Wellington Weekly Fishing Report - 21 January 2021

The awful squally weather we've had this week is going to blow through just in time for Wellington Anniversary weekend. 

While some of the rivers are still high from the rain, they are surprisingly clean and clear. This means that with sunny skies and settled forecast for the next five days the fishing should be superb. 

If this long weekend is your first chance to get out on a river this season, don't miss the great action anglers have been having - grab your licence now.     

And don't forget that fishing is an awesome boredom buster for the kids who might be starting to get scratchy at the end of the school holidays. Check out our Tip of the Week below for more.

Meantime, enjoy the long weekend and fine weather coming our way, and make the most of the extra day off to get out on the water! Tight lines.

Here's the outlook:   

Pictured: A great start to the year for young Caleb Hibbard who found 4lbs of rainbow gold in the lower Rangitikei River (Credit: Kerry Hibbard).   

Hutt River and tributaries

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The Hutt is carrying a hint of tea colour but otherwise looking great for fishing. This will only get better over the long weekend as the weather improves and the rivers continue to drop. The tribs and their resident trout will all have benefited from the flush of rain earlier this week so it could be an opportune time to check out the Akatarawa, Whakatikei and Pakarutahi too.   

The Hutt River at Melling this morning (Photo: Steve Doughty)           

Kapiti Coast

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The Otaki and Ohau are up a little this morning, with the former holding a bit of colour from the rain but they are still very fishable. They are both dropping quickly and that means that after this fresh there are three days of excellent angling conditions on the cards over the long weekend. Meanwhile, the Waikanae has hardly registered any of the rain earlier in the week - good to go from today if you're off work or the kids are at a loose end.  

The Waikanae River this morning (Photo: Phil Teal)             

Wairarapa

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The Ruamahanga is looking great this morning, despite the high flow. It has a deep green colour to it but a clear edge, ideally suited to spin fishing or stalking trout on the edges with a fly. The Waiohine, Waingawa, and Waipoua are starting to rise just a fraction at time of writing, suggesting they are clearing the last of the rain, but otherwise they should be back to normal for the long weekend (check the flows before heading out). The Tauherenikau hasn't registered any rain and looks good to go at time of writing.      

The Ruamahanga at Gladstone Bridge this morning (Photo: Hamish Carnachan)               

Manawatu

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A mixed bag in the Manawatu this morning with gusty wind and high rivers. Although they are carrying extra flow, the Manawatu, Pohangina and Mangatainoka still look fishable this morning, however they are registering a small spike in flow. The Oroua is moderate flow but dirty. Based on the settled weather forecast we're going to pick that the rivers in this part of the region will be fishable - certainly for spin fishing - over the weekend but check the latest data before you head out on the water.              

The Pohangina River at Piripiri this morning (Photo: Horizons)

Rangitikei

Click here for live weather updates.

It is a bit grey and overcast in the upper reaches of our catchment this morning but the forecast is for the showers to make way for clearer skies over the long weekend. The Rangitikei and Hautapu are both carrying extra flow but are clear enough to be fished with fly gear and conditions are currently excellent for spinning.                               

Rangitikei River at Mangaweka this morning (Photo: Horizons)

Tip of The Week - School Holiday Boredom Buster

Kids start to get a bit scratchy and bored the longer the holidays drag, so now is an excellent time to take them fishing. 

We are incredibly lucky in the lower North Island in that most towns have quality fisheries within the city limits if not very nearby.

This means kids who are old enough can go fishing alone - that's right, kick them off those screen and get them out of the house - or if they need supervision isn't too much of a time or cost impost to take them for short fishing outing to break up the day.

Remember that time invested now could well payoff when they get hooked on angling and want to be out on the water all day during the holidays when they're old enough!

Kid-friendly fisheries close to our main centres that can be accessed by foot or bike include:

Wellington/Hutt - Hutt and Akatarawa rivers.             

Kapiti Towns - Waikane and Otaki rivers; Winstone Aggregates lakes.

Masterton - Ruamahanga, Waingawa and Waipoua rivers; Henley Lake. 

Palmerston North - Manwatu River; Hokowhitu lagoon. 

If you'd like more info on getting kids into fishing or any of these 'urban' fisheries, please get in touch. Alternatively, you can check out our Getting Started in Trout Fishing multimedia here.     

- By Wellington Fish & Game officer Hamish Carnachan.         

Webcams

Click the screen shot below to go to Horizon's website showing the list of available river webcams.

Notice board

• Fishing regulations for the Wellington Fish & Game region can be found here.  
• Don't get a nasty surprise by Greater Wellington Regional Council's river bulldozing ruining your day on the river. The upcoming activity schedule can be found here.

  Email Wellington Communications and Field Officer Hamish Carnachan if you'd like any fishing or freshwater-related items posted to this noticeboard.

​*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.