Otago Fishing Highlights - January 2012
20 January 2012, Morgan Trotter - Otago Fish & Game
Regional Round Up
A period of heavy rain fell across much of Otago last week. This was good news for river health as many streams were approaching near drought conditions.
The Pomahaka and Taieri have still not returned to normal and clear conditions since the rain, but most other waterways are in good order for fishing.
North Otago
The Shag, Kakanui and Waianakarua really benefited from recent rain. Water levels were getting very low and temperatures quite high. Large sea-run type fish (up to 9lb) have been reported in the lower reaches of these rivers over the last month.
Southern Lakes
Anglers fly fishing with small bully patterns from the shoreline of Hawea and Wanaka have been experiencing some great sight fishing for cruising trout. Green beetle dry flies have also been successful.
The most productive boat anglers have been out early in the morning. Trolling with fluorescent pink Tasmanian devil lures off river deltas (in 2-4m) has been working very well on salmon. The Hunter River delta is holding lots of trout (around 1.5kg) at the moment.
Over the holiday period the Clutha River was quite low allowing anglers to spot and cast to fish in water that is normally inaccessible. The outlet area has been fishing well and some good sedge hatches have been report around Deans Bank on calm warm evenings.
Central Otago
Over the New Year Lake Dunstan produced some good bags. Anglers fly fishing with green woolly bugger lures over weedbeds were practically successful.
Everyone is waiting for the Cicada fishing to start on the high country lakes. These lakes (Poolburn, Onslow and Manorburn) have been producing some very well conditioned fish this season so there is potential for some great dry fly action when temperature warms up.
Taieri Catchment
Prior to the recent fresh the upper Taieri was fly fishing very well. Fly anglers experienced good fishing using willow grub imitations. These tiny (4-5mm) yellow grubs drop from galls in willow leaves onto the water surface providing a banquet for trout.
The upper Taieri is presently clearing but the lower river remains discoloured. As the lower river begins to clear there should be some great spin fishing opportunities to catch fresh sea run trout. Good numbers of salmon have been reported in the Dunedin harbour.
Southwest Otago
Water temperatures were very high in the Pomahaka and Waipahi so the recent fresh should improve the fishing once these rivers clear. The fresh may have also enticed some sea-run trout and salmon into the Pomahaka.
Trout have been smashing baitfish (smelt and adult whitebait) throughout the lower Clutha system. This presents very exciting opportunities as often the trout chase bait fish right into shallows at high speed. These trout become very focused on their prey and lures need to be placed directly in their visual zone to get a strike. Then strip the lure back in quickly. Black woolly buggers and rapala lures work well.
Some salmon (around 8lb) have been caught in the lower Clutha recently. Spin fishing with 5-10kg line using silver zed spinners and rapala lures (if you can get them down) works well in the deep pools.
Morgan Trotter - Fish & Game Otago
20th January 2012
For fishing & river flow information online visit:
Fish & Game http://www.fishandgame.org.nz/
Environment Southland www.es.govt.nz/index.aspx
Otago Regional Council www.orc.govt.nz/Portal.asp
Environment Canterbury www.ecan.govt.nz/home/
