Fishing News index> April 2008

Southland Fish and Game Fishing News April 08

There was quite a nice snow fall on the Takitimus on the 19th of the month and the associated cold weather that has battered the coast has turned the balmy autumn into an early winter. This has been good for the Mataura however since it was very low and the fresher water will spur the mayflies into some action.

April and early May usually provide some excellent mayfly hatches but anglers have to be out in the chilly weather to make the most of these. Small grey flies such as Adams and CDC patterns are likely to attract the attention of trout.  Trout will ignore flies with too much hackle, and even though these may look nice they are not as effective as sparsely dressed flies that float low in the water and are hard to see floating along in the foam line or over a choppy riffle.

Despite the low flows didymo has not been too much of a problem in most of the rivers although it is spoiling the Waiau. The lower river downstream of the Mararoa weir is carpeted with this alga in many places. Despite this there are a few mayflies hatching and small rainbows taking these with splashy rises, mainly in the slower deeper parts of the pools. On light weight fly fishing gear these one pound trout put up a spirited display and they are as pretty as a picture when you get them to the shore.

Mallards can be found in nervous groups on most of the rivers now and many anglers will be plotting how they can become part of the dinner menu.  As the cold deepens thoughts will be turning away from trout toward ducks, and that is how it should be. Winter trout fishing doesn’t hold much promise in Southland, but duck hunting does!
 
Maurice Rodway
Manager.

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