In the next few days anglers will be spoilt for choice as far as finding a good fishing spot goes.
Most waters are in perfect order, only the Waitaki and the Clutha being a little on the high side, but as the demand for electricity drops in the holidays the flow will also drop. Even the streams that are low are better than normal for this time of year as their flows are a little above low summer levels.
Even the weather forecast is good, with fine weather and light winds predicted for the start of the holiday period. This sounds like perfect conditions for the tussock lakes, but if you prefer flowing water, the Mataura has to be one of the better options.
The Taieri, too, is well worth fishing throughout its length and at any time of day.
In fact, within a few minutes of finishing this column, I am off to have a cast on the lower river.
At this time of year, with more anglers about, it is worth having a go at some of the less popular streams, where you will often have the water to yourself.
Anglers are often put off small streams when they are low, but the fish are there regardless of flow and it can be easier finding them, so if you get the chance, have a go.
Also, at this time of year, there are lots of different food items for trout to feed on and, unless there is a big hatch of fly, lots of beetles on the water or the dreaded willow grub falling like rain, and trout will live up to their reputation as opportunistic feeders and take anything that comes along, which includes the angler's worm, fly or spinner.
On the subject of low waters and opportunistic feeders, Murray Smart and I fished the upper Taieri last Sunday in perfect conditions: warm, sunny and calm. The water was above normal for this time of year and the weed a little less dense and, surprisingly, it rose during the day, carrying quite a bit of weed with it, although luckily it did not colour up.
In the morning, Murray fished down and I fished up from the car. There was nothing rising so I fished a nymph blind and was soon into a nice fish of 2kg followed shortly after by a smaller fish that broke off in the weeds. It was some time before I saw a rise and this fish took the nymph readily.
It was a long time and several hundred metres of river before the next fish, which was well worth the wait, being close to 3kg and in amazing condition.
We moved after lunch and parked near a bridge. The tracks in the unusually long grass suggested the water had been fished in the morning, so I was prepared to walk a way up to cover untouched water, but a rising fish just above the bridge captured my attention, and several below the bridge did the same for Murray. The afternoon turned out even better than the morning.
- Mike Weddell
