Staff at North Canterbury conducted 134 angler surveys on Lake Coleridge during the 2024/25 summer period (1 December – 31 March).

Anglers were asked about the fish they caught, the fishing methods they used, and how long they had been fishing that day. Anglers were also asked to rate their satisfaction with the quality of the fish they caught, their angling success (catch rate), and their overall fishing experience.

 

Estimated Catch Rate

The estimated catch rate for the 2024/25 summer period on Lake Coleridge was 0.48 fish per hour (one fish every 2 hours 5 minutes; Fig. 1).

The estimated hit rate (including both fish that were landed and fish that were hooked but not landed) was 0.84 fish per hour (one fish every 1 hour 10 minutes).

Figure 1. Average catch rate for salmonids for the summer 2024/25 fishing period on Lake Coleridge.

Fishing Method

Trolling is the most popular fishing method for anglers at Lake Coleridge, with 51% of anglers surveyed trolling the lake. Spin fishing is also popular, and was used by 34% of anglers surveyed. Nine anglers reported using a combination of multiple fishing methods.

Figure 2. Preferred fishing method for anglers fishing Lake Coleridge during the 2024/25 summer period. Because some anglers reported using multiple fishing methods, percents add up to more than 100.

 

Anglers who used harling or jigging had the highest catch rates (0.79-0.8 fish per hour), followed by trolling (0.59 fish per hour). Anglers who used spin fishing had the lowest catch rate (0.19 fish per hour).

Figure 3. Average catch rate by fishing method reported by anglers for the summer 2024/25 fishing period on Lake Coleridge.

 

Breakdown hit rates (including both fish that were caught and fish that were hooked but not landed) by fishing method was similar to catch rates. Anglers who used harling, jigging, or trolling had the highest hit rates (1.08-1.24 fish per hour), while anglers who used spin fishing had the lowest hit rates (0.38 fish per hour).

Figure 4. Average catch rate by fishing method reported by anglers for the summer 2024/25 fishing period on Lake Coleridge.

 

Catch and release percentages

Anglers provided details for 140 caught fish. Only 7 of those fish were not of legal size. Catch and release varied by species; 91% of caught salmon, 73% of rainbow trout, and 63% of brown trout were harvested.

Figure 5. Proportion of fish caught that were kept vs released for each species on Lake Coleridge during the summer period 2024/25.

 

Fish Size and Condition

Mean length of reported fish was 52 cm for brown trout, 46 cm for rainbow trout, and 36 cm for salmon. While smaller in size, salmon on Lake Coleridge had a higher average body condition score (44.2) than rainbow (41.3) or brown trout (40.9).

Figure 6. Average length of fish harvested for each species during the summer 2024/25 fishing period on Lake Coleridge.

Figure 7. Average length of fish harvested for each species during the summer 2024/25 fishing period on Lake Coleridge.Figure 

A fish's condition factor is calculated using the length and weight of a salmon or trout to reflect its body condition. Typically, salmon or trout with a condition factor of 40+ are considered to have a high body condition, while fish with a condition factor of <30 are considered to be in poor condition.

Figure 8. Average length of fish harvested for each species during the summer 2024/25 fishing period on Lake Coleridge.

 

Angler Satisfaction

When it came to angler satisfaction, 86% of anglers reported they were satisfied or very satisfied with the condition of fish they caught. Only 55% of anglers reported they were satisfied or very satisfied with their angling success; 5% reported they were dissatisfied and 13% reported they were very dissatisfied with their angling success. Finally, 90% of anglers reported they were satisfied or very satisfied with their overall fishing experience.

Anglers on average rated the condition of fish they caught at 8.1, their angling success at 6.5, and their overall fishing experience at 8.6.

Figure 9. Angler satisfaction with the overall fishing experience, angling success, and condition of fish caught during the summer 2024/25 fishing period on Lake Coleridge.