The Season Is Under Way          

Pictured - Spinning for estuarine trout and kahawai chasing whitebait in Lake Onoke (Credit: Hamish Carnachan)     

Last weekend brought stunning river and weather conditions after the big southerly blew through.   

Most of the rivers cleared up really well, and there was great fishing for some in the larger Ruamahanga tributaries, with the Waingawa looking stunning on Saturday.

Excellent catches were also reported in some of the smaller Wairarapa and Manawatu spawning streams.

This suggests there are good trout numbers holding in the small water, and they should be happy there for some time with the current high flows.

Not much news from the Hutt region other than a couple of lovely fish coming from the Pakarutahi.

Similarly, we haven't yet had any feedback from anglers fishing up around the central high country, however, conditions looked pretty good last weekend so no doubt some trout were taken.     

Time to grab your licence online because the fishing is all go and the long-range weather forecast at time of writing (Tuesday evening) is good.       

Staff are currently on leave or engaged in other work streams so we have an abridged report this week.

The webcam links below will, however, give you a live view of what conditions are like on some of the main Manawatu rivers.

And, as always, live river flow data and weather conditions for the main catchments - Hutt, Kapiti Coast, Wairarapa, Manawatu and Rangitikei - can be viewed by clicking the various links below each regional subtitle.           

Tight lines for this weekend. 

Hutt River and tributaries

Click here for live weather updates.

Click the highlighted links for the live river flow information for the Hutt and the Akatarawa rivers.                                  

Kapiti Coast 

Click here for live weather updates.

Click the highlighted links for the live river flow information for the Waikanae, Ohau, and Otaki rivers.             

Wairarapa 

Click here for live weather updates.

Click the highlighted links for the live river flow information for the Ruamahanga, Waiohine, Waingawa and Tauherenikau rivers.              

Manawatu

Click here for live weather updates.  

Click the highlighted link for the live river flow information for the Manawatu, Pohangina and Ōroua rivers.       

Rangitikei 

Click here for live weather updates.

Click the highlighted link for the live river flow information for the Rangitikei River.             

Top Tip - Target Whitebait Chasers 

A typical lower Rumahanga River brown trout destined for the smoker (Credit: Hamish Carnachan)

While many anglers have their hearts set on the backcountry at this time of year with rivers recently opened, October is a great month to hit the lower reaches. 

The whitebait runs are in full swing and the trout and kahawai are also attuned to the tasty morsels and feeding ravenously!

Spectacular fishing can be had in the shallows with large trout busting up shoals of whitebait desperately trying to avoid being eaten. 

Light weight spinning gear, using light coloured soft baits, Rapalas and silvery spoons, are ideal for this sort of fishing; fly anglers should use a floating line, with a 2m leader, and a streamer fly such as a Grey Ghost, Green Rabbit or similar.

A strong 'rip' where a stream enters an estuary is a great location for finding sea-run trout (Credit: Hamish Carnachan)  

Finding structure is key to locating the trout and kahawai and, hence, hooking up. Look for submerged logs, rock groyne areas, shallow drop-offs into deeper water. The predators will have chased them into such locations and the bait fish will be seeking refuge.

Similarly, rips and eddies are places where the current forces the smaller fish to congregate - these are ideal to prospect with casts too.             

Trout and kahawai that have been feeding on whitebait are some of the best conditioned fish you will find in our rivers. And they are simply delicious when smoked.

When the rivers and estuary water are clear early season, target these lower reaches for some awesome angling action.                                           

Calling all women anglers!

Fish & Game is undertaking a survey focused on women anglers, which will assess their perceptions, opinions, and motivations for fishing in New Zealand. 

The findings from this project will be used by Fish & Game to help us support existing women anglers and recruit new women into the pursuit.

Keep an eye out for our survey in your email inbox (check your Spam folder too), and click on the screen shot below to watch a short video with more info on the survey.

Access Upgrades

Wellington Fish & Game's upgraded access pamphlets and maps are available here. 

They are all online, interactive, downloadable in digital format, and mobile friendly. 

We've also produced the largescale map below, with QR codes that to access pamphlets and location maps.    

Click the screenshot below to download. 

River Webcams

Horizons Regional Council has an array of webcams around the mid- and central North Island with a number of them aimed at prominent fishing rivers, offering live stream views of the river conditions. 

This can be particularly handy for planning your fishing outings. Click the screen shot below to check out Horizon's river webcams.

Women On The Fly

Do you have a wife, partner, daughter, sister or someone in your life who is starting out in fly fishing, or has thought about giving it a go, but doesn't know how to get going? 

The 'Women On The Fly' workshop in November is just what they have been waiting for!

Make sure they don't miss out because the available spots for  this fun-filled women's fishing weekend are filling fast. 

Click here for more info, or register here.

Noticeboard

• Anglers - Have Your Say!                  

  Greater Wellington Regional Council is currently undertaking an online survey on what Kapiti residents value about freshwater in the region.

  It is really important that anglers make a submission, noting the importance of having healthy populations of valued introduced species such as trout for present and future generations.

  For the future of our freshwater fisheries, and fishing, make sure your voice is heard.

• Flushing Flows - Wellington Fish & Game has been advised of the following dates for flushing flows from the Moawhango Dam:

13 Dec, 21:00-06:00

24 Jan, 21:00-02:00

14 Feb, 21:00-02:00

14 Mar, 21:00-02:00

25 Apr, 21:00-02:00

• River Bulldozing - Don't get an unwelcome surprise by Greater Wellington Regional Council's river bulldozing ruining your day on the river. The upcoming activity schedule can be found here.

• Upcoming fishing competitions

  22-29 October 2022: Pahiatua Fly fishing carnival (Mangatainoka and catchments) – prize giving is Sunday 29 October from midday.

   29-30 January 2023: Sport Fly Fishing New Zealand Inc(SFFNZ) Ruamahunga Regional Competition is to be run 29-30 January 2023 from Kokotau Rd (Gladstone) to Te Whiti Rd (Masterton).

 If you have any information you'd like to have considered for addition to the notice board, please get in touch with us.  

​*This report was accurate at time of writing. For your safety please ensure you check the latest weather and river flow information before you head out on the water.