Reel Life January 2026 - Wellington

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Summer Angling Sensational!!!

Summer fishing in the Wellington region has been fantastic

Over the Christmas and New Year period conditions throughout the Wellington Fish & Game region were mixed but generally favourable for fishing, with some sensational trout being caught in all the main catchments.

While we saw a few unsettled days, including periods of gusty winds and heavier showers around New Year’s Eve, there were plenty of calm, warm windows that made for great angling conditions.

River flows have been lower than typical for this time of year, with many systems sitting low and clear for extended periods of time. However a good fresh in mid-January provided welcome relief with added flow and cooler water.

This really kicked the trout back into action along with the bug life.

As we head into high summer, terrestrials like cicadas, hoppers, beetles, and assorted attractor patterns will see consistent interest from trout, particularly into the late afternoon window when insect activity peaks.

Spin and soft-bait options have still been taking fish in the lower river reaches of many of our rivers, particularly the lower Ruamahanga and Otaki. 

For the fly angler, with consistent lower flows and clear water, fly presentation now becomes especially important, as well as achieving natural drift.

Thick tippets may be visible to fish when flows are low and rivers ultra clear, and any unnatural movement or drag of the fly is likely to discourage a take.

When this is combined with fish being picky due to an abundance of natural food available at this time of year, this reinforces the need for close attention to every detail of your approach and fly presentation.

Don’t forget camo clothing wither, as fish can see very well out of the water when there is low suspended sediments after long periods of no rain.

Find Your Fishing Spot

There's no better resource to help you plan your fishing missions this season than our new online interactive access maps.

Click here to start planning your next angling adventure!

This system is the on-stop shop, NZ Fish & Game Council-approved access map platform for the organisation.

Beware of other maps being promoted as these contain inaccurate data such as incorrect regulations and inaccurate access points.