Fishing News index>October 2007

Hardy Anglers beat the Weather

By Dean Kelly Fish & Game Officer

 
Graham Perkins with a nice 4-5lb Inangahua Brown

With fine days a rarity since the season started only the hardiest of anglers have endured and produced the goods.

Graham Perkins of Christchurch nabbed this beauty on the Inangahua River and was so pleased with the result he sent the picture into Fish & Game with the following comment “Just thought I would send this through, my first for the 2007 season. It was caught today on my first trip fishing here, what a result! Keep up all the good conservation you guys do in allowing us to fish on these wonderful rivers.”

Fish & Game officer Dean Kelly said that “With good reports flowing in about large sea-run and estuarine fish over the last month it all looks good for some excellent opportunities upstream when the weather clears.”

Other anglers have been hitting the Spring Creeks in between downpours and finding some uncharacteristically naive and extremely hungry trout. Adrian Brears of Greymouth had such a good day locally that he had to write in and make us all jealous “I decided to have a look down the spring creeks today. Stopped and had a look at the Styx on the way through and damn near set up for the day there...it was certainly carrying some more water than normal, but it was surprisingly clear. However good sense (and the thought of the new rod for the day!) kicked in and I headed for Murray Creek. Caught up with the share-milker and he said that I was the first for the season....can you believe that? Yahoo!

Fished the morning from about 10am from the far paddock up to the bridge hooded 8 fish and landed 5. My best for that stretch. Also blew a few along the way. The light wasn’t good all day and had parts where I couldn’t see much at all.
 
Had lunch at the car about 12.30 and then went up stream on the other side of the creek....started to rain...half cleared and then at about 2 pm it cleared up good enough to spot a few fish. Hooked a further 5 and landed 3 all a bit smaller than the ones further down stream.
 
What a great day...can you believe that I happened to chance upon the first beat along that bit of water? I had lots of opportunities particularly in the afternoon when the fish seemed a bit thin on it and more observant....Blew two at the strike, one a nymph the other on a dry. What a day!”

 
Excellent pickings for hardy anglers

It just goes to show that you have got to take every opportunity you get in the spring on the coast.

Reports from the Lake Brunner area suggest it is a quieter start than last year but with the lake so high at the moment the fish are more likely to be grazing the paddocks!

The upshot of this is that when the rivers clear and the weather settles down there will be some excellent opportunities to catch some hungry trout. 

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