Otago Weekly Fishing Report - 22 January 2026

Wet, windy weather? No worries – there's still fish to be found

Another week of changeable weather across Otago, and while there's more rain forecast for the weekend, don't let that dampen your enthusiasm.

Pictured above: Anke Kay hooked onto a willow grubbing brown trout. Credit: Paul van Klink.

This week's reports prove that adaptable anglers are still finding success, even in challenging conditions.

This week we cover fussy feeders on willow grubs, stripping Woolly Buggers over weedy margins on small lakes, and working softbaits through backwaters.

There are opportunities across the region if you're willing to think creatively. High flows have shuffled the deck on some rivers, but they've also brought life to systems that don't normally fish well this time of year. Stay flexible, be prepared to change tactics, and don't give up on your favourite spots just yet – or try somewhere new.

Read on for the latest from across the region.

The way of the willow

Paul van Klink with a willow-grubbing brown trout. Credit: Anke Kay.

Fish & Game honorary ranger Paul van Klink went fly fishing on an Otago river last week and found trout dialled into willow grubs.

As is often the case with willow grubbing, Paul says the fish were fussy and often rejected the same fly several times before taking.

Willow Grub patterns are commonly tied in yellow or green in sizes 14 to 18. If one pattern is not working after persistent casts, maybe try another colour. But equally important as the colour and size of the fly is the presentation. Cast directly in front of the fish as they are often tuned into the plop of the grubs hitting the water.

If all else fails, try something completely different, such as a large terrestrial dry fly or a small Pheasant Tail nymph.

Willow grubs appear to have come on later this season and can be found throughout the region. Find willow trees, you’ll more than likely find the grubs and fussy trout.

Perfect kids’ holiday entertainment

Wilder Davies had a great holiday fishing Lake Wakatipu. Credit: Gabe Davies.

Wilder Davies (5) from Dunedin had a good time fishing Lake Wakatipu around the Kingston area while on a family holiday.

His fishing capability progressed on the trip to his final and best fish that he caught by casting, hooking, and reeling in the fish by himself while his proud dad sorted the netting. 

They caught this fish plus six others on a range of Tassies and soft baits during their holiday. The most successful lures had pink or green and yellow colouring. They smoked a few and released the rest.

Spin fishing is a great way to get children started out in fishing, and as the photo shows, it can be highly effective. Bait fishing is even easier and often has the highest strike rate. Select here for tips on taking kids fishing. Licences for children under 12 are free!

Small lakes, big edges

This brown trout was caught fly fishing from a float tube over the weedy lake edges. Credit: Tim Johnson.

A float tube can be a great way to unlock overlooked water, and Tim from Central Otago Hunting & Fishing says it’s been paying off on small lakes like Moke Lake.

Cruising the edges in a float tube, Tim has been stripping Woolly Buggers on a sinking polyleader, focusing on weedy margins that are hard to reach on foot.

Tim says the key is casting over the weeds and letting the fly sink as it drops off the shelf, where fish patrol the edge. Clear water meant a simple approach worked best — an unweighted black Woolly Bugger. He says olive and brown got no interest, but as soon as he switched to black, “it was on,” likely because it stood out better against the grey conditions.

Fishing in wind and rain last Friday, Tim kept close to shore and was rewarded with a chunky one-pound rainbow and two browns around 2.5–3lb. He says many small lakes are underutilised, and non-powered craft like float tubes are ideal — just be sure to check the regulations to see where they’re permitted.

Backwaters worth a look in high flows

Hadlee landed this solid brown on a black and gold paddletail soft bait in a backwater during high river flows. Credit: Hadlee Edmunds.

High flows made fishing tough on the lower Clutha River/Mata-Au last week, but the backwaters are still holding fish.

Hadlee from Dunedin Hunting & Fishing says he fished the river on Friday and found success away from the main current, landing two solid brown trout of around 3lb.

Both fish took soft baits, with a black and gold paddletail doing the damage. Hadlee says one fish was cruising close to the bank, and when he dropped the soft bait right in front of its nose, it “took it pretty much instantly”. Both fish were released.

Closer to town, Hadlee says there are the odd trout in the Leith at the moment, but numbers are thin. A short flick produced one small fish on an olive pearl paddletail, but not much else.

Some Central Otago rivers that don’t usually hold many fish at this time of year still have good flows and are fishing well. Credit: Bruce Quirey.

High flows have made some Otago backcountry rivers hit-and-miss this season, but there’s still good fishing to be found if you’re flexible.

Sam from Queenstown Hunting & Fishing says many backcountry rivers have been inconsistent, with higher water levels than you’d normally expect at this time of year.

The upside is that some Central Otago rivers that don’t usually hold many fish now are still fishing well. Sam says the lower reaches of the Manuherekia and several of its tributaries have been producing steady numbers of smaller browns in the 2–3lb range. With the amount of rain that’s fallen, there’s still plenty of flow running through these systems, which he sees as a positive.

If your usual backcountry spots aren’t fishable, Sam’s advice is don’t give up — look elsewhere.

No magic bullet — stay flexible

Windy, wild weather has been the theme lately, and Mark from Southern Wild in Wānaka says it’s been throwing everything at anglers.

He says some lures that would normally be reliable haven’t been working, while others you wouldn’t usually reach for suddenly are. The message is there’s no magic bullet right now.

Dirty water is a factor in places, with the Hunter River spilling muddy water into Lake Hāwea and the Timaru River discoloured around the mouth. Mark says some days have still fished well, with Lake Hāwea generally fishing better than Lake Wānaka — although Wānaka is still producing the odd gem. Lake snow is lingering, and the Clutha River is running big and fast.

Mark says old faithful lures like the Tassie Devil can still work, but don’t be afraid to mix things up. Running teasers or a two-hook rig can help. When trolling on lead line, lure weight matters less than colour, speed and action. He says different lures need different speeds — a spinning blade slower than a Toby, for example. In sheltered spots, parking up and casting soft baits tight under willows has been well worth a go.

Exclusion zone on Lake Wānaka

Queenstown Lakes District Council reports:

Heads up boaties – an exclusion zone will be established near Ruby Island (Lake Wānaka) on Saturday 24 January, 6.00am-12.00pm, to help support a swim event and to ensure the safety of all Roys Bay users.

The exclusion zone extends 100m each side of the Waterfall Creek launch ramp and extends out to encompass an area of 100m from all sides of Ruby Island (see map above). No unauthorised vessels are to enter the exclusion zone until the exclusion period has ended.

All vessels are reminded that while on the water, they must always comply with the Maritime Transport Act and the QLDC Navigation Safety Bylaw 2025. Harbourmaster staff may be on hand to monitor compliance with the Maritime Law and Bylaw and may issue infringements if vessels fail to comply with these rules.

Thanks for your understanding and compliance!

Club updates

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

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 screengrab of the Lake Hāwea webcam taken at the time of writing.

A real-time webcam at Lake Hāwea is provided by Snowgrass Solutions and Contact Energy and can be accessed through their website or directly via this link.

Please note 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 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 the 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

Consider fishing the reservoirs or find clearer small tributaries and backwaters. Tomorrow is cloudy with a period of rain with strong southwesterlies developing in the morning. Expect strong wind to continue over Saturday and Sunday with rain and showers. The weather should improve on Monday. Partly cloudy, with the chance of an evening shower.

The Taieri River at Outram was at 15 cumecs this morning. The water temperature was 16.4 degrees C.

Click here for live MetService weather updates.

Wānaka

Friday’s forecast is for a few showers, clearing in the evening. Southwesterlies developing in the afternoon. Saturday is mostly cloudy with the chance of a shower. Southwesterlies, becoming strong for a time in the afternoon and evening. Sunday looks like the best day for fishing – partly cloudy with light wind.

Click here for live MetService weather updates.

Alexandra

Look for shelter from southwesterlies, with things improving towards the back of the weekend. Friday, a few showers, more persistent in the morning. Southwesterlies, becoming strong for a time in the afternoon. Saturday, occasional rain. Southwesterlies, becoming strong in the morning. Sunday, a few showers. Southwesterlies, easing in the afternoon.

Click here for live MetService weather updates.

Clutha Regional Forecast

Rain, showers, strong wind and cool temperatures are the theme of this weekend. Friday, occasional rain. Westerlies, becoming strong for a time in the afternoon and evening. On Saturday, rain. Southwesterlies, becoming strong in the morning. Sunday, showers, some heavy, easing in the evening. Strong southwesterlies, easing in the afternoon.

The Pomahaka River at Burkes Ford was at 4.7 cumecs

The lower Clutha River at Balclutha was 701 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.