When you want to go fishing and can't,
Console yourself with our gazette.

TROUT FISHING WITH MAURICE RODWAY - Weekly Column: February 15, 2002
 Southland, New Zealand

Muddy Waters

In a Southland summer it is inevitable that rains will cause rivers to rise and become unfishable for several days on end. Some summers this can be a frequent event, causing cobwebs to form on fishing rods and dimmed memories of a day on the river. This season's summer has not, so far, been one of those. We have had more fine days than wet and rivers have generally been in good condition.

At the moment however most are above normal and discoloured as a result of heavy rainfall on Tuesday. Trout fishing is usually not very profitable in these conditions although enterprising anglers can sometimes find trout in the margins, amongst thistles and ragwort, looking for insects and worms flushed out of pastures.

Clear water is usually required for rewarding trout fishing and it is in short supply after heavy rain. Most anglers would prefer to fish in rivers than lakes. The flowing water of rivers makes trout fishing more interesting and usually there are more trout per square metre in a river than in a lake. Nevertheless smaller lakes can be pleasant and productive. In Southland the Mavora Lakes provide the best fishing for anglers who like to fish from the shore. They are almost always clear but in the heat of the summer their trout prefer cooler offshore waters. Some will be cruising the weed beds just off the beaches and if the lake surface is broken with waves these can be caught using a combination of patience, skill and a little luck.  

The larger lakes are a bit intimidating to fish from the shore. However when their tributary rivers are rain filled trout will be drawn to the little deltas where the river joins the lake. Fishing a lure there to imitates a small grey fish will provide some interesting moments.  The Upukerora, or Eglinton, where they flow into Lake Te Anau are obvious spots for this form of fishing but there are smaller streams entering along the eastern side of the lake that are productive too. As the lake is low at present there is plenty of beach to wander along.

Lake outlets are the other place where clear water can be found at all times and the Waiau between Lakes Te Anau and Manapouri is the best of these.   This part of the Waiau is a magnificent river even at low flows. At present the flows are low to moderate, around 160 cumecs earlier in the week. The water is clear and contains large numbers of trout. Evening fishing is better than during the daytime, but really any time on the Waiau is a good time.

By the weekend some of the smaller streams will be fishable again. However it is nice to know some places to go to when the rains come and spoil the normally good conditions we have during the summer.

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

Article © 2002 Maurice Rodway, All Rights Reserved.

Return to Maurice's Columns 2001-2002

'00 Columns    |   '99 Columns   |   '98 Columns   |   ´97-´98 Columns

Frontier Fishing Gazette has been published
every week for over one week.

trout@frontierfishing.co.nz

RIVER REPORT   |   MAURICE'S COLUMN   |   FISH OF THE MONTH

Introduction | Main Pool |  Rules | Bliss in Te Anau | Southland Angling Bible

Trout Encounters | River Descriptions | Fishing in Southland | Ring-A-River | Salmon Days

First Publication: 29 September 1996, Updated 01-Mar-03.
©1996-2002 NZ Country Matters Ltd.

Frontier Fishing is a South Island, NZ-based, owned and operated enterprise.