Otago Reel Life JAN 2017

Anglers 'keen' in spite of the weather

It’s fair to say that the summer holiday period has been severely interrupted by some abysmal weather over the past month and leading up to the New Year.

We can only hope conditions settle into a summer mode as February gets underway.

Above Right: Ethan Clark with a very respectable brown trout from the Wakatipu area (Photo Paul van Klink).

Surprisingly, fishing licence sales for the Otago Region have been strong with anglers doing their best to get on the water as conditions allow.

Fishing success has been mixed.

Salmon are regularly being caught at Lake Hawea, and the Upper Clutha River above Albert Town is experiencing a caddis comeback with anglers reporting good dry fly fishing in the evening.

A few large fish were taken from Lake Dunstan and some good fishing was reported from the Manuherikia River with the improved flows.

The inland reservoirs will start to fire when the warm weather eventuates and the cicadas turn up.

Trout and spin anglers have had the luxury of some good fishing on the lower Taieri with a lot of kahawai about.

Anglers are reminded that if your fishing equipment is capable of catching trout or salmon, a Fish & Game licence is required.

This applies to the estuarine area below the Taieri Mouth Road Bridge and extends in a 500 metre radius from the river mouth.

The regulation applies to all other rivers that enter the sea.

Sea-run salmon will start to regularly migrate into the larger rivers so don’t hesitate to put some time aside to try your luck.
Holiday ranging

Fish & Game rangers were active over the holiday period interviewing anglers at holiday hotspots such as Lakes Hawea, Wanaka, Wakatipu, and their adjoining Compliance was generally good but rangers reported too many incidences of anglers not carrying licences.

This created extra workloads which could have been directed elsewhere.

Left: Boat anglers at Lake Wakatipu have had some success (Photo Ranger Phil Andrews).

So please remember to carry those fishing licences at all times when fishing - and spread the word.

Upcoming events

February 11 – Lake Hawea Family Classic Competition.

February 12 – Alexandra District Club TAKF day at Earnscleugh.