Central South Island Weekly Fishing Report - 12 February 2026

Backcountry Trout Looking Up

Over the next month, it is prime time for dry fly fishing, as trout look upwards for terrestrial insects that have fallen or been blown onto the water’s surface, making prime tucker for trout.

Pictured above: Finn Stevens, hooked up in the Canterbury backcountry over Waitangi weekend.

When we talk about ‘terrestrial flies’, we’re referring to fly imitations of land-based insects such as cicadas, blowflies, hoppers, and beetles.

Staff member Hamish Stevens spent Waitangi weekend in the Canterbury backcountry with his family. Here’s his quick report.

“Watching a trout slowly swim its way towards your dry fly and sip it under, has to be some of the most exciting fly fishing you can experience, Hamish reckons.

Over the long weekend, my family and I headed for the hills for a mix of hunting, tramping and fishing to enjoy what’s on offer in the central South Island. The wind was up a bit on Saturday, making spotting fish more difficult, so a sheltered spot in the lee shore was the place to be and we came across several nice fish!  

Sunday dawned calm and clear, ideal spotting conditions for cruising browns, though this made mistakes in presentation a bit more costly, with some fish spooking as the fly touched down. This however, created valuable lessons for the kids, always an upside. Whilst fishing time was limited due to our other endeavours, the kids managed four good conditioned brown trout on beetle and hopper imitations for the weekend.

So, stock up on terrestrial patterns, get out there and make the most of it before the days shorten and the opportunity is over.”

A cruising brown trout that was caught & released on a hopper fly. Credit: K Stevens.

25/26 Season Ranging Update

CSI Fish & Game rangers undertaking compliance on Lake Benmore this summer.

CSI Rangers have completed 1,099 angler interviews so far this season, across 31 different waterways, resulting in the detection of 34 anglers offending.

The most common offence continues to be fishing without a valid fishing licence, followed by anglers fishing with unauthorised bait.

Offenders were found at the following locations across the region Upper Ahuriri River, Lake Benmore, Loch Cameron, Mackenzie Hydro Canals, Otematata River and the Twizel River.

• Fishing without a licence - 18
• Unauthorised bait - 7
• Fishing out of season - 3
• Fishing without a licence, fishing out of season - 2
• Fishing without a licence, using more than one fishing rod - 1
• Obstruction of a ranger - 1
• Fishing without a licence, fishing out of season, providing false and misleading particulars -1
• Over bag limit, continuing to fish after reaching bag limit - 1

Many anglers, when being checked on by a Fish and Game Ranger, take the opportunity to clarify a regulation. Of course, you don’t have to be checked by a ranger to get clarification.  Our rangers are here for you and welcome friendly conversation while out ranging our waterways. 

For those who may have missed it at the start of this fishing season, several new regulations came into effect from the first of October, 2025. Take care to read your 2025/26 regulations guide for the official and full wording of the regulations, to read click here.

For anglers who prefer a paper copy, you can still pick one up at your local licence agent or Fish & Game regional office.

If you fish across multiple regions, we encourage you to access the other region’s regulations online, here.

New Regulations Below:

Ahuriri River Catchment
All waters of the Ahuriri River Catchment are now open on the first Saturday in November, AKA high-country fishing opening day.

Awakino River/Awakinonui
This small tributary of the Waitaki River now has an open season starting on the first Saturday in November.

Lake Alexandrina/Takamana
The two-month winter fishing season bag limit of two sports fish was modified to include the provision that a maximum of 1 brown trout may be taken.      

Lake Opuha/Ōpūaha
A three-month winter fishing season has been introduced from 1 June to 31 August with a two sport fish daily bag limit.

Fish Bait
A portion of fish may now be used as fish bait, excluding trout, salmon and any fish eggs. This means you can now cut an anchovy into pieces to use for bait, but it remains illegal to use portions of salmon and trout, and it remains illegal to use fish eggs.

Scented Soft Baits
Scented soft-bait lures that imitate active baitfish may now be used anywhere spin fishing is permitted—46 waterways gain this option.

Fish Farm Feed Pellets
A regulation was introduced to explicitly list that it is illegal to use feed pellets sourced from fish farms and fish hatcheries as bait.

Upper Ōhau River, Wairepo Arm and Kelland Pond
Daily bag limits are now two sport fish, matching that of their interconnected canal fisheries waters, Lake Ruataniwha and Ōhau B Canal.

Sea-Run Salmon Licence
Reduced to ONE fish for the season for the CSI & North Canterbury regions.

Feel free to get in touch with one of our four Fish & Game staff rangers by contacting our Temuka office, phone (03) 615 8400 during office hours, or you can email csi@fishandgame.org.nz

Ranger Jase Van Beers helps to net a sockeye salmon for Mervyn King at Ōhau C Canal.

Weather Outlook

The Wind

According to YR.NO, the winds in Temuka (low country), the predicted long-range forecasts that  Saturday will have light air from the north west, changing to an easterly breeze in the mid-afternoon. Sunday sees gentle southerly breezes.

Winds in Twizel (high country): Saturday will see light air from the north to north west, changing to the east in the mid afternoon, followed by the southerly change overnight and into Sunday, winds do remain light however.

The Flows

As of Wednesday night, 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 -  14.816
• Ashburton -  33.657
• Hakataramea - 3.74
• Ōhau – 12.965
• Ōpihi –  20.281
• Otematata - 4.791
• Pareora - 4.02
• Rangitata - 64.829
• Tekapo -  13.384
• Twizel –  4.43
• Waitaki -  492.946

Please always check the weather and waterway conditions yourself before heading out to ensure an enjoyable day on the water, click on the links below to the weather and water condition forecast providers we use.

• YR.NO
• Metvuw
• NIWA Weather

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 13^th and 15^th February and only if the river is 20 cumecs or above at the SH8 flow recorder. 

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. 

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!

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For any questions, please email csi@fishandgame.org.nz or call 03 615 8400.