'Reel Life' Newsletter

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Reel Life April 2023

Dan with large trout

Want to know everything that’s happening in the Wellington Fish & Game region’s fishery?

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Reel Life March 2023

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Want to know everything that’s happening in the Wellington Fish & Game region’s fishery?

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Reel Life February 2023

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Want to know everything that’s happening in the Wellington Fish & Game region’s fishery?

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Reel Life January 2023

Makarewa trout in net photo takien by Lindsay Withington

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Reel Life December 2022

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Want to know everything that’s happening in the Wellington Fish & Game region’s fishery?

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Reel Life November 2022

Solid two year old Rotoiti fish

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Reel Life October 2022

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Want to know everything that’s happening in the Wellington Fish & Game region’s fishery?

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Reel Life September 2022

A beautifully conditioned brown trout from a Wairarapa small stream Copyright Hamish Carnachan

Regular rainfall and a wet summer meant many of the rivers remained in good health for trout even through the normally dry months.

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Welcome to the first Reel Life issue of the 2022/23 fishing season

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Your new season fishing licence will unlock the wonderful New Zealand rivers and lakes to you for a fishing season that is looking awesome.

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Reel Life April 2022

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Want to know everything that’s happening in the Wellington Fish & Game region’s fishery?

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Reel Life March 2022

Between bouts of rain the fishing has been sensational with excellent terrestrial hatches in some parts of the region (Copyright: Hamish Carnachan)

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Reel Life February 2022

Jacob and Lucy prepare trout2

Want to know everything that’s happening in the Wellington Fish & Game region’s fishery?

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Reel Life January 2022

There has been superb angling in the easily accessible lowland fisheries Credit Hamish Carnachan

Recent deluges have failed to put a dampener on what has been an excellent start to the season in the lower North Island, particularly the easily accessible lowland fisheries.

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Reel Life December 2021

Lake Onoke Salmon

It has been a month of great weather and awesome angling to match in the lower North Island.

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Reel Life November 2021

Peter De Boer with a cracker brown trout from teh lower Ruamahanga River Credit Andrew Harding

The trout fishing season is off to an amazing start!

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Reel Life October 2021

Cohen McCormick with a lovely bar of Hutt River gold taken recently Credit Andrew Harding2

The new season starts next Friday – October 1.

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Reel Life September 2021

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Want to know everything that’s happening in the Wellington Fish & Game region’s fishery?

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Reel Life April 2021

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Want to know everything that’s happening in the Wellington Fish & Game region’s fishery?

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Reel Life March 2021

Josh Blyth and Harrison Calder salmon fishing in the Taramakau River Monday evening. Photo Baylee Kersten

It has certainly been a month of abundance in the lower North Island – superb trout numbers, wonderfully conditioned fish and some of the best surface feeding activity we’ve seen...

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Reel Life February 2021

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Want to know everything that’s happening in the Wellington Fish & Game region’s fishery?

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Reel Life January 2021

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Want to know everything that’s happening in the Wellington Fish & Game region’s fishery?

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Reel Life December 2020

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After a month of what has felt like endless rain, the weather has settled and the season that started off superbly is finally back on track!

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Reel Life November 2020

Backwater brown from mid Oreti Saleyard Road

Want to know everything that’s happening in the Wellington Fish & Game region’s fishery?

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Reel Life October 2020

Tim Angeli kicked off his season with this spectacular brown trout from a small Wairarapa spring creek2. Copy

Reports coming in from anglers point to fantastic fishing right throughout the region!

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Reel Life September 2020

An XOS Wellington Fish Game region brown possibly a mouse muncher

On the eve of last season we forecast that anglers could expect to see more larger trout around and that was certainly the case.

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Reel Life August 2020

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The new fishing season is only five weekends away and your new season fishing licence will unlock the full fishing potential of New Zealand for you to explore.

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Reel Life February 2020

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For the latest and most up to date intel from the Wellington Fish & Game region check out their Weekly Fishing Report here.

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Wellington Reel Life January 2020

For the latest and most up to date intel from the Wellington Fish & Game region check out their Weekly Fishing Report here.

Read more about 'Wellington Reel Life January 2020'...


Wellington Reel Life December 2019

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Wellington Reel Life November 2019

A lovely lowland Wellington brown already showing good condition

The weather and the fishing continue to heat up in the lower North Island!

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Wellington Reel Life October 2019

A great Wellington small stream brown taken by Ben Connolly on Open Day

The season has got off to a cracking start in the Wellington Fish & Game region.

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Wellington Reel Life September 2019

Hooked up to backcountry brown early last season Copyright Nick King

Only a few sleeps until Opening now and what a great season we have in store!

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Wellington Reel Life August 2019

RL CSI August 1 A 14 gram bass hex wobbler accounts for a large Lake Tekapo Brown trout Credit Rhys Adams

While our drift dives have shown a number of key rivers are down in trout numbers, the really exciting thing is they are up in fish size.

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Wellington Reel Life April 2019

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Spawning rivers and streams close from the end of April until the end of September to protect the spawning fish and habitat.

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Wellington Reel Life March 2019

A very large brown trout taken just 15 mintues from SH2

The cicadas continue to chirp and the trout get fatter still!

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Wellington Reel Life February 2019

W Cicada husks covering a tree earlier this month2

The angling in the lower North Island has been exceptional so far this season with very good fish counts, fine weather and some of the best terrestrial insect hatches we’ve...

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Wellington Reel Life January 2019

W Drift diving is well underway in the lower North Island

Last month we reported a sighting of a 10lb-plus fish right below State Highway 1 during our drift diving – that’s right, a trophy trout within easy striking distance of...

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Wellington Reel Life December 2018

Early season backcountry rainbow for field officer Hamish Carnachan

We've kicked off our summer drift diving on the Kapiti Coast and Wairarapa and numbers are looking good.

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Wellington Reel Life November 2018

W A Fish Game ranger checking backcountry licences in the Upper Rangitikei Hamish Carnachan

After a wonderful start to the season with warm sunny weather and cooperative fish, the recent rain and cool temps are a mighty change.

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Wellington Reel Life October 2018

Wellington trout opening Photo Andrew Harding2

Wellington Fish & Game says the feedback from anglers indicates the trout being caught so far this season are in “top condition.”

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Wellington Reel Life September 2018

W2 Finn Harding chasing sea run trout in the lower reaches of the Hutt River Andrew Harding

Right: Finn Harding chasing sea run trout in the lower reaches of the Hutt River (Photo Andrew Harding).

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Wellington Reel Life August 2018

W 1 Therell be plenty of cracker fish like this around come Opening Day2

There'll be plenty of cracker fish like this around come Opening Day (Photo Hamish Carnachan)

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Reel Life May 2018

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We’ve got a simple message as May rolls into June and the start of winter…there is still some terrific fishing out there!

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Wellington Reel Life April 2018

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No report

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Wellington Reel Life March 2018

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No report this month.

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Wellington Reel Life February 2018

W 4 Cicada success for Andrew Harding

Cicada success for Andrew Harding.

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Wellington Reel Life January 2018

W4 A Wairarapa brown in great condition early season how much bigger will this fish get Andrew Harding

The hottest time in the angling calendar is upon us…and we’re not talking temperatures.

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Wellington Reel Life December 2017

A quality brown from a river within easy striking distance of the capital

Right: A quality brown from a river within easy striking distance of the capital (Photo Andrew Harding).

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Wellington Reel Life November 2017

W A well conditioned lower Ruamahanga River brown taken by Peter de Boer. Credit Andrew Harding

That's how Wellington Fish & Game is calling it and our anglers agree.

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Wellington Reel Life October 2017

W A good brown from the upper Manawatu

After a tough one for lower North Island anglers, this season is off to a superb start with good weather and rivers in fantastic shape.

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Wellington Reel Life September 2017

This could be you this opening day

[Use image:This could be you this opening day, Credit Hamish Carnachan]

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Wellington Reel Life August 2017

W RL This is what were all waiting for. Credit Hamish Carnachan

This is what we're all waiting for (Photo Hamish Carnachan).

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Wellington Reel Life May 2017

The Karamea River during excellent autumn weather March 2017

Sorry, there is no Reel Life report for the Wellington region for May 2017.

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Wellington Reel Life April 2017

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Wellington Report not available for April 2017.

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Wellington Reel Life Mar 2017

A backcountry beauty for Peter de Boer

Okay, the weather has been crazy, and at least in some rivers that normally fire the fish have been fickle...

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Auckland / Waikato Reel Life Mar 2017

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An ambitious tagging program has been started on the Whanganui River by Fish & Game councillor Nigel Juby.

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Hawke's Bay Reel Life Mar 2017

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After another hot dry summer, it was refreshing to get some decent rain in early March to give the rivers a flush out and add some volume to their flows.

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Taranaki Reel Life Mar 2017

TRL1April2017. A fine south Taranaki autumn rainbow photo Michael Bakker.

With only one significant fresh in the last month, Taranaki ringplain streams and rivers have been very fishable – and there’s even been a nice period of settled weather to...

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Nelson Marlborough Reel Life Mar 2017

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Trout flying bright green streamers were released into the Riuwaka River during a day long operation in mid-March. 

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Otago Reel Life Mar 2017

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Calm conditions and clear water through March was welcomed by anglers.

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West Coast Reel Life Mar 2017

Dallas Dowdell with a Nice South Westland Salmon Caught Last Week

Conditions have certainly come right recently, with great fishing available.

Both opportunities for salmon and trout fishing have been excellent this month, as the weather has settled down and the river flows have stabilised.

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North Canterbury Reel Life Mar 2017

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Late March and early April often brings settled weather to the Canterbury region.

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Southland Reel Life Mar 2017

SOUTHLAND PHOTO 1 DD Oreti

Finally, in a clear patch of weather Southland staff were able to get out and undertake drift diving surveys as part of their annual trout monitoring program.

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Central South Island Reel Life Mar 2017

RLmar17CSI2 box ticked Rhys Adams returned to this river found while hunting

April is the last month of the ‘summer’ fishing season.

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Reel Life Mar 2017

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Northland Reel Life Mar 2017

N 2 Brown trout headwaters Wilsons Dam3

Autumn has arrived – with the mornings noticeably cooler and some heavy dews happening.

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Eastern Reel Life Mar 2017

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Autumn has rolled around quickly and seasonal changes are evident in the Eastern Fish & Game region.

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Southland Reel Life FEB 2017

In this month’s Reel Life article, field officer Cohen Stewart interviews retired fishing guide and honorary ranger Len Prentice to find out how the average angler can make their fishing...

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West Coast Reel Life FEB 2017

Over the past week and a half, weather conditions have improved significantly on the West Coast, with a period of excellent settled weather.

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North Canterbury Reel Life FEB 2017

High hopes for March fishing

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Nelson / Marlborough Reel Life FEB 2017

'exhilarating' cicada season in full swing

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Northland Reel Life Feb 2017

With warm temperatures and a “medium adverse event” declared in Northland, water levels have been getting very low.

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Taranaki Reel Life Feb 2017

At last...after a long period of westerly conditions bringing cool winds and lots of rain, we've finally enjoyed some settled summer weather in Taranaki, not a moment too soon!

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Hawke’s Bay Reel Life Feb 2017

With February air temperatures peaking at 33OC at the airport, it was nice to receive some decent rain in the middle of the month to give the rivers a good...

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Eastern Reel Life Feb 2017

Lake Rotoiti has been one of the top performers so far this summer, serving up some “solid” catches.

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Auckland / Waikato Reel Life Feb 2017

The weather has been less than ideal recently but the heat has brought out the cicadas – and the trout that feed on them.

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Southland Reel Life JAN 2017

As mentioned in previous Reel Life articles, there have been isolated increases in mouse populations in some parts of Southland.

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North Canterbury Reel Life Jan 2017

As I write this report, the East Coast rivers in Canterbury have peaked in flood, with flows higher than seen for some time.

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Northland Reel Life Jan 2017

We hope everyone has had a good summer break...or are still enjoying your holidays.

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Eastern Reel Life Jan 2017

Lake Rotorua’s shoreline fishery has been slow to get underway this summer due to cooler and windier than normal conditions.

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Otago Reel Life JAN 2017

It’s fair to say that the summer holiday period has been severely interrupted by some abysmal weather over the past month and leading up to the New Year.

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Central South Island Reel Life JAN 2017

It has been a fickle summer weather-wise, with welcome small but regular rainfall events occurring across the region.

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West Coast Reel Life Jan 2017

Large numbers of hunters turned out in the West Coast Region for Opening Weekend this year, both local hunters and many from other regions.

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Nelson/Marlborough Reel Life JAN 2017

The Taylor River fishery is in good shape after a 50 medium to large brown trout were released before Christmas.

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Wellington Reel Life Jan 2017

Spring and now 'summer' continue to be a real mixed bag when it comes to weather and fishing prospects.

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Taranaki Reel Life Jan 2017

Regular freshes, persistent westerly winds and even an early dump of snow have conspired to provide great conditions for the trout, but not so flash for the anglers.

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Hawke’s Bay Reel Life Jan 2017

December and early January have seen many of the rivers running low and clear as we progress through the hot summer months here in the Hawke’s Bay.

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Auckland / Waikato Reel Life Jan 2017

Fish & Game staff were recently on the Whakapapa and Whanganui Rivers monitoring water quality and witnessed some amazing hatches in the late evening, and heard cicada sounding off all day.

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