Reel Life April 2026 - Southland

As the summer fishing season draws to a close, we encourage Southland anglers to get out for one last cast before the end of April.

With the upcoming ANZAC long weekend providing a great opportunity to head out, it’s a perfect time to make the most of the late-season conditions.

Fish are in excellent condition, water temperatures are cooler, and river flows have been topped up. These are all factors that can work in an angler’s favour.

Autumn Mallard survey flights saw encouraging numbers observed across several key rivers. The clear conditions offered ideal visibility for spotting fish, with particularly strong numbers of trout noted in the lower reaches of the Aparima, especially upstream of Thornbury.

Similar observations were made on the Oreti River, with good concentrations sighted between the Lochiel and Wallacetown bridges. Further east, the Mataura River also showed promising signs, with healthy numbers of trout apparent at key transects around Seaward Downs, Otamita, and Ardlussa.

Image above: Late season fishing on the middle reaches of the Aparima river near Otautau. Photo credit: P. Meecham  

Making the most of April, three anglers searching for browns in the Mataura River.

Mayday for Mayflies 

The cooler temps continue to spur the mayfly hatches on and the brownies zero in on them.

Here’s the type of water we recommend you look for:

• Moderate, walking-pace current
• Riffle–run transitions
• Long, even glides
• Gravel bed
• Shelter from the wind
• Good light conditions, often overcast is best.

As these fish are often holding just below the surface, their viewing cone is very narrow which means that your casting needs to be very accurate. Don’t be afraid to ditch the downstream approach in favour of getting side on. Sometimes this creates a more natural presentation and drift.

While the hatch mightn’t be as thick as what we captured in this video last month -https://www.facebook.com/share/v/18XJTuxihc/ - they will be there.

For those wanting to continue targeting the mayfly hatch, we recommend fishing the Mataura River between the Gore and the Mataura Island bridges as this section remains open until the end of May, excluding the Opening Weekend of the gamebird season (2^nd to 3^rd May).

Lloyd Chapman of the UK caught his first NZ trout on a dry fly in the Mataura. He’s already looking forward to coming back to try and catch more of these spooky fish!

Trout Fishing 101 sessions

This season, Southland staff launched a Trout Fishing 101 programme to help new anglers get started in the Te Anau area. The course began with the basics - assembling a rod and casting a lure—before participants spent time practising, then returned later in the season to build on their skills.

It was encouraging to see anglers of all ages improve so much over the season, creating a strong new group of fishers for the future.

Skills covered included rod setup, tying and selecting lures, casting, bait and soft bait fishing, fish handling, dispatching and preparing fish for eating, and filleting—along with enjoying quality time outdoors with family and friends.

Dan Nieuwenhuyse and his son Kai enjoying success after attending the training sessions.

After such a successful first run, we’re looking forward to doing it all again next year.

Family Firsts

Every so often, while out and about in the course of our work, we stumble across moments that capture exactly what freshwater fishing is all about—and this summer delivered a classic. While running the latest Trout Fishing101 session on the Upukerora River, Southland Fish & Game staff came across a local scene that was hard to beat.

At the river mouth, a successful family outing had just finished up, with experienced Te Anau angler Ken helping two keen youngsters.

What had unfolded were a pair of memorable firsts: Hugo landed his very first fish, a brown trout taken on a worm, while Rose achieved her first fish on the fly.

The smiles said it all—pure excitement and pride in equal measure. It was one of those genuine, unscripted moments that reminds you why getting kids involved in fishing matters.

Rose with her first fish on the fly, and younger brother Hugo helping out

Hugo, it turns out, is already well on his way to becoming a dedicated angler, with his mum sharing that he’d been practising at home using a makeshift setup—wool for line, a pretend rod, and paper fish in a cardboard box. That kind of enthusiasm is hard to teach, but easy to nurture with the right encouragement.

Seeing an experienced family friend like Ken taking the time to guide and support these youngsters was a great example of the fishing community at its best.

It’s a timely reminder too—if you’ve got the skills, consider passing them on. Taking a friend, family member, or even a curious newcomer out for a fish can be incredibly rewarding. Not only does it create lasting memories, it helps ensure the future of the sport remains strong, one cast at a time.

Hugo with his first fish

Ken successfully passing on some of that fishing know-how

Mossburn School Camp

Southland Fish & Game recently had the chance to help some youngsters out as well. Two fishing evenings at Mossburn School’s Year 5 and 6 camp at Te Kūwaha Mātauraka, the John McGlashan College Outdoor Education Campus, were a standout experience for all involved. Down at the mouth of Mistletoe Creek, just below the campus, students were introduced to the basics of freshwater angling in a hands-on, practical way. With rods, reels, and a selection of lures provided by Southland Fish & Game, staff helped with how-to-cast instruction, tying plenty of knots, and the inevitable untangling of enthusiastic first attempts. The learning was constant, but so too was the laughter, as lines crossed and casts improved with each turn.

Getting setup at the Mossburn School Camp fishing evening 

As the sessions unfolded over two successive evenings, confidence grew—and so did the excitement. One young angler successfully landed a brown trout, a moment that brought cheers from classmates and a real sense of achievement. It wasn’t just about the fish, though; it was about connection—to the water, to the environment, and to a skill deeply rooted in the Southland way of life. School staff, parent helpers, and Fish & Game personnel alike shared in the experience, making it a genuinely rewarding collaboration. Mossburn School’s principal later remarked that the fishing was the highlight of the camp for many of the students, a testament to the value of getting kids outdoors and engaged. For Southland Fish & Game, it was another opportunity well taken to pass on knowledge and enthusiasm to the next generation of anglers.

Rods and Lures ready – let's go!

Ranging Around

This season Southland staff have been out across our lakes and rivers, and we’d like to thank all anglers for their support.

Overall compliance has been excellent, and those we’ve met on the water have been welcoming and full of great questions.

Our ranging team has interacted with hundreds of anglers and it’s been great to share in plenty of proud moments with some impressive fish caught.

Oreti angler Andrew Tucker with Fish and Game Ranger Dwight Grieve landing one of Southland’s amazing Brown Trout

Looking ahead to next season, we encourage everyone purchasing a new licence to take the time to read and understand the rules and regulations. A small number of issues arose this season from people not doing so, and we’d much rather be sharing good yarns on the riverbank than having to take enforcement action.

Lower Oreti Fishing Well

The lower reaches of the Oreti River near West Plains are currently fishing well, and we encourage Invercargill-based anglers to check out this easily accessible, close-to-home option.

Bait fishing success on the lower Oreti. Photo credit: P. Meecham 

Both spin and bait fishing are great options on the lower Oreti. If bait fishing, try using worms, squid, mussels, or cooked shrimp. These baits will often work well when fished on a simple rig with a size 6 hook and a ½ oz barrel sinker.

When bait fishing, focus your efforts on deeper, slower-moving water, where fish are more likely to be actively moving around, feeding on the bottom.

If you are spin fishing, have a go with brightly coloured soft baits and don’t forget to target the river edges as trout will often hold up along these edges waiting for bait fish to swim past.

A well-conditioned brown trout lying in wait on the edge of the lower Oreti River near West Plains. Photo Credit: P. Meecham  

For best results, try to time your trip to the lower Oreti to coincide with the low and incoming tide, as the incoming tide often encourages fish to actively feed.

Keep in mind that this area of the lower Oreti is open year-round, meaning it will continue to provide fishing opportunities once the summer season finishes.

Winter Fishing Options

For the brave and hardy souls prepared to battle it out over winter, the following locations are open all year round.

• Most Southland Lakes.
  • Target river mouths due to inflowing feed and trout congregating in these areas as they prepare for spawning.
• Lowest reach of the mainstem rivers.
  • Waiau River downstream of the Tuatapere bridge
  • Aparima River downstream of the Thornbury bridge.
  • Oreti and Makarewa Rivers downstream of SH99.
  • Mataura River downstream of the Mataura Island bridge.
  • Then the smaller river options as well – Waimatuku, Titiroa & Waikawa
• Mackenzie Country Hydro Canals.
  • A lot of Southland anglers venture here over winter to try their hand at catching a monster.
  • Follow the CSI Fish and Game Facebook page for updates and tips.
  • The increased draw from the electrical grid leads to greater flow going down the canals, and the added current can make winter fishing more productive than summertime.

Thanks to everyone for another great Summer Season, and all the best for the Winter Season ahead. 

All the best,

From the team at Southland Fish and Game