The nation’s first freshwater sports fishing season was in Otago, starting on December 1, 1874, and Alexander Campbell Begg was the first person to have success on the opening day.
Casting his line in the Water of Leith, he caught the first legal trout and ended up with 20 fish, weighing 13 pounds (almost 6kg), all caught on the fly, historical records show.
In several streams in and near Dunedin, "good baskets" of trout were obtained by anglers in a few hours’ fishing.
The three-month trout fishing season was launched by the Otago Acclimatisation Society — the forerunner to Otago Fish & Game Council.
On Saturday, a re-enactment was run at the Water of Leith and descendants of Mr Begg were there.
Great-great-great-grandson second-year physiotherapy student Nick Brady, of Dunedin, said he liked to spend some time fishing.
It had been interesting to look through some old photos and learn a little family history, he said yesterday.
"No, we didn’t catch any fish, unfortunately," Mr Brady said.
Lal Mulligan, great-granddaughter of Mr Begg, made the trip from Ashburton.
Ms Mulligan said her father was keen on fishing and she had received all his rods and when she looked through them one day, there was one that dated back to Mr Begg’s time.
It was now part of the Toitū Otago Settlers Museum collection.
Studying material about her great-grandfather led Ms Mulligan to conclude he was "quite a force".
"He was a very staunch Presbyterian, and he did a lot in the community."
What began in Otago grew into a popular national pastime. More than 130,000 anglers each year head to New Zealand’s rivers, lakes and streams.
Otago Fish & Game chief executive Ian Hadland said freshwater angling was deeply embedded in the national identity.
"While rods and reels may have changed, the core experience endures — the pursuit of an elusive fish with a fly, lure or bait," he said.
"For generations, angling has connected Kiwis to a shared passion to escape into nature, reflect and unwind, enjoy each other’s company, and bring home fish for the table."
The licensing system remains central to Fish & Game’s efforts to manage freshwater fisheries.
Anglers’ licences fund conservation programmes, habitat restoration projects and water quality monitoring.
