Otago Weekly Fishing Report - 30 January 2025

Dive deep for success

The lakes continue to offer excellent fishing opportunities, with our teams out regularly on weekends and weekdays to check angler compliance and assess the success of our licence holders.

Many of our lakes are producing great catches, with Hāwea and Wānaka standing out as top performers. Nearly every boat our teams have encountered on these two lakes has reported catching fish. The key to success seems to be fishing deep, which is typical for this time of year. Techniques like leadlines, paravanes and downriggers are all effective ways to get your lure into the strike zone. While the lures used have varied, it appears that the depth at which they are running is more important than the size, colour or movement of the lures themselves. In most lakes, fish are holding at depths of 9-15m, where the thermocline is currently located.

Stalking the edges

Shallow lake edges adjacent to deep drop-offs provide ideal ambush hunting grounds for cruising trout while also offering excellent spotting conditions for anglers. Photo: Mason Court

Our large lakes are offering plenty of suitable habitat to stalk trout cruising in the shallows. Paired with warm, calm weather, these conditions are ideal for sight fishing.

While conducting compliance work, our rangers have seen an increase in trout patrolling the lake edges.

Popular areas on Wānaka include the shallows around Stevenson’s Arm and Paddock Bay, though most river mouths or the edges of the lake provide good habitat. Often, the area around river mouths is the most productive due to the added food source entering the lake, with the deep drop-offs allowing fish to retreat into deeper water if disturbed.

These cruising fish can be targeted using a range of methods depending on the lake. Small bully imitations and damselfly patterns fished on a floating or intermediate line, slowly crawled in front of a cruising fish, are often very effective.

In Lake Wānaka, where the bullies are particularly small, a large nymph pattern in size 12 or above can be a good substitute. For spin anglers, trimming or shortening soft baits can improve effectiveness by reducing the chance of fish grabbing the tail and missing the hook while successfully matching the prey items.

Weed edge rainbows

Jordan Mace with a stunning 6lb rainbow, caught while working a Calico Candy Z-Man Grub soft bait along the edge of a weed bed on Lake Dunstan. Photo: Scotty Miller

Fishing along the weed edges of Lake Dunstan is starting to heat up, says angler Jordan Mace, with well-conditioned brown and rainbow trout being caught from the shore using soft baits.

Jordan recommends that shore anglers focus on weed edges with deep water nearby, as he has found these areas to be the most productive. Popular spots include Smiths Way and the area near Bendigo Campground on the opposite side of the lake. However, he notes that many other locations can also hold fish.

A variety of soft bait colours and styles have been effective. Bright grub patterns work well during the middle of the day, while darker, more natural colours tend to perform best in the morning and evening. Jordan believes using a light jig head, allowing the soft bait to sink slowly and giving fish more time to strike is one of the most important keys to this style of fishing.

To fish effectively, cast out past the weed edge, let the soft bait sink near the bottom, then give two winds and a twitch — repeat this process consistently. Bright-coloured spinners and bait fishing with worms can also be successful when targeting fish near these weed edges.

Wakatipu tributaries

Ben Laverack with an excellent 5.8lb brown trout, caught on a foam stimulator pattern from one of Lake Wakatipu’s many tributaries. Photo: Ben Laverack

Late January to early February is a prime time to fish larger dry flies and stimulator patterns, as fish are often feeding heavily on terrestrials, says Ben, from Hunting & Fishing Queenstown.

You might be surprised by the size of flies you can get away with, as fish in stillwaters aggressively target adult damselflies and dragonflies. Meanwhile, in the backcountry, cicadas, grasshoppers, spiders and huhu beetles are all on the menu.

Many of the Wakatipu tributaries are likely to be in prime condition after receiving 20–30mm of rain on Wednesday morning. The slight increase in flow should help cool and refresh the rivers, making the fish more active creating some ideal fishing conditions.

When fishing with large dries make sure to extend your leader as the fish will be sitting near the surface and are prone to spooking if lined.

A reminder that the Greenstone and Caples are Designated Waters Fisheries and require a valid Designated Waters Licence in addition to your Whole Season Fishing Licence. For more details about Otago Designated Waters, click here.

Bullock Creek World Wetlands Day this Sunday

Celebrate World Wetlands Day at Bullock Creek Hatchery Springs, Stone Street, Wānaka, from 11am-2pm this Sunday, February 2.

This will be a fun event for all the family to explore the unique urban wetland, hosted by Otago Fish & Game and Friends of Bullock Creek. Bring your picnic rug and enjoy a free barbecue. There will be lots to see and do. Read more here.

Roys Bay boat ramp upgrade

Work to upgrade the Roys Bay boat ramps near Wānaka Marina starts on Monday February 3, which will include the installation of two new full boat ramps and replacement concrete slabs at the top of three of the existing ramps, helping to safeguard the continued use of this community asset.

QLDC plan to deliver these upgrades in stages to make sure most of the ramps remain open for public use while others are being worked on. Crews will start on the eastern side of the boat ramps, before shifting to work on the western side from Monday February 10. QLDC is aiming have all upgrades completed by Sunday February 16.

Some delays should be expected while these works are underway, but staff from the QLDC Waterways team will be on site throughout construction to help users access the boat ramps safely.

Bendigo Wildlife Management Reserve

You are invited under s.41 Reserves Act 1977 to lodge written objections to or suggestions on the draft management plan for the Bendigo Wildlife Management Reserve by 28 March 2025 at the addresses below.

A draft management plan is available for inspection in terms of the Act at the Otago Fish and Game Dunedin Office on the corner of Harrow and Hanover Streets, Dunedin, or 2 Ree Crescent in Cromwell. Submitters should state whether or not they wish to be heard.

The draft management plan is also available for viewing on the New Zealand Fish and Game website at

https://www.fishandgame.org.nz/.../bendigo-wildlife.../

Submissions can be made directly through the website or emailed to otago@fishandgame.org.nz

Greenstone Controlled Fishery

Bookings for the Greenstone Controlled are now open. A Controlled Fishery Period applies from February 1 to March 31 each season on the Upper Greenstone River, from the swing bridge at McKellar Hut to the Sly Burn confluence.

The Controlled Fishery Period requires anglers to make a booking to fish the Upper Greenstone River. This ensures anglers will have exclusive angling access to a determined stretch of river (a beat) for the period of their booking. Beats are booked via an online booking system that operates on a first-come, first-served basis.

Anglers must hold a valid Whole Season Fishing Licence and an Otago Designated Waters Licence. Bookings can only be made up to five days in advance of your intended fishing trip, including on the intended day of fishing. You can select up to a maximum of three consecutive days per booking.

For more information: https://fishandgame.org.nz/freshwater-fishing-in-new-zealand/fishing-regulations/greenstone-river-controlled-fishery/

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

Saturday morning is the best time for anglers to get out and make the most of the conditions before the weather changes, with a mixed forecast for Dunedin this weekend. Saturday is expected to be mostly fine until evening, when showers and southerlies will develop. On Sunday, the weather is forecast to be overcast with isolated showers and strengthening northwesterlies.

The Taieri River at Outram was flowing at 10 cumecs at the time of writing. The water temperature was 17.3 degrees C.

Click here for live weather updates.

Wānaka

A warm weekend is in store for Wānaka, with temperatures reaching the high 20s, fine skies, and light winds — perfect conditions for fishing around and on the lake. The mid-week rain has freshened things up, creating great opportunities for anglers. To make the most of the conditions, anglers should head out during the day before scattered showers arrive in the evening on both Saturday and Sunday.

Click here for live weather updates.

Alexandra

Overcast conditions with a chance of showers are forecast for Saturday. Anglers may be able to take advantage of the developing southerly wind in the evening, as it could blow more food onto the water. Sunday is expected to have partial clouds, a chance of showers, and light winds.

Click here for live weather updates. 

Clutha Regional Forecast

Sunday is the best day for anglers looking to fish the Lower Clutha, with overcast conditions and light winds creating ideal fishing conditions. In contrast, Saturday is expected to have heavy cloud cover, isolated showers, and a brisk westerly developing.

The Pomahaka River was flowing at 7.6 cumecs.

The lower Clutha River at Balclutha was flowing at 372 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.