Misty river water is a mixed bag
Misty river water is a mixed bag
After recent big floods rivers continue to drop to more normal levels.
Mike Weddell
Most river levels returning to normal after big floods
Most river levels returning to normal after big floods
Conditions are returning to normal on many waters such as the Taieri, Pomahaka and the Owaka and Catlins rivers.
Fish have evolved to survive rivers flooding
Fish have evolved to survive rivers flooding
Low water and high temperatures were last week — how things have changed.
Warm water best at dawn and dusk
Warm water best at dawn and dusk
Rivers and streams have continued to fall and warm up over the past week, despite some heavy showers in recent days.
Recent run of warm, fine weather good news for anglers
Recent run of warm, fine weather good news for anglers
With the recent spell of fine weather, most waters are at a level that would be considered normal at this time of year — good news for us anglers. The trout are feasting on willow grubs and,...
Dams worth a look
Dams worth a look
After heavy rain earlier in the week most rivers rose, some just a little, others a medium amount and a few rose a lot. East and North Otago escaped the worst of it and to the south the Waipahi and Waiwera are almost back to normal and the Pomahaka is getting close to a good fishing level.
Rivers approaching fishable levels
Rivers approaching fishable levels
The recent extreme weather events have been extreme in more ways than one.
Summer-level waters make for good fishing
Summer-level waters make for good fishing
For the first time this season most waters in Otago are fishable, rivers and streams have dropped rapidly over the last week due to high temperatures and wind.
Willow grubs may be a bonanza for anglers
Willow grubs may be a bonanza for anglers
Over the past few days, river and stream levels have plummeted except for western Southland and the Clutha.
Ideal fishing conditions this coming weekend
Ideal fishing conditions this coming weekend
The wild weather of the middle of the week has raised the level of most rivers but disastrously, and with a relatively settled few days forecast most should be fishable this weekend.
Most rivers still too high
Most rivers still too high
The rain has fallen on and off over the last week and as many catchments are saturated, it only takes a little rain to raise river levels.
Be prepared for all weathers and enjoy the fishing
Be prepared for all weathers and enjoy the fishing
I have been out on the water three times in the last week. On two of those occasions it was pleasantly warm and on the other cold and wet. This tells us that if we go fishing, we need to be...
Spring weather not helping anglers
Spring weather not helping anglers
Spring so far has been, well, spring-like, with the weather all over the place which creates havoc with rivers.
Weekend fishing plans murky
Weekend fishing plans murky
The prospects for the weekend fishing are not the best but it looks like there will be a window in the weather on Saturday and early Sunday giving people a chance to get out. It all depends how...
Small streams best bet, given weather forecast
Small streams best bet, given weather forecast
The weather forecast for the weekend is not great but at least it is supposed to be warmer than the last few days.
Weekend rain could wreck anglers' prospects
Weekend rain could wreck anglers' prospects
As I write, rivers are rising throughout the South so prospects for river fishing this weekend are not good.
Smaller streams a possibility; still waters the backstop
Smaller streams a possibility; still waters the backstop
In last week's column I was mildly optimistic (some would say totally out of touch with reality) about the prospects for opening but the outlook for this weekend is not as good, due to snowmelt.
Start of season looking good
Start of season looking good
Another fishing season is almost here and after a mild winter with few floods, trout should be in good condition.
Content with making best of a less than memorable season
Content with making best of a less than memorable season
Some would say, and I include myself among them, that there is no such thing as a bad day's fishing - it is just that some are better than others.
Hoping for fishable river levels
Hoping for fishable river levels
The rain is steadily falling as I type this but there has not been a dramatic rise in river levels yet, but if it continues for a few hours there will be.