagged. Thanks again Gian
​