Otago Weekly Fishing Report - 13 November 2025

Up, down and all around

Spring continues to bring the usual mix of ups, downs, and rapid changes to river and lake conditions.

Anglers heading out this weekend will need to plan around showers and fresh westerlies on Saturday, with conditions easing into clear, calm, and fine weather on Sunday — ideal for both rivers and lakes.

From backcountry streamer runs to coastal action on baitfish and emerging beetle hatches, there’s plenty of action to keep rods bending as the season warms up.

Spring Streamers

Adam Walton working a nice-looking run in Otago backcountry. Credit: Lowell Smyth.

Backcountry anglers will need to adapt to the conditions with what looks like a return to the weather pattern that brings rain every three or four days.

Adam Walton and Lowell Smyth recently made the most of a brief window of clear weather, enjoying a successful backcountry trip on a dropping river after the last rain. Adam found great success fishing streamers, his go-to technique when rivers are coloured or receding.

Streamers can range from bright pinks to subtle browns and greens. The key is matching the size and colour to your intended presentation: darker patterns create a strong silhouette in murky water, while natural tones offer a more subtle presentation.

“There’s nothing like the initial hit when a fish grabs a streamer,” Adam says. “It makes them incredibly fun to fish.”

The beauty of streamer fishing is its versatility. You can fish them effectively with a standard 5 or 6-weight set-up by adding a sinking leader or using a weighted fly. Don’t be afraid to step up your tippet size either, as fish often hit hard and the extra strength helps prevent break-offs, especially when the water still has a bit of colour.

Hunting the Edges

Hadlee Edmunds with an excellent perch caught softbaiting the Waipori River. Photo: Supplied

Brown trout and perch have switched on along the lower east coast rivers, aggressively feeding on schools of small baitfish, says Hadlee, from Hunting & Fishing Dunedin.

Imitating the small whitebait-sized baitfish is the key to getting bites, with larger spinners and softbaits often ignored. He’s been finding success using the 2.5-inch Copper Flash Bait Junkie, which closely replicates the size and flash of current baitfish. Customers have also had good results using small streamers.

In the lower reaches, it’s not uncommon to see sportsfish chasing baitfish into the shallows, creating splashes and bust-ups as they feed. Casting along the edges, where these predators often lie in wait, is usually the most effective approach. Working your lure slowly along the margins to mimic a lost baitfish can prove irresistible to perch and trout.

Coastal sea-run trout make excellent table fare, and perch are also known for their firm, white flesh. Pack a chilly bin with ice to make the most of your catch as conditions start to warm.

Success on Lake Margins

Lachlan Dent with a brown trout caught up the top end of Lake Dunstan. Photo: Supplied

Racing rain clouds have been a major factor this spring. Tim, from Hunting & Fishing Central, found this out the hard way on his last day off, arriving at a river that had already started to rise and discolour.

More rain was beginning to fall. A quick change of plans was required. Fortunately, Otago has stillwater fisheries, allowing anglers to pivot if needed.

Tim found success targeting cruising fish around the edges of Lake Hāwea, using small dries and nymphs to intercept them. He says fishing in a pair really helps, with one angler spotting fish from a higher vantage point while the other casts near the water’s edge.

Popular areas for cruising fish include Paddock Bay (Lake Wānaka), The Neck (Lake Hāwea), and the top of Lake Dunstan where the Clutha River/Mata-Au flows in.

As the weather warms, blowfly patterns become a favourite along lake edges, with a small size 14 pheasant tail suspended below often proving irresistible. Giving your fly or nymph a little movement can trigger a strike when using smaller flies. Just be careful not to make the movement too exaggerated or unnatural, as this can spook the fish. Practising your presentation when no fish are present can help you fine-tune the action.

Beetlemania

Brown beetles are turning up on the trout menu right on cue in the angling calendar. Rising soil temperatures trigger the seasonal emergence of the brown beetle. The beetle is common near pasture and grassland, as their larvae (grass grubs) eat grass roots.

• The Fly: The classic Coch-y-Bondhu is an ideal imitation. Other good imitations use deer hair or foam.
• Timing: The most significant beetle 'falls' onto the water occur at dusk as the clumsy beetles take flight, and again at dawn as they drop from streamside vegetation.
• Presentation: A heavy beetle pattern should land with a distinct "plop" to imitate the natural crashing onto the surface.
• Location: Fish near grassy banks and willows, particularly where drowned beetles accumulate in foam lines and eddies.

Soft Bait Fishing Clinics

Lance Gill shares his softbaiting secrets with anglers at the Taieri River. Insets: Diego Frizon (top left) landed his first-ever fish, and Richard Stephenson reeled in a fine catch.

Diego Frizon won’t forget his first cast at the Otago Fish & Game Soft Bait Clinic on the Taieri River near Dunedin last week.

About 75 anglers learned some softbaiting tricks and tips during the clinic with guest speaker Okuma NZ representative Lance Gill.

The Taieri River was discoloured but that didn’t stop a few anglers from hooking onto perch. Among the lucky ones was Diego, who caught a fish on his first cast after picking up a rod for the first time in his life.

Another free soft bait clinic will be held this Saturday, November 15:

• McNulty Inlet at Lake Dunstan, Cromwell. Click on location link
• 10am-noon
• Select here to register online
• The hands-on session will cover soft bait lure selection, rig set-ups, casting, and how to retrieve to trigger strikes

Club Updates

If you’re heading to Lake Dunstan this weekend, please take extra with the large amount of semi-submerged logs and debris, especially in the gorge. Credit: Mason Court.

Rotary Club of Cromwell —31st Annual Fishing Classic

The Rotary Club of Cromwell is hosting the 31st Annual Fishing Classic this Sunday, 16 November 2025 at Lake Dunstan.

• Entry: Adults $20, Juniors (12–17) $6, Children under 12 free.
• Starts 6am, weigh-in from 2pm at Lowburn Hall, prize-giving around 4pm.
• A current Fish & Game licence is required, and all anglers must follow Otago regulations.

For further information, please contact Phil_Henderson@xtra.co.nz

Upper Clutha Angling Club — Take A Kid Fishing Day

Boat rides, barbecues, and prizes are all part of the fun at the club’s annual Take a Kid Fishing Day on Sunday, November 23.

• Kids aged 8–12 will depart Albert Town campsite (9am start) for The Neck, Lake Hāwea, enjoying boat trips, games, and casting comps before wrapping up around 4pm.
• Numbers are limited to 40 children (first in, first served).
• Parent help welcome.
• Register by November 17 – email sandersfamily@xtra.co.nz for a form.
• Supported by Otago Fish & Game.

Mahinerangi Gold Club

Mahinerangi Gold Cup winner Victor Yarker and junior winner Jacob Todd. Photos: Supplied.

A strong turnout of anglers young and old vied for the Mahinerangi Gold Cup last Sunday.

Victor Yarker (1.605kg) won the Gold Cup and Jacob Todd (1.410kg) took the junior title in the annual event held between the Taieri and Lawrence anglers clubs.

A total of 119 anglers took part — 40 juniors, 50 men, and 29 women. Between them, competitors weighed in 53 fish, although only the heaviest from each angler counted toward the final tally. Another 15-20 fish were caught.

Taieri Anglers will hold an interclub competition with Lawrence Anglers on November 30 with a 5pm weigh-in at the Taieri Anglers Club.

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.

New 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

Clear skies are forecast for Dunedin this weekend. Saturday will see strong westerlies easing in the afternoon, giving anglers some respite. Sunday morning looks to be the best window for fishing, with clear skies and light winds. Northeasterlies are expected to develop later in the afternoon. The Taieri River may rise slightly following Friday’s rain.

The Taieri River at Outram was at 11.3 cumecs this morning. The water temperature was 15 degrees C.

Click here for live MetService weather updates.

Wānaka

Rain on Friday afternoon and evening is likely to affect river conditions, with showers expected overnight. Saturday is forecast to be overcast, with westerly winds easing into the afternoon. Sunday looks much more favourable, with clear, calm, and warm conditions ideal for heading out on the boat. If rivers are still discoloured, targeting the edges of lakes or beech-lined rivers that have dropped quickly is recommended.

Click here for live MetService weather updates.

Alexandra

Alexandra is expected to receive minimal rain on Friday, likely causing little change to river conditions. A fresh could even improve fishing. Saturday is forecast to be mainly fine, with a small chance of a shower before dawn. Westerlies are expected, easing into the evening. Sunday should start calm, clear, and fine, with northerlies gradually developing in the afternoon.

Click here for live MetService weather updates.

Clutha Regional Forecast

A wet start to the weekend is expected, with showers and strong westerlies on Saturday. Winds are forecast to ease in the afternoon, offering some relief for anglers. Sunday looks to be the best day of the weekend, with fine, clear weather and easterlies slowly developing. Expect flow-on effects from the upper catchments, which will have received significant rain on Friday.

The Pomahaka River was flowing at 10.4 cumecs this morning.

The lower Clutha River at Balclutha was at 1010 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.