Treasuring Your Moments

Stopping to take a moment to take in your surroundings is what makes fishing worthwhile, above is Harts Creek last Friday evening. Credit: Jackson Meecham.

If there’s one thing this season has reminded us of so far, it’s patience.

Our big braided rivers, the Waimakariri, Rakaia, Hurunui and Waiau Uwha, have spent more time running high and coloured than clear and calm. Week after week, the rain inland has tested even the keenest of anglers. But for those who’ve adapted, explored, and persisted, the rewards have been there and often in places they least expected.

High water changes everything. Channels shift, banks erode, and new holding water appears where there wasn’t any before. It can be challenging, even disheartening, to arrive at your favourite pool and find it unrecognisable. But that’s the beauty of these rivers, they’re alive, reshaping themselves after every fresh, every storm, every flood.

This is the kind of start to the season that reminds us to slow down and treasure the moments. The sight of a rising fish in a side braid you’ve never noticed before, the quiet satisfaction of finding clear water when it seems impossible. These are the experiences that make anglers who they are. They teach us resilience, patience, and appreciation, qualities that matter just as much as the fish we chase.

Caleb Ryder holds a humpback brown trout that put up a solid fight for him over the past weekend. Credit: Harry Graham-Samson

For some, the unsettled conditions have been a reason to stay home. For others, it’s been an invitation to explore. Many have turned their attention to spring creeks and smaller waterways, those clear, meandering ribbons of water that flow steadily even when the larger rivers are raging. It’s been a chance to refine lighter gear, experiment with new techniques, and rediscover the delicate thrill of stalking fish in close quarters. Every missed strike, every subtle rise, every moment of connection in those quiet streams is something to savour.

Eventually, the big rivers will drop. When they do, they’ll reveal new channels, deeper pools, and fresh angling opportunities. But don’t wait for the perfect day or the perfect flow. Get out now, explore, and create your own luck. The season is alive, and the best moments are often found when you least expect them.

Video Fishing Report From Last Week

Young anglers Eddie and Toby were two of the first to get into the rainbow trout at Lake Roto Kohatu, they also reported catching rudd and salmon. Credit: Jackson Meecham

Last week, our staff travelled to the Nelson Marlborough Fish & Game Hatchery.

We collected and brought 200 rainbow trout back to Christchurch and put them into Lake Roto Kohatu, a put-and-take fishery on the edge of the city.

The fish are all at least 1kg and will be good catches for anglers who get in before the lake closes at the end of this month. For the fish that do go uncaught, they will have the summer to put on more condition and come back with more energy and fight for anglers who test them with lures or flies once the lake opens again in April 2026.

During the video, we also look forward to this weekend's weather and where there might be some good options for anglers. We also show you how easy it can be to pick up your licence from your phone if you haven't purchased this season's 25/26 licence yet.

Click the image below to watch the video from last week.

Lake Coleridge Competition Not Far Away

Lake Coleridge Fishing Competition 2025 will happen on 1st November 2025.

When and Where

Date: Saturday 1st November 2025

Location: Harper Campground

Fish and spot prize entries from 9 am – 1:30 pm

Prizegiving starts at 2 pm  

This year, the competition is being held at the Harper Campground at Lake Coleridge. Just look out for the big blue Fish & Game tent!

We’ll be there for entries starting from 9 a.m. until 1.30 p.m. We’ll also have a FREE SAUSAGE SIZZLE going on at the tent from 9 am till the prize-giving has finished (or we run out of sausages!).

How To Enter

No pre-registration is required; just turn up at the Fish & Game tent before 1:30 p.m. to enter your fish with a current 25/26 licence!

Remember the minimum size for trout and salmon caught in the whole North Canterbury region is 30cm. Ensure any fish you harvest are this length.

If you don’t have any luck or don’t enter a fish, you can still present your 25/26 licence at the tent any time before 1:30 pm to go into the draw to win some great SPOT PRIZES (adults and junior categories). 

Note: You MUST be in line by 1.30 p.m. Anyone arriving after 1.30 pm will not be able to enter their fish. One of our Rangers will jump in the line to mark the cut-off! 

The Lake Coleridge competition is proudly sponsored by your local Hunting & Fishing stores (Christchurch, North Canterbury and Ashburton).

They’ve given us some great prizes that are up for grabs with a total value of over $7,000!

Honorary Ranger Chris Aldous (Budda) announcing prizes at last years Lake Coleridge Fishing Competition. Credit: Jackson Meecham

Prize Categories

There are adult and junior categories, with prizes for 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd for rainbow trout, brown trout and chinook salmon caught out of Lake Coleridge and the surrounding lakes.

If you don’t have a boat, the smaller lakes are a great alternative!

Adults: 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd - rainbow trout, brown trout, chinook salmon

Juniors: 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd - rainbow trout, brown trout, chinook salmon

Adult spot prize draw

Junior spot prize draw 

For more info, please visit this link: Lake Coleridge Competition

Tackle Tip Of The Week

The tool can easily be attached to your pack, lanyard, vest or bag, while replacement tubing can be purchased and stored with you for when you need it. 

This week’s tip is for the fly anglers out there, whether you’re a beginner or have been fly fishing for many years, this piece of kit is a must-have.

It’s the NZ Strike Indicator Tool Kit; this tool makes attaching your indicator to your leader quick and easy. The advantage of this indicator system is that you can adjust your indicator distance from your nymph very easily by simply sliding the indicator along your leader.

The other great advantage is that it doesn’t require any knots, which means it won’t weaken your line, and if you see a fish rising, taking insects off the surface, then these indicators are very simple to remove, and you can quickly tie on a dry fly.

I’d suggest next time you’re at your local fishing tackle store, grab yourself a tool kit, as they are a game-changer for fishing with nymphs.

Community Corner 

Harry holding a tough golden looking brown trout. Credit: Caleb Ryder.

Challenging weather continues to affect anglers in the North Canterbury region.

Many anglers that we have talked to have been forced to resort to plans B or C when getting out over the first month of the season, with many waters being unfishable with continued high country rainfall. On the positive, these waters remain well rested, as there has been an extremely limited opportunity for angling so far this season. Check out the stories below to hear from the anglers who have hunted out value in the region. 

Stories this week! 

Friday Night Fly Action - Jackson Meecham

Peter Meecham fishing a streamer to hungry fish in the closing moments of light. Credit: Jackson Meecham.

Harts Creek has long been known as one of those classic “after-work” fisheries.

Close enough to Christchurch to make an evening session possible, yet far enough away to feel like you’ve escaped.

Last Friday evening, Dad (Peter) and I decided to head down to one of the Ellesmere tributaries. With the lake recently opened to the sea, we were quietly hopeful of encountering a few sea-run brown trout moving through. Harts Creek was our pick, and we half expected to find the car park overflowing with eager anglers. To our surprise, it was empty. Not a soul in sight.

A couple of keen young anglers, both in year 9 in high school, are looking forward to the summer holidays which will be full of fishing. Credit: Jackson Meecham

We geared up quickly, feeling that familiar anticipation that comes before the first cast. The track begins upstream and winds its way down toward the mouth — a lovely walk but one that demands stealth, as the fish face directly toward you. The smart move would’ve been to head straight to the mouth and work back up, but patience isn’t exactly our strong suit when the water’s calling.

The first fish we spotted was sitting midstream over a weed bed, feeding hard. After turning its nose up at the first fly we floated past, it sank into a deeper pool and shut down. We watched it for a while before deciding to move on; plenty more fish to find.

As we worked downstream, we passed several trout in awkward lies and finally reached the end of the track near the lake mouth. There, we met two young anglers, both Year 9 students, flicking flies beneath the willows. We stopped for a yarn, trading stories and watching trout dart around in the current. Between the tangles, snapped tippets, and shared excitement, it was brilliant to see the next generation of anglers out there doing it right.

Peter Meecham watches his streamer closely as a big brown appears from under the willows following it towards the edge of the bank. Credit: Jackson Meecham

When the light began to fade, we switched to darker streamers that drew plenty of interest — a few heart-stopping follows, but no solid takes. Still, neither of us could complain. Despite the lack of fish in hand, it was a great evening. The creek fished beautifully, spirits were high, and the sense of community on the water made it something special.

Most of the time, you hope to have a river to yourself, but on this occasion, fishing alongside eight other anglers felt just right. Everyone was smiling, swapping tips, and enjoying the evening for what it was. If you were one of them, cheers for sharing the water. Even without a fish landed, it was one of those outings that reminds you why we love this sport: good company, good water, and the promise of the next take.

Thinking Outside of the Box: Streamer Fishing for South Island Trout - Jacob Ruwitch

Brown trout that emerged from the depths of a likely looking pool to eat a brown bacon strip.

The 25/26 trout season is here. As the new season begins, anglers throughout New Zealand are filled with a sense of excitement and anticipation.

I personally find myself looking forward to picture-perfect days on the river: beautiful weather, hatching insects, and sight fishing large trout in crystal clear rivers and lakes. But the harsh reality is that early-season fishing on the South Island comes with its own set of challenges. More often than not, spring weather conditions do not allow for those picture-perfect days on the river that we all love so much. 

Despite challenging conditions, it is important to remember that there is still plenty of success to be had. High/off-colour water, rain, and wind can make sight fishing impossible. In situations like this, I always encourage anglers to think outside the box. For me, this often boils down to streamer fishing. 

In my opinion, nothing is more exciting than watching a fish light up and chase down a streamer. I've watched otherwise wary trout move many meters to eat a well-presented fly. This all boils down to opportunistic feeding. The protein content of a baitfish can be equivalent to that of thousands of aquatic insects. Oftentimes, large trout simply cannot turn them down. 

Hard fighting rainbow caught blind fishing a tan bacon strip in high water.

Don’t be afraid to blind fish streamers into fishy-looking holes or under cutbanks. You’ll be surprised by how many trout will come out of seemingly nowhere to crush the fly. On that same note, don't be afraid to use heavy tippet when fishing streamers. The force of a fish grabbing a streamer combined with the shock of a strip set can result in instant breakoffs. For this reason, I prefer to use 12-15lb fluorocarbon. 

This was certainly the case for my opening day trip. Two mates and I set out on a three-day trip into the backcountry despite knowing that conditions would be very tough. We were met with high water, rain, wind, and even a bit of snow. As soon as we saw the river, we knew that sight fishing wouldn’t be easy. Streamers were our saving grace. Over the following days, we all brought multiple fish to the net, almost exclusively on articulated streamers. 

When selecting a streamer to use, I try to pick something that emulates the baitfish that are present in South Island backcountry fisheries. Cockabullys, juvenile trout, and torrentfish are great options. There are some very effective, commercially tied patterns available in stores throughout New Zealand. These include Bacon Strips (exclusively available at Fisherman’s Loft), Galloup’s Sex Dungeons, Gamechangers, Spring Creeks, and Woolly Buggers. 

'Bacon Strips' from the Fisherman's Loft

Adding a few streamers to the box will surely bring you success in less-than-ideal spring fishing conditions.

Tight lines, and happy fishing! 

Notice Board

News

North Canterbury Annual General Meeting 2025

North Canterbury Fish and Game will be holding our Annual General Meeting (AGM) at 6.30 pm on Wednesday, the 26th of November at the 595 Johns Road office. The AGM will begin after the bi-monthly council meeting, which will begin at 3.30 pm. We invite members of the public to join us as we review and look back on our region's success in the last financial year. 

Controlled Fishery on the North and South Branches of the Upper Hurunui River Enters Second Season of Trial

Many anglers would be aware that both the sections of the North and South branches of the Upper Hurunui River are under a Trial Controlled Fishery for a two-season trial. The beginning of last season saw some early challenges with the booking software; however, we expect the system will operate as it did at the conclusion of last season.
For information or to make a booking, please click here​​​​​​.

Check, Clean, and Dry To Stop Freshwater Pests!

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. 

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 

Weather Outlook

Christchurch

Rakaia

Waipara

Culverden

Hanmer Springs

Arthurs Pass

Lewis Pass

River Flows

Waiau Uwha at Malings Pass: 17.943

Waiau Uwha at Marble Point: 287.022

Hurunui River at No.2 Hut: 98.544

Hurunui River at SH1 Bridge: 253.349

Ashley River at Lees Valley: 4.303

Ashley River at SH1 Bridge: 15.753

Waimakariri River at Esk: 249.874

Waimakariri River at Old Highway Bridge: 333.328

Selwyn River at Whitecliffs: 3.051

Selwyn River at Coes Ford: 1.628

Halswell River at Ryans Bridge: 1.004

Harts Creek at Timber Yard Road: 2.136

Rakaia River at Fighting Hill: 449.203

To help you plan your fishing adventures, be sure to check the following resources:

• E-Can River Flows: River Flow Data
• Outdoor Access Live Cameras: Live Cameras (subscription required)
• MetService Weather Warnings: Weather Warnings
• Windy: Wind Radar
• Yr Weather Service (most accurate for High Country): Yr Website
• Canterbury Weather Updates: Webcams and Website

Stay safe out there!

Please note: This weather update is current at the time of publishing. We recommend checking the latest forecasts, river flows and road conditions before heading out.

Click the licence below to get your licence today!

Next Video Report: 30th October 2025 (Facebook, YouTube and Instagram)
Next Written Report: 6th November 2025 (Email and Website)

Tight Lines,

Jackson Meecham, North Canterbury Fish & Game Officer & the whole North Canterbury Team.