It was badly needed with some rivers below their minimum flow a couple of days ago.
The water temperature has also dropped by several degrees to a level more suited to trout.
The waters that have risen due to the rain, most have barely reached normal level and most are now dropping, and unless there are further heavy downpours, they will be fishable at the weekend. Of course, still waters will not have risen much and most will be fishable. With the weather fine and warm for the weekend, there may even be cicadas about again.
At this time of year, I like to fish the Pomahaka but I suspect it will be dirty from the upstream slip and it will need to be at a low level for a few days to clear enough to make a visit worthwhile.
Luckily, we have plenty of choices regardless of conditions. On Wednesday, when it was pouring down and rivers were rising, Wayne Gillet and I fished Blakely’s dam. The last time I fished it a few weeks ago, it was hot and sunny, but this week it rained all day and the temperature barely reached 12 degrees, although there was little wind, which made fishing a little more pleasant. The recent dry spell had lowered the level of the dam about 50cm and the weed had died back somewhat.
I hooked and lost a good fish almost as soon as I started to fish, but the weed had not died back enough and the fish burrowed into it and was immovable and could have been still in there. I landed a lesser fish shortly after. There were odd rises to keep up the enthusiasm levels. Plugging away with my favourite combination of damsel fly nymph on the point and a water boatman on the dropper, I eventually hooked another decent fish, but it too dropped off.
We decided to pack up early to have a cup of tea to warm up before driving home. Having a last few casts I hooked a fine maiden rainbow, which against the trend I landed and that seemed a suitable time to finish.
I like exploring new waters and last weekend on a family outing we were in South Canterbury not far from Lake Opua.
Within minutes of arriving at our destination I took off to check out the dam with the aim of returning later to fish the evening rise.
I was pleasantly surprised to see quite a few fish rising along the shoreline. I met one angler who told me there had been even more rising in the morning. Things were looking promising for the evening.
There were not as many rising when I returned after 7pm but enough to work on. In fact, the first cast produced a hook up but it dropped off, but a few minutes later one made it to the net.
Using the combination of flies mentioned above, I landed a couple more and repeated the whole operation the next evening. Could be worth another visit.
