Will Spry Fishing Report for Reel Life April 2018

Mackenzie Country Report  

As the season comes to a halt, we have enjoyed both the highs and lows of fishing in the month of April.  

The highs:

    *Good rains through the latter half of the summer have kept rivers and the lakes in the district at the best levels in a number of years.

*Mayflies have shown up on occasions, powering some spectacular hatches on our rivers, bringing fish out of hiding and back into the feeding lies.

*The Tekapo River has received an excellent flushing flow from Lake Tekapo and for the first time in a long time, the river appears didymo-free in many places. How long this will last remains to be seen, but it’s a positive for this ailing river.

*Full or near full hydro lakes, providing some excellent fishing around the margins and river mouths.  This fishing will continue on into the following months as well.

The lows:

*Boy oh boy, that wind...More like spring than our usual calm autumnal weather.  Still it has kept fly anglers honest and the rest of us hoping for calmer days too! 

* High rivers keeping the waters discoloured and with powerful flows.  Some of the unaffected waters have received greater pressure because of this, but then again we just have to look at the first of the "highs" listed above, as it’s always a double-edged sword that nature gives us! 

*Some tough fishing as trout have been holding out for the mayfly activity that usually occurs this time of the season and gives the browns in particular, a boost before they head into spawning season.

All rivers in the Mackenzie country close at the end of April, but there are still plenty of good angling opportunities in the region over the cooler closed season months. Explore the hydro canals of course, along with the many lakes which remain open during the off season.  Don't forget of course, the Lake Alexandrina winter fishing season as well.

Finally, take some post season care of your fishing tackle if you’re planning on packing up for the winter, to ensure peak performance when you dust it all off again come November. 

Fly anglers, give your lines a wash and dry, dry and check your waders for leaks and don't forget to back off the drag on your fly reels to protect the mechanism long term. Threadliners, give your reels a once over and a protective dab of reel grease on the most important parts.  

Cheers,

Will Spry

www.spryfly.co.nz 

 Back Reel Life.