Central South Island Weekly fishing report - 12 December 2024

Stellar Catches at Lakes Aviemore and Benmore

Johlene Kelly, left, with her impressive brown trout caught lakeside and Tony McKenzie, right, with his prized Lake Aviemore fish.

Upper Ahuriri River Opening Day Report

The upper Ahuriri River attracted plenty of anglers last Saturday, with mixed success across the area. CSI Fish & Game Ranger Blake Harper spoke to 20 anglers throughout the day, each experiencing varying levels of luck.

A group of four fortunate anglers fishing the tarns had a phenomenal morning, catching and releasing 13 fish before 8:30 a.m. Fish weighed between 3 ½ and 4 ½ lbs, while the largest of the day tipped the scales at an impressive 6 ½ lbs.

The mid-reaches of the Ahuriri River were slightly discoloured, making fishing challenging, prompting one fly angler to switch to spin fishing due to sight fishing being difficult.

Reports from the upper most reaches suggests that the trout were very wary despite it being opening day and proved tough to catch. 

Here’s hoping the rest of the season the river levels and clarity improve but that’s all part of the challenge of high country fishing, dealing with good old mother nature.

We Want to Hear Your Angler Stories

Coming soon angler report on catching big fish in the canals with unique methods.

With the Christmas break looming, we’d love to hear about your holiday fishing experiences across the Central South Island!

A tidy, respectful landscape (horizontal) photo makes for a professional presentation.

Every story helps inspire and engage the CSI angler community. Please email Jase at jvanbeers@fishandgame.org.nz with anything you feel will be of interest.

Rod Giveaway for Kids Aged 5–17

Email Jase to claim one of these rod and reels, first-in-first-served.

Do you know a young person who loves fishing but doesn’t own their own rod? Or maybe a whippersnapper has been nagging you to try fishing for the first time…

We have 14 rod and reel sets to give away to kids aged 5 to 17.

These rods have been seized off offenders by our rangers and with cases now closed, it’s time they found a good home. They are in fishable condition but don’t expect anything too flash.

Please email jvanbeers@fishandgame.org.nz to claim a rod, first-in-first-served, and Jase will be in touch to organise a time for you to pick up the rod from our Temuka Office.

Rods must be collected by 5pm on December the 20^th at the latest.

The only thing we hope for in return is a report and photo to share of the kid out enjoying fishing with their new rod!

Weather and Water Outlook

Sunday morning looks to be the best weather of the weekend ahead according to Metvuw.com, so I’d plan your fishing around then.

Low country lakes, rivers are still fishing well, so capitalise on them while you can before summer heat really sets in. That hot north-westerly pattern has really taken hold the last week and we are beginning to see many parts of CSI start to dry out.

Canal flows are currently more reliable now also, due to the higher lake levels of lakes Tekapo / Takapō and Pukaki.

Regarding sea-run salmon, I write this on Thursday morning when the Rangitata river was at 105 flow m3/s (cumecs) and trending downwards according to the ECan river flow rates but another north-westerly front is forecasted to hit the main divide on Saturday morning.

Fishing CSI high country rivers is proving challenging currently, speaking with a Rangitata mouth angler recently he said it’s all about keeping a close eye on the river and then taking the opportunities when they present themselves.

Predicted long range weather forecast for the weekend on the YR.no forecast website as of Thursday morning are as follows:

Low Country/Temuka

• Saturday, 14 December, will start with rain in the early morning, including heavy rain around 7-8 a.m. Skies will clear gradually through the day, becoming partly cloudy by late morning, with a high of 21°C and a low of 11°C. Gentle breezes from the southeast will shift westward in the afternoon, bringing fair conditions by evening.
• Sunday, 15 December, will start fair, transitioning to partly cloudy skies in the morning, with a high of 18°C and a low of 10°C. Light air from the east will shift southward, strengthening to a gentle breeze from the northwest by midday. Cloudy conditions will dominate through the afternoon and evening.

High Country/Twizel

• Saturday, 14^th December, will start with partly cloudy skies and light breezes, transitioning to cloudy conditions with occasional rain by mid-morning, with a high of 26°C and a low of 12°C. Winds will strengthen throughout the day, becoming a fresh breeze from the west by the afternoon. Partly cloudy skies will return in the evening, with a moderate breeze continuing into the night.
• Sunday, 15 December, will start fair with gentle breezes from the south, transitioning to cloudy skies by late morning, with a high of 23°C and a low of 13°C. Light breezes will shift to the northeast through the afternoon, maintaining cloudy conditions into the evening.

This forecast was accurate at the time of writing but please remember to check the forecast for yourself before heading out.

Notice Board

CSI Annual Public Meeting

We would like to extend a thanks to those who attended CSI’s Annual Public Meeting last night.  For those that were unable to attend you can click the link, here to read a copy of CSI’s Performance Report.  The 2023/24 year was very successful with highlights from both a team perspective, projects completed, and a solid financial performance.

Canada Goose Control in the Ashburton Lakes / Ōtūwharekai – Department of Conservation

Canada goose control at Lake Clearwater, Māori Lakes, and Lake Heron starting the first suitable weather day after Wednesday, December 11, 2024. Exclusion zones will be in place around Lake Camp, Clearwater Village, and the Lake Heron caravan park.

This operation is timed to avoid peak holiday periods while targeting the goose moulting season. For further details, please contact the Geraldine DOC Office.

Please remember to share your angling experiences with us, it helps make our reports more engaging and inspiring for everyone! Please email your reports to Jase, here.

Hook into it!

Jase

Central South Island Fish & Game Officer