Reel Life October 2025 - Southland

Receding flows can bring angling opportunities

As is often the case, the new fishing season in Southland has started off wet, with wet weather and high river flows influencing the ability of anglers to hit the water. While this rain has made conditions challenging at times, receding flows have created some great opportunities, especially for those spin or worm fishing.

Picture above: Prue Tayler made the most of receding flows and caught this cracking brown trout on a large milk worm.

When there’s a bit of colour in the water, trout are often less wary, particularly in river reaches that that are normally crystal clear. High flows can mask the splash of a lure, the visibility of your line, and anything else that might seem out of place. In short, the odds can tip in the angler’s favour.

As rivers begin to drop, it pays to think about where trout are likely to hold. Focus your efforts on the areas that offer refuge from elevated flows. For example, slow-flowing edges, backwaters, and quieter runs. If you find a calm pocket of water just off the main current, there’s a good chance a trout won’t be too far away.

When it comes to lure selection, bright colours can stand out well in murky water, and black can also be surprisingly effective.

A bright pink soft bait worked perfectly as flows were receding on the Waikaia River. 

For those who enjoy bait fishing, similar spots will also be worth targeting. Try bouncing a worm along the slower edges of the river, or alternatively, sink a worm to the bottom of a deep pool and wait for the bite.

For more tips on spin and bait fishing, check out these short videos we produced a few years back:

Bait fishing basics

Spin fishing tips

Soft bait fishing tips

Salmon Released into Macgregor Pond for junior and child anglers 

With the Cruise Milford Take a Kid Fishing event coming up on Labour Weekend, Southland Fish & Game staff have given young anglers a reason to get excited. We’ve just released 400 lively salmon into Macgregor Pond.

Each fish measures around 25-30cm, and they’ll provide plenty of action not only during the event, but throughout the fishing season.

A bait fished on the bottom is one of the easiest and tangle-free ways to catch these fish. We recommend a ledger rig (see diagram) with a small weight (½ oz ball sinker) on the bottom. About 50 cm up your main line, tie a loop and attach a #6 or #8 single hook. For bait, use raw squid, raw mussel, or cooked shrimp.

A ledger rig like this is a great option for Macgregor Pond.

During the event, if you’re unsure how to set up your rig, just pop over and chat with one of the Fish & Game staff and they’ll show you how it’s done.

Once the crowds have thinned out in the days and weeks after the event, try helping your kids/grandkids target these salmon using a bubble float setup. Half-fill your bubble with water and clip a swivel to each end. Tie a 2 m long trace to one end and your main line to the other. Tie a small #6 or #8 hook on the trace (see diagram). Bait up as before, cast out, and keep your eye on the float. The float will dip when you get a bite!

The long trace can make casting a little tricky for the kids, so adults may need to lend a hand with casting it out.

A bubble float rig is another a great option for Macgregor Pond.

Te Anau Manapouri Fishing Classic

The annual Te Anau Manapouri Fishing Classic is taking place over Labour Weekend, offering anglers a fantastic opportunity to enjoy a weekend of trout fishing in one of Southland’s most scenic locations.

There are some great prizes up for grabs, including the chance to win a Stabicraft boat. If you haven’t taken part before, it’s well worth the trip to Te Anau for a few days of fishing and fun. For more info, click here.

If you are attending the event and keen to improve your fishing skills, Lance Gill from Composite Developments will be running a free instructional soft bait clinic on Friday 24th, from 4–5 pm at Blue Gum Point. Here he will provide anglers with some soft baiting tips and who knows, the tips you learn could result in you catching a winning fish. No registration is required, just show up ready with your spinning rod and soft baits.

Lance Gill will be sharing some soft bait fishing tips at the up coming soft bait clinic in Te Anau. 

Fiordland Tributaries Open for Fishing in November

As we move into November, anglers should remember that many Fiordland lake tributaries will open for fishing. These waterways offer excellent fishing opportunities and are well worth exploring this season.

If you plan to fish in these tributaries, particularly those only accessible by boat, a Clean Gear Certificate will be required to help prevent the spread of aquatic pests such as didymo. For more information on clean gear certificates and when they are needed, click here. 

One further thing to keep in mind when planning your fishing is that the Department of Conservation will be undertaking a pest control operation in the Ettrick Burn valley during November 2025. To allow this work to be carried out safely, no bookings for the Ettrick Burn will be available throughout November. This closure may be extended into December if the operation is delayed by weather or other factors. Once the booking platform reopens, anglers will be notified via our Facebook page and in the December 2025 edition of Reel Life.