Easter Angling Perfection!       

Pictured - Ben Ellison with a cracker late-season brown trout (Credit: Ben Ellison)    

Conditions are close to perfect for lower North Island anglers this holiday weekend!

Clear skies, clean and cool rivers, and a four-day break over Easter makes for an ideal opportunity to get out fishing before the main season closes at the end of this month.

Trout are in stunning condition as they head into the spawning season, making for some fine eating fish to share with friends and family. 

Recent drift dives in the Central High Country and along the Kapiti Coast revealed superb numbers of trout too.

So, if you're heading off on holiday, pack the fishing gear and take regular breaks to prospect likely looking water you pass on the way to your destination... You never know what you might discover.  

This is the last of our reports for the 2021-22 season.

Wellington Fish & Game would like to thank anglers for their ongoing interest and feedback, and helping contribute to the 'Lower North Lowdown'.

We hope you've found the information useful and had a great season.               

Tight lines and catch you in Spring!      

Here's the outlook for Easter Weekend:

Hutt River and tributaries

Click here for live weather updates.

The Hutt had a small pulse of extra flow yesterday but not enough to make conditions unfishable... if anything it could stir trout into moving towards their spawning streams. On that note, the Akatarawa and Pakarutahi close at the end of this month so anglers should make the most of the weekend to prospect these Hutt feeder streams, including the Whakatikei, as fish will be moving in for spawning imminently.                               

The Hutt River at Totara Park this morning (Credit: Al Markham)  

Kapiti Coast 

Click here for live weather updates.

Excellent conditions for angling on the Kapiti Coast today and over the long weekend. It has been tough going on the Waikanae this season but recent drift dives on the the Otaki and Ohau showed excellent numbers of trout. Of note were the large congregations of big trout below the SH1 bridge on the Otaki. Still plenty of opportunities for some great angling on the coast rivers.     

The Otaki River at SH1 this morning (Credit: Phil Teal)

Wairarapa 

Click here for live weather updates.

The Ruamahanga was looking stunning this morning - there wasn't a breath of wind when the photo below was taken, the river was crystal clear and three or four good fish were rising at the top of the run. All systems are go also for the Waiohine, Waingawa and Tauherenikau, and these will offer great fishing in the backcountry for those who venture into the Tararuas over the long weekend. Trout are starting to show up in numbers in the spawning tribs too.            

The Ruamahanga at the Cliffs this morning (Credit: Hamish Carnachan)

Manawatu

Click here for live weather updates.  

All of Horizons' Manawatu River webcams are down at time of writing but the flow gauges show it is at a fishable level even in town. Drift dives on the Mangatainoka last week revealed superb numbers of both browns and rainbows in excellent condition in the section just upstream from SH2. The Pohangina and Ōroua are clear and both are a great option over Easter with trout reportedly moving in numbers.             

The Oroua River at Almadale this morning (Credit: Horizons)

Rangitikei 

Click here for live weather updates.

Conditions finally look to have come right for the Rangitikei River in the middle and lower reaches. While it has been fishing superbly in the mid-upper section, the water downstream of Mangaweka is clear today after weeks of carrying sediment. Great angling options for locals or those holidaying in this part of the region, with the tribs such as the Hautapu and Kawhatau well worth exploring too.         

The Rangitikei River at Mangaweka this morning (Credit: Horizons) 

National Angler Survey

Where have you been fishing in the last two months?

This season Fish & Game is undertaking the National Angling Survey.

The next round of the 2022 survey starts in the coming week, so anglers may receive a call asking about where and how many days they have been fishing.

This is the fifth in a series of surveys dating back to 1994-95. The survey data is analysed by NIWA on behalf of Fish & Game and the resulting database of information is one of most significant long-term datasets on freshwater environments in New Zealand... and it's all thanks to the participation of anglers!

The National Angling Survey data has been a critical tool for Fish & Game in our advocacy work. It has been used to identify waters of regional and national significance, help to gain Water Conservation Orders and is used in everyday resource management as well as enabling Fish & Game to monitor trends in fisheries over time.

If you get a call in the next couple of weeks, we would really appreciate your input.

River Webcams

Click the screen shot below to go to Horizon's website showing the list of available river webcams.

Noticeboard

• Wellington Fish & Game has been advised of the following dates for flushing flows from the Moawhango Dam:

  9:00 pm Tuesday 3 May to 2:00 am Wednesday 4 May 2022 (river ecological state dependent)    

• River Bulldozing - Don't get an unwelcome surprise by Greater Wellington Regional Council's river bulldozing ruining your day on the river. The upcoming activity schedule can be found here.

​*This report was accurate at time of writing. For your safety please ensure you check the latest weather and river flow information before you head out on the water.