Illegal fishing method discovered

Fish & Game Rangers have become alerted to an illegal fishing rig being used at the Mackenzie Basin Hydro Canals.

The method is as an adaption to the “egg rolling” method.

All anglers fishing for sports fish must abide by all regulations contained within the current season’s Sports Fishing Regulation Guide.

The illegality is caused by a hook being positioned away from the lure and that this rig is unsporting because it is highly likely to result in foul hooking.

The illegal rig is set with an egg imitation positioned up the trace away from the hook. 

A hook fished separate from a lure is not an “Authorised Lure”, which includes only artificial fly, spinner and bait.

This is considered unsporting and is also an offence because it is not used to induce the fish to bite the lure and be hooked from within the mouth simultaneously. 

Rather the rig is set to foul hook the fish or only by chance hook the fish within the mouth. 

Foul hooking is defined as “to hook a sports fish other than from within the mouth” and it is an offence to attempt to foul hook.

Anglers are reminded that any foul hooked fish caught must be returned immediately with as little injury as possible, and within the Central South Island Region that you cannot continue to fish on any day once you have foul hooked three fish. 

To legally fish for sports fish you must always fish with the lure and hook in contact.

Example 1 of legal rig   

An egg imitation that is free running on a trace that has a terminal hook must be positioned and fished against that hook. 

Example 2 of a legal rig

A hookless Tassie Devil lure body that is free running along trace that has a terminal hook must be in contact with the hook while being fished. 

The Sports Fishing Regulation Guide is available from any licence agent for Fish & Game NZ and are available online here:

For regulation enquiries regarding canal fishing contact Central South Island Fish & Game, Phone 03 6158400 or csi@fishandgame.org.nz