Reel Life February 2025 - Otago

A touch of autumn magic

Fishing with family and friends over summer has created plenty of fun memories. With autumn coming, it’s a favourite time of year for anglers, and there’s more good fishing on the horizon.

This week’s rain has freshened rivers, boosting flows and oxygenating the water. As the nights continue to lengthen, water temperatures will cool further, all combining for more fish activity.

Image above: So that was summer – who doesn’t love a family picnic while fishing the lakes. Photo: Bruce Quirey

Recent warm, stable temperatures brought on terrestrial insect hatches, creating some exciting dry-fly action on many rivers, lakes, and reservoirs. There may be only a few opportunities left for cicada fishing on warm days.

Summer winds should also give way to more settled boating conditions.

Minister visits Council

The Minister for Hunting and Fishing James Meager (centre) meets Otago Fish & Game Councillors (from back left) John Preedy, Adrian McIntyre, Blair Trevathan, Mike Barker, and (front left) John Highton and John Cruden. (Absent: Vicky May, Colin Weatherall)

Otago Fish & Game Council appreciated the opportunity this week to meet the Minister for Hunting and Fishing, James Meager, hear his views for the future of the organisation, and for him to hear a bit about our work.

• His passion for making things easier for New Zealanders to go hunting and fishing immediately resonated with Otago Councillors who share the same view.
• Improvement of access to the resource was also an area of broad agreement and something that Otago Council continues to prioritise in its annual workplans. 
• Council were also heartened to hear that the Minister fully understands the strength of the devolved structure and locals making local decisions.
• He was also intrigued to hear about the inequitable reallocation of funding throughout the organisation and the need to bring that back to areas where the most gamebird hunting and angling occur.

The Minister’s openness and good humour was appreciated and we hope to see him again soon.

Central Lakes acoustic surveys

Staff completing acoustic surveys earlier this week up Stevensons Arm on Lake Wānaka. Note the extended pole which has the larger-than-normal transporter mounted on it. Photo: Mason Court

If you’ve recently spotted the Otago Fish & Game vessel OFG7 zigzagging along the edges of the larger lakes, don’t worry — our steering isn’t broken! This week we’re conducting acoustic monitoring of fish populations in Lakes Wakatipu, Wānaka and Hāwea.

This marks the third consecutive year of this survey, helping to establish a valuable baseline for future comparisons. Using a high-tech echo sounder, staff are collecting vast amounts of data, which will be analysed and reported to the Otago Fish & Game Council in the coming months.

The Council has made it a strategic priority to understand the drivers behind changes in trout and salmon populations and to establish long-term monitoring for the Southern Lakes fisheries.

To read last year’s report, click here.

Over the border: On the Fly

Otago Fish & Game is looking forward to supporting Southland Fish & Game at the On The Fly festival on the Mataura River, hosted by Gore District Council, this Sunday.

• Noon – 4pm, Sunday February 23
• River Terrace, East Gore
• Come and chat with Fish & Game staff, have a cast, and guess how many trout are in our live fish tank.
• Fly fishing tuition with expert guides.
• Food and live entertainment.

Go to the Gore District Council Facebook page for more information.

Upper Taieri Catchment Action Plan

Anglers are invited to join farmers, community members and other stakeholders at this workshop on Wednesday February 26 from 9.30am to 2.30pm at Old Patearoa School to discuss the future of the Upper Taieri.

Otago Fish & Game representatives will be there. If you love the Upper Taieri, and want your voice to be heard, we encourage individual anglers to come along. Go to the Upper Taieri Wai Inc Catchment Group Facebook page to RSVP via Messenger or email [email protected]

Search for elusive sea-run salmon

Former ocean ranching facility manager Mark Gillard (left) and angler Ray Harrex, from Alexandra, at a salmon fishing competition in the lower Clutha River at Roxburgh on March 17, 1985. Mr Harrex caught many salmon over the years around Roxburgh. Photo: Hocken Collections

Freshwater anglers are being asked to keep the heads of any elusive sea-run salmon caught from the Clutha River/Mata-Au below the Roxburgh Dam. Otago Fish & Game is supporting research into the collapsed salmon fishery in the lower river.

The sea-run Chinook salmon fishery in the Mata-Au has declined over many decades and today it's rare to catch salmon below the Roxburgh Dam. However, we're asking anglers to collect the heads of any such fish caught in the lower Clutha to help our research into this predicament.

Anglers are asked to contact Otago Fish & Game to arrange collection. If you catch a salmon or find a spawned-out carcass below the dam, cut off the head and freeze in a plastic bag with a label showing the date and location found. Phone (03) 477 9076 or email [email protected]

Going wild on World Wetlands Day

Otago Fish & Game Councillor Vicky May lends a hand with casting practice at Bullock Creek Hatchery Springs on World Wetlands Day. Photo: Bruce Quirey

A crowd of around 300 picnicked, played and discovered more about nature at a family fun event on World Wetlands Day at Bullock Creek Hatchery Springs in Wānaka on February 2.

The event hosted by Otago Fish & Game and Friends of Bullock Creek was hailed a success, showing the importance of wetlands and the work of local organisations caring for the environment.

Only nine per cent of New Zealand’s original wetlands still exist.

As a not-for-profit organisation, Otago Fish & Game advocates to restore and protect freshwater ecosystems with evidence-based, sustainable management, guided democratically by our community of anglers and hunters.

Read more by clicking here.

Vale Brian Turner

Brian Turner, ONZM. Photo: Stephen Jaquiery, ODT

Otago Fish & Game representatives joined a crowd gathered at a memorial service to honour Brian Turner at his home in Oturehua yesterday.

Turner was a highly respected New Zealand poet, author, environmentalist, and angler with deep ties to this region’s landscapes and waterways. His lifelong passion for the outdoors, particularly fishing, conservation, and advocacy for New Zealand’s rivers and wild places, made him an influential figure in the environmental and sporting community. Turner, a past Otago Acclimatisation Society member and Otago Fish & Game Councillor, died peacefully on February 5.

Read more on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/Otagofishandgame

Getting in the zone

Above: The thermocline will appear as a horizontal line or a fuzzy band running across the screen of your fish finder.

A lot of anglers will be heading to our lakes and rivers for a Waitangi Day extended break. It might be a good idea to make the most of pleasant fishing conditions before the predicted wet weather this weekend.

During the warmer months, we often hear anglers talking about fishing the thermocline in the lakes.

• The thermocline is the layer of water where the temperature changes rapidly from warm to cold.
• Trout often congregate near the thermocline in lakes as it offers a balance of temperature and oxygen levels.
• Use a fish finder sounder to identify the thermocline, appearing as a horizontal line or a fuzzy band running across the screen.
• You’ll often see fish arches near or just above the thermocline.
• Trolling: use a lead core line, paravane or downrigger to reach the thermocline. Follow the shoreline using the fish finder to stay in the thermocline.
• Jigging: Drop a weighted jig head lure to the desired depth and use short, subtle lifts of the rod to impart action to the jig.

Watch this Fishing on the Thermocline video on Facebook with Fish & Game officer Ben Sowry.

Check, Clean, Dry

When travelling and fishing in different locations, it's important to Check, Clean, Dry to help protect these unique environments and waterways from aquatic pests.

Check: Remove any plant matter from your gear and leave it at the site (the river or lake bank), or put it in the rubbish. Don't wash plant material down any drain.

Clean: There are different requirements for North Island and South Island River and lake users. South Island river and lake users: Use 10% dishwashing detergent mixed with water and leave the item wet for 10 minutes.

Dry: Ensure your gear is completely dry to touch, inside and out, then leave dry for at least another 48 hours before you use it (Didymo can survive for months on moist gear).

For more information go to the MPI Check, Clean, Dry website by clicking here.

Otago weekly fishing reports

Otago Reel Life is largely a compilation of highlights from the Otago Weekly Fishing Report over the past month.

If you haven’t already subscribed, you can get the latest Otago freshwater fishing info emailed directly to you each week. We’ll send latest fishing conditions, weather and river flow info, and tips for your next fishing trip. Click here to subscribe. You can also read the fishing reports here.

Here’s what else you may have missed …

Getting the edge among willows

A surface-feeding rainbow trout tucked below willows on the Clutha River/Mata-Au. Photos: Bruce Quirey

A bow-and-arrow cast was required to catch this Clutha River/Mata-Au rainbow surface-feeding under willows last weekend.

Casting from upstream on a high bank is a problem but fortunately the fish was highly focused on feeding. Striking too soon, it was easy to pull the fly from its mouth. Two large cicada patterns now dangling in the branches proved that. The trout then rejected a third offering, a green humpy.

On the fourth offering, a small caddis dry, the strike may have been too late, but eventually it all came together and the hook set. A 6lb flourocarbon tippet ensured a quick fight in tight conditions. The fish had been feeding on willow grubs and, perhaps surprising for late summer, green manuka beetles.

Lake firing at both ends

Ben Sowry with a Lake Wakatipu brown trout that was cruising the shoreline before a damsel fly pattern slowly crawled along the bottom got its attention. Photo: Mason Court

Reports indicate that both ends of Lake Wakatipu are fishing well, with large numbers of salmon and rainbow trout being caught around Glenorchy and the surrounding river mouths. Meanwhile, excellent-sized brown trout have been spotted cruising the beaches near Kingston.

• Fishing the drop-offs around Glenorchy’s river mouths, such as the Dart and Rees, is generally productive.
• Soft baiting and spinning are usually effective, while sinking fly lines or heavy streamers can also work well. Bait fishing is another reliable option.
• Casting beyond the drop-off is important, as this is where the fish often hold.
• The beaches and shorelines around Kingston are known for producing quality brown trout fishing.
• Small, natural-coloured soft baits or cicada and blowfly fly patterns, paired with a nymph or damselfly imitation, can be highly effective when cast well ahead of cruising fish.

Be cautious when fishing around river mouths and drop-offs, as the combination of deep water and unstable ground can be highly dangerous. To stay safe, stand well back from the edge, fish with a companion whenever possible, and consider wearing a life jacket if fishing alone.

Reading the Big River

The Clutha River/Mata-Au has been flowing lower than normal in the past week, exposing areas not usually accessible to wading anglers. But it’s still a big river, so let’s break down where to find fish:

• Willow-lined edges provide food, shelter and shade. You may be able to wade carefully or take a stealthy bankside approach from above. Beware the Clutha can rise without warning.
• Fish in backwaters and side channels away from the main flow.
• Channel edges, drop-offs and eddies are worth exploring deeper with weighted flies, hard-bodied lures and heavier soft-baits.
• Exposed, uniform gravels provide little cover for fish in bright daylight but can attract fish to evening hatches.

Level up at Onslow

An old photo of Lake Onslow. Fish & Game field officer Steve Dixon says the lake level is currently like this.

Fish & Game rangers patrolled Lake Onslow on a warm Saturday last weekend:

• Level: The water level was about 1 metre below the high-water mark, so there was access to most of the lake by boat.
• Shallow areas: Even though the lake was full, please be careful around Parker’s Hut and the head of the lake as this area was still quite shallow.

• Shore-based fishing: Spin fishers were catching trout on soft plastics, and fly anglers were catching fish using cicada patterns, even though there was little cicada activity.
• Boat fishing: Trollers were catching fish using lead lines (three colours in 5m water) and drifting with the wind.
• Angler etiquette: Take notice of landowner signage on gates and respect their property.
• Bait fishing: Please don’t dig around the lake edge for worms as this can be a tripping hazard for shore anglers.

Off the top

Use this one, Dad! Matilda (left) selecting her fly of choice for a rising rainbow, and (right) the results speak for themselves with a lovely rainbow trout in the net. Photo: Jakub Kanok

A family outing up one of Lake Wakatipu’s many tributaries this month proved successful for Otago honorary ranger Jakub Kanok and his daughter Matilda, with rainbow trout rising from the depths to smash terrestrial fly patterns.

Rainbow trout were often seen holding mid-water or near the surface, clearly keyed in on cicadas, grasshoppers, and green beetles being deposited onto the river. As an angler, few sights get the heart pumping more than a pair of jaws breaking the surface to inhale an insect.

Jakub noted that as the day progressed, rainbows moved into faster water and runs, often leading to explosive dry fly takes. While these fish were actively feeding, they could also be a little skittish. Jakub recommends making a few practice casts blind into likely water to shake off any rust and be prepared when a fish is spotted — all while covering more water.

Sea-run trout

This sea-run brown trout (insert) took a soft-plastic smelt imitation in the tidal zone of the Catlins River. Photo: Bruce Quirey

Sea-run brown trout are prized targets in Otago estuaries during the warmer months. These spotted silver bullets are the same species as those caught in freshwater but fight hard and taste great. The stomach contents of the trout in the above picture, from the Catlins River last week, included crabs but they also dine on smelt, bullies and whitebait.

• Sea-run trout often follow baitfish into river mouths as the tide pushes in. The last two hours of the incoming tide and the first hour of the outgoing tide are prime times. Early morning and late evening are also productive, as trout feed more actively in low light.
• Look for rocky outcrops, submerged logs, and underwater drop-offs where shallow flats meet deeper channels, especially where tidal currents create eddies, as trout ambush prey in these areas.
• Natural-coloured soft plastics in smelt, pearl, or silver colours imitate the whitebait and small baitfish sea-run trout feed on. Yellow or chartreuse are also effective.
• Match the prey size. For soft plastics, try a 3-4 inch paddle tail rigged on a 1/8 to 1/4 oz jighead.
• Shallow-diving minnow-style lures in whitebait or silver patterns are excellent for covering water. Traditional spinners like the Toby (10-14g in silver/blue) or black and gold Tasmanian Devil also get results.
• A 6-10 lb fluorocarbon leader helps avoid spooking fish in clear water.
• Start with a steady retrieve but mix in occasional pauses or twitches to trigger strikes.

Lake Hāwea Family Fishing Classic

Challenging weather was the name of the game this month on Lake Hāwea, as over 400 keen anglers — mostly young families — gathered for the annual Lake Hāwea Family Fishing Classic, chasing the lake’s trio of sportsfish: brown trout, rainbow trout, and salmon.

The morning offered calm conditions, but by the afternoon strong winds swept across the lake, creating waves and whitecaps. Many brave but seasick children sought shelter in calmer areas or returned to the safety of the boat ramp.

Despite the challenging conditions, some impressive fish were landed. Bill Dixon took home the prize for the heaviest fish with a 2.256kg rainbow trout. Sandra Stuart won the women’s category with a 1.76kg catch, Trey Whitu claimed victory in the junior division with a 1.956kg fish, and Hadley Templeton secured the win in the child division. Full results can be found on the Lake Hāwea Family Fishing Classic Facebook page.

Anglers reported fish being caught throughout the lake, with cruising brown trout successfully taken on soft baits and flies along the edges. However, the most productive methods remained the tried-and-true deep-water tactics using downriggers, lead lines, or paravanes.

With another exciting competition wrapped up, families are already looking forward to next year’s event!

 

February photo competition - Share your summer fishing pics! 

The January winner of our ReWild Fish & Game Licence Photo Competition is Radek Baus, who caught this lovely moment between father and son.

If the weather is playing ball in your area, it’s the perfect time to hit the water and make some fishing memories! Whether it’s your favourite spot, a stunning catch, or just a day out enjoying nature, we’d love to hear your stories. Share your photos and enter them into the Monthly Fishing Licence photo competition. 

The monthly winner will receive a $250 Kilwell Sports voucher and the major prize winner will receive: 

• Your photo on the front of the 2025/2026 Fish & Game fishing licence 

• $1,000 voucher from Kilwell Sports 

• Your name engraved on an annual trophy retained by Fish & Game 

You can enter and read more details here 

 

Want more info? Check out these links or contact our helpful Otago team. 

• Trout Fishing Made Easy 

• Otago Fish & Game Facebook page 

• Otago Fish & Game webpage 

• Otago Fish & Game office, corner of Hanover and Harrow streets, Dunedin.

• Tel: (03) 477 9076 

Tight lines, 

The team at Otago Fish & Game