Otago Weekly Fishing Report - 21 November 2024

Spring opportunities

Another week of classic spring weather brings a mix of warm air temperatures pushing into the 20s and a fresh sprinkling of snow on the hills — true variability at its best.

On the bright side, the unpredictable weather hasn’t slowed the fish’s appetite. When located, they’re often eager to take a well-presented fly or lure.

A bonus from all the rain and snow Central Otago has received is the extended presence of rainbow trout in smaller tributaries. These fish, holding off before returning to larger rivers and lakes as water levels drop and temperatures rise, provide accessible opportunities for anglers of all ages and skill levels.

While many of these trout are post-spawn and not ideal for the table, fresh silver fish moving in with each rainfall offer better eating quality. If you plan to release a fish, be sure to follow best practices to give it the best chance of survival. Click here to learn more.

Manuheriki

Trout were eagerly rising to dry flies in the Manuherikia River this week and moving into riffles to feast on nymphs as the temperatures rose.

Early in the day, fish have been holding in challenging fly-casting locations — tucked among willow roots, at the bottom of deep pools, or hiding under the banks. However, as conditions warmed later in the day, trout became more active and visible, feeding along drop-offs and among riffles.

Small blowfly imitations in size 14, paired with unweighted size 14 or 16 pheasant tail nymphs, have been effective in the riffles. For fish holding deeper in pools, stoneflies, tungsten-beaded pheasant tails, and worm patterns have been productive.

Fish have been relatively spooky as water levels have receded, so consider adjusting your set-up if necessary. Lengthen your leaders to reduce visibility and improve presentation. If you find flies are getting rejected, try dropping both the tippet size and fly size.

For spin anglers, small black-and-gold paddle tails rigged on a 1/12 oz jighead are a local favourite, ideal for targeting those hard-to-reach trout hiding under the willows.

Spey rod success

Harry Graham-Samson with a brown trout caught first cast on the upper Clutha/Mata-Au. Photo: Mason Court

With high water levels in Central Otago’s larger rivers at present, spey fishing is an excellent method to cover ground and locate fish.

A productive technique involves casting at 90 degrees, letting the fly swing across the current, and then retrieving along the edge. After each cast, take a few steps downstream and repeat until you find the fish. This approach can also be adapted with a spinner or a soft bait rigged on a jig head.

During a recent evening session on the upper Clutha/Mata-Au, Harry Graham-Samson landed a brown trout on his first cast using one of his home-tied olive intruder flies.

Using a sinking tip will help your fly to reach the feeding depth of the fish during the swing. With the river carrying significant water, fish were often found holding close to the edge or tucked behind submerged trees.

Colouring soft baits

Here’s a creative tip from keen Dunedin-based angler David Bridgman for budding soft bait enthusiasts: bring along some waterproof marker pens when soft baiting. This lets you customise your soft baits with stripes and colours right on the water.

David has found that adding a blue stripe along the top of a light-coloured soft bait increases the hit rate in the Southern Lakes, possibly due to the presence of salmon fry. This approach saves you from needing to carry a wide array of pre-coloured soft baits and allows for experimentation.

David suggests getting kids involved by letting them create their own colour combos, which adds extra excitement when their designs succeed. And the idea isn’t limited to soft baits —he also believes that his olive tussock lake cicadas could be made more effective in Lake Wakatipu by using a green marker to better match the natural cicadas found under beech trees in late summer.

Kids learning valuable fishing skills

Charlie Lille (5) with his first ever trout, caught on a banana-coloured Toby lure. Photo: Mason Court

The weather couldn’t have been more perfect for the annual Upper Clutha Anglers "Take A Kid Fishing" event held in Central Otago on Sunday.

While it seems most fish didn’t get the memo, with only a handful caught, the children still had a fantastic time learning valuable fishing skills from Upper Clutha Angling Club members and Otago Fish & Game staff. As a consolation prize, they also enjoyed a delicious sausage sizzle.

Cromwell Rotary Lake Dunstan Fishing Classic 2024

The annual Lake Dunstan Classic also enjoyed perfect fishing conditions over the weekend. More than 120 anglers entered the competition, with many registering early on Sunday after seeing the ideal weather.

During the weigh-in, anglers reported varying levels of success, and, as with most fishing events, a few secrets remained untold. The consensus was that the most productive fishing occurred toward the top of the lake, particularly around the channels. Techniques included trolling with lead lines, downriggers, and paravanes, as well as spinning from the shore. Many anglers credited the traffic light-coloured Tasmanian Devil lure for their catches.

One thing everyone agreed on was the quality of the fish, with many in great condition —sure to make for a delicious meal.

Lake Wānaka live webcam

Want to know conditions at Lake Wānaka? Check this live webcam from the Wānaka water sports facility.

Here’s the weekend outlook:

Dunedin

Dunedin is in for a chilly start to the weekend, with showers and brisk southerlies forecast throughout Saturday, easing by late evening. Temperatures are expected to rise on Sunday, with north-westerlies developing in the evening.

The Taieri River at Outram was flowing at 15 cumecs and rising. The water temperature was 14.2 degrees C.

Click here for live weather updates.

Wānaka

Finally, what feels like the first clear weather forecast for Wānaka this season! Warm air temperatures, clear skies, and light winds are expected throughout the weekend. However, winds are forecast to build in the afternoons on both Saturday and Sunday. With the area receiving a sprinkling of snow and rain earlier in the week, some rivers may carry a bit of colour heading into the weekend, making the lake fishing inviting.

Click here for live weather updates.

Alexandra

Alexandra is set to enjoy another favourable forecast this weekend, with mostly clear skies and light winds throughout. Saturday morning may start overcast but is expected to clear quickly. These calm, still days are perfect for fishing along the edges of reservoirs or dams, where even the slightest movement of a feeding fish can be easily detected.

Click here for live weather updates.

Clutha Regional Forecast

Isolated showers are forecast for the Lower Clutha over the weekend, with rain and stiff south-westerlies expected to clear early Saturday morning. Sunday is predicted to be overcast, with showers and westerly winds developing later in the evening.

The Pomahaka River was flowing at 18.1 cumecs

The lower Clutha River at Balclutha was flowing at 992 cumecs.

Click here for live weather updates.

For more ORC water monitoring and alerts information click here.

Grab your licence online and let the angling adventures begin.

Got any Otago fishing news?

Send your fishing news and photos (with anglers’ names) to otago@fishandgame.org.nz for consideration in the weekly report.

Tight lines, 

Otago Fish & Game