Lower North Lowdown Weekly Fishing Report - 30 January 2025

Dry Fly Heaven Is Here!

There's a mixed bag of weather heading towards the Wellington and Taranaki regions this weekend. 

As it stands, the situation isn't dire, and many of the rivers could well do with a fresh to flush out algae and give them a reset anyway. 

Pictured - Dave Arnst with a beautiful rainbow from the Waimarino region. 

Patchy rain is expected for the Tararua, Ruahine and Kaimanawa ranges, though it isn't expected to be too much and it is likely that any elevation in flow will push through quickly.

So, make sure you use the links we've provided to check up on the live river conditions before making your fishing plan for the weekend.     

Now for the good news... 

A lovely brown from a Lake Mangamahoe casting platform (Photo: Nik Hannam).

We're getting into terrestrial season now. From Taranaki and the Central plateau, down to the Hutt Valley, cicadas are becoming more prevalent. 

Although fish aren't quite dialed into them yet, it won't be long before lobbying large dry flies will yield results. 

If you've noticed lots of gentle rises on your fishing excursions lately, chances are the trout are feeding on Passion Vine Hoppers which are showing up everywhere at the moment. 

These bugs particularly love blackberry brambles and native tutu, so if you see these plants overhanging the water, try a Passion Vine Hopper imitation.   

And for the dry-fly trifecta, mayflies have been coming off the water right throughout the day.

This is a super exciting time of the year for anglers so make sure you get amongst this dry fly heaven!      

Don't Miss The Action!

Jump online and get a licence the easy way - it only takes a minute and your sorted.

Click the image above to get started. 

Here's the outlook this weekend...    

 

 

Hutt Valley

Click here for live updates and forecasts for the Hutt Valley.

The Hutt River has reasonable flow this morning, with the live flow gauge showing it is around 5 cumecs and climbing at time of writing. It could come up more as the rain moves through, but by how much and whether it will remain fishable for the weekend is going to be guesswork. If the river colours up, swinging streamers and lures should pay dividends as there are plenty of whitebait moving through the system at the moment. A fresh, although frustrating, will certainly do the river and the fish a world of good.   

The Hutt River at Totara Park this morning (Photo: Al Markham)

 

Kapiti Coast

Click here for live updates and forecasts for the Kapiti Coast. 

The Otaki, Waikanae and Ohau are all very low and have been for some time, so any rain that hits the ranges over the next day or two will be welcome relief. This morning we've got reports of intermittent showers on the Kapiti Coast - this situation will prevail for much of the weekend. Let's hope the rivers get a refresh to flush some food through and remove periphyton growth and slime from the rocks. Lures and streamer flies in the lower reaches below SH1 could pay off for anglers if the rivers comes up.

The Otaki River at SH1 yesterday (Credit: Phil Teal).  

 

 

Wairarapa

Click here for live updates and forecasts for the Wairarapa region.

It's a gloomy day in Wairarapa with passing showers and light rain in the hills. The Ruamahanga River and tributaries - the Waiohine, Waingawa and Tauherenikau - are all very low. Like other parts of the lower North Island, we're starting to see excessive algae build-up in the riverbeds so a good flush is needed. Unless the rain really hits the ranges there should still be angling opportunities on offer though. If the main rivers come up, look to the Waipoua and smaller eastern streams. There has been some fantastic fishing with plenty of feisty 3lb rainbows in the Raumahanga this past week.                          

Check out the latest conditions for the lower Ruamahanga by calling this free-phone number - 083229069.             

The Ruamahanga River at the Cliffs this morning (Photo: Hamish Carnachan).

 

Manawatu

Click here for live updates and forecasts for the Manawatu region.

The Manawatu River, Pohangina, Oroua and Mangatainoka are low and clear but looking better than some of the other rivers in the region after a flush last weekend scoured algae out. Keep a close watch on rainfall in the ranges over the next few days as this will determine how much they rise again. If the main rivers do colour up, there'll likely still be options in the smaller feeder streams like the one pictured below - some of these are still holding reasonable fish numbers.       

The Mangaatua Stream at Woodville this morning (Photo: Matt Kavermann).

Rangitikei

Click here for live updates and forecasts for the Rangitikei region.

The Rangitikei and Hautapu rivers are back at good fishable flows after a moderate fresh went through on Monday. This certainly freshened up many of the rivers in the region, some of which were starting to see significant periphyton growth and water starting to warm. If you can get out on the rivers before the next bought of rain coming in later today you should get into some good angling action.            

The Rangitikei River at Mangweka this morning (Photo: Horizons).           
 

Taranaki Ringplain

Click here for live updates and forecasts for the Taranaki Ringplain region.

Some long-anticipated rainfall has finally arrived for the Taranaki Ringplain region! This may have dislodged some of the algal growth in waterways which has become apparent as temperatures have risen, but it is not the large fresh we are hanging out for that will give rivers a good clean and reset. All streams and rivers dropped back to their summer low flow levels within a day or two of the rain and are now back to a highly fishable state. As we lead into the weekend, the forecast shows a mixed bag of sun and patchy showers with north-westerlies until Saturday, then lighter winds and more sunshine hours return offering a great window to get out there and explore. Cicadas are getting more vocal throughout the region, and as a desirable and nutrient-dense food source for trout, it will be well worthwhile flicking some terrestrial dry flies as we move into February.

Check out the up-to-date data on rainfall and river flows. 

The Te Henui River in central New Plymouth (Photo: Jack Harland).

Waimarino

Click here for live updates and forecasts for the Waimarino region.

The Waimarino also experienced a small and short-lived spike in river flows from isolated rain, but flows are already back down near their January averages (you can check out the flow data for the Mangawhero here). The region is forecast to receive a mixed bag of weather, with isolated showers forecast through Friday and Saturday, and rain developing on Sunday. Although this doesn’t mean all hope is lost, isolated rain may not eventuate and even if it does, small showers are unlikely to stir the water to unfishable levels.

The Mangawhero River at SH4 this morning (Photo: Horizons).

 

 

Photo Competition - Win A $300 Hunting & Fishing Voucher

Jacob Kennedy with a solid Lake Rotorangi brown trout. 

Send in your favourite fishing photos from this season and you could be in to win a $300 voucher to spend in store at Wairarapa Hunting & Fishing.

We won't blow your secret spot, just include the name of the angler(s), photographer's details, and general location in the Wellington-Taranaki Fish & Game region.

• Click here to submit your entry.

You can send us as many fishing photos as you like. By submitting images to enter the competition you acknowledge that Wellington Fish & Game can publish and use the photos for publicity material.

Entries must be in by 5pm Tuesday, April 2, 2025. The winner will be announced in the Lower North Lowdown report on Thursday, April 4, 2025.

 

 

Tip Of The Week - Check And Clear Your Hooks 

A nymph covered in algae (Photo: Hamish Carnachan).

After a long spell of warm weather and low flows, many of our rivers are experiencing significant build-ups of aquatic algae.  

When it gets particularly bad, as is the case in the middle reaches of the Ruamahanga River in Wairarapa at the moment, big patches lift off and drift in the current.

It can be very frustrating for anglers because the weed catches on hooks, smothering flies and lures, and even builds up on connecting notes in your leader. 

The fish are still feeding happily amongst the algae drifts, but they won't touch a fly or lure that has even the smallest amount of weed on it (see image above).

It is therefore essential to check your hook often - almost before every cast - to make sure it is free of weed.

Annoying? Yes. But remember that no natural bait fish or insect you're trying to imitate will have a trail of green filamentous algae attached to it.        

 

        

Video of The Week - How Trout See Your Flies

Do you know why trout sometimes reject your flies? Is it due to bad presentation? Or does the color of your fly matter that much?

You can actually answer a lot of those questions by viewing the world from a trout's point of view. In this great video by Untangled: Fly Fishing for Everyone, you'll learn what fish see, how they perceive your flies, and what triggers fish to eat certain flies.

Click the screenshot above to watch. 

 

 

Support Women On The Fly

Women on the Fly NZ has launched a fundraising raffle! 

Women on the Fly NZ is a grassroots not-for-profit organisation dedicated to connecting anglers, hosting exciting events, and championing women-led initiatives in the fly fishing community.

From beginners to seasoned enthusiasts, they're here to help you build skills and confidence on the water.

Up for grabs in the raffle is the beautiful Trish Mulligan acrylic on canvas painting (above), along with Hunting and Fishing NZ vouchers.

To get a ticket for the raffle, and support the great work of Women On The Fly NZ, click here.  

 

 

Check, Clean Dry - Help Protect Waterways

Now is the perfect time to familiarise yourselves with the NEW North Island Check Clean Dry procedures. Click here to watch. 

 

 

Noticeboard

• Wellington Region River Works: Don't let bulldozers in the river ruin your fishing plans. Click here to download a schedule of Greater Wellington Regional Council's latest planned river engineering works.
• Manawatu Flood and Drainage Works: Anglers can access Horizons Regional Council's latest schedule of flood and drainage river works here.   
• Access to Lake Namunamu, near Hunterville, is closed as the access road is upgraded in preparation for the logging of Ngaruru Forest over the next three to five years.

If you have any angling-related information you'd like posted to this noticeboard, including upcoming angling club meetings and outings, please get in touch with us.  

*This report was accurate at time of writing. For your safety, please ensure you check the latest weather and river flow information before you head out on the water.