Reel Life - January 2016

Summer's heat has rolled over much of the country in the last month, often bringing rain to freshen falling river and stream levels.

Cicadas, beetles and mayflies have taken to their wings and the fish have been reacting to the insect smorgasbord…

In the Central South Island, dry fly fishing has been "as good as it gets” in some spots as the fish take advantage of the opportunity to gobble down the insects which have bumbled into the water.

The rain has also lifted water levels and the rescue of trout and other fish from drying streams which was so much part of last year's summer has not been needed.

However, the South Island's salmon run has yet to fire up, with anglers nervously watching the rivers and social media for the first hint that the much-anticipated run has begun.

In the Rotorua lakes district, summer angling has been on a high with some superb fish catches reported throughout the region.

The stand-out lake so far has been Rotoiti where Fish & Game has weighed and measured a number of fish in the 3-4kg range.

In the lower North Island, fishing has been hard at times but the rain has kept river levels up and water temperatures down.

Remember, just because the fish are hard to find, it doesn't mean they aren't there. In the Auckland/Waikato Region, drift dives have turned up pleasing results for anglers. The Waikato's upper Waihou revealed an impressive 900 rainbow trout per kilometre of river surveyed!

P.S. - This month's cover pic shows Ben, Cameron and Scott (left to right) with dad Hamish's lovely 7lb trout from the Clutha River.

P.P.S - If you think you've got a freshwater fishing image worthy of featuring on our 'cover', email it to Don Rood for consideration.