Reel Life October 2024 - Southland

Graeme Watson with a nice brownie from a small, northern Southland stream.

The weather finally appears to be improving, and our rivers are fishable. Yipee!

On top of this, many anglers will be excited for our ‘Second Opening Day’.  Nov 1^st when our remaining rainbow fisheries open.

Southland Soft Bait fishing clinic

Southland Fish & Game are excited to host a clinic to upskill anglers in the use of soft baits.

The first half of the session will be presented by Lance Gill who is the South Island sales rep for Okuma and Rapala. You may have also seen his fishing trips online via @fishthedrift

Afterwards, anglers will be encouraged to practice what they have learnt. So, bring your fishing gear along.

There will be something here for both newbies and veteran soft baiters alike.

 

To give us an idea of numbers, we ask that you please register here.

https://www.fishandgame.org.nz/freshwater-fishing-in-new-zealand/follow-the-fish/fishing-news/2024-southland-soft-bait-clinic/

Please keep an eye on the Southland Fish & Game Facebook page for location details, and any postponement announcements due to bad weather. Note, the backup date is November 14.

Smelt Trout

The lower reaches of our main stem rivers are fishing well, with some large trout having been caught recently.

The most effective way of targeting them now is with smelt or smelt imitations.

This can be done by a variety of methods, with the most effective being lightly weighted soft baits or  streamers.

However, given that there are still whitebaiters out fishing, try asking a whitebaiter if they have caught any smelt in their nets. Most will be very accommodating in giving you some and these make excellent bait.

These can be drifted down likely runs (with the aid of split shot) or bait fished in the usual manner in a deep pool. Don’t be afraid to put two on a bait hook.

For a bait fishing ‘how to’ see here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W7iQ65iXKRM&t=132s

Size comparison between a local smelt and a 10g toby

Cohen Stewart caught this beauty bait fishing with smelt as described above.

Estuarine trout are excellent table fish.

Early season small streams

The many small streams of Southland provide vast opportunities for anglers. They are small, easy to wade and can provide ‘up close & personal’ sight fishing.

Some of these streams, or creeks, are only fishable early season before the water level falls (and/or warms) and the trout will retreat downstream into our main stem rivers.

So, if you want to experience this type of fishing, then you should aim to do so this side of the Christmas break.

Stabicraft Te Anau Manapouri Fishing Classic & the Cruise Milford Take A Kid Fishing

All the best to those participating in these long running events this weekend, and congratulations in advance to the lucky boat winner!

For those on boats, trolling is most successful early and late in the day and if you’re not having any success, then try mixing it up. Often drifting past small tributaries and bouncing soft baits deep can prove effective during the middle of the day when trolling can go quiet. Or beach your boat, and fish from the shore.

Shore based anglers will enjoy being nimble (and not having to queue for the boat ramp). No doubt these anglers will be concentrating their efforts near the lakes’ tributaries, and structure (ledges and macrophyte beds) that is accessible from the lakeside.

Remember not to overlook bait fishing in the lake. It can work well for both shore and boat-based anglers. One of our team caught their entry fish last year by bait fishing on dark at the Upukerora River mouth – the bait was in the water for less than 5 minutes.

For details on the competitions, visit https://www.teanauevents.co.nz/fishing-classic-info/ and https://www.teanauevents.co.nz/cruise-milford-take-a-kid-fishing/

 

 

If you have any photos or fishy stories that you think other anglers might like to see or read in next month’s Reel Life, then email them to southland@fishandgame.org.nz

All the best for your upcoming fishing trips,

From the team at Southland Fish & Game