Central South Island Weekly Fishing Report - 23 April 2026

Reeling In the 2025/26 Main Season

Thank you to the more than 25,000 subscribers from across the Central South Island, around New Zealand, and overseas who have read and engaged with our weekly fishing report this season. We hope you’ve enjoyed the content and found it valuable.

Pictured above: Brothers Jake and Ben Bransgrove fishing under the southern lights at the Tekapo Canal. Photo J. Bransgrove.

As this is our final weekly report for the fishing season, we’d love to hear your thoughts.  If you have any feedback or ideas for next season’s Central South Island Fish & Game weekly fishing reports, please email Jase, here.

We hope you enjoy the ANZAC long weekend as the weather is predicated to be great so get out and enjoy Central South Island. Lest we forget.

Season highlights – Thank you to all our passionate contributing anglers!

New Winter Fishing Opportunity - Lake Opuha Winter Season

A stunning winters day at Lake Opuha.

An outcome of the most recent review of CSI region fishing regulations; the CSI Council, with the approval of Hunting and Fishing Minister James Meager, has introduced a three-month winter fishing season at Lake Opuha/Ōpūaha, which comes into effect this season. The winter season is 1 June to 30 August, with a two sports fish daily bag limit.

Be sure to add Lake Opuha fishing to your list of activities to do this winter with the family!

IMPORTANT - Return Your Sea-Run Salmon Bag Card

If you have finished your sea-run salmon fishing for the season, please remember to return the details of your salmon bag card to us. Note: The sea-run salmon fishing season finishes on 30 April.

Even if you didn’t go fishing, or catch or keep any sea-run salmon, your information is very important.

You can do this online by clicking here, give us a call on 03 615 8400, or email [email protected] or post the card to us at PO Box 150, Temuka. 7948.

Winter Fishing: What’s Open and When

Regular contributors Paul’s final fish of the main season, another big low country river brownie.  

The main fishing season ends next week on Thursday the 30^th of April 2026.

Be sure to check out the 2025/26 sports fishing regulations guide here, to find out which waters are open from May to September and the specific regulations that apply.

While most of our waterways will close for sports fishing, there are still abundant opportunities to fish during the May–September months, including some of Aotearoa/New Zealand's most sought-after winter fisheries!

Also remember to save our online access map to your phone home screen.  It has satellite layering, detailing hundreds of access spots throughout the region.

Year-Round Fishing Options

The following waterways are open all year long:

Lakes:

• Tekapo/Takapō
• Pūkaki
• Ōhau
• Benmore
• Aviemore
• Waitaki
• Middleton
• Ruataniwha
• Wairepo Arm
• Hood

Canals:

• Rangitata Diversion Race
• Ōhau (A, B & C)
• Pūkaki
• Tekapo/Takapō – downstream of SH8 Bridge only

Restricted “Winter Seasons”

The following rivers have a three-month "winter season" from 1 June to 31 August, downstream of their respective State Highway 1 bridges:

• Ashburton
• Rangitata/Rakitata
• Opihi
• Waitaki

Lake Alexandrina/Takamana has a two-month winter season from 1 June to 31 July and now includes the provision that a maximum of one brown trout may be taken.

Lake Opuha/Ōpūaha has three-month winter fishing season from 1 June to 31 August.

Restricted “Shoulder Seasons”

These waterways have unique fishing seasons:

• Lake Camp – remains open until 31 May.
• Tekapo Canal, upstream of its State Highway 8 Bridge – remains open until 31 May, then reopens on 1 September.
  
  

Ōhau River “Spring Season” Controlled Period Ballot

The 2026 controlled period ballot schedule is now posted on our website here. If you're keen to enter, remember the ballot will open for entries from 24 June to 15 July 2026.  We recommend setting a reminder or marking it on your calendar!

Lake Heron / Ōtūroto – New Regulation Reminder

Tracey Clemens of Methven catches a brown trout at Lake Heron - opening Day 2025.

No angler shall use any lure with more than one hook and one point in Lake Heron from November 1^st, 2026, onwards.

CSI Fish and Game Council and Hunting and Fishing Minister James Meager have agreed to make single hooks mandatory at Lake Heron next season, starting November 1^st, 2026.

The single hook regulation aims to achieve quick and easy unhooking of undersized salmon to reduce injury risk. Minimising the handling of landed fish helps to ensure they are released with the best chance of survival.

The regulations change covers all types of fishing at Lake Heron, for example, spin anglers sight fishing for brown trout cruising the shallow margins must use single hooks from November 2026.

Remember we’re on Facebook and Instagram

Please like, follow and share us on social media.

While the weekly fishing report is on “hiatus” over winter please check out our Facebook and Instagram pages.

Click here for Central South Island Fish & Game on Facebook

We’re keen to grow our social media presence, to provide all our licence holders with more value.  So please like, follow and share with your friends to keep up to date with everything that’s happening in the Central South Island Fish & Game region year-round.

Any questions are still best directed towards [email protected] or calling by 03 615 8400.

Weather and Water Outlook

A calm, clear and relatively mild weekend is predicted for the ANZAC long weekend, a good opportunity to get the boat out on our lakes.

The Wind

According to YR.NO the winds in Temuka (low country) the predicted long-range forecasts for Saturday and Sunday is that it will have light to gentle north to northwest breezes.

Winds in Twizel (high country): Saturday will see light air from the west in the morning before changing to the east in the afternoon. Sunday is predicted to have light air from the west predominately.

The Flows

As of Thursday morning, the ECan River flow data website shows the following river flow rates read in cubic meters per second (m³/s). Click on the river name to go to the ECan website for more information.

• Ahuriri -  22.258
• Ashburton -  26.11
• Hakataramea - 9.722
• Ōpihi –  32.54
• Otematata - 5.343
• Rangitata - 93.832
• Tekapo - 10.893
• Twizel –  6.599
• Waitaki -  322.133

Please always check the weather and waterway conditions before heading out to ensure you have an enjoyable day on the water.

Please Send us your fishing reports!

Whilst this report is crafted by the CSI Fish & Game team, it’s your stories that truly bring it to life. We’d love to hear about your own fishing adventures. Please share your short trip reports, photos, go-to lures, or favourite recipes etc.

Email your reports to Fish & Game Officer Jase Van Beers at [email protected]

Click here for Central South Island Fish & Game on Facebook

For any questions, please email [email protected] or call 03 615 8400.