Reel Life April 2023

The Winter fishing season is about to get into full swing, there are plenty of fantastic options highlighted on our regional links above to help you have success with your winter fishing. 

Don’t be put off by the cooler weather, there’s plenty of great fishing available around the country. 

Campaign to Fish & Hunt Forever  

The future of fishing and hunting is under threat.  

Changes in society and law are marginalising this critical part of who we are as New Zealanders, our lifestyle and culture. 

Your favourite pursuits are threatened by the Government’s proposed law to replace the RMA.  

The law will not recognise what you value about the wild nor protect the habitat of trout, salmon and game birds. 

Fish & Game is the only organisation that champions these pursuits and advocates on your behalf as anglers and game bird hunters.  

Sign up below to help us fight for the ongoing ability to fish and hunt. 

https://fishandgame.org.nz/national-site/campaign-to-fish-and-hunt-forever  

Licence photo comp winner for March 

Chris Dore's winning March entry.

Chris Dore is the March winner of our annual fishing licence photo competition.

His picture, taken in the picturesque Eglington River fishery, will duke it out with the April winner to be the next Fishing Licence Photo. 

Be in to win by entering the April competition here. 

Thanks to the generosity of our sponsor, Kilwell Sports, you have the chance to not only win a $500 Kilwell Sports Voucher as a monthly winner. 

But to have your winning photo enter the grand final draw to appear on next year's fishing licence AND win the grand prize worth $2000.  

A New National Fly Fishing Champ is crowned

Ollie Bassett, with one of many fish landed.

Twenty-one-year-old Ollie Bassett won the National Fly Fishing River Championships held on the Whanganui River on April 15th and 16th. 

Ollie is the youngest competitor to hold the title and has done an outstanding job of reaching the top of his sport in New Zealand. 

Sport Fly Fishing New Zealand puts on the event annually and has previously hosted the World Fly Fishing Championships and the Commonwealth Fly Fishing Champs on the Whanganui River. 

Competitors landed some impressive trout just outside Taumarunui, with several large fish caught near the power station.  

2023 Trout festival - 16th September at Clearwater Resort & the Groynes Christchurch 

Anglers attend on of the practical sessions at the 2022 Trout festival.

Following on from the success of last year's event and coming back bigger and better, North Canterbury Fish & Game and the Canterbury Fly Fishing Club are holding the annual Trout Festival again. 

More than just fly fishing, this year they have secured some of New Zealand’s best trout anglers, including Malcolm Bell and Darian Sheheen from The Complete Angler; Jeff Forsee from Wanaka; James Fuller & Peter Scott; Hannah Clement; Tom Hodge; and Carl McNeil. 

Also, Manic Tackle will be bringing along Rene Vaz, Bryce Helms, and Karl Adams; KIllwell Sports are planning to have Alex Waller (Trippin on Trout) in attendance; Plus, Flytackle NZ Ltd will have Andrew Burden there. 

Also, Chef Tony Smith from Trout Fisher Magazine will be doing some cooking demonstrations. 

Keep an eye out on the North Canterbury Fish & Game Facebook page for more info. 

Sea-run salmon surveying underway 

Fish & Game Officer Emily Craig, left, counting sea-run salmon at Manuka Point.

Every year Fish & Game estimate the total run sizes of our sea-run salmon on our main Canterbury rivers. 

Those surveys are underway currently to estimate the 2022/2023 run size.  

The estimates are based on spawning numbers observed in the annual aerial counts and the angler harvest information that we gather through your Sea Run Salmon Season Bag card returns.  

If you have a sea-run salmon harvest card, remember to get your card information to us by May 7th so your data counts -even if you kept no fish or didn't end up going fishing.

Cookbook

What better way to honour the fish you harvest than by using some of the Fish & Game Cookbook recipes?  

Packed with 200 pages, there’s more than just recipes in this award-winning book; there are articles on how to process your game, plus the history of our fish in New Zealand.  

Click on the link above to get your copy.  

This is the last reel Life till August; till then, tight lines from the team at Fish & Game NZ.