Central South Island Weekly Fishing Report - 13 March 2025
- Central South Island
- 13/03/2025
Fly Fishing Couple Conquer the Upper Rangitata River
Recently while ranging the upper Rangitata River CSI Fish & Game officer Jase had the pleasure of meeting Georgina and Thabelo Khabu, wife and husband anglers out enjoying a high-country fly-fishing session on one of our most pristine river environments.
Pictured above: Thabelo Khabu with a healthy Rainbow trout.
Geogina kindly sent in a report of their day.
“We fished the Upper Rangitata and had an excellent day once the wind settled. We hooked ten fish and landed five, a mix of rainbow and brown trout in the 4–7lb range.
They took both dry flies and nymphs, including the Hare & Copper (black bead), Blow Fly Humpy, and a green Copper John.
The clear alpine water made for incredible sight fishing, and we plan to return before the season ends”.
Georgina Khabu with a tough looking Brown trout.
Fish & Game New Zealand Chief Executive Corina Jordan Resigns
Fish & Game says farewell to outgoing chief executive Corina Jordan.
Corina said it has been a privilege to serve as Fish & Game chief executive for nearly three years. She will remain in her role over the next three months to support Fish & Game to deliver key priorities and the transition to new leadership.
Fish & Game New Zealand’s deputy chief executive Richie Cosgrove will lead the organisation in the interim.
Waitaki River Ranging by Jet Boat Last Weekend
Ranging the mighty Waitaki River by jet boat last weekend.
On Sunday March 9th North Canterbury Fish & Game assisted Central South Island Fish & Game to undertake a compliance check on the Waitaki River via Jet Boat.
Fish & Game Officers spoke to 13 salmon anglers and 1 trout angler who was fly fishing. Despite the below par salmon season thus far, rangers would like to say a big thanks to all salmon anglers for having their sea-run salmon bag card in their possession.
CSI Fish & Game Officer Blake Harper also mentioned it was pleasing to see four different families enjoying a fish at Bells Pond - although anglers reported the fish being hard to catch.
Note From our Rangers to Canal Anglers
CSI Fish & Game Officer Jase Van Beers talks to anglers on the Ohaū A canal wall.
The local CSI sports fishing regulations include a regulation that ensures anglers are legally responsible for caring for the fish they catch and release.
This regulation can become an offence at the canals around the walls at the end of canals where bait fishing is often the most frequent method of fishing.
Under the Second Schedule 2. Additional Requirements Note 1 - 1.5 - Any angler who lands a sports fish that will not be kept shall immediately return it with as little injury as possible into the water from which it was taken.
The concrete walls at the ends of the canals are a place where anglers need to take particular care to minimise potential injury to released fish, or risk committing an offence.
If you’re fishing from the walls and hook a fish and intend to catch and release, you must walk with your rod and line around the end of the wall and down the side of the canal to the water’s edge to ensure you cause as little injury as possible to the sports fish.
If a ranger witnesses an angler reeling a fish up a wall and injuring the fish in the process by it hitting against the wall etc. and then releasing afterwards under this regulation that angler can, and highly likely will be, issued an offence.
You are likely to injure and delay the release of a fish, and therefore commit and offence, if you wind it up the wall, remove the hook while the fish flaps around on the concrete, and throw it back of the wall into the water from height.
In short, we advise that only those anglers who are able to walk along the wall and down the canal bank to land fish at water level should be fishing off the canal’s concrete walls.
Please refer to the 2024/25 sports fishing regulations
If further clarification is required, please contact us directly, phone 03 615 8400 or email csi@fishandgame.org.nz.
Weather and Water Outlook
Feels like autumn, doesn’t it? Temperatures are set to warm up a bit after this week’s mid-week southerly reminded us that it’s not summer anymore.
Predicted long-range forecasts are showing another settled weekend for the majority of CSI. Parts of the high country may receive some stronger winds but generally a great weekend to get out and explore.
Another weather forecasting provider we’ve recently started using and finding reliably accurate is the NIWA Weather website and phone app. Check it out for yourself here.
And don’t forget for live cam footage of river mouths and lakes during the day head to Outdoor Access NZ.
This forecast was accurate at the time of writing but please remember to check the forecast for yourself before heading out.
Notice Board
ECAN Targeted Weed Spraying
Targeted spraying via aerial control is planned this week in the following areas:
- Rangitata - SH1 to and just above Arundel – next week.
- Waitaki – mouth to Duntroon.
More information here.
Signage indicating that spraying is underway will be placed at all spray operation refilling stations and public access points on the river. Public access will be restricted during operations.
Waitaki Voluntary Salmon Hatchery (WRES) – Annual General Meeting
- Where: Glenavy Hall
- When: Tuesday, 25th March – 7pm
To find out more about the voluntary hatchery check out the website here.
CSI Council Meeting
Licence holders and members of the public are welcome to attend the bi-monthly meeting of the Central South Island Fish & Game Council.
- Where: 32 Richard Pearse Drive, Temuka
- When: 7pm Thursday 13th March (tonight)
Please remember to share your angling experiences with us, it helps make our reports more engaging and inspiring for everyone! Please email your reports to Jase, here.