Central South Island Fishing Report - 05 February 2026
- Central South Island
- 5/02/2026
Welcome to Waitangi Weekend
With it being Waitangi Day tomorrow, please keep us in mind if you’re heading out fishing for the day or taking a long weekend fishing adventure, we’d love to hear from you!
Don’t be shy, please send in your fishing photos and anything else of interest from across the Central South Island region. To email Jase, click here. Best of luck for the long weekend!
Pictured above: Connor Cavaney with an excellent chinook salmon from the Pūkaki canal, kept for the smoker.
Connor Cavaney caught his canal salmon pictured above by casting dark soft baits up stream and letting it sink and swing downstream while very slowly reeling in, keeping contact with his line until he felt the slightest bite before striking. Well done Connor on yet another great fish!
Recent wet and wild weather has provided CSI with spring-like unseasonal water levels for the weekend. For example, the Opihi Catchment waterways have been flowing relatively high and this offers good opportunity for spin anglers and fly anglers using weighted nymphs and imitation ‘squirmy’ worm flies.
Photo Tips for Your Angler Reports
Kept Fish: Make sure your fish and hands are clean of any blood — a respectful and tidy photo makes for great presentation.
Released Fish: Use these careful catch, care, release techniques:
Here are our ‘Quick 5’ tips for handling fish with care:
- Cool your hands and landing net by wetting them before touching the fish.
- Keep the fish in the water while removing the hook.
- Do not squeeze the fish and never touch the gills.
- Photograph the fish in or over the water and make it quick - the fish should not be out of the water for more than 5 seconds.
- Revive the fish facing into the current long enough for it to regain its swimming strength.
Upper Ahuriri River Angler Use and Satisfaction Survey Well Underway
As part of our ongoing work to better understand and manage the angling experience on the Upper Ahuriri River, CSI Fish & Game is undertaking an angler use and satisfaction survey throughout the 2025/26 season.
The survey is now well underway, with staff actively collecting information during what is traditionally the peak angling period on the Ahuriri.
These interviews help build a robust evidence base to inform future decisions and ensure that any management actions are guided by measured angler experiences, not assumptions.
With the season now in full swing, anglers are reminded that Fish & Game staff will be active on the river. If you are approached for a brief interview, or receive a call-back note on your vehicle windscreen, we encourage you to get in touch—your input matters.
A helpful tip: leaving an intentions note on your windscreen stating whether you fish upstream or downstream helps other anglers avoid water that has already been fished and reduces unnecessary guesswork.
Thanks to everyone who has already taken part. Your participation in the survey plays an important role in looking after the Upper Ahuriri fishery.
A fly angler stalks a cruising brown trout at the upper Ahuriri River.
Hydro Canal Etiquette this Waitangi Weekend
Nicola Mullings with great catch from the Ōhau C Tailrace.
We're fortunate to have hydro generation waterways like the canals in Tekapo and Twizel that offer world-class fishing opportunities. To keep these areas accessible for the public we need everyone to be doing the right thing.
The canal roading network is privately owned by the Meridian and Genesis, please respect these roads and always stick to the speed limits, particularly around the fish farms where farm staff are present.
Meridian and Genesis have installed barriers, fences and signage to keep anglers out of hazardous areas. Stay safe and always respect physical barriers and safety rules.
No camping at the canals. Camping includes camper vans, motor homes, and sleeping in your vehicle. Night fishing is permitted, but anglers need to ensure that they are actively fishing. The no-camping rule is enforced, and anglers will be required to leave the canals based on the assessment: “if it looks like camping, it is camping.”
Your rubbish and fish waste are your responsibility, pack-in and pack-out. Please do not leave fish frames and guts in the margins of the water.
Please also be careful not to snag your line in the power station intakes as fishing nylon is causing blockages to the intake screens which then causes issues for hydro generation.
Don’t be that person who ruins it for others.
Urgent: Have Your Say on New Environmental Legislation Before 13 February
Waitaki Valley School students plant native trees in the Hakataramea valley. Credit Sarah Elliot.
Parliament needs to hear from you about important new environment laws before 4.30pm Friday, 13 February 2026.
The Government is replacing the Resource Management Act with two new bills that will shape the future of fishing and hunting in New Zealand.
Want to learn more? Read more information on our website here
Fish & Game will host a webinar on Wednesday February 11th at 7pm for licence holders who want to hear Fish & Game’s views on the reforms. This information may be helpful to you if you are wishing to make a submission. Register here.
Looking for Somewhere to go Fishing this Waitangi Weekend? - Angler Access Maps Instructional Videos
NZ Topo50 offline and CSI Access Map.
Access Map Central South Island - To view our Access Map, click here.
Save the webpage to your phone home screen for quick access. The access map does not work if you do not have phone reception or Wi-Fi.
NZ Topo50 offline app - Another angler access mapping option is using the NZ Topo50 offline app developed by Rightplace Resources Ltd. You can purchase through the app store for $6.99. Enable the “Fishing Access Points – Central South Island” layer and you’ll always have our access points in your pocket whether there’s phone reception or not. Click here to see their website for more information.
Our own CSI angler access website is still the most accurate and detailed resource for CSI angler access and of course it’s free! But both of these angler options are great tools for you.
Lagarosiphon Down South a Wake-Up Call - A Message from Environment Canterbury
The discovery of a 750‑metre long lagarosiphon infestation in the Waitaki lakes last year is a major setback after 15 years of keeping the Waitaki lakes largely weed‑free.
It shows just how quickly this invasive plant can spread - sometimes from nothing more than a tiny fragment carried on a boat, rope, trailer, or fishing gear.
Lagarosiphon is a serious pest because it can choke waterways, smother native plants, restrict recreation, and impact how we use and enjoy our lakes. Once established, it grows rapidly and becomes extremely difficult, often impossible, to eradicate.
While Lakes Waitaki and Aviemore and Benmore now face ongoing management of established weed beds, nearby freshwater gems like Lake Ruataniwha remain free from lagarosiphon and protecting them is crucial.
With events and recreation drawing people between lakes this summer, the risk of spreading lagarosiphon increases dramatically. But the solution is simple:
Check, Clean, Dry your gear before entering, before moving between, and before leaving any waterway. Learn more by clicking, here.
It’s the easiest way to stop freshwater pests like lagarosiphon from spreading further.
Weather Outlook
Feels a bit like autumn doesn’t it… The weekend is currently predicted to be fine across the majority of the CSI region according to NIWAWeather extended forecast, here.
Also be sure to check out Outdoor Access NZ. They offer high quality live stream webcams of some of Canterbury’s favourite fishing spots. This is a subscription-based service, but they do offer a 30-day free trial.
The Wind
According to YR.NO the winds in Temuka (low country) the predicted long-range forecasts that Saturday will have light breezes from the west during the early morning, changing to a light easterly breeze during the middle of the day before turning to a gentle westerly breeze late afternoon and into the evening. Sunday sees moderate to gentle west to southwest winds in the morning changing to a gentle easterly breeze in the afternoon.
Winds in Twizel (high country). Saturday will see a gentle breeze from the west and Sunday is set to be calm in the morning and a light breeze from the northeast arrives in the afternoon.
The Flows
As of Thursday morning, the ECan River flow data website shows the following river flow rates read in cubic meters per second(m3/s). Click on the river name to go to the ECan website for more information.
- Ahuriri - 18.834
- Ashburton - 45.017
- Hakataramea - 5.857
- Ōhau – 12.86
- Ōpihi – 61.766
- Otematata - 6.953
- Pareora - 8.669
- Rangitata - 91.689
- Tekapo - 15.266
- Twizel – 7.073
- Waitaki - 508.9
Please always check the weather and waterway conditions yourself before heading out to ensure an enjoyable day on the water.
NOTICE BOARD
JBNZ – Ahuriri River permit
Club members of Jet Boating NZ hold a permit to jet boat the Ahuriri River between Lake Benmore and the Ireland Road Bridge.
The permit may be exercised on one day between 6th and 8th February and only if the river is 20 cumecs or above at the SH8 flow recorder.
Hunting Stand Ballots open
We are accepting applications to enter the ballot to hunt stands on CSI wetlands that we administer for the opening weekend of the 2026 game bird season.
For more information click here.
Meridian Energy Limited – Pūkaki River spill flows
Due to recent high rainfall events, controlled water releases throughout the Waitaki hydro system are continuing at the Pūkaki River Spillway but are beginning to ease. You can monitor this yourself by going to the Merdian Energy Ltd website, here.
Please plan your fishing accordingly and take care around the Pūkaki and Tekapo/ Takapō rivers and lake Benmore as water levels can change rapidly. If you see anyone who may be at immediate risk of harm, call 111 immediately.
Return Your Sea-Run Salmon Bag Card
If you have finished your sea-run salmon fishing for the season, please remember to return the details of your salmon bag card to us. Even if you didn’t go fishing, or catch or keep any sea-run salmon, your information is very important.
You can do this online by clicking here, give us a call on 03 615 8400, or email csi@fishandgame.org.nz or post the card to us at P.O Box 150 Temuka 7948.
CSI Council Meeting
Licence holders and members of the public are welcome to attend the next bi-monthly meeting of the Central South Island Fish & Game Council.
- Where: 32 Richard Pearse Drive, Temuka.
- When: 7pm Thursday 5th February 2026.
Please remember to email your angling reports to Fish & Game Officer, Jase Van Beers, at jvanbeers@fishandgame.org.nz. We’d love to hear from you!
Click here for Central South Island Fish & Game on Facebook
For any questions, please email csi@fishandgame.org.nz or call 03 615 8400.
Disclaimer:
The information presented in these news items is based on the context and regulations in place at the time of publication. Please note that some articles may include reference to laws and regulatory standards that have since changed. For the most current and accurate information please check our Fishing Licences & Regulations pages or our Hunting Licences & Regulations pages.