Get Out When You Can - The Fishing Is Fantastic            

Pictured - Lovely conditions for fly fishing on the Mangahao River yesterday (Credit: Hamish Carnachan)    

 A band of rain is set to push through from the north over the next few days.

So far the forecast has it affecting northern parts of our region more than the Manawatu, Wairarapa and Hutt areas. 

That said, anglers are going to have to watch closely and see how conditions play out by checking the live flows before hitting the water.

On the positive side, the water table has dropped markedly in some parts, particularly in the central and eastern parts of the Wellington Fish & Game region, after a dry spell.

This means rain is being absorbed into groundwater rapidly, with rivers clearing quickly after the weather has pushed through.

That will likely happen with this latest front so be prepared for some fishable conditions and squeeze a few casts in when you can this weekend.

We encourage you to get out when time and weather permits because, despite some intermittent rain, the fishing has been really good so far this season.                

Don't forget to grab your licence and we hope to see you out there.          

Here's the outlook for the weekend:

Hutt River and tributaries

Click here for live weather updates.

The Hutt, Akatarawa, Pakarutahi and Whakatikei are all low and clear at time of writing. The fishing in the mainstem river has been excellent this week when the wind hasn't been blowing too hard. Anglers report seeing more fish around, possibly as they disperse following the whitebait runs. Reasonable numbers of good fish are still in the tribs but the amount of holding water is dissipating as flows lower, and this will force less dominant trout to move back into the Hutt.         

The Hutt River at Totara Park this morning (Credit: Al Markham)  

Kapiti Coast 

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After a week or so of negligible rain we've got low flows and clear rivers on the Kapiti Coast. There is rain expected to push in from the north from tomorrow, although it is supposed to be sporadic. The Waikanae, Ohau and Otaki are fishable at present but the forecast means anglers are going to have to check the flows online as part of the planning for the weekend's angling. Pack a raincoat, and perhaps a spinning rod too.             

The Otaki River at SH1 this morning (Credit: Joy Teal)

Wairarapa 

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Blustery but generally fine conditions predominate in Wairarapa this morning. All the big rivers - the Ruamahanga, Waiohine, Waingawa and Tauherenikau - look great today. Some rain is forecast to arrive later tomorrow but at this stage it doesn't look to be enough to disrupt weekend fishing plans. Keep an eye on how much rain eventuates, and consider the smaller streams as they are still fishing very well.            

The Waiohine River above Greytown this morning (Credit: Hamish Carnachan)

Manawatu

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The Manawatu River is quite low and very clear at time of writing of this morning. The good news for anglers in this part of the region is that Horizons Regional Council expects it to drop further, still despite the rain in the forecast. Watch Saturday as more rain comes through but it is expected to be short lived. The Pohangina and Oroua could be the go if the Manawatu comes up. Plenty of fish still in the Mangatainoka with reports of some great catches from this river during the week.                     

The Manawatu River at Hopelands this morning (Credit: Horizons)

Rangitikei 

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The Rangitikei River, Hautapu and Kawhatau are in the best shape they've been so far this season at time of writing. Unfortunately this part of the region is going to cop the most rain from the coming front. Subsequently, Horizons Regional Council expects the Rangitikei to start rising from this afternoon. Local anglers keen for a fish could make then short 45-muinte run down to Marton to target the plentiful rainbows in the Tutaenui Reservoir (see below for more info).                     

The Rangitikei River at Mangaweka this morning (Credit: Horizons) 

Video Of The Week

The latest issue  of Pure Fly sees the team battling some tough season opening conditions in the South Island. Click the screenshot below to watch.

Tip of The Week - New Stillwater Fishing Option

Perch are abundant in the Tutaenui Reservoir as are rainbow trout. 

The recent family fishing event put on by Rangitikei District Council and Fish & Game at Tutaenui Reservoir near Marton was a huge success.

Many whanau and members of the Royal NZ Airforce turned out to enjoy some quality time together, in pleasant surrounds, with some good angling on offer too. 

Wellington Fish & Game released 400 rainbow trout into the dam to supplement the existing sport fish population. 

These fish were two-year-olds so they're a good size and there are still plenty swimming around waiting to be caught.

There is also a good population of medium-sized perch which are exciting to catch.

Perch are also a prized table fish and arguably eat better than trout!

The reservoir now offers anglers in the region a great stillwater fishing opportunity, an excellent fallback when rain has rendered the rivers unfishable.

For details on how to get to the Tutaenui Reservoir, please get in touch with the team.         

Angling News - Read The Latest Issue Online

For the latest season prospects, tips and techniques, and updates on what the Wellington Fish & Game team has been up to, click the cover shot below. 

Noticeboard

• Treble Hooks - New regulations for the 2022-23 season ban the use of treble hooks on waterways where there are maximum size limits on trout i.e., fish over a certain size must be returned. These rivers are identified in Note 3 on page 39 of the regulations book. This measure was adopted by the Wellington Fish & Game Council to help the survival of large fish, the breeding specimens, when released after being caught. Please consult the Wellington section of the regulations guide, particularly Note 5 which details where trebles are permitted. All other waters only single hooks are allowed. 

• Wellington Fish & Game has been advised of the following dates for flushing flows from the Moawhango Dam:

13 Dec, 21:00-06:00

24 Jan, 21:00-02:00

14 Feb, 21:00-02:00

14 Mar, 21:00-02:00

25 Apr, 21:00-02:00

• River Bulldozing - Don't get an unwelcome surprise by Greater Wellington Regional Council's river bulldozing ruining your day on the river. The upcoming activity schedule can be found here.

• The Happy Valley Trout Centre is having an open day December 11. For more information please contact Strato Cotsilinis.      

• Upcoming fishing competitions:

  January 29-30, 2023: Sport Fly Fishing New Zealand Inc (SFFNZ) Ruamahunga Regional Competition is to be run 29-30 January 2023 from Kokotau Rd (Gladstone) to Te Whiti Rd (Masterton).

 If you have any information you'd like to have considered for addition to the notice board, please get in touch with us.  

​*This report was accurate at time of writing. For your safety please ensure you check the latest weather and river flow information before you head out on the water.