Otago Weekly Fishing Report - 10 April 2025
- Otago
- 10/04/2025
Calm and cool conditions
Snow on the hills, morning frosts, rising river flows, and calm weather—winter feels just around the corner.
But these cooler conditions bring some exciting fishing opportunities. Brown trout and salmon are beginning to congregate at river mouths and push into the lower reaches of streams and rivers as they prepare to spawn, often this brings them within range of land-based anglers.
This lovely brown jack couldn’t resist swinging out from under the bank to smash William Horsley’s black and gold soft bait. Credit: Emily Madden.
The slightly higher and often discoloured water can actually work in anglers’ favour, offering cover and allowing for a closer, more stealthy approach. Spinners, soft baits, streamers, and larger fly patterns all shine in these conditions.
This weekend is also an ideal time to scout your favourite spots ahead of the two back-to-back long weekends. There are licence options to suit everyone, with winter, short break and long break licences perfect for making the most of the upcoming holidays.
For more information on licences types click here.
A Shift in the shallows
A rainbow trout breaks the surface mid fight on Lake Dunstan. Credit: Ben Sowry.
With cooler water temperatures and lower light levels settling in Lake Dunstan, brown trout have largely moved off the flats and are heading up the Clutha River to spawn.
Anglers exploring the Upper Clutha may find large schools of browns holding behind willows or instream debris, where dark soft baits and streamers often provoke aggressive strikes.
As brown trout move on, rainbows begin to fill the gaps, becoming the predominant species in the shallows and moving into drop-offs and weed beds near deeper water—especially toward the top of the lake. These rainbows are typically large and in excellent condition.
Autumn also sees large schools of yearling trout in the shallows, providing a prime food source for larger trout. Imitating juvenile trout with Rapala-style lures or soft baits can be highly effective. Dawn and dusk offer the best fishing, with bigger trout using the low light to ambush prey.
Paerau access improved: Doing it in ‘stile’
Fish & Game officer Jayde Couper installed new stiles at Paerau Wetland last week. Credit: Erin Couper.
If you are looking for a new fishing spot, a great option is the Fish & Game managed wetland at Paerau. The linked map shows its location and the off-road access route along the Logan Burn.
To improve access, Fish & Game has installed new stiles on either side of the Logan Burn mouth, making it easier for anglers to reach both the lower Logan Burn and a large section of the Upper Taieri. Reaching the second stile will require getting your feet wet, which is likely unavoidable if you plan to continue up the Taieri.
The stiles and the surrounding planting were a joint effort with Tiaki Maniatoto, a farmer-led group focused on restoring, enhancing, and protecting the Upper Taieri catchment. Their goals strongly align with those of Fish & Game.
If the Logan Burn Dam is spilling, the stream will be too difficult to cross, so anglers should plan accordingly.
Don’t forget the middle
Clean and conditioned, a stunning proportioned brown trout caught from the Taieri River. Credit: Hadlee Edmunds.
Hadlee from Dunedin Hunting & Fishing has been making the most of his “fishing holiday” around the region, with his latest success coming from the Taieri River near Middlemarch.
He found good numbers of eager fish happy to smash a well-presented soft bait. While most fish landed were in the 1-1.5kg range, Hadlee reckons there are definitely some larger individuals scattered throughout the section.
He recommends using light jig heads, around 1/12 oz, which allow for a slower retrieve without constantly snagging the bottom. Natural-coloured soft baits in black and gold or olive and pearl have been especially effective.
For access locations around Strath Taieri and elsewhere in the region, click here.
Community planting day: Lake Tuakitoto
Here’s a great project improving habitat at this regionally significant wetland.
In addition to its exceptional ecological values for indigenous plant and animal species, Lake Tuakitoto is a valued habitat resource for game bird hunting and freshwater fishing for perch and brown trout.
Learn more at: Lake Tuakitoto Wetland
Clyde Dam live webcam
A screengrab of the Clyde Dam webcam taken at the time of writing.
Want to know conditions at Clyde Dam? Check this live webcam sponsored by Contact Energy updated every 15 minutes.
Lake Wānaka live webcam
A screengrab of the Lake Wānaka webcam taken at the time of writing.
Want to know conditions at Lake Wānaka? Check this live webcam from the Wānaka Watersports Facility.
Here’s the weekend outlook:
Dunedin
This Sunday is shaping up to be an excellent day for fishing around Dunedin, with clear skies, light winds, and dropping river levels. With water temperatures easing and flows returning to more typical levels, anglers should take the opportunity to explore lowland streams and rivers where brown trout are beginning to move in prior to spawning.
Saturday’s forecast suggests clearing skies and easing southwesterlies in the afternoon, making it another favourable time to get out on the water.
The Taieri River at Outram was flowing at 20 cumecs this morning. The water temperature was 11 degrees C.
Click here for live weather updates.
Wānaka
Possible early morning showers on Saturday will keep water temperatures down in the Wānaka rivers, but that’s the only blemish in an otherwise favourable weekend forecast. Light winds and slightly overcast conditions are expected throughout the weekend—ideal whether you're heading into the backcountry or out on the lake.
Click here for live weather updates.
Alexandra
Light winds and overcast conditions are the main story in this week’s weather forecast around Alexandra, with both Saturday and Sunday expected to deliver calm, fishable conditions. The cloud cover may actually help with spotting ripples or cruising fins in the shallows at the reservoirs. Alternatively, the local rivers are also a great option, with flows now back to good levels.
Click here for live weather updates.
Clutha Regional Forecast
Sunday is shaping up to be the pick for fishing around the Lower Clutha this weekend, with clear skies, mild temperatures, and northerly winds developing later in the day. Scattered showers are forecast for Saturday, which may limit opportunities. Both the Pomahaka and Clutha rivers have seen increased flows since last month, so take extra care and check conditions before heading out.
The Pomahaka River was flowing at 18 cumecs, dropping from a peak of 32 on Wednesday.
The lower Clutha River at Balclutha was flowing at 512 cumecs.
Click here for live weather updates.
For more ORC water monitoring and alerts information click here.
Grab your licence online and let the angling adventures begin.
Got any Otago fishing news?
Send your fishing news and photos (with anglers’ names) to [email protected] for consideration in the weekly report.