Reel Life February 2020

March has many positive offerings for the angler, often (hopefully) the weather system over New Zealand is more stable during this month. 

Rivers should have well and truly settled down with these stable conditions.

Back country rivers are also usually stable, low and easier to for the angler to negotiate. 

Cooler days with calm weather make for good dry fly fishing at this time of year.

Above Right: A fantastic Twin lakes brown trout from the Hawkes Bay.

Angler pressure can often decrease as people have headed back to work and non-resident anglers are less numerous. 

This year trout in the back country are in amazing condition due to extra protein diet offered by high mouse numbers in beech forest clad catchments.

On the Southland region page, there is a demonstration of a homemade mouse lure that anyone can try.

Many regions like Auckland/Waikato, Nelson/Marlborough and the West Coast have the included in their reports the results of their seasonal drift dives.

The Central South Island, North Canterbury and Wellington regions also have weekly fishing reports to provide anglers with the latest information to guide their fishing efforts you can check them out here.

Central South Island staff also have an update on the sockeye salmon population in the Mackenzie Country.

Eastern region has put out a call inviting anglers to have their say in their biennial review of the regional fishing regulations.

On the Otago post, their is helpful information about using the Walking Access Maps system to access fishing spots that could be used throughout New Zealand.

Our columnist Hugh Creasy has offered his thought s on the fishery here.

All of this and much much more is available by clicking through to the regional content on the links above. 

Imagine next year’s fishing licence having your photo on the front.

Fish & Game are giving you an opportunity to get a photo you have taken on the front of the 2020 fishing licence, and that’s not all. You could be one of the 4 monthly winners from January through to April 2020 with prizes of a $500 voucher each month from Kilwell Sports.

To top that off, the overall winner will walk away with a $2,000 Kilwell voucher to spend on any gear available through Kilwell. You can check out the awesome range of gear available here www.kilwell.co.nz.

All entries are subject to terms and conditions which you can read on the entry page. Get your camera or mobile clicking and enter your photo on our website.

Just make sure your image is a .jpg between 1-5Mb and it complies with the competition T&C’s and you are in with a chance. Good luck