Weekly Fishing Report North Canterbury 18 March 2021

The weather looks great for fishing throughout the region this weekend and into next week.

Anglers should make the most of these favourable conditions before the next front dirties the rivers.

Please check your regulations booklet before heading inland, as some of the high-country streams closed at the end of February, with others closing at the end of March and April.

Lake Coleridge has still been fishing well and this year will be open right through until the end of September where it closes for a month, before opening for the traditional opening of all the high-country lakes on the 6^th of November. 

Above: View upstream from the wheelchair fishing platform at McIntoshes Rocks on the lower Waimakariri River.

Over the last few days, river conditions have not been favourable for salmon fishing following a small fresh earlier in the week, however with no further rain forecast, river conditions should be ideal for salmon angling over the weekend.

There have been reports of a few salmon about the lower reaches of the main rivers, but nothing exceptional.

Last weekend saw the annual Waimakariri Salmon Anglers Association fishing competition in the lower Waimakariri River, which saw two salmon caught, with a further two taken outside the competition.

This recent fresh should have encouraged a few more into the river, with the latter part of the season usually most productive in the Waimakariri River. 

For anglers requiring easy access to the lower Waimakariri River at McIntosh’s Rocks, there is a wheelchair access platform located a short distance from the carpark at the southern end of Ferry Road.

This platform was generously financed, manufactured and installed by Smith Crane and Construction.

Fish & Game will be holding its annual Rangers Fishing Competition at the north side of the Waimakariri River Mouth (Kairaki) on Wednesday the 31^st of March. 

This also coincides with the last day of the salmon season, so we expect there will be a reasonable number of anglers there.

Fish & Game will be present in our tent. Weigh-in will be from 7.30 am until 1.30 pm, with a prize-giving shortly afterwards. 

We will also be running a continuous free BBQ from 9.30 am. 

The angler with the largest salmon will be immortalised by an engraving on the Rangers Trophy. 

There are a number of spot prizes which will be drawn at 1:30 pm.

Registration is on the day at the Fish & Game tent. Please remember we need to sight your licence for you to enter. For a salmon to be entered it must be caught on the north side of the river between the sea and the yacht club boat ramp.

Good luck if you are heading out for a fish this weekend

Steve Terry 

North Canterbury Fish & Game Officer