Paul Baker

Paul is new to the New Zealand Fly Fishing team in 2007. He began competitive fly fishing in 2001 and gained 10th place on his first trip to the national fly fishing championships in 2003.

Paul grew up in South Canterbury with a small trout stream at the back door. Together with fishing the stream with a light spinning rod, salmon fishing on the Rangitata River, and family holidays at Lake Ohau, trout fishing was always part of family life. His wife, Judith, also learnt to fish as that was clearly the easiest way to spend time with Paul.

After moving to Wellington to work in 1981, he didn’t do any significant fly fishing until he joined a friend to fish the Tongariro and Tauranga Taupo Rivers. Five good fish for the weekend and the interest was rekindled.

Paul has been a member of the Wellington Fly Fishers Club for twenty years and was Treasurer of the club for a number of years. He was also on the Executive Committee of the New Zealand Federation of Freshwater Anglers from 1991 through to 1996.