Lower North Lowdown Weekly Fishing Report - 31 October 2024

More Weather Windows This Weekend! 

Wow! There are some spectacular fish being caught throughout the lower North Island already this season. 

Thanks to everyone who has sent in entries for our photo competition which will see one lucky angler win a $300 Hunting & Fishing voucher (details on how to enter below).        

Pictured - Alex McNaughton rapt with this good brown from a Wairarapa small stream (Photo: Connor McNaughton).

Some patchy weather over Labour weekend clearly didn't disrupt too many anglers by the reports we've had and photos we've seen. 

The rain at the tail-end of the long weekend did see most of the larger rivers come up quite a bit. It wasn't much rain but there were very heavy falls. 

What that's left us with is rivers carrying plenty of flow and a hint of colour at time of writing. However, give them a good 24 hours of clear weather - which is forecast - and conditions should be spot on come Saturday. 

Some wind is forecast, but there's always sheltered water if you scout around.      

If you find the rivers and streams are still a bit 'tea-stained', don't despair, this can play to your favour - check out out Tip of the Week for tools to be successful in such conditions. 

Grab Your Licence Online - Easy!

Jump online and get your licence the easy way - it only takes a minute. Click the image above to get started. 

Here's the outlook this weekend...    

Hutt Valley

Click here for live updates and forecasts for the Hutt Valley.

The Hutt River and tributaries - the Pakarutahi, Whakatikei and Akatarawa - have elevated flows but are clear, just slightly tea stained at time of writing this morning. The extra flow is after rain at the end of Labour weekend but it is falling fast. No more rain should be fine for fishing over coming the weekend. Wet fly or streamers could be the way to go. Strong winds are forecast but long casting shouldn't be needed to fish the slacker water inside. Go up a line weight to help casting.         

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

Kapiti Coast

Click here for live updates and forecasts for the Kapiti Coast. 

The Otaki, Waikanae, and Ohau are all quite high and carrying colour this morning. The flow gauge on the Otaki shows it is actually about six-times its normal spring base flow. This will take some time to come back down to fishable level so anglers' best bet is to look to the smaller neighbouring waters. Don't discount the lower reaches of the smaller streams too as whitebait are still running and trout will be on them.       

 

Wairarapa

Click here for live updates and forecasts for the Wairarapa region.

The Ruamahanga River and tributaries - the Waiohine, Waingawa and Tauherenikau - are high with a hint of colour but streamers, spinners and softbaits will be effective for those out on the water over the next day or two. With nothing sinister in the forecast other than occasional showers, all the Wairarapa rivers and streams will be fishing well come Saturday.        

Check out the latest conditions for the lower Ruamahanga by calling this free-phone number - 083229069.             

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

Manawatu

Click here for live updates and forecasts for the Manawatu region.

The Manawatu River, below the gorge, along with the Pohangina, are high and carrying quite a bit of colour this morning after rain on Labour Day and again yesterday. Above the gorge, however, the Manawatu looks fishable and with little precipitation forecast over the weekend this should hopefully improve further. The Oroua is clear at time of writing but the flow gauge has the river on the rise. The Mangahao River spiked last night but is falling quickly and could again be the good option over the weekend.           

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

Rangitikei

Click here for live updates and forecasts for the Rangitikei region.

The Rangitikei River has seen several freshes push through since last Sunday; nothing major but certainly enough to bring it up and carry colour. While the river is running a little brown at Mangaweka, the flow gauge shows the river dropping quickly, so there is a chance it may have fallen back to a level and clarity suitable for spin fishing come Saturday. Unfortunately, the live webcam at Pukeokahu is down making it tough to tell what the upper reaches are looking like. Anglers may have to look to the feeder streams or head up the hill onto the Central Plateau where there will certainly be some opportunities this weekend.       

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

Taranaki Ringplain

Click here for live updates and forecasts for the Taranaki Ringplain region.

Ringplain streams and rivers are looking slightly discoloured and swollen today after squally weather for the past few days. However, the weekend forecast is looking promising with a shift to southerly winds predicted to arrive Saturday accompanied by some finer weather. This will give the rivers time to drop some flow and present plenty of angling opportunities. Taranaki Regional Council provides excellent up-to-date data on rainfall and river flows - keep an eye on this to time any windows of opportunity to get out for a cast:

The Waiwhakaiho River yesterday (Photo: Jack Harland).

Waimarino

Click here for live updates and forecasts for the Waimarino region.

River flows throughout the Waimarino catchment are moderately elevated due to recent scattered rainfall events. It is looking like there may be one or two more squalls coming through before clearer skies and lower flows arrive in the weekend. Colourful soft baits and spinners such as Veltecs and Tobys will be your best bet for action while fishing any discoloured, faster-flowing waterbodies.

Check out the live flow on the Mangwhero River at Pakihi Road to get an indication of levels in other nearby waters. For more info on fishing opportunities in the Ruapehu area, click here. 

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

Tip of The Week - Fishing High Water

Just because rivers are carrying colour doesn't mean you can't be successful. 

In fact, in all but the most heavily flooded waters there is always a chance to catch trout if you adapt to the conditions.

Here are some top tips:

1. Use large flies - By this I mean really big flies... even double hook articulated streamers! The larger the fly the easier it is for trout to see in brown water or high flows which are holding a lot more suspended sediment. Trout will regularly smash a large streamer in flooded water, dialing in on a moving silhouettte. Darker colours work best.

2. Bring out the spinning gear - For the same reasons as above, spin fishing can be more productive because the lures are larger and the shiny flash can make it easy for the trout to see, and chase, in discoloured water.   

3. Fish the edge - Ever noticed that even when a river is in raging flood, the water on the edge out to a couple of feet is actually quite clear? Trout know this and move into the shallow margins to both avoid the high water velocity in the main current and also to feed (often on worms). Believe it or not, fish can even be spotted by searching the clear edge of a river in spate.

4. Target confluence areas - often smaller streams can carry clearer water during a flood or high flow event. Because they are sourced in smaller catchment areas, they sometimes aren't as adversely affected as larger waterways. Where this clear water meets and mingles with the high flow of a larger river you'll find trout seeking refuge or moving in to feed.

5. Head high up - The higher you get in a catchment, the less it will be affected by rainfall. Also, spring creeks will often remain crystal clear after heavy rain; and rain can often turn lake trout onto the bite so stillwater fisheries are also good places to target. 

- By Hamish Carnachan  

 

Video of The Week - Wairarapa Backcountry Adventure  

Check out this short video of a backcountry mission into some Tararua headwaters for the Opening of the 2024-25 season. Click the screenshot above to watch.  

 

Photo Competition - Win A $300 Hunting & Fishing Voucher

Jono Herrick with a beautiful rainbow trout he caught in the Ruamhanga River recently.

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.

 

Wellington and Taranaki Access Maps  

There's no better resource to help you plan your fishing missions this season than our new online access maps.

Click the map below to start planning your weekend angling outing!

Otaki Take A Kid Fishing

Lake Rotomanu Fish Release

Rainbows from Fish & Game's Ngongataha hatchery being released into Lake Rotomanu yesterday. 

Over 500 rainbow trout (including one specimen weighing around 10lb) have just been released into Lake Rotomanu in preparation for Taranaki Fish & Game's annual kids fishing event.

These fish recently made the journey from Eastern Fish & Game's Ngongotaha hatchery and will provide plenty of action for the event this Sunday (November 3).

If you would like to attend this year's event and your kids are aged under 12 on October 1, 2024, we’re encouraging you to head to the Fish & Game website to obtain a free fishing licence. Click on 'Buy a New Licence', then 'Fishing 2024-25', then 'Resident Licences' and scroll down to 'Child Fishing Licence Whole Season - Resident ($0)'.

Enter your child’s details and once you put in their birth date it will inform you that the licence is free - you can then either print out the receipt or keep it on your phone.

If your child is 12 or older on October 1, 2024, you can register by emailing us and a free permit that allows your child to fish at Lake Rotomanu until August 31, 2025, will be created.

 

Stratford Kids’ Trout Fishing Day

This event has been rescheduled to Saturday, December 14. 

Taranaki Fish & Game will liberate around 300 good-sized rainbow trout from its Hawera hatchery into the Scout Den Pool in King Edward Park for this event.

A booking sheet will be at the Stratford i-site from mid-November.

 

Check, Clean Dry - Help Protect Our Lakes and Rivers

With summer fast approaching and the days getting longer, now is the perfect time to familiarise yourselves with the NEW North Island Check Clean Dry procedures. 

Rowing legend Mahe Drysdale has come on board as a CCD ambassador for Biosecurity NZ and has just released a new video. Click the here to watch. 

 

Noticeboard

• Pahiatua Trout Carnival - The event is all go for 2024. Anglers need to be registered before Labour Weekend to be able to enter the competition for the week of fishing from Saturday, October 26 through to Saturday, November 2. Registrations Monday, October 21 to Friday, October 25, Pahiatua information centre from 10 - 4pm.
• Council River Works: Don't let bulldozers in the river ruin your fishing plans. Click here to download a schedule of Greater Wellington Regional Council's latest planned river engineering works.
• 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.