Reel Life April 2025 - Otago
- Otago
- 23/04/2025
Thanks for the memories …
It’s that time of year again as the main fishing season draws to a close on April 30.
The good news is there are still fishing opportunities and you can easily check which waters are open by looking up the 2024-2025 Otago Sports Fishing Regulations.
As a general rule, the April 30 closure applies to waterways within the Clutha catchment downstream of Clyde Dam, and any other Otago catchment flowing to the sea not named in the regulations.
Image above: Matt and Lilli Carter with a nice brown trout caught at Lake Wanaka this summer. Photo: Bruce Quirey
A wet and windy start to the 2024-2025 season meant certain waterways were almost unfishable for some periods. Many boat anglers got blown off the big lakes, and this was reflected in lower numbers of anglers in creel surveys on Lake Hāwea. During bad weather, stocked reservoirs in the Maniototo were often a reliable fallback option.
However, the second half of the season offered fantastic fishing across the region, creating some great memories.
Adult whole season licence sales were almost on track with last year’s results, but family licences were slightly down. Residents and non-residents made good use of day licence options.
This season there was an almost 20 percent increase in sales of Designated Waters licences for non-resident anglers compared with the previous season, whereas Designated Waters resident licences sales were down 5 percent.
Late-season opportunities
The trout were biting for Mike Weddell on a cloudy autumn day on the Pomahaka River last weekend. Photo: Bruce Quirey
Last weekend, we had reports of some great fly fishing in the middle reaches of both the Taieri and Pomahaka Rivers.
Many of these brown trout were plump, silver-coloured maidens of less than a kilogram that gave good account of themselves. The largest weighed about 1.5kg.
A few duns and spinners were seen but rises were generally brief. Most took weighted and unweighted hares ear nymphs and emergers.
High-country fisheries
High-country fishing continues in Otago rivers for another month.
- Several Otago Designated Waters remain open until May 31.
- Large browns and rainbows can still be pursued in rivers feeding the Clutha River/Mata-Au catchment above Clyde Dam.
- These are tributaries of lakes Wakatipu, Wānaka and Hāwea.
- As winter nears, conditions can be very cold.
- Go prepared with warm clothing and safety gear.
- Always tell a reliable person about your intentions.
Sticking to the rules
Compliance has been high this season.
- So far, Fish & Game has issued 13 offence notices in Otago Region.
- This compares with 38 fishing-related offences the previous season.
- The most common offence was fishing without a licence.
- Other notices were issued for fishing in closed waters, using two rods, and fishing without a Designated Waters licence.
Winter angling
Trout are more likely to strike at streamers and lures during winter than regular summer patterns.
Maiden and non-spawning trout are commonly caught over winter while spawning trout move into headwaters.
- Maidens up to about 2kg are superb eating and great sport.
- Trout feed less actively in the colder months and are more likely to strike at streamers and lures than regular summer patterns.
- Fine days in winter occasionally produce mayfly hatches where trout may be enticed with emergers or nymphs.
- Many Otago fisheries are open to fishing year-round. These include lakes Wānaka, Wakatipu, Hawea and Dunstan. The Clutha River/Mata-Au, apart from Deans Bank section, is also open year-around. The Clutha/Mata-Au and Kawarau rivers have good trout winter runs of trout. The lower reaches of many coastal rivers are also open year-round.
Redd alert
Redds can be identified as freshly disturbed patches of gravel.
Please take care of our fishing future and watch where you walk in rivers and streams during spawning season. Trout and salmon lay their eggs in redds, which can be identified as freshly disturbed patches of gravel. These are sensitive and should be avoided, so as not to crush eggs.
Fish & Game staff will be out monitoring spawning zones at this time of year in key areas. Staff record redd sites and count adult fish to support the management of fisheries.
Access improved: Doing it in ‘stile’
Fish & Game officer Jayde Couper installed new stiles at Paerau Wetland. Photos: Erin Couper
If you are looking for a new fishing spot between now and April 30 (or next season), a great option is the Fish & Game managed wetland at Paerau. The linked map shows its location and the off-road access route along the Logan Burn.
To improve access, Fish & Game has installed new stiles on either side of the Logan Burn mouth, making it easier for anglers to reach both the lower Logan Burn and a large section of the upper Taieri. Reaching the second stile will require getting your feet wet, which is likely unavoidable if you plan to continue up the Taieri.
The stiles and the surrounding planting were a joint effort with Tiaki Maniatoto, a farmer-led group focused on restoring, enhancing, and protecting the Upper Taieri catchment. Their goals strongly align with those of Fish & Game.
If the Logan Burn dam is spilling, the stream will be too difficult to cross, so anglers should plan accordingly.
Warning of stiff penalties for poaching
Above: Otago Fish & Game officer Jayde Couper with the speared sea trout in the Water of Leith in Dunedin. Photo: Bruce Quirey
This is a great time of year for legal anglers to pursue trout in prime condition in lower reaches before spawning upriver. But there is a darker side.
A wounded sea-run trout with a fishing spearhead lodged in its body was caught from the Water of Leith in Dunedin by Otago Fish & Game officers using electric-fishing equipment. The offending object was removed from the 4kg fish and it was released to continue its spawning journey upstream.
Under the Conservation Act, poaching trout congregated for spawning carries stiff penalties including imprisonment or fines up to $100,000. Sea-run trout are vital for maintaining the fishery due to their strong genetics and egg production capacity.
You can read the full story here.
Seeking salmon
Otago Fish & Game is on the lookout for spawning salmon, as anglers often encounter them while exploring backcountry rivers. We are asking for any sightings of salmon in the tributaries of Lake Wānaka or Lake Hawea. The information will assist in the timing of our spawning surveys and help us focus our efforts in key areas.
Additionally, Otago Fish & Game and the Clutha/Mata-Au Sportsfish and Habitat Trust are collecting salmon heads from the Clutha River below the Roxburgh Dam. If you catch a salmon or find a spawned-out carcass in this section of the river, please cut off the head, place it in a plastic bag, and freeze it with a label indicating the date and location where it was found.
To arrange a pick-up, call our office at 03 477 9076 or email [email protected].
The information gained from analysing these fish heads will help guide efforts to restore the sea-run salmon population in the lower Clutha. Restoring salmon runs and improving sports fish habitat in the lower river and its tributaries are key objectives of the Trust. This work is being funded by Contact Energy as part of its mitigation measures under the consent conditions for the Roxburgh Dam.
Licence options
River mouths and lake edges offer some excellent winter fishing opportunities. Photo: Mason Court
You might be surprised just how many fisheries remain open all year.
Winter licences are now available. Or if you’re just dipping your toe into the sport, don’t forget there are short-break and day licensing options. Click here for more information.
Signing off
This is the final edition of Reel Life for the 2024-2025 fishing season. This newsletter will be back in spring before the opening of the next season.
The Otago Weekly Fishing Report also takes a break at the end of April and will resume in the next fishing season. You can read past weekly reports on the Fish & Game website here.
If you haven’t subscribed already and want to be ready for next season, you can click here. The weekly report will be emailed to your inbox with up-to-date fishing conditions, weather and river flow information to help improve your catch.
Want more info? Check out these links or contact our helpful Otago team.
- Otago Fish & Game office, corner of Hanover and Harrow streets, Dunedin. (Closed from December 25 and reopening on January 8.)
- Tel: (03) 477 9076
Tight lines,
The team at Otago Fish & Game Council