Well, living in hope, it could be like that this weekend, especially tomorrow as that is when I fish next. Most other things are looking good too: streams are at a good level, although there was a slight rise on Thursday on some after localised downpours. The water temperatures have dropped a couple of degrees after going beyond the 20°C mark several days in a row recently.
It is difficult to pick where to fish when conditions are perfect. Somewhere that has not been fishable for a while? A favourite spot? A water that has been producing big fish lately?
It will probably be a river, having fished still waters a lot so far this season. The rivers I like fishing are the Mataura, the Pomahaka and the Taieri, so it will be one of those.
Those rivers combined offer several hundred kilometres of fishing, so the decision-making is not over yet.
Which river? And where on that river? Lower, middle or upper reaches? Most rivers tend to have more fish in the lower reaches but they are not as big as those in the upper reaches, although the fish are fewer there.
Decisions, decisions. I think I will write the options on pieces of paper and draw them out of a hat or a tin or that suitably-sized cardboard box by my desk. I will keep drawing out options until I get the one that feels right.
I fished the Mataura last weekend. The prospects were not good with a strong nor’wester forecast but the water was at a reasonable level.
I started on a favourite stretch of water that has produced a lot of trout for me over the years. I saw a rise as soon as I started but it did not take my offering. I fished about 200m systematically, only managing to catch one fish and spooking one other.
Time for a move. The next spot, fast water but not too deep, ideal for a weighted nymph, gave up a fish quite quickly then nothing for a long way, nothing seen or felt. Then another fish was landed and one lost. At this point the wind was gale-force and it seemed sensible to have a cup of tea and go home.
My other outing was on Blakelys Dam. It was sunny with little wind but things started badly. I cast into a spot between the weeds and the nymph was seized by a fish, which then sped off at high speed and snapped the leader.
At least it was sunny with little wind.
