Fishing News index> September 2008

2008 Fishing Season Opening

Dean Kelly – Fish & Game Officer

Unlike most other regions the areas to focus attention in the early season in the West Coast region are the lower parts of rivers. With a high frequency of floods, snow melt and relatively cold water temperatures during the spring, headwaters trout are slow to recover condition lost during spawning. They will be hungry and abundant but far from peak condition. Anglers targeting larger trout in good condition should focus attention in the lower rivers where water temperatures are more favourable and food is abundant in the form of seasonally abundant prey fish.

Trout metabolic rates increase directly with temperature up to an optimum around 140C which means they are more active and require more food in warmer water. Water temperature increases as it makes its way from the alps to the sea with maximum temperatures generally attained in the lower reaches. Combining with these temperature gradients is a seasonal influx of smelt, whitebait, bullies and small mullet. Growth rates and energy gained from this rich food source means that trout can attain large size rapidly and survival rates of juveniles are high.

Seasoned anglers will know that spring is the time of action in the lower parts of rivers with abundant trout in the one to two kilogram range. Combined with these are the exceptionally sized sea-runners and estuarine trout. These larger trout often adopt a lifestyle that involves moving in and out of river mouths with tides and prey fish. For those anglers that have been out and about over the last month you will already be aware of the excellent conditioned fish that are already being caught.

Of course the focus for anglers frequenting headwaters is not necessarily to catch large trout. The majority of research that Fish & Game conducts highlights the fact that back country anglers favour the solitude, surroundings and the ability to fish for sighted fish as the main attraction. These are all relatively constant throughout the season but the chances of getting a couple of days fine weather so that fish can be sighted improve as the season progresses. Water temperatures will also increase throughout the season resulting in higher metabolic rates and more active feeding by trout. The food supply will also increase throughout the season as the days get longer and warmer with ‘drys’ more prevalent later in the season resulting in peak conditioned headwater trout in the autumn, just in time to use all that energy for spawning and producing more trout to keep anglers happy! All West Coast headwater fisheries open on the 1st October after being closed to protect spawning since April. Early season headwater trout provide great opportunities for novice anglers to catch naïve fish.

The moral of the story; The West Coast region offers every possible fishing opportunity to anglers, and those anglers that adapt their fishing by factoring in seasonal movements of fish will enjoy fishing year round. So get out there and get into it!

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