I am a bit wary offering advice about where to fish this coming weekend, as my predictions have been a bit wide of the target lately.
So this week I will offer advice with the caveat that it depends if the weather remains settled and at the moment that is what the weather man is predicting.
Most of the smaller streams are down to a fishable level and are continuing to drop. The picks so far are the Waipahi and Waiwera to the south and the Shag and Deep Stream to the North.
One or two cold nights have kept morning water temperatures low but they have risen enough to encourage fish action in the afternoons. Even if the weather does not behave, there are plenty of stillwater options with all the Maniototo dams now open.
At this time of year, sedges start to hatch in the evenings, opening up the possibility of a rise as the light starts to fade. The lower Taieri can fish well in the evenings at this time of year and is worth a try - this is when some of the bigger fish come out to feed.
After a good opening day on the Mataura, I am keen to get back for another go.
The Waipahi Gold Medal was fished last Saturday, in atrocious conditions. It was not as bad as last year's 15cm of snow, but we did have hail, snow and rain showers, as well as strong wind.
The water was reasonably clear enough to see the bottom in close to a depth of 1m. It rose a little during the day and then began to fall.
I had my first fish in the net within half an hour of the 8.30am starting time and not long after caught my first takeable fish. Then nothing, followed by quite a bit more nothing.
There were sedges skittering about at one stage, but the trout were not interested. At 3pm there were a few duns on the water but still no interest shown by the trout.
Then came a flurry of activity from the trout and, fishing a nymph blind, I landed three, only one of which was takeable.
The remainder of the afternoon was filled with more nothing.
Back for the weigh-in at Dave Linklater's woolshed there was little excitement as we hardy (or was that foolhardy) anglers gathered.
I am sure there would have been a little excitement from Jeff Hansen when he weighed in five fish weighing 5.94kg from beat 8.
In second place was Steve McGuire with four fish weighing 3.56kg from beat 18. Third was Bruce McGavin with three fish for 3.12kg from beat 24. Tony Calder weighed in the biggest fish of 1.74kg, as well as falling in.
There were 25 fish weighed in by 13 of the 36 competitors and the average weight was 1kg.
Not the most memorable of Waipahi Medals - except for the medallists, of course.
