Otago Weekly Fishing Report - 9 October 2025
- Otago
- 9/10/2025
Escaping the wind and rain
Callum Kyle with a thumper brown trout plucked out of some clear water before the rain last weekend. Photo: Supplied
To say the first seven days of the 2025/2026 fishing season were a mixed bag would be putting it politely.
Rain and wind made for some chilly fishing conditions, but those anglers who braved the elements were rewarded with some excellent catches. Some managed to find clear water in smaller tributaries and headwaters, while others embraced the high flows and adjusted their techniques to suit the discoloured conditions. There were even reports of large mayfly hatches occurring on certain rivers. Despite a windy and damp weekend forecast for most of the region, there are plenty of opportunities on offer for the adaptable angler.
Patience pays off
Jayde Couper landed this fine brown trout on a black, sparsely tied size 16 nymph last week. Inset: Another good option for fly anglers, chironomids were prolific at the edge of pools. Credit: Jayde Couper.
Fish & Game officer Jayde was out on the Waihemo/Shag River on Friday, just before the rain.
The river was running low and clear, and although the day was warm and mostly sunny, a lot of time was spent waiting for breaks in the wind to be able to see into the water. Despite these tricky conditions, he managed to land a few fish.
As usual on the Shag, the fish were finicky and hard to catch. Most of the fish were in long, slow pool sections that are more like a lake than a river. Jayde found that observing a fish's patrol route and waiting for it to return gave his light-weight nymphs time to sink. A slight twitch as it came within 3m enticed a take.
Plenty of fish investigated his flies and turned their noses up, so fly changes were required. Most of the luck was on size 16, black, sparsely tied nymphs. Jayde didn’t have a spin rod but thinks a small Veltic spinner or softbait would have pulled fish out of some of the deeper holes.
The edges of the pools contained snail species and many chironomids (small, red, non-biting midge), and these would also be good imitations for fly anglers to try.
Shining in the cold
Mark Briggs with a solid brown trout that couldn’t resist the extra flash of a Black Max Spin Max in blue and silver. Credit: Supplied.
It’s been a cold and damp start to the beginning of the season in South Otago, with early spring rain and snowmelt often leaving rivers running high and discoloured, making spotting fish difficult.
In these conditions, using shiny, flashy lures can be effective, as the extra flash and movement help attract trout in murky water. Targeting river edges and backwaters where the current is softer and food tends to collect can produce the best results.
Plenty of time to beat own record
Midge pupa imitations undid several rainbows at Maniototo dams last weekend, including these caught and released by Mike Weddell and (inset) Murray Smart. Photos: Bruce Quirey.
When rivers are high and dirty, fishing the reservoirs are a sensible option – if standing all day in the cold is sensible.
Fly angler Mike Weddell jokes he’s caught his biggest trout of the season in the Maniototo dams. That was only the fifth day, so there’s plenty of time to beat his own record.
Mike hooked a 6lb brown on an olive damsel fly nymph pattern on a reasonably slow morning’s fishing at Mathias Dam. Fishing the same dam, Murray Smart picked up a rainbow on a corixa pattern. Late in the morning, he switched to a midge pupa imitation for a rising fish. That was its undoing. Their favourite fly patterns for these waters are usually damsel fly nymphs and corixa.
After lunch the pair fished Blakelys Dam where rainbows were rising sporadically and several were taken on midge pupa patterns. In stillwater trout often feed into the wind while patrolling a beat. Unless you’re very quick, don’t cast necessarily to where you just saw the rise. Try casting ahead to where you think the fish is moving.
Protect our spawning areas
A quick heads-up for those fishing in Central Otago — all lakes, rivers, and streams within the Clutha River catchment upstream of Clyde Dam are closed until 1 November, unless specifically listed as open in the regulations.
In other words: if it’s not listed as open, it’s not open.
Please leave those waters alone — they’re important spawning habitat for rainbow trout at this time of year, and protecting them now helps ensure the future of our fisheries.
Check the Otago Fish & Game fishing regulations before you head out.
Spinning between storms
Sharon Jeanneret with a brown trout caught casting a spinner around the Glenorchy shoreline this week. Credit: Supplied.
When the gap in the weather is limited before conditions deteriorate again, a quick spin from the shoreline can be rewarding and productive.
Setting up a fly rod in windy conditions can test your patience and is often heavily affected by the wind, making spinning gear sometimes a more practical option in high winds. Ben from Hunting & Fishing Queenstown recommends using heavier, small-profile lures, which punch through the wind. The smaller profile is less likely to spook fish, while the extra weight sinks quickly. Target steep drop-offs along shorelines and river mouths where fish often cruise. The same approach works well with soft baits. Using a slightly heavier jig head can help casting and get the bait to go deeper.
Proving fussy at Poolburn
With many rivers around Central Otago still closed or running high and discoloured, Tim from Hunting & Fishing Central Otago says customers have been having success finding shelter and fish at Poolburn Dam using bright orange and black-and-gold Tobys.
Tim says anglers initially found the fishing extremely slow, working through their entire tackle box before the fish suddenly came on the bite, whether due to a change in the weather or the switch in lures. Fish of up to 7lb were reported being caught. Anglers also had success fishing live worms from the shoreline. The road to Poolburn is very greasy after rain, so take extreme care if planning a trip.
Cromwell Fly Fishing Course with Hunting & Fishing Central Otago and Mike Weddell
Soft Bait Fishing Clinics
Learn how to catch more trout, salmon and perch at free soft bait fishing clinics this November.
The hands-on sessions, hosted by Otago Fish & Game and Okuma pro-angler Lance Gill, will be held at two locations:
DUNEDIN
- Taieri River, near the red bridge on Taieri Ferry Road, Titri
- 6.30pm to 8.30pm, Wednesday, November 5
CROMWELL
- Lake Dunstan, McNulty Inlet
- 10am to noon, Saturday, November 15
The clinics will cover the essentials of soft bait fishing — lure selection, rig set-ups, casting techniques, and how to retrieve soft baits to trigger strikes.
Free to attend. Select here to register online on the Fish & Game website.
Reminder: We’re moving
Otago Fish & Game Council is preparing to move to a purpose-built headquarters at 5 Hazlett Rd, Mosgiel.
The transition is expected to take place after October 22. Please bear with us around this period. We are currently still in our old office on the corner of Harrow and Hanover Streets, central Dunedin.
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
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 Watersports Facility.
Bookmark the ORC Environmental Data Portal for real-time flows, temperature, and lake levels.
Fish & Game officers out and about today reported the Manuherekia was high and dirty, as was Kye Burn and the Taieri River below the confluence.
The upper Taieri above Kye Burn was high but clear and the Shag looked fishable.
Many rivers were blown out and unfishable early this week due to heavy rainfall. Keep an eye on flow rates at the ORC Environmental Data Portal. Credit: Steve Dixon.
A lot of anglers were on foot fishing Diamond Creek on the way up to Lake Reid and Diamond Lake last weekend. Credit: Cole Briggs.
Here’s the weekend outlook:
Dunedin
Warm and windy conditions are expected around Dunedin this weekend, with northerly winds strengthening as the weekend progresses. Scattered showers are forecast to develop on Sunday, accompanied by increasing northerlies. Finding a sheltered spot on Saturday morning before the winds pick up could provide the best angling opportunities. The bright side is that the warm air temperatures should make for pleasant fishing conditions despite the wind.
The Taieri River at Outram was at 69 cumecs this morning.
The water temperature was 10.4 degrees C.
Click here for live MetService weather updates.
Wānaka
Saturday morning looks to be the time for fishing in Wānaka this weekend, with conditions expected to deteriorate from Saturday afternoon as northerly winds strengthen. Sunday will see a few showers turning to rain, with heavy falls and northwesterlies developing.
Click here for live MetService weather updates.
Alexandra
Like much of the region, Alexandra is in for a windy weekend, with northwesterlies easing Saturday evening, offering some respite. Scattered showers and strengthening northwesterlies are expected on Sunday. Take care if heading up to the reservoirs or dams, as recent rain has left the access track very slippery.
Click here for live MetService weather updates.
Clutha Regional Forecast
Saturday is expected to be fine around the Lower Clutha, with isolated showers developing during the day. Anglers targeting sea-run trout on the lower coast should make the most of the calm morning, as northwesterlies are forecast to strengthen to gale-force later. On Sunday, scattered showers and westerly winds are expected to ease in the afternoon, offering some respite. Anglers should take care around the Clutha and Pomahaka rivers, as recent floods may have altered riverbanks and left behind hazardous debris.
The Pomahaka River was flowing at 40 cumecs this morning dropping from a massive 260 cumec flood flow on Wednesday.
The lower Clutha River at Balclutha was at 935 cumecs, which is considered high flow by ORC.
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.
Disclaimer:
The information presented in these news items is based on the context and regulations in place at the time of publication. Please note that some articles may include reference to laws and regulatory standards that have since changed. For the most current and accurate information please check our Fishing Licences & Regulations pages or our Hunting Licences & Regulations pages.