South Canterbury Report January 2009

Apart from the occasional blip in the form of rogue thunderstorms and ‘norwesters the weather has very conducive to fly fishing throughout the region this month though fears of drought are mounting. Some of the smaller  streams are already looking pretty sad. Both the Pareora and Hakataramea are reverting to what seems to be the norm after some excellent early season fishing.

Ironically there is water to spare in abundance in the high country lakes and in the big braided rivers. The Opihi is being maintained at around the 3.5 cumec level at State Highway 1 and this is adequate for trout fishing but anglers would not wish to see it go lower for any length of time with temperatures hovering around 30 degrees some days.

Opihi salmon anglers are not happy though as the mouth has been blocked recently after a promising flurry of activity early in the month. On one day around 15 salmon were taken from the surf and your scribe landed two smaller, fin-clipped fish in the Milford Lagoon on January 2.

The fin-clipped fish appear to originate from the McKinnons Creek hatchery and Opihi anglers are not complaining that they have chosen to stray. Over 50 McKinnons Creek fish have also been caught in the Rangitata out of a total of around 130 known to have been caught on the south side of the river this season to date. Members of the Salmon Enhancement Trust and the Salmon Anglers Association are naturally delighted that their efforts have borne fruit.

Unfortunately, high river levels, resulting from very heavy rainfalls in the mountains have meant that salmon fishing in the Rangitata has been a stop start affair this season. There should be plenty of fish up-river by now and anglers need to take their chances when conditions are right.

Another positive at time of writing is that the didymo appears to have been flushed out of the Opihi, at least temporarily. Whilst the writer was able to locate traces of it just days ago it does not seem to have really bloomed again since a flood in December.

As I write a huge flushing flow has been released over the Benmore Dam which it is hoped will remove the heavy infestation of didymo which has been spoiling fishing in the Waitaki from Kurow down. As Chief Executive Jay Graybill is at pains to point out this water is not being ‘wasted’ as some would contend. Regular floods are vital for the health of our braided rivers.

Some amazing fish have been taken from the hydro canals recently. Veteran angler John Meyer from Waimate caught a superb rainbow hen of 13.5kg  (29.75lb) in the Tekapo Canal just days ago. It couldn’t have happened to a nicer bloke who has been trying for the big one for years.

Graeme Marshall is an independent fishing guide; his reports are not officially representative of Fish & Game NZ

Back to Reel Life