Otago Weekly Fishing Report - 25 September 2025

Rods at the Ready

The wait is nearly over — the 2025/26 fishing season kicks off on Wednesday, October 1! Now’s the time to dust off the cobwebs, check your gear, and get ready for some early-season action.

For those wanting to get some practice before Opening Day, there are plenty of all-year waters available. Larger lakes and rivers provide the perfect chance to freshen up your skills and test your gear.

Jeff Briggs braving the cold to get in some preseason practice on the Dart River. Credit: Cole Briggs.

From October 1, anglers can head out to a wide range of lowland waters, including the Taieri, Pomahaka, Shag/Waihemo, and many other rivers and tributaries. In Central Otago, Blakelys Dam and Poolburn Reservoir are excellent early-season options should the rivers be unfishable. Keep in mind that most rivers above the Clyde Dam (with a few exceptions) remain closed until November 1.

The Deans Bank section of the Clutha River/Mata-Au (fly fishing only) also opens on October 1. Fed directly from Lake Wānaka, this section can provide some respite from the high, discoloured flows that are common elsewhere early in the season.

With rain forecast over the coming week, water levels are likely to be on the higher side, so anglers may need to adjust their tactics come Opening Day. The Clutha River/Mata-Au, including Lakes Dunstan and Roxburgh, has been running discoloured this week as heavy rain in the headwaters flushed silt from tributaries such as the Shotover and Lindis. A noticeable plume was also visible where the Manuherekia joins the Clutha at Alexandra.

And don’t forget — daylight savings begins Sunday, September 28, giving anglers more time on the water during those productive evening sessions.

If you are unsure whether a waterway is open, click here to check the 2025/26 regulations.
If you haven’t got your licence yet, click here or pop into your local licence agent or tackle shop.

Stocked and Ready for School Holidays

Otago Fish & Game officer Steve Dixon liberates rainbows from Macraes Hatchery into Sullivans Dam before the school holidays. Credit: Bruce Quirey.

• Sullivans Dam, Tomahawk Lagoon, and Southern Reservoir have been restocked with rainbow trout.
• Southern Reservoir remains closed until October 1 for Take A Kid Fishing events.
• Coal Pit Dam at Naseby, Butchers Dam at Alexandra, and Moke Lake near Queenstown are excellent year-round options.

These “put-and-take” fisheries provide easy access and great odds for beginner and family anglers. Hatchery rainbow trout are only released into selected dams and reservoirs where no natural spawning occurs.

Watch these videos on Dunedin Trout Fishing Spots:

• Sullivans Dam
• Tomahawk Lagoon
• Southern Reservoir

The humble worm, whether real or an imitation, works well in discoloured water. Credit: Tim Johnson.

Spring storms can make rivers run high or discoloured.

To improve your odds in these situations:

• In big rivers, target around rocks, logs, and undercut banks.
• Eddies and margins provide shelter and food.
• Get to the bottom - fish with heavier lures, jigs or split shot.
• On estuaries, incoming tides bring clearer water.
• Stillwaters and the big lakes stay fishable after rain.
• Use bait where allowed to appeal to trout’s other senses.

Tim from Hunting & Fishing Central Otago reports that anglers have been finding success along the edges of the murky water near the Lowburn Inlet on Lake Dunstan, using bright lures and worms as bait. Southland’s Bait fishing basics video offers a great introduction to using bait.

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

Pals Reel in Fun at Take A Kid Fishing

School pals Howie Craig (left) and JJ (Jonah) Nareki (both 5) show off the prized catch at Saturday’s Take A Kid Fishing at Southern Reservoir in Dunedin. Credit: Bruce Quirey.

Five-year-old friends Howie Craig and JJ (Jonah) Nareki both came away winners at Saturday’s Take A Kid Fishing at Dunedin’s Southern Reservoir.

Howie caught a trout alongside school buddy JJ — the same weekend JJ’s dad, Otago rugby winger Jonah Nareki, returned with the Ranfurly Shield after Otago’s victory over Canterbury.

Howie’s father, Jason Craig, said the boys have been inseparable since day care.
“They’re real good pals,” he said. “So, we took JJ fishing while his dad was away playing rugby. The boys were having a laugh together… They had a ball.”

About 250 children and their caregivers took part over the first two days of Take A Kid Fishing last weekend.

Another 300 rainbow trout from Macraes Flat Hatchery will be released into Southern Reservoir before this weekend’s fully booked Take A Kid Fishing events. Thanks to our volunteers and supporters — Otago Community Trust, OceanaGold, and Dunedin City Council — for making the events possible.

The Southern Reservoir remains closed to public fishing until October 1.

Chasing the Bait

Hadlee from Dunedin Hunting & Fishing with an excellent sea-run brown trout that smashed a soft bait. Credit: Hadlee Edmunds.

Early spring sees baitfish starting to enter river systems — and the trout are ready to ambush them.

The coastal reaches of most major rivers are open all year to fishing, and this can be highly rewarding in late winter and early spring. Aim to fish two hours either side of high tide for the best action.

Trout will be cruising the edges hunting prey. Smelt flies or soft baits are great imitations of the baitfish moving in. Here’s six rivers where the fishing is open and promising right now.

• Catlins Estuary (downstream of the Southern Scenic Route bridge)
• Lower Clutha River (all year)
• Tokomairiro River (downstream of Coal Gully Rd bridge)
• Taieri River (downstream of State Highway 87 bridge at Outram)
• Shag River/Waihemo (downstream of State Highway 1 bridge)
• Waikouaiti River (downstream of State Highway 1 bridge)

Otago Fish & Game ecologist Jayde Couper examines the age rings of an otolith under the microscope. Inset: An otolith from a 565mm,1.7kg (gutted weight) trout caught by Dean Kibble in the 2024 Waipahi Gold competition was found to be 10 years old. Credit: Mason Court.

Otago Fish & Game staff recently organised a workshop for South Island Fish & Game regions on ageing trout and salmon using their otoliths (ear bones).

Much like tree rings, these tiny bones build up annual layers that tell us a fish's age. 

For this clinic, Earth Sciences New Zealand (formerly NIWA and GNS Science) developed a series of simplified methods to age fish and taught them to our staff. They also provided further information on the management implications of the data, including fish growth rates.

One key application of this work is that if fish are taking a long time to reach an angler's desirable size, potentially due to a large population, then regulations could be made less restrictive to encourage harvest and improve growth rates for the remaining fish.  

Designated Waters Reminder

Our management, your memories. Don’t forget your Designated Waters Licence if heading to any Designated Waters Fisheries this season. Photo: Jakub Kanok

The Designated Waters Licence (introduced 2023–24) is still required in addition to your whole-season licence to fish in Otago Designated Waters Fisheries.

In Otago, we have nine Designated Waters Fisheries.

Two Otago Designated Waters — Upper Pomahaka (above Hukerere Station Bridge) and Nevis River — open October 1. The other seven Otago Designated Waters open on November 1.

Read more

Soft Bait Fishing Clinics

Free soft bait fishing clinics will be held near Dunedin and Cromwell in November.

• Wednesday, November 5, 6.30pm, Taieri Ferry Bridge Road, Henley
• Saturday, November 15, 10am, McNulty Inlet, Cromwell

Keep an eye on our Facebook page and upcoming editions of the Otago Weekly Fishing Report for details soon on how to register.

Adult Beginner Fishing Classes

Adult beginners learned how to catch trout in Dunedin, gaining confidence and skills ahead of the new fishing season. Credit: Bruce Quirey

More than 50 adults learned how to catch trout in Otago this month, gaining confidence and skills ahead of the new fishing season.

Our free adult beginner spin-fishing classes were held in Dunedin and Cromwell at the start of September.

These annual beginner classes will return next year — watch our Facebook page and website for registrations.

Read more

We’re On the Move

Otago Fish & Game chief executive Ian Hadland inspects progress on the new building construction at Mosgiel. Photo: Bruce Quirey

Otago Fish & Game Council is preparing to move to a purpose-built headquarters in Mosgiel, with the transition expected to take place in mid-October. Construction of the modern facility, in Hazlett Road, is almost complete. This will replace the organisation’s ageing central Dunedin premises and reflects a future-focused, financially responsible approach to delivering better value for fishing and hunting licence holders.

• The new base will streamline operations and provide a more practical working environment for staff and councillors.
• Our new headquarters reflects careful stewardship of licence holder funds. We’ve reinvested the proceeds from the sale of our Dunedin site to create a building that’s modern, practical, and fit for purpose — with little extra cost to our reserves.
• Designed for efficiency and accessibility, the new single-storey building brings office, workshop, and storage spaces together under one roof. It features level entry access for all visitors, ample on-site parking, and facilities tailored to the needs of a small team and field operations.
• Our central city building was too large for our six staff, expensive to maintain, and would have required significant investment to meet future building and earthquake standards.
• This new building is a better size for our needs, modern, and easier to manage.
• Environmental sustainability is also a key consideration. A rooftop solar power system will reduce emissions and operating costs, while supporting the organisation’s electric vehicle. Modern video conferencing tools will reduce the need for travel, and the Mosgiel location offers easier access to field operations in Central Otago and the south.

“The new base sets us up to deliver on our mission to anglers, hunters and habitat for years to come,” Otago Fish & Game chief executive Ian Hadland says. “We’re looking forward to the move away from the central city and closer to the angling and hunting action and the resources they depend upon.”

Club Updates

Graeme Fraser of the Wakatipu Anglers Club took the trophy for largest fish.

This season we’re starting a new section, Club Updates, connecting you and local fishing clubs.

Wakatipu Anglers Club

“We’re all eager for the start of the season. That said we’ve had members getting good results throughout the winter on some of our open waters.

“We had our annual Turangi River competition with the Tauranga Fishing Club. Tauranga took top honours this year. Graeme Fraser of the Wakatipu Anglers Club took the trophy for largest fish.

“We have our annual beginner fly fishing class open to the public. This year’s class is on Saturday, 25th of October. It’s a full day immersion on fly fishing instruction from our expert members. It’s a great value at $150.”

Email: wakatipuanglersclubnz@gmail.com or call 027 384 2259.

Upper Clutha Anglers Club 2025-2026 Calendar

(All trips subject to weather conditions and member interest)

Regular Club Meetings – First Tuesday of alternate months - evenings 7pm at The Hub.

Nov 4th 2025 [& AGM], Mar 3rd 2026, May 5th 2026, Jul 7th 2026, Sep 1st 2026, Nov 3^rd, 2026 [& AGM].

Socials – 3rd Tuesday of each month @ Lake Bar @ 5pm

Nov 18th 2025, Jan 20th 2026, Feb 17th 2026, Mar 17th 2026, Apr 21st 2026, May 19^th  2026, Jun 16th 2026, Jul 21st 2026, Aug 18th 2026, Sep 15th 2026, Oct 20th 2026.

Email: uppercluthaanglingclub@gmail.com

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.

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 water sports facility.

Here’s the weekend outlook:

Dunedin

Early morning showers on Saturday are expected to clear, with westerlies turning to northerlies in the afternoon. Sunday looks to be the pick of the weekend, with overcast conditions and strengthening northerlies throughout the day.

The Taieri River at Outram was flowing at 24 cumecs this morning. The water temperature was 9.1 degrees C.

Click here for live weather updates.

Wānaka

Saturday is forecast to be cloudy with showers and strong northerlies developing in the afternoon. Sunday brings rain showers but lighter winds, offering opportunities for anglers willing to brave the wet conditions. Take care if fishing rivers, as rising flows are possible with the rain

Click here for live weather updates.

Alexandra

Making the most of the calm mornings will be key for anglers chasing some pre-season action, with showers and strengthening northerlies expected to develop through both weekend days.

Click here for live weather updates.

Clutha Regional Forecast

A wet weekend is forecast for the lower Clutha. Saturday is expected to bring rain and strong westerlies, but Sunday morning looks to be the pick of the weather, offering a brief respite with calm, clear conditions before rain redevelops in the afternoon.

The Pomahaka River was flowing at 22 cumecs.

The lower Clutha River at Balclutha was flowing at 991 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.