Fishing News index>May 2007

Southland Fish and Game Fishing News May 2007

We’ve had a very mild autumn in the deep south so far. It was 20 degrees on the 20th – that must be a record. The extended season in the lower Mataura is progressing quite nicely. Some of the angler’s accesses are temporarily closed now as the paddocks are getting muddy so it’s not safe to drive over them. However trout are still rising with mayflies still a bit active. The light seems less intense, and I suppose it is now that it is only a month away from the shortest day. This makes spotting trout more difficult, but drifting a small mayfly imitation over a riffle is still an effective fishing method. And in the slower parts of the pools trout are still making their presence known by the tell tail rings of their rise.

Lower reaches of the Aparima and Oreti are closed now, except for their estuaries, but the Waiau is still open from the Manapouri Lake Control to the sea. Recent freshes have knocked back the didymo, especially from about Wairaki downstream so it will be worth a look there before the end of May when most of this river closes for the winter. It remains open from Tuatapere to the sea through the winter.

Lake fishing, especially around the river mouths is likely to remain productive for a few weeks yet. Firstly for brown trout waiting for a fresh to allow them to head off upstream and then the rainbows will be doing the same thing right through the winter.

There was a better run of salmon into the Southland rivers this year. A count of salmon redds in the Oreti has revealed about 100 in the middle reaches and tributaries. There were also more in the Waiau and Mararoa with a drift dive count revealing about 6 per kilometre over the lower 30km of the river. These were a mixture of landlocked fish – averaging about 3-4 lbs and sea run fish of about 4-7kg. There were plenty of nice rainbows in this reach too, but the middle reaches of this river which is badly affected by didymo has low numbers of trout and only a few salmon. With the increased numbers of salmon in the Waiau system its likely that they will become a regular part of the angler’s bag in the future, in the lakes and the mainstem of the Waiau at least. At present, regulations prevent the taking of salmon in the Waiau upstream of Monowai and in the Mararoa. Most land locked fish are caught in the Mararoa but its possible they could become established in the Mavora Lakes to add to the excellent rainbow and brown trout fishery that exists there at present.

Maurice Rodway

Manager.

Back to Reel Life May 2007