Reel Life April 2025 - Central South Island

Winter Fishing Opportunities

The summer fishing season closes next Wednesday the 30^th of April but a selection of our lakes, rivers and canals are open during the winter and offer a variety of fishing opportunities.

Check your 2024/25 regulation guide and familiarise yourself with CSI region’s “all-year” and “winter season” fisheries.

Image above: Shortly after taking this photo, an early morning troll on Lake Alexandrina landed Stu an 8.5lb brown this month.’ Photo credit Stuart Peck

Lake Benmore is a great winter fishery and is open all year, as are the rest of the Waitaki Valley hydro lakes.

You can target rainbow trout in lakes as per usual in May, they don’t spawn for another few months yet.

If you’re on a boat, try trolling drop offs and river mouth deltas. In shallow areas a lead line may be too weighty for trolling, so an alternative would be to use a standard spinning rod with a small sinker about 1.5 metres in front of a Parsons Glory or Mrs Simpson fly.

If you’re fishing from the shore, expect brown trout to be congregating around river mouths in May and early June ready to head up to spawn. An evening or night-time fish can be productive if you strike the timing right.

Some rain to raise the flow in tributary streams will help. Be sure to only fish the lake, as streams and rivers are closed.

Flies like your trusty woolly buggers and spinners like black and gold tobies will get results.

Lake Alexandrina is closed for the month of May but has a winter fishing season in June and July. There is a daily bag of two sports fish excluding brown trout in the winter season. Brown trout must be released in June and July at Lake Alexandrina.

For coastal mid-winter trout options, the Waitaki, Ōpihi, Rangitata/Rakitata and Ashburton/ Hakatere rivers have a winter season where you are permitted to spin or fly fish downstream of State Highway 1 in June, July, and August only.

For access options, click here to find our handy access map.

'Allan and Dave take advantage of Ōpihi River winter fly fishing opportunities' Photo credit Nikki Dellaway

Mackenzie Canals a popular winter option

Most of the Mackenzie Hydro Canals are open year-round.

In the canal angler values survey we ran during the 23/34 season, 84% of anglers said they value (27%) or highly value (57%) the opportunity to fish the canals during the winter season May - September.

The remaining 16% of anglers surveyed placed no value on the opportunity, they don’t fish the canals during winter nor did they intend to in the future.

Whichever camp you’re in, if you plan to fish the canals and haven’t checked out our Hydro Canal Guide, then click here. The guide has advice on important canal fishing etiquette issues and a simple access map.

“Egg rolling” is a canal special method designed for the winter season, try it out if you haven’t already by rigging up an artificial egg and light sinker and drifting it along the canal bed, find YouTube videos here to give you an idea.

Be sure to be respectful of others using the space and be prepared to move to a less popular fishing area if there are anglers using stationary fishing methods in your favourite drifting spot.

If you’re not getting results from the fishing method you’ve always used, don’t be afraid to switch it up and try something different.

This may be a different lure or bait, a new spot, or a different fishing method entirely.

At the canals please take a carry in – carry out approach to your rubbish and fish waste to keep the area pristine. There are no rubbish bins provided for anglers to use at the canal fishery.

The upper part of the Tekapo Canal closes for the 3-month period, 1 June to 31 August 2024.         

The closure only applies to the upper half of the Tekapo Canal, upstream of the State Highway 8 Bridge to the Tekapo A Powerhouse. This includes the Magic Carpet.

The closure does not apply to the lower part of the Tekapo Canal (“the fishbowl” end) or any other part of the Pūkaki and Ōhau Canals. These are open all year for fishing. 

'The upper part of the Tekapo Canal upstream of SH8 Bridge, including the Magic Carpet (pictured), will be closed from 1 June to 31 August 2025' Photo credit Rhys Adams

Catch and Release Reminder

Catch and Release is a popular practice in our region, especially at the canals during the trout spawning period from May through to September.

Make your decision early on whether it’s a keeper.

If you decide to let it go it is critical that you handle your fish with care to comply with the regulations (Note 1.5 in the second schedule of the regulations).

Here’s our ‘Quick 5’ tips for handling fish with care: 

• Cool your hands and landing net by wetting them before touching the fish.
• Keep the fish in the water while removing the hook.
• Do not squeeze the fish and never touch the gills.
• Photograph the fish in or over the water and make it quick - the fish should not be out of the water for more than 5 seconds.
• Revive the fish facing into the current long enough for it to regain its swimming strength.

In the unfortunate instance that a fish you intended to release does end up bleeding from the gills, so long as you can legally take that fish, you should keep it as part of your bag limit and utilise it. 

‘Catch and release of the week — Ranger Jase was stoked with James Druell’s release of this eight pound rainbow trout when they met at the canals this month.’ Photo credit J Van Beers.

Sea-run salmon crisis continues

CSI has now completed two of the five annual live fish counts for sea-run salmon spawning in the Rakitata/Rangitata River spring-fed spawning streams.

The first count, conducted on Friday 28 March, recorded 33 salmon across Deep Creek and Deep Stream. The second, a week later, recorded 63 salmon.

That’s 53% fewer salmon than were observed after the first two counts in our lowest season on record, which was last season.

With three counts still to go, it's too early to estimate a final season total but the early numbers are not encouraging, the salmon crisis continues.

The Rangitata spawning estimates, combined with Rakaia and Waimakariri, are used to set the season bag limit regulations as guided by management thresholds.

To learn more about sea-run salmon management refer to last season’s 'sea-run salmon returns - season summary' report found here.

‘Bird’s eye view of sea-run salmon spawning streams in the headwaters of the Rangitata River’ Photo credit Hamish Stevens

Summer season compliance update

Since October 1 2024, 1,956 anglers have been interviewed by CSI Rangers, with 29 offenders encountered.

The most common offences detected were fishing without a valid sports fishing licence and the use of unauthorised bait.

Other offences were; using more than one rod, using more than one bait assembly, fishing out of season, being more than 15 metres from an active rod, salmon season bag breach, unauthorised fishing method, providing false and misleading particulars to a warranted officer, and obstruction of a warranted officer.

If there’s something in this list that you weren’t aware was an offence, it might be time to revisit the regulation guide or give us a call if you’re usure or require clarification.

Return your salmon bag card now

Even if you didn’t go fishing, or catch or keep any sea-run salmon, please return your salmon bag card details to us. You can do this online here, give us a call on 03 615 8400, email [email protected] or post the card to us at P.O Box 150 Temuka 7948.  A big thankyou to those who have already done so, you can put your feet up now.

Triennial Review Deadline 27 April

The Central South Island Fish and Game Council (CSIFGC) is seeking feedback on eleven proposed changes to the sports fishing regulations across a range of its regional fisheries as part of its triennial regulations review.

The last day for submissions is the 27^th of April so if you want your say and haven’t already get onto it now.

The proposals, their assessment by CSIFGC staff, and online feedback forms can be found at our website here.

Expression of Interest - CSI Councillor Vacancy

The Central South Island Fish and Game Council seeks expressions of interest to fill one extraordinary vacancy on the Council.  CSIFGC is the statutory manager of sports fish and game birds in the Central South Island Region under the Conservation Act 1987.

We are seeking candidates who are current whole-season licence holders, have experience in Governance, and are keen to be part of the organisation safeguarding angling and hunting for future generations of New Zealanders.  Please submit your expression of interest by 5pm, Thursday 24^th April to [email protected] or PO Box 150, Temuka 7948.