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TROUT FISHING WITH MAURICE RODWAY - Weekly Column: 10-November-00
 Southland, New Zealand

Rainbow Trout Spawning

Now we are into November all of the rivers and lakes of the region are open to trout fishing. During the winter only the lakes and the estuaries are open, with a few exceptions. In October the main rivers open then in November the rivers flowing into the lakes open. A little complex, perhaps. However a lot less than in many places, especially the US where the regulations are very complex.

The lake tributaries are the last to open as they contain rainbow trout spawning areas and rules relating to trout fishing have always controlled anglers access to waters where trout are spawning. Rainbow trout are sustained in the waters of the Waiau catchment and they are abundant in places such as the lower and upper Waiau, the lower Mararoa and in a few localised areas of other rivers. However they are normally dominated by brown trout in smaller to medium sized rivers and their spawning grounds are relatively confined. They occur throughout the large Southern lakes but never in great abundance. Rainbow trout are caught fairly regularly but their appearance in the angler's catch is out of proportion to their abundance as they are more easily caught than brown trout.

Unlike Lake Taupo where they are numerically abundant over brown trout the southern lakes are not such good homes for rainbows. While it is true that in all areas it is important that anglers do not take spawning rainbow trout and that the spawning grounds of these fish are protected this is especially true for this species in the south.

The reason for the relatively poor performance of rainbows here is uncertain. The abundance of brown trout is one possiblility. Large brown trout of which there are many in most of the streams that flow into the southern lakes, are aggressive piscivores.  Rainbows in smaller rivers are not usually found with brown trout and they tend to spawn in areas where browns are absent, in the very headwaters for example. 

Another possibility is the lack of large numbers of shoaling pelagic forage fish. In Lake Taupo smelt are the main menu item but in the southern lakes bullies are. Larval bullies are pelagic but the adults live on the lake bed in the littoral zone where brown trout forage but where rainbows tend to avoid. The lakes are not suitable for smelt so rainbows have to be content with the small bullies that live out in the middle of the lake. Not much of a mouthful.

Whatever the reason anglers need to bear in mind the need to conserve rainbows. If you want to take home a trout for tea, take a brown trout and return the rainbow, especially if it is a fish nearing it first spawning attempt.

Maurice Rodway
Southland, New Zealand                           E-mail: mrodway@southlandfishgame.co.nz

Article © 2000 Maurice Rodway, All Rights Reserved.

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