It's interesting how we quickly assume that this season is worse or better than the last. Without the fishing diary and indeed last year’s copies of the Troutfisher, one’s memory is inclined to be decidedly short. I was going to start off with a crack at our unseasonable weather and lack of summer to date. Low and behold that’s exactly what I had to say this time last year. So this season is very similar to the last. Summer is very average to date and the wind is, as usual dictating the terms. The West to Nor-west winds that we are having troubles with at present are a pain in the butt. The only option is to find water that puts the wind at our back or those few sheltered spots that give us the opportunity to fish upstream. One of the biggest hassles with a strong down stream wind is not so much the casting as the lack of line control with mends on the drift. It is very frustrating to have the wind pick your line off the water and destroy a drift. This was the case last week with a big brown on the Matukituki. We had the fish sighted and from a mere 6 metres, had to wait 45 minutes to get the one cast. To our delight he came from a couple of meters deep and sucked in a large cicada pattern. That one fish was the icing on a goods days fishing, it had little to do with the size of the fish, more to do with the determination to stick it out and capitalize on the few opportunities that we were presented with that day. Another fish was fooled by a long down stream drift. That fish also came from deep down to take a large dry. The very wind that was making the fishing difficult gave us the cover to get into an upstream position and make the cast. So what should we expect for March? Some heat in the sun and not so much wind would be a bonus. I am not counting on that, so it’s going to be a ‘hotchpotch’ of different waters for different weathers. The inflowing waters such as the Hunter, Young, Wilkin, Makarora and Matukituki should continue to fish well. The Wilkin is harboring some very nice Browns at the moment and with a little luck they should be well focused on Cicada’s and Grasshoppers. Bare in mind that like most fish, they are getting well educated by March so don’t expect to find them in the margins. I’d look for them along the deeper quiet banks and in the back 3rd of the pools. If that doesn’t work then fish the fast heavy water with a size 8-10 stimulator or humpy pattern and experiment with a nymph dropper, around 20 –30cm down. There are still good flows in most rivers and the water temperatures are not to warm, forcing the fish deep. The Hunter is fishing well with good numbers of both Rainbows and Browns. If you are lucky enough to have a hot day without a down river wind, you will get plenty of good fishing. The Makarora’s few fish are getting very difficult to catch. The rainbows in particular are showing total contempt for a less than prefect presentation. Some of the browns are still very catchable and of good size. I walked from the mouth of the Motatapu to the Aspiring Road last week and with the exception of one fish at the confluence with the Matukituki, saw no trout over a 5km distance. The Matukituki has some good fish and if the river is not discolored by snow-melt is a lovely river to fish. The scenery alone makes for an enjoyable day. With the cooling evening temperatures, the snow melt will lessen and the fishing improve. The Hawea is fishing well when the flows are down. The mighty Clutha is having plenty of good caddis hatches at night and with the less than perfect weather, it is not seeing quite the number of anglers as normal. This is true of most of the local fisheries which will continue to improve as the season progresses. The Lindis is very low and clear and the section from Cludden Hill to the mouth is almost dry with irrigation draw off. This is an annual occurrence and the fish that don’t migrate seem to manage somehow in the remaining pools. So it’s really going to be the last of the summer months for the best of the dry fly fishing in our area. The cicadas’ are about when the weather heats up and if they are not, then there are the quiet waters and plenty of willow grub activity, especially around the head of Lake Dunstan. Both Hawea and Wanaka are fishing well to cruising Browns and I have best results on those windy days with big dries bouncing on the waves. Its not classic sight fishing but the sight of a big Brown lifting to a size 10 dry is fun enough. Get out and enjoy.

 

From Gerald & Sue Telford Fishing and Hunting Services

Report type: Freshwater

Report date: 26 February 01

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