Close to Christchurch City

Introduction

Christchurch City and its surrounds are blessed with a wealth of places to fish for trout and salmon. While these may not always have the same catch rates as high country waters, they offer a quick and convenient break from the stress of city life. These waters are also popular with visitors to Christchurch who do not have the time to fish further afield.

Getting There

All of the places listed lie within a forty five minute drive of Christchurch City. The lower Rakaia, Lake Ellesmere and its south western tributaries are accessed by driving to the township of Lincoln and heading south towards Leeston from there. Lake Forsyth and the north eastern tributaries of Lake Ellesmere are accessed off the Akaroa Highway. The rivers north of Christchurch can all be accessed off SH1 on the road to Amberley and Kaikoura.

Places to Fish

The Ashley River is typical of many small to medium sized Canterbury rivers in that it gets very low during summer months. The fishing is best between October and December in the lower reaches although the fishing upstream of Rangiora should remain good all season. The best access points are through the Waikuku Beach township, the SH1 Bridge or the bridge immediately north of Rangiora.

The Cust River offers good brown trout fishing in spring when flows are good. It is accessed off the Rangiora-Cust Road and off the Ohoka Rangiora Road (Skew Bridge is a popular access point). Most of the Cust lies on private land so please check with the landowner before you start fishing.

The Cam River supports reasonable populations of brown trout in the one to four pound size range. Access is available at the Tuahiwi end of Bramleys Road, from Youngs Road which leads off Lineside Road between Kaiapoi and Rangiora and from the Lower Camside Road bridge on the north-western side of Kaiapoi.

The Styx River, another small stream which fishes best in spring and autumn, especially at dusk. The best access sites are off Spencerville Road, Lower Styx Road and Kainga Road.

The Kaiapoi River experiences good runs of salmon and is one of the only places in New Zealand where Chinook salmon are regularly caught on bait; -freshwater shrimps and pilchards being most popular. The best fishing is between SH1 and the confluence with the Waimakariri. Access is available at the Hall Street boat ramp and from Smith Street, both within the township of Kaiapoi. The upper Kaiapoi (or Silverstream) offers good spring creek fishing for trout. Check with local landowners before fishing this part of the river because much of it lies on private land.

The Waimakariri River: see separate page.

The Otukaikino River/South Branch is delightful spring creek contains good populations of smaller trout and is a very popular “after work” fishery. It also hosts good runs of larger spawning trout in autumn. The most popular access points are the Dickies Road Bridge (turn left off SH1 just before leaving Belfast and travel a short distance down Dickies Road) and through the Groynes Park. (off Johns Road between the Airport and Belfast).

The Avon and Heathcote Rivers both flow through a major city, they are both good junior fisheries. Access is very good along both rivers. Please check the current regulations for closed areas and dates.

The Okana River (Little River), contains populations of brown trout and can provide good fishing, especially in spring. Public access is available to the lower reaches of the Okana through the gate on the right hand side of the road opposite the Little River Hotel.

Lake Forsyth fishes best in spring, especially if the lake has recently been opened to the sea. One of the best places is where the Akaroa Highway first comes close to the lake just after the Birdlings Flat turn-off.

The Kaituna River area just above the confluence with Lake Ellesmere offers the best fishing, particularly during spring. Access is directly off the Akaroa Highway.

The Halswell River meanders from near the Halswell township down to Lake Ellesmere. It crosses many public and private properties and flows beneath several bridges. Access to the mouth can be had from where the river intersects with Seabridge Road down either bank just south of Motukarara.

The tributaries of Lake Ellesmere fish better than the lake itself, however good fishing for sea run trout can occur at Taumutu when the lake is open to the sea. Take the access track which leads off Gullivers Road and out into the beach.

The LII River fishes best during spring and early summer, particularly in the reach just above the lake on a dark night. Access can be had at Wolfes Road (follow the road to the end) or off the main Selwyn Huts Road.

The Selwyn River river contains good numbers of brown trout in the lower reaches but is often dry in the middle reaches. Access is good from the Upper Selwyn Huts to the mouth. Above the Upper Huts the Selwyn changes to a delightful meandering stream of pools and riffles. Coes Ford is the most popular access point to this part of the river.

The Irwell River can provide good fishing but, again, is subject to low flows. Cross Coes Ford and follow Lake Road until it crosses the river, just after the Lake Road/ Lake Road South intersection. Take the first road on the left after the bridge (heading south - Hanmer Road), cross a wooden bridge and turn left into Aitkens Rd. This road leads out to the river.

Harts Creek is a good fly fishing stream, especially towards the mouth. To get to Harts Creek, follow Lake Road to its intersection with Timber Yard Road (heading south). Turn left down the latter and turn left again onto a small bridge not far from the corner. Fishing at the mouth is good after dark, but the river between the car park and the mouth can offer good fly fishing during daylight hours.

The Rakaia River: see separate page.

Methods

Bait, spinning, and fly fishing are legal for trout fishing in most low-country streams, but check the regulation guide for details. Anglers fishing the small spring-fed streams during daylight hours are advised to use lightweight fly fishing tackle in order to catch the fussy fish that live there. After-dark fishing with streamer flies on floating or slow-sinking lines is the favoured technique, particularly in the lower reaches of the Lake Ellesmere tributaries. Spin fishing works well in the bigger rivers, especially when they are carrying a little colour following a fresh. Lures that cast and sink well, such as the Toby, Tasmanian Devil or small ticer, are recommended. Bait fishing works well in small sluggish streams such as the lower Selwyn. Worms, freshwater shrimp or live cockabullies (a small native fish) work well when fished on the bottom with a small weight.

Regulations

A current sports fishing licence is required for trout and salmon fishing in all freshwaters and within 500 metres of where any river flows into the sea. Please consult a current Regulation Guide before you commence fishing.

Further Information

The rivers close to Christchurch tend to be stable and are clear and fishable much of the time. However the larger rivers such as the Ashley, Waimakariri and Rakaia do flood frequently and anglers are advised to check conditions before leaving home. The Canterbury climate is highly changeable and anglers should check the weather before leaving home.