Otago Weekly Fishing Report - 2 February 2023

Large browns are inhabiting the upper channels of Lake Dunstan. Credit: Bruce Quirey.

The top of Lake Dunstan has fished well on red and black lures such as Veltics and Tasmanian Devils.

Quite a few bigger fish are cruising around in channels where the Clutha flows into the lake, Tim at Cromwell Hunting & Fishing NZ says.

There are a few channels in the area. Trout have been pretty hard to catch in the middle of the day, and early morning and late evening are better, Tim says.

Rain over the wee

kend cooled down some of the smaller rivers in the Southern Lakes area, which fished pretty well.

Poolburn Dam from the air yesterday afternoon. Credit: Bruce Quirey

Todd at Dunedin Hunting & Fishing NZ recommends a trip to Poolburn Dam. A boat angler trolling there recently caught a 7-pound brown trout and others weighing 3-5 pounds.

Submerged rocks are a boating hazard in Poolburn, some of which have been exposed by the lower lake level.

The Strath Taieri section of the Taieri River was fishing well. Fish taking willow grubs were getting caught on patterns such as Royal Wullfs and hare and coppers, Todd says. But true to form, other anglers have found willow grubbers rejecting everything thrown at them.

Logan Burn Dam is about an hour’s drive from Dunedin. Credit: Bruce Quirey.

A Dunedin angler fishing at Logan Burn Dam was trying a size 8 cicada pattern with no luck. Things started looking up when he dropped to a size 10. He caught nine trout. The best fish weighed 4 and a half pounds and others from 2-3 pounds.

Cicadas are also coming on in the Wilkin and Young rivers, says Nick at Southern Wild in Wanaka. The cicadas are starting to get pretty thick on warm days, he says.

A lot of the bigger fish are dropping downriver, getting close to the Makarora River. They’re taking dries, nymphs and lightly weighted soft baits, he says.

The popular upper Greenstone backcountry fishery is managed through a booking system from February to March. Credit: Bruce Quirey.

Bookings open tomorrow for the upper Greenstone.

A controlled fishery period on the Upper Greenstone manages angling pressure in February and March to maintain a wilderness experience during the peak season. The booking system on the upper Greenstone applies from 1 February - 31 March.

Bookings can only be made up to five days before your fishing trip, including on the intended day of fishing. You can select up to a maximum of three consecutive days per booking.

You will need a whole season fishing licence and a backcountry endorsement.

Click here for more details and to book.

Here's the outlook for the weekend:

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.