Lower North Lowdown Weekly Fishing Report - 26 September 2024

Stars Align For Super Start to the Season!

Picture caption: Matt Kavermann casting to a big rainbow in a small Central North Island stream (Credit: Hamish Carnachan) 

Welcome to the first Wellington-Taranaki fishing report for the 2024-25 season. 

There are only five sleeps 'til the new season kicks off, and after an awesome season last year it's little wonder anglers are amped to get out on the water. 

Great weather is forecast in the lead up to Opening, with perfect fishing conditions for Tuesday itself when the season starts – fine with light winds.

This sort of stable weather pattern is almost underheard of for our part of New Zealand at the start of the trout fishing season, so make sure you get out on the water if you're able to.

Jack Alvernaz with a nice Taranaki Ringplain brown from last season (Photo: Adam Priest Flyfish Taranaki).

While there may be a few adults puling sickies on Tuesday with that forecast, the school holidays start next week so there's no need for kids to bunk classes... and what better way to keep them entertained over the break!

From next week onwards and throughout the season, every Thursday, we'll email you the latest angling news and events from the two regions, as well as weather forecasts and links to live river flows for the weekend ahead.

We aim to arm you with the best information available to make your outings a success. As always, we encourage and welcome feedback and pics of your fishing adventures - you can even win a $300 voucher from Hunting & Fishing (read on).         

The team at Wellington-Taranaki hope you have a fantastic season. Here are some news bites and the outlook for Opening Day in your part of the region...  

Grab Your Licence And Get Amongst It

The countdown to Opening Day is on, with only five days 'til the season starts on Tuesday, October 1, 2024.

Please don't leave it to the last minute to get your licence, jump online now and get sorted - click the image above to get started. 

If you've already bought your licence, we'd like to sincerely thank you. Not only is it your passport to adventure this season, you're making a direct contribution to the freshwater angling resource and investing in the future of the pursuit you love. 

Here's where the funds from your licence are directed:

Photo Competition - Win A $300 Hunting & Fishing Voucher

Send in your favourite fishing photos from this season and you could be in to win a $300 voucher to spend in store at Wairarapa Hunting & Fishing.

We won't blow your secret spot, just include the name of the angler(s), photographer's details, and general location in the Wellington-Taranaki Fish & Game region.

• Click here to submit your entry.

You can send us as many fishing photos as you like. By submitting images to enter the competition you acknowledge that Wellington Fish & Game can publish and use the photos for publicity material.

Entries must be in by 5pm Tuesday, April 2, 2025. The winner will be announced in the Lower North Lowdown report on Thursday, April 4, 2025.

Pre-Season Checklist

Here's a checklist we've made to help you get set for Opening and make sure your first outing of 2024-25 is a success:

- Grab your Whole Season Licence for 2024-25

- Sort your Designated Waters Licence/s if planning to fish these waters (see article below for more info)

- Clean fly line and check for cracks (replace if required).

- Check spinning monofilament or braid for wear/strength. 

- Replace lost flies and lures from last season. 

- Sharpen hooks. 

- Test waders for leaks.

- Practice you casting - get out on the lawn and throw some loops.

- Plan you Opening Day outing.      

 

Wellington and Taranaki Access Maps  

There's no better resource to help you plan your Opening Day fishing mission than our new online access maps.

The resource is fully interactive, allowing you to 'fly' around the Wellington and Taranaki Fish & game regions, find fishing access points, zoom in for more detail and even download or print off access brochures for storing on your mobile device.      

We encourage anglers to explore further afield this season and hope this resource is helpful for your upcoming adventures. 

Click the map above to start planning your next angling outing!

If you notice any access points that need updating or have changed, please get in touch.

Here's the outlook for the lead up to Opening Day... 

Hutt River and Tributaries

Click the weather icon above for live updates and forecasts for the Hutt Valley.

The Hutt River and its tributaries - the Pakarutahi, Whakatikei and Akatarawa - are holding spring flows but are currently clear. There's a little rain coming through tonight and then clearing by tomorrow morning. After that, it's a fine run of weather through to Opening Day on Tuesday so the rivers and streams should be in top order for those lucky enough to get out on the water. With the extra flow at this time of year, the smaller spawning streams will have ample water to keep fish holding for some time. Targeting the trout in these smaller streams which have been rested for the winter spawning period will provide very rewarding angling.    

The Hutt River at Totara Bridge this morning (Photo: Al Markham)

 

Kapiti Coast

Click the weather icon above for live updates and forecasts for the Kapiti Coast. 

The main Kapiti Coast rivers - the Otaki, Waikanae, and Ohau - are coming off a slight fresh which went through on Tuesday. They are, however, clear at time of writing with good visibility. As with the Hutt catchment, there's a little rain washing over this part of the region on Friday morning before clearing through to Opening Day (Tuesday). The odd shower is expected on October 1, but at this stage it isn't enough to have any impact on the rivers or the fishing. Don't forget that there are numerous small streams on the Kapiti Coast we don't always report on; many of these will be holding trout early season and could provide hot action for those prepared to explore. Alternatively, with the whitebait running, the lower reaches of the larger rivers will certainly be holding good fish numbers. 

The Otaki River at SH1 this morning (Photo: Phil Teal).                

Wairarapa

Click the weather icon above for live updates and forecasts for the Wairarapa region.

The Ruamahanga River is sitting at a two-week low flow. While it still has a touch of colour, like its major tributaries - the Waiohine, Waingawa and Tauherenikau - all rivers and streams in the regions are clear at time of writing. Many anglers will beat a track into the headwaters come Opening Day, Tuesday, but if the rain tomorrow doesn't come to much the lower reaches of the Ruamahanga should fish very well with good whitebait runs reported when Lake Onoke has been open to the sea. Anglers wanting to keep an eye on the lake levels and situation at Lake Onoke mouth can call the following number for a voice recorded report - 083229069 - which is updated daily. The whitebaiters use it to good effect.         

The Waipoua River at Masterton this morning (Photo: Hamish Carnachan).

 

Manawatu

Click the weather icon above for live updates and forecasts for the Manawatu region.

The Manawatu River is currently falling off a fresh it received late week. While there is plenty of colour in and around the town reaches, up above the gorge it looks to have a clearer edge and better visibility through the water column. A little more sediment could come through following a burst of rain on Friday morning, but the catchment then has the weekend and Monday to push the water through before Opening Day on Tuesday. The recovery of the Pohangina and Oroua fisheries post Gabrielle is still an unknown. Staff will endeavour to get out for a look this season when time and conditions allow. If anglers have any intel on how these rivers are fishing when the season opens, we'd love to hear from you - please get in touch.            

The Manawatu River at Weber Road this morning (Photo: Horizons).

Rangitikei

Click the weather icon above for live updates and forecasts for the Rangitikei region.

We've got a very similar situation to last season whereby it's a tale of two river for the Rangitikei. Upstream of Mangaweka the river is at fishable visibility, but downstream there's a high sediment load making it appear cloudy. This suggests the slips brought down by Cyclone Gabrielle in the Kawhatau and Whakaurekou rivers are yet to stabilise, and any amount of rain results in plumes of papa silt colouring up the water downstream. There are still plenty of fish around, it just takes time for the water to clear. Anglers planning their trips to the Rangitkei this season will have to take account of recent rainfall as currently the river flows and levels don't give a true gauge of how fishable the water is. Those who make the trek to the upper middle reaches, however, shouldn't be disappointed going by how hot the fishing was last season.

The Rangitikei River at Pukeokahu this morning (Photo: Horizons).            

Taranaki Ringplain

Click the weather icon above for live updates and forecasts for the Taranaki Ringplain region.

Following a decent fresh at the start of September, there have been regular minor pulses in flow in Ringplain streams as a succession of westerly fronts have passed through. There have been no damaging floods, though, and streams are currently in great condition, with only a modest level of streambed algal growth. Streams are clearing very quickly after rain and all will be fishable come Opening Day, except perhaps the lower Patea River below Patea Dam which has seen sustained generation flows in recent days. Check out up-to-date flow information before heading out.
 

The Waiwhakaiho River at Merrilands Domain this morning (Photo: Allen Stancliff).

Waimarino

Click the weather icon above for live updates and forecasts for the Waimarino region.

As with the Ringplain, the Waimarino region rivers have seen only minor freshes in the last month with baseflows only moderately elevated. Check out the live flow on the Mangwhero River at Pakihi Road to get an indication of levels in other nearby waters. Elevated baseflows in the Manganuioteao River will mean spin fishing with spinners or soft-baits, or swinging a fly on a sinking line may be the way to go come Opening Day (Tuesday). Some anglers reported hard fishing on the Manganuioteao last season, while others had plenty of hookups during mid- to late afternoon hatches of mayfly and caddis. The fish are there but they can be fickle, and it’s a case of being on the river when they come on the feed. For more info on fishing opportunities in the Ruapehu area, click here. 

The Mangawhero River at SH4 this morning (Photo: Horizons).

 

Planning On Fishing the Upper Rangitikei This Season? 

The Upper Rangitikei River is now part of the Designated Waters fisheries management system. 

This replaces the Backcountry system and is designed to see Kiwi anglers get a fairer share on some of the waterways that Fish & Game’s research has shown are subject to too much pressure.

The new licence category will help us manage angling pressure by spreading angling effort around so that it isn’t concentrated in certain areas, which detracts from the angling experience and also has the potential to negatively impact the fisheries.

It will also allow us to gather better data on fishery use in the Upper Rangitikei River. For more information on Designated Waters and the requirements for anglers, click here.    

Catch The Latest Angling News, Tips and Info 

The latest issue of Fish & Game NZ magazine is out now. 

If you purchased a licence last year, you should have received a copy in the mail.

Those who didn't fish last year can still catch up on all the action and get primed for the awesome season ahead by reading the magazine online - just click on the cover above.    

 

Noticeboard

- Access to Lake Namunamu, near Hunterville, is closed as the access road is upgraded in preparation for the logging of Ngaruru Forest over the next three to five years

If you have any angling-related information you'd like posted to this noticeboard, including upcoming angling club meetings and outings, please get in touch with us.  

*This report was accurate at time of writing. For your safety, please ensure you check the latest weather and river flow information before you head out on the water.