North Canterbury Fishing Report 11 November 2020

Lake Coleridge Competition

Thanks to the team at Hunting & Fishing for helping us celebrate opening with another awesome competition at Lake Coleridge.

Visit our North Canterbury Fish & Game Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/NorthCantyFishGame/videos/806069446853321 to see the heavily viewed video of the weekend, including an interview with competition winner Danny Pye from Cust  pictured above.

Pye claimed the biggest fish at the Coleridge Fishing Competition with a 3.8 kilogram brown trout from Lake Selfe.

High Country Lakes

Camping at Ryton Bay, thanks to Glenthorne Station

For those thinking of heading to the hills this long weekend, the weather is looking best for campers on Thursday and Friday nights.

With the lakes warming up we would expect to see increased insect activity around the lake edges, bringing the trout into the shallows.

If the wind holds off it could be a good time to ambush fish with dragon and damselfly nymphs.

In this clearer water around the lake edges spin fishers are advised to try a lighter weight line and natural coloured lures (e.g. olive and brown).

Try the smaller soft baits, tobys, valtec spinners and floating rapalas.  

If targeting salmon at Lake Coleridge go for a lure with silver in it, e.g. a green and silver ticer.  

Lake Lyndon

For those taking their kids to the high country, juniors can bait fish at Lake Lyndon.

Trolling around the lake edge can be particularly effective but otherwise find a spot on the shore where the lake drops off quickly.

If not bait fishing, consider a glow bug suspended with a lead weight underneath a float.  Lyndon fishes well at the change of light.

High Country Streams

There is a bit of extra water in many of the high country streams at present.

This extra water will have displaced bugs and put them in the water column for trout.

Anglers are advised to try a heavier weight fly to compensate for the extra flow.

Green, brown and black are good patterns for stoneflies at this time of the year. Dobson fly larvae are also worth considering.

The Broken or Porters Streams from their confluence up could be worth a look.

Lake Forsyth/ Waiwera

We have had good reports of healthy numbers of trout and perch being taken from Waiwea recently.

The lake is a great place to take kids as it is close to town and is shallow around the edges.

Good spots are beside the cycle trail or the New Brighton Power Boat Club (note this is not at New Brighton).

Anything imitating a smelt or bully is worth trying, e.g. soft bait or a toby (no more than seven grams). Valtec spinners are good for perch.

Evening or first thing in the morning is the best, but you can fish Waiwera all day. 

Get in now as it will heat up around Christmas and not be as productive.

Toxic algal blooms also restrict angling as the lake warms during the summer. 

Salmon Fishing

For many anglers, show weekend is the start of the salmon fishing season.

The big rivers could be fishable later in the weekend as flows recede. 

Notice of North Canterbury Fish & Game Annual General Meeting

You are warmly invited to attend out AGM. See details below. 

Location: North Canterbury Fish & Game, 595 Johns Rd.

Time: Wednesday 9th Dec – 6.30pm 

SDC District Plan Notification – submissions due Dec 11^th 2020  

Those anglers wanting to have their say about how land is managed in the Selwyn District, now is the time.

This 10 year plan is currently open for comments.

A lot of aspects of land management are dealt with by ECan, but the SDC govern the important aspect of vegetation clearance away from the immediate riverbank.

We will be asking for a halt to the removal of native vegetation in high country catchments where sensitive lakes and spring-fed streams are located.

This is due to the impact this has on waterways.

We will also be requesting improved camping opportunities around our high country lakes.

Visit the SDC website for more details https://www.selwyn.govt.nz/property-And-building/planning/strategies-and-plans/selwyn-district-plan/selwyn-district-plan-review.   

Emily Arthur – Moore, North Canterbury Fish & Game Officer.

Thanks to Kieran Lee from the Fishermans Loft for helping with this report.