Reel Life September 2024 - Southland

Trout caught with a natural looking soft bait.

The new season is near

As the new fishing season draws near, excitement is building for anglers throughout the region. With longer days and rivers coming to life, it's time to dust off your gear and dive into a new season of adventure. Recent spawning surveys have uncovered impressive fish in our spawning creeks, while last season's drift dive surveys in the mid and upper reaches of our rivers confirmed solid trout populations. Everything is pointing towards a fantastic season ahead.

Fish & Game Officer Ben Febery with a pre-spawn brown trout from the Waituna catchment.  

New Waikaia River beat system

There is now a voluntary beat system on the Waikaia River. We don’t expect this to address all the overcrowding. It is targeted at access issues, ie. where to park and how to get to the river.

It will better distribute anglers along the river and the presence of cars at the beat signs, will let you know what areas are being fished.

The 18 beats range in length from 1.4km to 4.8km, and average 2.9km. So, there is plenty of water for a days’ fishing.

The four ‘Open Reaches’ ensure anglers have plenty of room to move around the Waikaia township, and the popular spots of Mahers Beach and the Piano Flat camping area.

The success of this system relies on adherence. Please be a part of it, not apart of it.

For maps and more information, please select here

Setting trout fishing goals: A fun way to prepare for the new season

As the new fishing season draws near, many anglers will be checking their gear and making sure everything is ready for the start of the new season. But beyond the usual preparations, have you considered setting any specific fishing goals for the season? Goal-setting isn’t just for work or competitive sports—it can actually make your fishing season more exciting, rewarding, and fun.

Why set fishing goals? Having clear objectives gives you something to aim for, adding purpose and direction to your fishing trips. Instead of just going out and seeing what happens, you’ll have specific targets in mind. Whether it’s landing a personal best, exploring a new fishing spot, or mastering a new technique, these goals can bring a fresh sense of engagement and satisfaction to your time on the water.

One key benefit of setting fishing goals is the motivation they provide throughout the season. It’s easy to fall into a routine, visiting the same spots repeatedly and potentially losing some enthusiasm as the season progresses. But with goals—whether it’s catching a trout of a certain size or fishing in a specific location—you’re more likely to stay motivated and keep getting out there. This not only means more time on the water but also more opportunities to enjoy nature and spend time with others.

Goals can also be a great way to learn and improve your fishing skills. If you set a goal to catch trout using a new method, you’ll likely spend time researching and practicing, which can lead to new skills and knowledge. Over time, these small improvements can significantly enhance your overall fishing experience and success. Plus, the goals you set can lead to some of your most memorable fishing moments, like the thrill of catching a fish of a certain size or helping a loved one catch their first fish.

When setting your fishing goals, keep these tips in mind:

• Make it fun: your goals should enhance your fishing experience, not make it feel like work. Choose goals that excite you and that you’ll enjoy working toward.
• Be realistic: set goals that challenge you but are still within reach. This will keep you motivated and will help prevent frustration.
• Celebrate successes: don’t forget to celebrate your achievements. Each goal met is a step toward becoming a better angler.

Here are a few example goals to inspire you:

• Help a family member catch their first trout.
• Catch a trout on a fly.
• Catch your first trout on a fly you tied yourself.
• Fish in five rivers you’ve never fished before.
• Catch a trout bigger than 60 cm.
• Catch at least one trout every month of the season.

Spending more time fishing with family is one potential goal to work towards this season. 

Southland Soft Bait Clinic

Thursday 7th November - 6:30pm to 8:30pm - Lower Oreti River.

Save the date in your calendar now.

Lance Gill, of @fishthedriftnz fame and the South Island sales rep for Composite Developments, will be presenting on all things freshwater soft-bait fishing.

Keep an eye on the Southland Fish & Game Facebook page for updates.

Seven quick tips for the start of the season

Check river conditions: rain can often cause discolouration in rivers early in the season. Keep an eye on river levels and clarity using the ES river levels here: https://envdata.es.govt.nz/. Small streams usually clear first, so consider starting there.

Try soft baits: If you haven’t tried soft baits yet, now’s the time. They’re becoming a favourite among spin anglers. For tips on using soft baits effectively, check out this video.

Focus on our lower rivers: Early season is ideal for targeting the tidal reaches of our lower rivers where baitfish are migrating upstream. Many of our lower river are open year-round and are already fishing well.

Blake Corboy with a big trout he recently caught in the New River Estuary.

New to trout fishing? Watch our video which outlines some tips to boost your chances of success when spin fishing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5NdYcJV221s&ab_channel=FishandGameNZ

Carry a variety of lures: having a selection of lures is you tacklebox is worthwhile. Experiment with different options to see what works best on the day.

Try targeting perch: perch are great for both sport and the table. Early season is perfect for targeting them, especially in the deeper, slower reaches of the lower Oreti, Mataura, and Makarewa rivers.

Use polarised glasses: polarised sunglasses can help reduce glare on the water, making it easier to spot fish and structure. They’re a valuable tool for any angler.

Utilise our online access maps: Our online access maps show all the fishing access points across Southland. They’re perfect for discovering new spots. Explore them here: https://fishandgamenzaccess.org/fg-southland-region-full-width-map/

Access Map Tip

A few people have popped into the office asking for help with the online maps. It is web based, not an app, so it won’t work when you are out of coverage.

However, you can add a link to the maps on your home screen, so it is as quick to access as an app.

A shortcut to the Fish & Game maps, inside a folder with other useful fishing related links.

How to add a shortcut to them on your home screen

Android - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O1xEXKB6tNg

Iphone - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vHA-ZuU8CU8

Here is the web address of the Southland maps - https://fishandgamenzaccess.org/fg-southland-region/

Also, consider creating shortcuts to your preferred weather forecast (Metservice, Metvuw, yr.no etc) and the live river level monitoring data from Environment Southland (https://envdata.es.govt.nz/?c=water-level). You’ll never arrive surprised to see a flooded river again.

Having these readily available on your home screen, makes planning a fishing trip quick and effortless.

The Brightwater Spring

The three strands of the Brightwater Spring, which are Southland’s largest, flow through private title on Bill & Beth Gordon’s working farm. The Gordon’s have been farming the area together since getting married in 2002. Bill’s history goes back further, having lived there all his life, and it has been in the Gordon family since 1878.

This year, they graciously placed the springs and the riparian margins into a QE II National Trust Covenant which provides a legal framework to protect biodiversity on private land in perpetuity. 

Southland Fish & Game worked with the Gordons (& QE II) to develop the covenant, suitable clauses, and covered most costs in recognition that anglers will get the greatest benefit.

Fish & Game will manage the fishery, conduct weed control (both terrestrial and aquatic) and ensure there is practical access. 

There are numerous benefits. 

• The springs are now protected from commercial development.
• Public access is secured in perpetuity.
• As the riparian vegetation flourishes, it will shade and stabilise the banks, enhancing depth and physical cover for trout and native fish.

Bill Gordon and the Brightwater Spring.

This is a very exciting and meaningful project and if you would like to contribute towards similar projects in the future, then please contact the QEII Trust and/or Southland Fish & Game.

After a very wet month, we all have our fingers crossed that our waterways return to normal flows in time for opening and we wish all our anglers the very best for the start of the season.

If you have any photos, stories or fishing anecdotes that you think other anglers might appreciate seeing in Reel Life, then please send them to [email protected]

From the team at Southland Fish & Game