Fishing News index> March 2009

Southland Fish and Game Fishing News March 09
 
The hottest spot for dry fly fishing in Southland’s autumn is the lower Mataura where consistent hatches of small mayflies provide evidence for the river’s international fame. Cold sou-westerlies and rain don’t put the mayflies off and may even encourage them so don’t stay at home if it’s a cold showery day. Get out and see if you can match the hatch and fool one of the world’s most famous brown trout.

While the Mataura has the reputation, and the evidence to prove its worthiness the lower Oreti and Aparima also produce good hatches of similar sized mayflies in warm afternoons throughout April.

Both of these rivers are in excellent condition after nice freshes in late March. There is very little algae on the bed and the water is clear and cool. The trout in these rivers are very wary however. Even the small ones are, so you have to keep a low profile and be prepared to cast from a respectable distance. Something you don’t have to be so diligent with on the Mataura.  Mataura trout are often found in the middle of the pool, along the foam line but Oreti and Aparima trout are more likely to be in a small eddy along the edge of a steep bank. Often you will only get one cast to them, especially if the day is still and sunny, so make it a good one.

With the rivers being low and clear spin fishing is more difficult, but the lower Mataura will still produce fish on this gear. Small Rapalas and black and gold Tobys are effective lures. If you don’t like the two lots of trebles on the Rapalas take the belly hooks off, they will still catch fish that way and you are less likely to hook yourself and other things that you don’t mean to. Those little hooks are tack sharp and they are hard to extract from things such as your finger, or even you dog’s nose if she gets a little too friendly with the fish you are landing. 

 
Maurice Rodway
Manager
Fish and Game New Zealand
Southland Region.

Back to Reel Life