I was teaching casting on the lower Taieri this week and although a little high, the water was clear and about 14°C, ideal for an evening rise to sedges or mayflies.
The Waipahi is at a better level than last weekend and the Pomahaka is down to a good fishable level.
I drove to Christchurch midweek and all streams have water in them.
The big braided rivers had coloured water, but most of the others were clear.
I am not sure how many fish will be in those that are usually dry, but at least having water is a good start.
Dams are still fishing well and on warm evenings a rise can be expected.
The usual flies will work — midge pupa or water boatman — but if there are splashy rises, a deer hair sedge is worth trying.
At this time of year, trout will feed throughout the day, in running or stillwater.
In rivers, fish ripples with a nymph if there are no rises, covering the water systematically; if a fish does not take after two or three casts, move on, taking a couple of steps upstream, and so on.
Trout are not fussy eaters, and in a ripple do not have long to make up their minds and will grab anything that comes near them.
Rising fish are easy as you know exactly where they are and you should be able to see what needs to be imitated.
If only things were as easy as that for the Waipahi Gold Medal competition last Saturday.
The weather was the worst I have experienced in the 44 times I have fished it.
There were hail showers, rain — heavy at times — and a very strong wind.
Did I mention the cold?
Several competitors retreated to their cars to warm up at times.
The fishing was not easy and there were only 16 fish weighed in, although the average weight was good at 1.25kg.
Tim Gibson — who has figured in the minor medals several times — took gold this time, with three fish totalling 3.63kg from section 14.
He caught them all by mid-morning and sensibly spent most of the rest of the day playing pool in a nice warm pub.
Second was Dean Kibble, with two fish weighing 3.16kg from section 5.
Shane Hansen was third with three fish weighing 3.05kg from section 27.
Dean Kibble also caught the heaviest single fish at 1.71kg.
Shane Hansen (who first fished the medal in 1984) and I were chatting after the presentations and we both remarked on the lack of mayflies in the river compared with 40 years ago.
Mayflies were prolific in the Waipahi in the past, but are rarely seen these days.
I think some people call it progress.
