Central South Island Weekly Fishing Report - 18 December 2025

Adapting to Win: Josh Gilbert’s Mackenzie Basin Trip

Josh Gilbert, a junior angler from Ashburton, sent in this report from a recent 3-day fishing trip with his older brother to the Mckenzie Basin. Josh sent in his report to enter our fly rod set giveaway!

We’ve received some great angling reports from some mad keen junior anglers.  We will be picking a winner tomorrow and announcing this winner in next week’s weekly fishing report.

It’s not too late to enter, all you need to do is send us a fishing report to the Central South Island Weekly Fishing Report, along with your fishing licence details as proof of age.  You must be a junior sports fishing licence holder aged between 12-17 years on 01/10/2025.

Josh Gilbert (16yo) with a healthy rainbow trout from the Lower Ōhau River.

Please email jvanbeers@fishandgame.org.nz with your fishing reports to enter and please title your email as “Fly Set”.

The set includes a Rimal Ripper Low Mass Scrim 9’0” / 6 Line rod, a Goture 5/6 reel and fly box full of flies to get you started.

The winner must be able to collect the set from the Central South Island Fish and Game Office based in Temuka by 5pm on Monday the 22^nd of December at the latest.

Here’s Josh’s angler report, thanks Josh!

“After a long weekend, my brother and I made the most of our time off school with a fishing trip to Omarama, targeting the Upper Ahuriri River. On arrival, the river at the Omarama Bridge was running murky, and further upstream the snow-fed flows proved just as unfishable.

We camped overnight and made an early start the next morning, trying another local spring creek. Strong winds and tough conditions meant the fly rod failed to produce. By midday we shifted again, checking the Tekapo River near Lake Benmore, but it too was too dirty to fish.

With time running out, we made the call to soft-bait the Lower Ōhau River downstream of Lake Ruataniwha, which turned the trip around. Fishing Berkley olive pearl softbaits beneath the willow trees, we landed and released six trout over four hours—four rainbows and two browns, ranging from 1–4 lb.

On the final evening, we fished a spring creek at the top of Lake Tekapo. After switching to blind-casting with a yarn indicator and weighted pheasant tail nymph, persistence paid off with two more fish landed and released—a 3.5 lb rainbow and a 4 lb brown.

Despite challenging conditions and plenty of moving between locations, the trip finished on a high with eight trout landed and released safely.”

It's not too late to win, send your junior angler reports in by tomorrow lunchtime.

Sockeye Salmon on Lake Benmore – Peak Opportunity

Time to fillet and smoke sockeye salmon for lunch, lakeside on Lake Benmore.

From now through to early February is the prime window to target sockeye salmon on Lake Benmore.

At 300–440 mm in length, these fish are in peak eating condition and make excellent table fare.  At this time of year, sockeye tend to school tightly near the lake bottom as they stage prior to their spawning run, which typically occurs from late February through March.

Last season, CSI Fish & Game staff member Blake Harper had the opportunity to learn and film effective sockeye-specific angling techniques from experienced anglers Howard and Nathan. Howard recommends two proven methods for targeting sockeye, with depth being the critical factor in both. To watch the video, click here.

The first method is jigging while stationary or slowly drifting. A good starting point is around 30 metres out from the Benmore Dam. Drop your jig to the lake bottom, then wind it up one to two metres and begin jigging. If there’s no action after around 10 minutes, shift slightly and try again until you locate fish.

The second method is trolling directly through a school of sockeye. Howard uses a downrigger to achieve the required depth, but lead-core lines or paravanes can also be effective alternatives. Pink and silver salmon lures are recommended, although Howard notes that most flashy, colourful lures are likely to work once you’re in amongst the fish.

Sockeye fishing isn’t just for boaties—shore-based anglers can also find success with spin fishing from the Lake Benmore dam wall when conditions allow.

Also check out these links to learn more about lake fishing.

• 5 Tips for lake fishing, here.
• Lake Trolling Tips, here.

If you’ve been holding off getting your 2025/2026 fishing licence until the summer you can easily buy your licence online through the Fish & Game NZ website, here, or from your local licence agent in-store.

Make sure to review the latest CSI Sports Fishing Regulations 2025/26, here to familiarise yourself before your holiday.

With summer in full swing, there’s no better time to gather the whānau, a few mates or work colleagues, launch the boat or fish from the shore, and enjoy the great fishing and everything else that Lake Benmore has to offer.

A boat trolling on scenic Lake Benmore.

Resource Management Changes

What's changing?

The Government will replace the Resource Management Act (RMA) with:

Planning Bill - to enable development and regulate land use. See this site for more information.

Natural Environment Bill - to protect nature and encourage efficient use of land and resources. See this site for more information.

The good news

Water Conservation Orders will be retained. The 16 Water Conservation Orders protecting nationally significant water bodies will continue and more can be created.

Easier to create wetlands.  Proposed national standards could streamline wetland construction, potentially allowing creation without resource consent.  This will benefit game bird habitat which is something Fish & Game has been advocating for years.

Clearer, simpler planning system, reducing red tape and bureaucracy. Moving from over 100 plans to 17 combined plans will be more efficient.

Our concerns

While we welcome these positives, Fish & Game has concerns about some parts of the reforms:

Your values and interests — The Resource Management Act specifically required consideration of trout and salmon habitat, amenity values and recreational opportunities.  These provisions appear to have been removed or diluted in the new bills.

Access to waterways — The RMA required councils to maintain and enhance public access.  The Planning Bill only requires councils to maintain access, removing the obligation to improve it.

Environmental safeguards — While an environmental limits framework is retained, we'll be watching closely to ensure it provides robust protections for our fisheries.

What is Fish & Game doing?

We'll be working hard to ensure your values and interests are recognised as this legislation progresses through Parliament.  Our advocacy will focus on three key areas:

• Recognition of hunters' and anglers' values - ensuring the legislation properly considers trout and salmon habitat, game bird habitat, amenity values and recreational opportunities.
• Access to waterways - strengthening provisions to maintain and enhance public access to lakes, rivers and the coast.
• Habitat protections - securing robust environmental safeguards for the freshwater habitats our species rely on.

We need your help

Your voice matters in this process.  We'll be working with you on advocacy efforts as the bills progress through Parliament.  Look out for updates on how you can contribute.

Check, Clean, Dry to Stop Freshwater Pests! A message from Environment Canterbury

Whether you’re out fishing, hunting, kayaking, paddleboarding, jet skiing or boating on Canterbury’s freshwater lakes and rivers this summer, the threat of freshwater pests spreading and invading is very real.

Freshwater pests can ruin valuable ecosystems by stopping the growth of native water plants and reducing habitats for many types of fish. Invasive aquatic weed lagarosiphon has been found in Lake Waitaki and Lake Aviemore. Invasive plants like lagarosiphon can easily spread from a small fragment entering a waterway – if you see lagarosiphon in a waterway, don't attempt to remove it, instead leave it where you found it and follow the Check, Clean, Dry method.

The invasion of freshwater pests is a direct result of human activity, so if you plan on going to a lake, river, stream or wetland this summer and move to another within 48 hours, you must clean all your gear that has been wet using the 'Check, Clean, Dry' method.

For more information, visit here.

Contact Environment Canterbury on 0800 324 636 or email biosecurity@ecan.govt.nz

How to ‘Check Clean Dry’ your boat and gear – South Island video, here.

Patrice Hammond, CCD Ambassador for South Canterbury for the summer season will be active from the 27^{th of} December to 6th January and will be visiting some popular fishing spots around Omarama, Twizel and Takapō to engage with the public and give away some free cleaning resources.

Spot X

Talbot Road Angler Access.

The Talbot Road access point to get to the Ōpihi River is located 5 minutes from Fairlie.

Turn off onto the gravel road and drive the 400m to reach the riverbed. Rainbow and brown trout are present here.

Regulations for this location are:

• Open season: 1 Oct – 30 Apr
• Fishing methods: Fly, Spin, Bait
• Min size limit: Salmon – 300mm, Trout – none
• Daily bag limit: Trout – 2
• Season bag limit: Salmon – Refer to Note 9 of regulation guide.
• Note: All anglers must obtain a sea-run salmon licence to target or keep sea-run salmon.

Check out our Angler Access Website here for all the Central South Island Fish & Game angler access locations.    

Local angler Paul with a fine Ōpihi River brownie.

Weather Outlook

The long range forecast according Metvuw.com shows spring-like weather returning currently, with a cold change at the moment knocking several degrees off daytime highs and an even colder surge pushing up the South Island toward the end of the week.

These cooler temperatures and regular little rainfalls creating small freshes are a positive for low country river fishing.

True to form in December these cold snaps are usually short-lived, with warmer westerlies and heat returning as early as Sunday or Monday, and areas likely to warm quickly again.

The Wind

According to YR.NO the winds in Temuka (low country) the predicted long-range forecasts that  Saturday begins with light northerlies at dawn, before shifting east to south-east through the afternoon and strengthening at times, becoming moderate southerly in the evening.  Sunday shows light north-westerlies in the morning gradually turn southerly during the afternoon, remaining mostly light, with a gentle south-easterly developing later in the evening.

Winds in Twizel (high country). On Saturday light south-westerlies at dawn strengthen steadily through the morning, becoming gentle to moderate south-westerlies during the afternoon. Winds ease slightly late day and turn southerly in the evening, shifting light south-easterly overnight. Sunday morning shows very light southerlies in the morning, briefly tending south-west late morning. Winds stay light and variable during the afternoon, before a gentle north-easterly develops toward evening.

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 -  33.183
• Ashburton -  10.422
• Hakataramea - 1.515
• Ōhau – 12.808
• Ōpihi –  9.062
• Otematata - 6.067
• Pareora - 1.154
• Rangitata - 129.931
• Tekapo -  34.299
• Twizel –  4.936
• Waitaki -  583.517

Please always check the weather and waterway conditions yourself before heading out to ensure an enjoyable day on the water.

NOTICE BOARD

Meridian Energy Limited

Meridian Energy is advising that it expects to continue releasing water from Gate 19 at Lake Pūkaki and Waitaki Hydro Station this week, due to anticipated rainfall.  However, with lower than anticipated inflows over recent days, it does not expect that water will need to be released at Benmore and Aviemore Hydro Stations.

River flows and levels remain unpredictable.  Anyone camping or using any of the areas around Lakes Benmore, Aviemore and Waitaki are asked to follow all signage and instructions and ensure they are a safe distance from the water’s edge.  People should take special care if they are downstream of any dams or hydraulic structures.

If people see anyone who may be at immediate risk of harm, please call 111.

There is currently no end date for the releases – it will happen when inflows reduce.

Updates will be made via the Meridian Energy Ltd Facebook page, here.

Genesis Energy Limited

The controlled release of Lake Takapō/Tekapo into the natural bed of the Takapō/Tekapo River is continuing.

Please do not camp in or around the Takapō/Tekapo River bed and take care when accessing or recreating in river areas downstream of dams and hydraulic structures in case of flow changes.

If you see others who may be at risk, please contact Genesis’s Control Centre on (07) 384 7210.

Updates will be made via the Genesis website, here.

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.