Reel Life October 2025 - Central South Island

November Fishing

November is a favourite month to fish for many anglers, and for good reason.

Image above: This Brown Trout caught in the lower Ōpihi last weekend was found to have five smelt (silveries) in it’s stomach. Photo Credit Blake Harper

November fishing highlights include:

• Ideal spring flows in lowland waters like the Ōpihi River provides great opportunity for both spin and fly anglers,
• Sea-run brown trout are in the tidal reaches chasing silveries (common smelt),
• Post-spawned rainbows are hungry and in search of an easy feed in the canals and hydro lakes,
• Spring brings beetles to our grassland streams – read how to fish them here,
• Perch and tench increase in feeding activity as water temperature increases,
• Twizel Kids Salmon Fishing Day runs on 1 November (see article below for info),
• High-Country Opening means all waterways are open.

Spring Tip for Lake Benmore Anglers

Recent diet research shows that during the sockeye smolt season (Spring), some trout take full advantage of the opportunity to feed on these small migrating fish.

After hatching, sockeye fry emerge from their redds and head downstream in search of lake habitat — making them an easy meal for hungry brown trout.

Now’s the perfect time to target these trout! Try using a small silver lure around river and stream mouths flowing into Lake Benmore during the spring months.

Six Must-have Flies

Six must-have flies for any fly box.

If you could have only six flies in your tackle box, these are the way to go according to local angler and South Canterbury Anglers Club member Grant Weston.

Nymphs:

1. Pheasant tail (Top left) - can be used all year round.
2. Hare and Copper - best early season before Christmas.

Nymphs are arguably the most used flies. If you're just starting out, we recommend a nymph size 14 or 16 with an indicator above. It doesn't have to have the bead head, but these help the fly to sink in deeper or faster water.

Dry flies:

1. Parachute Adams (Mid left) - Imitates a mayfly.
2. Blowfly pattern

Fish dry flies when fish are actively rising. Wait 20 seconds after the last rise then present your fly when they’re ready to take again.

Wets:

1. Damselfly Imitation (Bottom left) - Great in still water. Wet if first, lob it out, and let it sink.
2. Hamill's Killer – Effective when fishing clear water streams and lakes, designed to imitate a baitfish like a bully

Honourable mention: Snail imitation. If you can find a good one that matches the snails of your fishing spot use a slow or dead drift retrieve near structures or weed beds.

Low-Country Opening Day 2025

Isabell (8), Greg & Max (12) Lovett with Caleb(7), Isaac (13) and Henry(10) Poppelwell had a successful Opening Day at Lake Opuha.

Rangers caught up with 61 happy and compliant anglers throughout the region on waterways such as Borton's and Bell's Ponds, the Waitaki, Ōpihi, Te Ana a Wai, and Pareora Rivers as well as Lake Opuha and tributaries.

Rangers reported that wind on the Waitaki River restricted anglers to spin fishing and catch rates at Lake Opuha were excellent. Tasmanian Devils were the lure of the day - Trusty traffic light, red and yellow and black and gold were prevalent at Opuha.

The Lovett/Poppelwell kids had their catch for lunch wrapped in foil with lemon slices in the cavity and cooked on the barbecue.

See more photos from Opening Day in our facebook post

Brown on the Barbie – The Lovett/ Poppelwell family sitting down to lunch caught earlier in the day. Photo credit Nikki Dellaway

High-Country Opening – 1 November 2024

The first Saturday of November sees most of our high-country waterways open for fishing.

Lake Heron/ Ōtūroto, Lake Alexandrina/ Takamana and the Tekapo/ Takapō, Twizel/ Whakatipu and Hakataramea rivers are some of the options opening on the 1st of November this year.

All waters of the Ahuriri catchment now open on High Country Opening Day as well. This was one of the changes that came about at the most recent tri-ennial regulation review.

Some of our dedicated high-country anglers don’t purchase their fishing licence until closer to HC Opening. Get them online here or pop in-store to support your local businesses and treat yourself to a new fly or lure.

For the stony bottom rivers  reach for your beaded mayfly nymphs

In your high-country travels, please be mindful of farmed stock and seek permission to cross private land.

Kids Salmon Fishing Day

Airi Naka 7 years old and Dad Tai from Mt Cook at last year’s Kid’s Salmon Fishing Day

Save the date for the 2025 Kids Salmon Fishing Day.

Register at the tent from 0830, fishing starts on the horn at 0900.

Date: 1 November 2025.

Venue: Loch Cameron, Glen Lyon Road Twizel.

Contact: ndellaway@fishandgame.org.nz or 03 615 8400.

A limited number of loan items is available, get in touch to see if I can help or for further questions.

Hard Labour at the Canals

The Hard Labour multisport event is on in Twizel over Labour Weekend.

On Saturday the 25^th keep an eye out for and be patient and courteous to the kayakers racing from Lake Ruataniwha, through the Ōhau B and Ōhau C Canals and out into Lake Benmore via the Ōhau C Tailrace.

Kayak racers will be entering the canals from Lake Ruataniwha about 8.30am and finishing at Lake Benmore around 11am. Lake Ruataniwha is closed to all powered craft from 7am until 9am

Please do not fish while kayakers are passing by, including off SH8 Bridge.

This annual event has Meridian approval.

Keep up to date

CSI Region provide anglers with a Weekly Fishing Report, direct to your email inbox throughout the season. Sign up to the CSI Weekly Fishing Report here.

To feature, send in your photos and stories to jvanbeers@fishandgame.org.nz.

Photos of released fish should display good catch, care and release practices to be published.