Reel Life March 2025 - Otago

  • Otago
  • 21/03/2025

Reel Life March 2025 - Otago

Seize the day

Make every opportunity count for the remainder of the main fishing season.

From here on, sunlight hours will be shorter than the nights.

And it’s a great time to be fishing.

Otago rivers, lakes and reservoirs have been invigorated with recent rain and cooler temperatures.

Brown trout will be congregating around river mouths before spawning runs. Cooler weather will bring on mayfly and caddis hatches.

Image above - Early riser … Dean Halvorson casts over a delta on the Upper Clutha River/Mata-Au. Photo: Bruce Quirey

If you’re just dipping your toe into the sport, don’t forget there are short-break licensing options. Easter is almost here. Winter licences go on sale from April 1. You might be surprised just how many fisheries remain open all year.

Click here for more information on licensing options.

Council gathers at Ōtakou Marae

It was a privilege for Otago Fish and Game Council to be hosted at Ōtakou Marae for our regular Council meeting this month.

Paulette Tamati-Elliffe, Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu adviser to the Council, performed a karanga (call) to greet the manuhiri (visitors) onto the marae during the powhiri. Council members and staff spent time with our hosts, learning more about the Te Ao Māori world view while enjoying the kai and hospitality before our formal Council meeting.

In thanking the hosts, Otago Fish and Game Council chair Adrian McIntyre said the visit was a step towards strengthening the relationship between the Council and mana whenua.

The Treaty of Waitangi / te Tiriti o Waitangi is a founding document for New Zealand and is embedded into many pieces of legislation, including the Conservation Act 1987. As such, the Otago Fish and Game Council must administer itself so as to give effect to the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi.

Kia ora, Te Rūnanga o Ōtakou.

Makarora drift-dive

Fish & Game officer Ben Sowry drift-diving the Makarora River this month. Photo: Mason Court

Low flows and clear water greeted staff conducting a drift-dive survey of the Makarora River this month. While the conditions were excellent for counting salmonids, they made for a challenging drift, with many shallow sections requiring staff to walk.

The Makarora is the third river surveyed this season as Otago Fish & Game expands its drift dive programme to establish long-term monitoring baselines for key fisheries.

Staff observed large rainbow and brown trout throughout the river, but the most interesting finding was where the fish were holding.

Some rainbows were found in extremely shallow, fast riffles, only moving when face-to-face with a diver. In contrast, the larger brown trout preferred slower, deeper pools and runs, often where cover was present — whether from in-stream structures or overhanging banks and branches.

The Makarora River is a popular fishing spot, with two of its tributaries, the Young and Wilkin, being Designated Waters.

If you're heading out, be sure to leave your intentions clearly visible in your vehicle to help fellow anglers understand where you plan to fish.

Select here to read more.

Job Vacancy: Fish & Game Officer – Cromwell

Could this be you? Otago Fish & Game Officer Ben Sowry undertaking angler surveys on one of Otago’s large lakes Photo: Richard Cosgrove

Are you passionate and knowledgeable about freshwater angling, gamebird hunting, and conservation? Do you have strong outdoor skills, fitness, and practical experience? Can you confidently engage with a diverse range of people? And do you want to live in the adventure playground of Central Otago? If so, we’re looking for a Fish & Game Officer based in Cromwell.

This opportunity comes as Cromwell-based Field Officer Ben Sowry moves on to an exciting new role as Compliance Officer for Eastern Fish & Game. Over the past four years, Over the past four years, Ben has made a very positive contribution to our region using his extensive knowledge of freshwater fishing, gamebird hunting and conservation. One of his lasting legacies is the restoration work at the Bendigo Wildlife Management Reserve, where he dedicated numerous hours to controlling willows and planting native species to enhance waterfowl habitat.

As a Fish & Game Officer, you’ll be involved in a diverse range of field and office-based activities. Key responsibilities include species and habitat management and restoration, recreational enhancement, access facilitation, regulatory compliance, education, and stakeholder engagement.

For more information or to apply, click here.

Otago weekly fishing reports

Otago Reel Life features 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 …

Blind tactics

Sam Fisher with a big, old brown trout caught blind fishing among willows on one of Otago’s Designated Waters. Photo: Sam Fisher

The lack of terrestrial insects and wind didn’t stop Sam, from Hunting & Fishing Queenstown, from having an excellent time on one of Otago’s Designated Waters recently.

After noticing no insect activity on the surface, Sam switched to nymphing and found success blind fishing with a small size 14 Pheasant Tail Nymph in likely-looking water. This resulted in three excellent fish landed, while one larger trout, hooked off a deep drop-off, managed to earn its freedom after tearing off downstream.

Blind fishing can be an effective tactic, particularly after rain leads to discoloured water, making sight fishing difficult. Methodically working through a pool or run — targeting likely holding spots such as eddies, near structure, under banks, or at the head of a pool — can produce great results.

Don’t be afraid to run a streamer through a pool after blind fishing, as it can often provoke an aggressive response from lurking trout.

Spot the brookie

A brook char caught on a midge nymph pattern at Sullivans Dam yesterday. Photo: Craig Didham

Craig Didham got a surprise fly fishing at Sullivans Dam in Dunedin when he caught this brook char this month.

Craig says the “wee fella” took a midge nymph on a dry dropper. He didn’t weigh it but estimates it was about 20cm long.

“It was certainly a big surprise once I got in the net! Guess I can tick that species off the list now.”

Craig released his catch. While pockets of self-sustaining populations of small brook char live in some headwaters in Central Otago, this was an unusual catch for the Dunedin area.

Brook char were last reared at the now-closed Bullock Creek Springs Hatchery in Wānaka several decades ago.

Local reservoirs

The local reservoirs around Dunedin – Southern Reservoir, Sullivans Dam and Tomahawk Lagoon - continue to offer great fishing opportunities for anglers of all skill levels and ages. Bexley, from Hunting & Fishing Dunedin, says the Southern Reservoir has been the most productive, with anglers having success using small nymphs either under a dry fly or on a bubble float.

Dark-coloured soft baits and black-and-gold Tobys are often go-to lures at the Southern Reservoir. Be sure to allow enough time for your lure to sink into the bottom third of the water column where fish often hold.

Click below to learn more about fishing in Dunedin reservoirs in this three-part video:

Hunter River jetboat uplift

The Hunter River has a jetboat uplift period from the March 19 to April 30.  Expect there to be significant increase in river traffic as other recreational users head up the valley.

Please note anglers are not permitted to fish from a boat, canoe, pontoon or floatation device on the Hunter River.

But if you’re looking for a backcountry fishing experience without the interruptions this long weekend, pick a waterway where you won’t be affected by a jetboat this weekend.

For more information on uplifting periods for Otago waterways please click here.

Autumn has arrived

William Horsley with a rainbow trout caught mere metres from his feet on the Upper Clutha River/ Mata-Au. Photo: William Horsley.

With cooler air temperatures dropping into the single digits, autumn has truly arrived. But don’t pack away your fishing gear just yet—there are still plenty of great fishing opportunities this season.

Autumn in Otago is prime time for trout fishing, thanks to abundant mayfly and caddis hatches. As temperatures cool and daylight hours shorten, mayflies hatch steadily throughout the day, while caddisflies emerge in the evenings. On calm days, anglers can experience fantastic surface action, with trout eagerly rising to feed on drifting insects.

This season also marks the lead-up to brown trout and salmon spawning, with fish beginning to congregate at the drop offs near river mouths before making their journey into smaller tributaries. This makes them accessible to a range of anglers, whether fishing from shore or a boat.

Slow and steady

Jordan Mace with a solid brown trout caught from around Pisa Moorings on Lake Dunstan Photo: Jordan Mace

The fishing around Lake Dunstan has cooled somewhat with the drop in air temperature, says local angler Jordan Mace. However, he reports still managing to pick up cruising brown and rainbow trout using soft baits.

Jordan emphasises the importance of slowing down your retrieval speed, as many anglers retrieve too fast. Grub-tailed soft baits are ideal for slow retrieves, as their tails create enticing movement even at low speeds.

As usual, anglers should focus their efforts around the weed edges and drop-offs, as these areas are the most productive. However, fish can often be seen cruising anywhere along the lake edge.

Another popular option is bait fishing with prawns or worms, typically rigged with a small ball sinker. This allows the angler to cast past the weed edge and reduce the risk of snagging. Fishing at Lake Dunstan also offers the bonus of encountering the occasional large perch. These fish have firm, white flesh and make excellent table fare.

Vote for the next fishing licence photo

It's time for you to judge the ReWild Snap & Share: The Fish & Game Licence Photo Competition.

The monthly images are:

  • December Winner - "Taranaki ring plain gold". Credit: Craig McEwen.
  • November Winner - "Me and my son Ryker flyfishing". Credit: Sharna Parker.
  • January Winner - ""My good mate Tom landed his first trout on the fly rod, while his son Elliot cheered with joy." Credit: Radek Baus.
  • February Winner - "Early morning on the Rotorua Lake flats chasing rainbows." Credit: Damon Mathfield.

Each monthly winner of the 2024-2025 photo competition has won a $250 Voucher from Kilwell sports, and the overall winner will receive an additional $1000 voucher from Kilwell.

Click here to vote: Vote now: photo competition 2024-2025

 

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

Tight lines,

The team at Otago Fish & Game

 

More Posts