Fishing News index > December 2006

Summer Trout Prospects Looking Good –

Lawson Davey, Fish and Game NZ

Trout fishing in Marlborough this season has been good when river conditions have allowed.  The Wairau River has been fishing really well. Spring freshes have reduced the amount of days that the river has been suitable for fly fishing, but benefited spin anglers who do well as the river drops.  Anglers seeking a backcountry experience have been rewarded with good fishing anywhere upstream of the Wash Bridge.  Here early season fish have tended to be a little on the slabby side, particularly the jacks.  This has been compensated by the fact that they have been pretty hungry and not hard to catch.  With good numbers of fish present, now in better condition, this area is definitely worth a look over summer.

The middle to lower reaches of the Wairau River has also fished well from the Wairau Valley Township to the Wairau Bar.  Good runs of whitebait in November have been followed by some nice sea run fish. Fly fisherman have done well fishing weighted caddis imitations on warmer days or fishing a whitebait imitation in the morning or evening. Spin fisherman have also had success using blue fox squidgy fish, black or green toby’s and small veltic style spinners.  Blenheim locals would be well advised to spend a summer’s evening or two fishing the lower river.  If the Wairau is in fresh and not fishable then Spring Creek could be worth checking.  Recently some large fish have been reported downstream from the camping ground, and fish have been caught in the evening on beetle imitations. 

The Pelorus and Rai River catchments fished well early in the season with small rainbows being plentiful.  Reports indicate that these fish have now dropped into the lower reaches of the Pelorus where sea run browns are also present.  One local angler has been doing very well fishing his own special nymph patterns, I am yet to see inside his fly box, but in the meantime suggest that you won’t go too far wrong using a small pheasant tail.

Good numbers of large trout have been observed in the rivers flowing into the Nelson Lakes however, they are proving difficult to catch.  Anglers have enjoyed a lot more success trolling the lakes.  Rapala’s and Tasmanian Devil’s trolled deep and slow have caught well.  The fishing here is only likely to improve once temperatures get warmer and is definitely worth an extended visit this summer.

With the trout fishing looking so promising this summer I have just purchased a new ridge line and am looking forward to testing it out.  When you are out and about fishing this summer don’t forget your licence and to check, clean, and dry.  See you on the water sometime!