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Dozens of rainbow trout were landed in ideal conditions during the opening day of the Otago Fish & Game Take A Kid Fishing programme on Saturday.
The Dunedin City Council-managed reservoir hosted about 95 children and their families for the first of four fully booked spring sessions.
Ahead of the events, the waters were stocked with 400 rainbows and four large broodstock weighing more than 3.6kg.
They were reared at the Macraes hatchery through a partnership with OceanaGold.
In a statement, Fish & Game officer Steve Dixon praised the successful start.
“This was one of those days when things just seemed to come together,” Mr Dixon said.
“The weather was good, the fish were active and there were plenty of young anglers who managed to catch a fish.”
This season’s hatchery 2-year-olds were larger and feistier than usual.
“There were plenty of happy kids and it was great to see so many families enjoying the fishing together,” he said.
About 40 to 50 trout were gutted and cleaned for participants to take home.
Conditions deteriorated the following day when wind and cold temperatures arrived.
Attendance dropped to 70 children and the catch rate slowed significantly, with only six fish kept.
“Fishing was slower, but there were still some good fish caught and plenty of kids out having a go,” Mr Dixon said.
Organisers will release another 300 trout this week before the final two events on this Saturday and Sunday.
— Allied Media
