Category: Reel Life

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Reel Life September 2023

RL CSI p1 sep23

Season’s greetings to you all - the fishing season that is.

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Reel Life March 2023

RLcsi1April is a great time to get the kids out fishing in the mild autumn conditions photo by Rhys Adams

April is the last month of the main “summer season” and with Easter and ANZAC holidays to utilise there is plenty of time left to get out on your local...

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Reel Life February 2023

RLcsi1 high country fishing in March can be spectacular Photo by Rhys Adams

Fishing in March can be characterised by summer-style fishing but with cold mornings — sometimes even frosty.

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Reel Life January 2023

RLcsiJan1 February is a great month for fly fishing at high country tarns photo by Rhys Adams

The Christmas holidays are behind us, but we can still make good use of the weekends and Waitangi Day.

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Reel Life December 2022

RLcsiDEC1 The summer holidays are a great time to get kids out fishing

The holiday season is here, and fishing in the CSI Region has got to rate highly on your to-do list.

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Reel Life November 2022

RLcsiNOV2 Jaxon White caught this huge rainbow trout at Lake Benmore in November with his Grandad Trevor Hendry 1

There have been some outstanding catches reported over October and November.

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Reel Life October 2022

RLoct22CSI1 Salmon on at the Kids Salmon Fihsing Day

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Reel Life September 2022

RL Sept22 CSI 1 Sean and Dan OConnor fishing Bortons Pond on Opening Day 2020

The new season starts on Saturday the 1st of October!

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Welcome to the first Reel Life issue of the 2022/23 fishing season

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Your new season fishing licence will unlock the wonderful New Zealand rivers and lakes to you for a fishing season that is looking awesome.

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Reel Life April 2022

WFR2123.54 Sandra ONeill caught this lovely rainbow at Lake Alexandra last weekend Credit Rob ONeill

Outlook for April

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Reel Life March 2022

Central South Island Region

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Reel Life February 2022

Glenn Faust and Jim Tritschler with their Lake Benmore sockeye salmon pic by Howard Lewis

February is the month for summer fishing!

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Reel Life January 2022

RLcsiDEC 1 trolling on Lake Benmore is a favourite holiday activity for hundreds of anglers

Holiday Season means fishing time!

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Reel Life December 2021

WFR2122.22 Finn Stevens left and Lincoln Skeats out there doing it in the CSI Region credit H Stevens

The first Saturday in December (4th) marks the final "Opening Day" in the CSI Region, with the upper Ahuriri River and lagoons opening.

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Reel Life November 2021

RL Oct CSI 1 Rhys Adams with a large brown trout caught at the Opihi River October 2021

The fishing has been great this October with some “highlight” catches reported from the Opihi Catchment and the upper Ōhau River backcountry fishery.

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Reel Life October 2021

RL Sept CSI 2 School holiday success at Lake Tekapo for Evan Adams

The new season starts on Friday the 1st of October!

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Reel Life September 2021

Salmon 1 copy

With our winter fishing seasons finishing up in August, local fishing options are somewhat limited around our main population centres in the CSI Region this September.

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Reel Life April 2021

RL CSI April 1 Fish on in May at the large lakes and canals of the Macknzie Basin photo credit Rhys Adams

With the end of the summer season finishing up on Friday the 30th of April, it’s time to dig out your 2020-2021 regulation guide and familiarise yourself again with the...

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Reel Life March 2021

RLmarchCSI1 Make the most the opportuinties to put a bend in your rod before the summer season ends

Many of our waters close for spawning at the end of April, so don’t delay get out on the water and make hay.

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Reel Life January 2021

RL JAN CSI 1 Quick tip take it easy while bait fishing on a beach at scenic glacial Waitaki lake

It was a wet and wild holiday period and many of our rivers and streams got a flood or a flush and that has set them up well for some...

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Reel Life December 2020

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The holiday season is here and fishing in the CSI Region has got to rate highly on your to-do list.

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Reel Life November 2020

RLCSI2 Evan Adams tries his luck at a stream mouth on Lake Pukaki Creidt R Adams

The fishing season has been awesome so far with so many anglers getting out and enjoying the countries most popular and secret waterways.

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Reel Life October 2020

RLCSI3 Lake Poaka is a scenic spot to fly fish on high country opening Credit R Adams

The new 2020-21 season has got off to a great start but things are set to get even better.

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Reel Life September 2020

RL CSI 1 Blake Marrett had success worm fishing on Lake Opuha on Opening Day 2019 credit R Cosgrove

The new season starts on Thursday the 1st of October!

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Reel Life August 2020

RL Header

The new fishing season is only five weekends away and your new season fishing licence will unlock the full fishing potential of New Zealand for you to explore.

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Central South Island Reel Life January 2020

RL CSI JAN 1 A high country brown taken on a cicada imitation Credit R Adams 1

The best time of year for action-packed dry fly fishing is upon us.

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Central South Island Reel Life December 2019

RL Dec CSI 2 Lake Benmore offers a reliable holiday period fishing destination

The fishing has been up and down like the river flows this December.

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Central South Island Reel Life November 2019

RL Nov CSI 1 William Humm with a nice rainbow from Opening Day at Lake Heron

The fishing has been excellent this November with some great catches being reported.

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Central South Island Reel Life October 2019

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Central South Island Reel Life September 2019

RL SEPT CSI 1 2018 Opening day success on the Waitaki River for Colin Ballantyne Grahame Ballantyne and Kevin Sidon

It has been a relatively dry winter in the region and river flows should be good for opening day, unless we get a decent rainfall event in the days prior...

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Central South Island Reel Life August 2019

RL CSI August 1 A 14 gram bass hex wobbler accounts for a large Lake Tekapo Brown trout Credit Rhys Adams

In September many of our waters are closed, but acres of fishing opportunities exist at the Mackenzie basin canals and seven Waitaki Catchment hydro lakes.

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Central South Island Reel Life January 2019

RLjanCSI1 Shelton Tipper and his Opihi Salmon from surf 08 01 2019 credit Paul McLaughlan2

It is the month for dry fly and salmon fishing in this part of the world.

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Central South Island Reel Life December 2018

RLdec18csi1 Fish Game Officer Rhys Adams with 6 pound of CSIs finest brown trout credit J Couper

The last month and a half have been wet as spring came late.

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Central South Island Reel Life November 2018

RLnovCSI1 Jack Gillespie 9 with his brown trout caught on his grandads fly rod at Lake Benmore credit A Gillespie

October was very dry, and November was very wet, what a change in the feel of the fishing season!

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Central South Island Reel Life October 2018

RLoctCSI1 Finn Stevens with his Opihi River brown trout October 2018

It’s been a excellent start to the new season, low country river flows have been kind for those who like to spot and stalk brown trout in our small to...

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Central South Island Reel Life September 2018

RLSept18csi1The upper Ohau River 2

It has been a relatively dry winter in the region and river flows should be relatively low for Opening Day, unless we get a decent rainfall event in the days...

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Central South Island Reel Life August 2018

RLaugust18CSI1A shoreline catch from Lake Tekapo July 2018 credit R Adams

September is the last month that your current 2017-2018 licence is valid, so we encouraged you to jump in the car and head out for one final fling of the line.

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Reel Life May 2018

Reel Life May 2018 cover shot Luther3

We’ve got a simple message as May rolls into June and the start of winter…there is still some terrific fishing out there!

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Central South Island Reel Life April 2018

RLapril18csi2 time to head to the canals credit Cliff Burmister

The 2017-2018 summer fishing season has been a good one: generally, mild conditions and regular rainfall gave us some of the best summer river flows in years.

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Central South Island Reel Life March 2018

RLmar18CSI1boxed ticked Brook trout

April is the last month of the ‘summer’ fishing season. Some waters are now closed for salmon fishing so make sure to review your regulation guide for details.

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Central South Island Reel Life February 2018

FGNZ NC RakaiaFishingComp25

Weather-wise, March can be brilliant with mild and settled weather (fingers firmly crossed).

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Central South Island Reel Life January 2018

RLcsiJAN1 A refreshed Opihi Riverbed after the December rains

Our waterways and their fishy inhabitants are in summer mode - for dry fly enthusiasts this is your time of year.

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Central South Island Reel Life December 2017

RLcsi4Dec17Micah Thompson enjoying a choice sunset at Lake Pukaki

The fishing in November and December has been epic!

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Central South Island Reel Life November 2017

RLcsiNOV3 John Rushton at the Iron Bridge Tekapo River opening day 2017

Summer has struck and with the high country waters open, anglers have been making the most of ideal fishing conditions.

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Central South Island Reel Life October 2017

RLoct17csi4 Chunky Waitaki River Rainbow caught this October

It’s been a wet start to the fishing season in the low country but the fishing has been great when flows have allowed.

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Central South Island Reel Life September 2017

RLsept17csi3new season new licence

It's an exciting time for many anglers as the new sports fishing season opens.

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CSI Reel Life August 2017

RLCSI2August2017 Lake Benmores Pumpkin Point is worth a visit in September

September is the last month to use your current 2016-2017 licence, so we encourage anglers to get out for one final fling of the line.

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Central South Island Reel Life May 2017

RLmayCSICSI2An anesthetised young of year brown trout from the Te Ngawai River is weighed May 2017

Thursday the first of June heralds the opening of several handy winter fishing season options in the CSI Region.

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CSI Reel Life April 2017

rl CSI apr17

The 2016-2017 summer fishing season has been a cracker.

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Wellington Reel Life Mar 2017

A backcountry beauty for Peter de Boer

Okay, the weather has been crazy, and at least in some rivers that normally fire the fish have been fickle...

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Auckland / Waikato Reel Life Mar 2017

AW1RLMar2017

An ambitious tagging program has been started on the Whanganui River by Fish & Game councillor Nigel Juby.

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Hawke's Bay Reel Life Mar 2017

Pic 2 HB Reel Life March 2017

After another hot dry summer, it was refreshing to get some decent rain in early March to give the rivers a flush out and add some volume to their flows.

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Taranaki Reel Life Mar 2017

TRL1April2017. A fine south Taranaki autumn rainbow photo Michael Bakker.

With only one significant fresh in the last month, Taranaki ringplain streams and rivers have been very fishable – and there’s even been a nice period of settled weather to...

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Nelson Marlborough Reel Life Mar 2017

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Trout flying bright green streamers were released into the Riuwaka River during a day long operation in mid-March. 

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West Coast Reel Life Mar 2017

Dallas Dowdell with a Nice South Westland Salmon Caught Last Week

Conditions have certainly come right recently, with great fishing available.

Both opportunities for salmon and trout fishing have been excellent this month, as the weather has settled down and the river flows have stabilised.

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North Canterbury Reel Life Mar 2017

FGNZ NC KidsFishingday3

Late March and early April often brings settled weather to the Canterbury region.

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Central South Island Reel Life Mar 2017

RLmar17CSI2 box ticked Rhys Adams returned to this river found while hunting

April is the last month of the ‘summer’ fishing season.

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New Blog Post

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Calm conditions and clear water through March was welcomed by anglers.

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Southland Reel Life Mar 2017

SOUTHLAND PHOTO 1 DD Oreti

Finally, in a clear patch of weather Southland staff were able to get out and undertake drift diving surveys as part of their annual trout monitoring program.

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Northland Reel Life Mar 2017

N 2 Brown trout headwaters Wilsons Dam3

Autumn has arrived – with the mornings noticeably cooler and some heavy dews happening.

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Eastern Reel Life Mar 2017

E RL MARCH 2017

Autumn has rolled around quickly and seasonal changes are evident in the Eastern Fish & Game region.

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Central South Island Reel Life FEB 2017

Weather-wise March can be brilliant with mild and settled weather.

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North Canterbury Reel Life FEB 2017

High hopes for March fishing

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Nelson / Marlborough Reel Life FEB 2017

'exhilarating' cicada season in full swing

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Northland Reel Life Feb 2017

With warm temperatures and a “medium adverse event” declared in Northland, water levels have been getting very low.

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Taranaki Reel Life Feb 2017

At last...after a long period of westerly conditions bringing cool winds and lots of rain, we've finally enjoyed some settled summer weather in Taranaki, not a moment too soon!

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Eastern Reel Life Feb 2017

Lake Rotoiti has been one of the top performers so far this summer, serving up some “solid” catches.

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Auckland / Waikato Reel Life Feb 2017

The weather has been less than ideal recently but the heat has brought out the cicadas – and the trout that feed on them.

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Northland Reel Life Jan 2017

We hope everyone has had a good summer break...or are still enjoying your holidays.

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Eastern Reel Life Jan 2017

Lake Rotorua’s shoreline fishery has been slow to get underway this summer due to cooler and windier than normal conditions.

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Central South Island Reel Life JAN 2017

It has been a fickle summer weather-wise, with welcome small but regular rainfall events occurring across the region.

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West Coast Reel Life Jan 2017

Large numbers of hunters turned out in the West Coast Region for Opening Weekend this year, both local hunters and many from other regions.

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Nelson/Marlborough Reel Life JAN 2017

The Taylor River fishery is in good shape after a 50 medium to large brown trout were released before Christmas.

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Wellington Reel Life Jan 2017

Spring and now 'summer' continue to be a real mixed bag when it comes to weather and fishing prospects.

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Taranaki Reel Life Jan 2017

Regular freshes, persistent westerly winds and even an early dump of snow have conspired to provide great conditions for the trout, but not so flash for the anglers.

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Hawke’s Bay Reel Life Jan 2017

December and early January have seen many of the rivers running low and clear as we progress through the hot summer months here in the Hawke’s Bay.

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