Otago Weekly Fishing Report - 27 November 2025

Switching it Up

Switching up techniques often provides results, and that was certainly the case for young angler Jesse Johnston last Friday on Lake Dunstan.

Otago Fish & Game hosted a group of 15 Cromwell homeschoolers for an introduction to fishing afternoon at Smiths Way. After a quick demonstration on casting and retrieving, the kids began casting into the deeper water beyond the drop-off, using a variety of coloured soft baits and spinners.

Pictured above: Jesse Johnston with an excellent condition rainbow trout caught in Lake Dunstan during a Learn to Fish afternoon with Otago Fish & Game staff. Credit: Cole Briggs.

Although the initial action was quiet — aside from one brown trout following a soft bait to shore — switching to worms and prawn baits under a bubble float proved almost instantly successful. One of the young anglers, Jesse, soon hooked a feisty rainbow trout. After a tense fight, the fish was netted. Keen to enjoy his catch for dinner, the trout was quickly dispatched; a few photos were taken before it was placed straight into a cooler bag to preserve its eating quality.

Bait fishing on large lakes or lowland streams (where allowed) is a fantastic way to introduce younger or less mobile anglers to the sport and is particularly effective in discoloured water. Popular baits include prawns, worms, and whole anchovies. Southland Fish & Game has produced an introductory video on bait fishing, which can be found here, along with further reading information here.

Side Creek Success

Cole with his first brown trout in some stunning backcountry scenery. Credit: Mason Court.

Making the most of clear skies and light winds was the priority for many anglers last week, including Fish & Game staff on their days off.

Friday’s rain left the main rivers carrying colour, making sight fishing near impossible, though a few fish were still taken by working large stonefly patterns and worms through likely holding water. With elevated flows, soft baits or spinners would also have been effective, particularly later in the afternoon when the wind strengthened and extra casting distance was needed.

A move to a smaller creek paid off, revealing clearer water and providing more opportunities for sight fishing. Otago Fish & Game staff member Cole landed his first Otago brown trout here — not a giant — but caught in some stunning scenery. These beech-lined tributaries often drop and clear faster than the main rivers, making them excellent fallback options when conditions are marginal elsewhere. Remember to leave your intentions at your vehicle, particularly if you plan to fish another river before heading up a side creek. As the season progresses and water clarity improves, consider using smaller flies, finer tippets, and longer leaders to stay subtle in the clear flows.

Top of the Lake

Lachlan Dent with a excellent conditioned fish, caught up the top of Lake Dunstan. Photo supplied.

The top of Lake Dunstan is producing some excellent fish, with angler Lachlan Dent landing a new personal best midweek.

Lachlan also had his licence checked by Fish & Game staff, who were out working the Bendigo Wildlife Management Reserve — an area managed to improve game bird and sportsfish habitat through native planting and pest plant management. Lachlan reported success using a softbait that imitated a juvenile perch, below and throughout the reserve.

With the top of the lake clearing and air temperatures starting to rise, it’s an excellent time to target cruising brown trout among the weed and along the shoreline. Using a damselfly nymph under an indicator or a solo dry fly is recommended rather than a dry-dropper set-up because these trout will often dive straight into the weed once hooked, resulting in the other hook getting caught up. Small softbaits on ultra-light jig heads are also effective and allow anglers to fish deeper drop-offs.

Mighty Clutha/Mata-Au — What Goes In, Must Come Out

Lake Dunstan Inflows from September to November. Credit: Contact Energy

Over the past three months, many anglers have noticed — and been affected by — the unusually high flows on the lower Clutha River/Mata-Au.

We've received inquiries about the cause, with some licence holders attributing the high water to the operation of the hydro dams managed by Contact Energy.

To clarify the situation, we reached out to Contact Energy's head of hydro generation, Boyd Brinsdon. In short, he says the high flows are a direct result of heavy rainfall in the upper Clutha catchment headwaters, not dam operations. He raises a critical point about the Clutha catchment's hydro system.

"What comes in at the top must be passed below Roxburgh," Boyd says.

Aside from Lake Hāwea, the system has very little capacity to "store" large volumes of water. This means when there is significant rainfall and high inflows into Lake Dunstan (via the Clutha and Hāwea Rivers), that water must be released downstream, leading to higher flows in the lower river.

• The water released from Roxburgh Dam is a combination of water used for generating electricity and spill (water that passes through the dam without going through the turbines). The mix of the two varies based on power demand, but the total outflow must still equal the inflow upstream.

Contact Energy provided the chart above of Lake Dunstan inflows from September to November (we added the photos). As you can see, the river flow (measured in cubic metres per second) has seen numerous and significant spikes:

• Sept-Oct Spikes: Flows frequently peaked around 800-900 cumecs in late September and early October.
• Major Event: A massive spike occurred around October 23rd, pushing the flow to over 1,500 cumecs—a clear indicator of a major rain event in the headwaters.
• Sustained High Levels: Even in November, flows have remained elevated, generally fluctuating between 800 and 1,000 cumecs.

This sustained high-flow sequence directly explains the conditions anglers have experienced.

Boyd, commenting on Monday, also noted two related factors:

1. Inflows from the sequence of rain events were being stored in Lake Hāwea until about five days ago. Contact Energy is now releasing 60 cumecs from Hāwea as they have reached the prudent storage limit of 345 msl (metres above sea level). This controlled release helps manage foreshore erosion and ensures the lake can absorb any new, large rainfall events that may occur.
2. A planned flushing of Roxburgh Dam began on October 20 but had to be stopped on October 29 due to intake screen fouling (weed, driftwood, etc.) and constraints on electricity generation.

At the time of writing, the current inflow into Lake Dunstan and the corresponding outflow from Roxburgh was around 830 cumecs. However, with more rain arriving, Contact Energy advised yesterday the Clutha River flow below Roxburgh Dam was likely to exceed 900 cumecs again.

Heavens Above the Headwaters

We looked at rainfall data from headwaters monitoring sites across the upper Clutha and Pomahaka catchments for the past three spring seasons (September to November). The data clearly validates that the high flows are a direct result of unusually heavy rain.

The data provided to the Otago Regional Council came from sites in the Matukituki, Dart, Young North Branch, and Pomahaka. As the chart shows, the total combined rainfall for these monitoring sites has increased significantly year-on-year:

• 2023 Spring: 3369.0 mm
• 2024 Spring: 4443.2 mm
• 2025 Spring: 4878.5 mm

The cumulative rainfall in the current 2025 spring season has been the highest of the three years.

Spring weather is always volatile. This line graph compares the daily mean flow of the Clutha River at Balclutha during the spring months (September to November) for the past three years. It shows the substantially elevated and more volatile flow patterns experienced in 2024 (pink line) and in the current 2025 spring season (green line) compared to the relatively stable flows of 2023 (blue line). Most notably, the chart highlights the massive flow spike in mid-to-late October 2025 where the river flow exceeded 1,500 cumecs — a response to the high rainfall recorded in the upper catchment during the same period.

Going with the Flow

With the consistent high flows in the lower Clutha/Mata-Au River, here are five points to maximise your fishing success:

• Fish the Edges and Soft Water: In high flows, trout shift out of the main current to conserve energy. Target the soft edges, pool tail-outs, and big eddies behind rocks, banks, or bridge pylons.

• Fish Heavy and Deep: Get your fly or lure down. Use tungsten-beaded nymphs, extra split-shot, or heavier soft-baits and spoons to reach the lower third of the water column.

• Upsize and Add Contrast: Turbid water reduces visibility. Use larger, bulkier flies (stoneflies, double-nymph rigs) or bright lures like chartreuse, orange, or green to stand out.

• Add Scent or Vibration: With limited visibility, trout rely more on smell and feel. Apply attractant scents, or use lures that pulse or thump—spinners, wobblers, or soft-baits with strong action.

• Put Safety First: High flows make wading dangerous. Don’t take risks. High water often brings fish closer to the bank, well within casting range.

Gems of the Wakatipu Basin

Brooklyn, from Hunting and Fishing Queenstown, with a nice 4-pound brown caught on a soft bait while tutoring Jacob, another avid Hunting & Fishing angler in the Glenorchy region.

As mentioned above, the Upper Clutha hasn’t been immune to spring rain, with frequent freshes pushing flows up and discolouring rivers. Fortunately, anglers still have great alternatives — lakes and tarns remain reliable when the rivers are running high.

Reid Lake, tucked within the Diamond Lake Wildlife Management Reserve, holds a modest number of well-conditioned but often cautious brown trout. Wading can be tricky due to deep, soft sediment, so take care. Small soft baits and slowly retrieved damsel nymphs along the flats are typically the most effective for targeting cruising fish.

Just over the ridge, Diamond Lake comes into its own as snowmelt settles. Brown trout from 2–3lb are commonly sighted patrolling the margins and are known to put up a lively fight once hooked. Early in the season, damsel, midge and dragonfly nymphs are excellent choices, with beetle, cicada and patterns like the Royal Wulff taking fish as temperatures warm and surface activity increases.

So, if the rivers are up, don’t write the weekend off — stillwaters like Reid and Diamond continue to produce quality fishing through spring. More information on these lakes and other Wakatipu stillwater options can be found here.

Cubs take up spades and spin rods

Cromwell Cubs (from left) Willow Templer (8), Victor Pavlenko (8), Thomas Lush (7), Te Maire Bain (7), Molly Mexted (6), James Howden (13), and Riley Pritchard (8) proudly show their trout and perch caught during a Take A Kid Fishing event run by Otago Fish & Game at Cromwell during the spring season. Credit: Mason Court.

Cromwell Cubs listen to Otago Fish & Game officer Cole Briggs (centre) discuss native plants at Bendigo Wildlife Management Reserve at Lake Dunstan last week. Credit: Mason Court.

When Cromwell Cubs leader Jonwin Hellewell took her group to a planting day with Otago Fish & Game at Lake Dunstan, she wasn't sure how it would go. What happened next surprised her.

"At the planting day they sat and listened for a whole hour. They were completely engaged. It was amazing," Ms Hellewell said.

Over the past few months, Fish & Game has run a series of planting days and fishing events with youth and community groups, connecting conservation and outdoor recreation. Across four groups, volunteers and Fish & Game staff planted 750 native plants that will provide food, shelter and breeding environments for game birds and other wildlife.

Read the full story here

Otago Fish & Game Council AGM and Council Meeting

Otago Fish & Game Council will hold its annual general meeting at 3pm on Tuesday, December 2, at 5 Hazlett Road, Mosgiel.

The full Otago Fish & Game Council meeting begins at 12.30pm. The agenda is available here.  

For inquiries, please email otago@fishandgame.org.nz or phone (03) 477-9076.

Club Updates

Cooper Bengston enjoying Teviot Angling Club’s Take A Kid Fishing day with dad Mark Bengston and Macey. Image supplied. 

Teviot Angling Club — Take A Kid Fishing Day

Take a Kid Fishing was a great day on Sunday. Fantastic weather and lots of fish biting. 16 fish were landed and half a dozen lost at the bank. Thanks everyone for coming along and making the day a success. Special thanks to Fred Booth, Roxburgh Supervalue, Ettrick Gardens, and Fishing & Hunting for their support. Thank you to Fish & Game who supplied the lively fish. A big thank you to Kathy Gunn for sorting the food and the committee members who helped to make the day a success.

Fish on … Hunter reels in a salmon that’s taken a trolling lure, as Daniel looks on, during the Upper Clutha Angling Cub Take A Kid Fishing event in Lake Hāwea on Sunday. Credit: Jamie Ward.

Upper Clutha Angler – Take a Kid Fishing Day

Upper Clutha Angling Club’s Take A Kid Fishing event got the full Lake Hāwea smorgasbord on Sunday. Club members hosted 23 kids, launching boats from The Neck and trolling with lead lines or downriggers.  Otago Fish & Game operations manager Jamie Ward attended in support and says it was a glorious day. Conditions were perfect with lots of anglers on the lake, catching all species of sports fish on offer at Hāwea — rainbow trout, brown trout and salmon.

OceanaGold Macraes Fishing Day

OceanaGold Macraes Operation had an absolute ripper day at their annual Lone Pine Reservoir Fishing Day. Lots of fish were caught and even more sausages eaten. Thanks to all of those who joined us and to Otago Fish & Game for supporting the day. We look forward to fishing with you again next year!

If your Otago club has an update or photo for inclusion in the Weekly Fishing Report, please email bquirey@fishandgame.org.nz by the Monday prior to publication on Thursday.

Don’t Forget Your Licence

Buy early to get best value for the 2025-2026 season. Get your licence online or visit a local agent.

Click the link for a list of the agents in Otago where you can buy a licence.

Event calendar

Click here for upcoming fishing events throughout New Zealand.

Lake Hāwea Webcam

A new webcam has been installed to provide a real-time view of conditions on Lake Hāwea. The webcam is provided by Snowgrass Solutions and Contact Energy and can be accessed through their website or directly via this link.

This is a great tool for anglers wanting to check lake conditions before travelling to Hāwea, or even to keep an eye on things from work before an afternoon fishing.

Please note that conditions at the southern end of the lake (near the dam) may not always reflect those north of The Neck. Weather can change quickly, so it always pays to be prepared.

Clyde Dam live webcam

A screengrab of the Clyde Dam webcam taken at the time of writing.

Want to know conditions at Clyde Dam? Check this live webcam sponsored by Contact Energy updated every 15 minutes.

Lake Wānaka live webcam

A screengrab of the Lake Wānaka webcam taken at the time of writing.

Want to know conditions at Lake Wānaka? Check this live webcam from the Wānaka Watersports Facility.

Bookmark the ORC Environmental Data Portal for real-time flows, temperature, and lake levels.

Here’s the weekend outlook:

Dunedin

A mixed forecast for Dunedin this weekend. Saturday is forecast to start sunny before clouding over with a chance of afternoon showers, and northeasterly winds picking up gusty later. Sunday brings a few morning showers, then lingering cloud cover, with lighter winds easing from north‑east to southerly.

The Taieri River at Outram was at 5.9 cumecs this morning. The water temperature was 17 degrees C.

Click here for live MetService weather updates.

Wānaka

Rain is forecast around Wānaka for both weekend days. Saturday is predicted to start overcast with a high chance of rain showers and light to moderate northerly winds. Sunday is forecast for morning showers followed by variable cloud, with northeasterly winds easing later in the day.

Click here for live MetService weather updates.

Alexandra

Saturday morning is the pick of the weather this weekend around Alexandra with clear skies and light northerlies, however there is a chance of isolated shower and expect northerly winds to rise through the afternoon. Sunday is forecast for a few light showers, as winds shift toward north-west.

Click here for live MetService weather updates.

Clutha Regional Forecast

Saturday is forecast for isolated showers and brisk westerly winds gaining strength in the afternoon. Sunday looks calmer, with lighter northerly winds but rain showers are forecast.

The Pomahaka River was flowing at 6 cumecs this morning.

The lower Clutha River at Balclutha was at 930 cumecs.

Click here for live weather updates

For more ORC water monitoring and alerts information click here.

Grab your licence online and let the angling adventures begin.

Got any Otago fishing news?

Send your fishing news and photos (with anglers’ names) to otago@fishandgame.org.nz for consideration in the weekly report.