Spring Fishing in the South Island

The first of September sees the start of spring. In many ways September is an in-between month, with the main trout fishing season starting for many on October 1. Yet for the keen angler September is a great month to get out and explore some options to get tuned up for the busier months ahead. Peter Langlands offers a few options...

Salmon

In recent years there have been some good catches of sea-run salmon at Kaikoura in September. The fish are actively feeding and often caught on the edge of kahawai shoals. Spin fishing off the beach is the main method for catching these fish, with the beach front adjoining the railway station being a top spot. Trolling lures from a kayak or a small boat along the beach from Kaikoura Township heading north is also an option. Another location worth targeting salmon in is Akaroa Harbour. The recent escape of farmed fish has boosted salmon numbers in the harbour. Fishing an anchovy bait under a float is highly effective. A third option for catching salmon in September, specifically sockeye salmon, is by trolling the midwater at Lake Benmore. In recent decades the number of sockeye salmon in the lake has increased significantly. Sockeyes average around 1.5 kilograms and are outstanding eating when baked whole. In recent years trolling parts of the shoreline of Lake Tekapo has also become an option for catching lake-locked Chinook salmon.

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Kahawai in close

September sees kahawai starting to turn up in close around many river mouths, making this a good time to get out the saltwater flies. Many of the east coast river mouths will have good numbers of kahawai in September with the Hurunui River Mouth being a favourite of mine. Keep an eye out for flocks of white-fronted terns (or shearwaters) that will often mark where the kahawai shoals are. The Waimakariri River Mouth is a top location with kahawai chasing whitebait along the sand flats when the outgoing tide is at its strongest. September also sees the appearance of large shoals of kahawai in close along Kaikoura’s coastline.

For mainlanders, September marks the start of good numbers of kahawai in shallow water.

For mainlanders, September marks the start of good numbers of kahawai in shallow water.

Surfcasting

The main surfcasting season also begins in September with the appearance of rig in large numbers close inshore. The beaches in Marlborough fish well in early September, while Canterbury’s surfcasting beaches fish better for rig later in the month. Blue moki start to become more active in close in September. The first of the new season’s elephant fish also turn up in September with the surfcasting beaches on the South Island’s west coast well worth checking out – at least until the main season starts in October for elephant fish on the South Island’s east coast.

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Whitebait

September sees the start of the white-bait season on the South Island’s west coast and is a great time to venture over there for a fish. Okarito Lagoon is one of my favourite spots for whitebaiting with plenty of space for visiting baiters to scoop net in the outflow channel. Karamea’s and Westport’s rivers also have some large whitebait runs in September, whereas the larger whitebait runs often do not start on the east coast until October. The warmer sea and river temperatures on the west coast no doubt account for their larger whitebait catches earlier in the season.

Spring browns and sea-runs

In many parts of the South Island sea-run brown trout come back into full feeding mode in September (after spawning), becoming active again in shallower water. Many of the larger lakes on the South Island’s west coast are open all year round and some good-sized brown trout can be taken on lake edges on woolly buggers (especially Lake Brunner). Inland lakes in the central South Island also start to fish well in September, with trout chasing baitfish, primarily bullies, back into the shallows (with Lake Benmore being a favourite spot). In Southland some large sea-runs are taken at the mouths of the region’s larger rivers in September. Soft-baits can work well on light spinning gear in this period as trout often seek out larger prey items.

Monster rainbows in the Mackenzie Country hydro canals

September sees the end of the spawning season for rainbow trout in the canals and is still a good month to consistently catch large rainbow trout by egg rolling. In recent years egg rolling has proven to be highly effective and many rainbows from 20-30 pounds have been taken. Having a large diversity of egg colours is important as the fish are always more likely to snap at something new. The ‘magic carpet’, an area of fine gravels on the Tekapo Canal, has to date been the most consistent location for large rainbows. In many of the surrounding hydro lakes September is a good month for targeting rainbow trout around river mouths (especially the Ahuriri River Mouth).

Perch fishing

The feeding behaviour of freshwater perch is very sensitive to the temperature. The slight increase in water temperature and baitfish activity in September sees freshwater perch becoming a lot more active. Lake Forsyth, open all year round, is a very popular location for catching perch with fish averaging around 1.8 kilograms – a fun size to catch on ultra-light gear! Many slow-flowing streams and coastal lakes in Otago also have good perch populations, with Waihola in particular being a very productive perch fishing lake. Freshwater perch often shoal and can be caught in large numbers. When you find a good spot they are a great option for younger anglers. They are certainly very beautiful fish to look at and it’s awesome to see an increase in interest in perch fishing in NZ.

Lake Forsyth is a top option for perch in September.

Lake Forsyth is a top option for perch in September.

Overall, September is an exciting month to go fishing. It is the prelude to October, by which time many fisheries are in full swing, making it a great time to venture out and get all your gear tuned up and ready to go.

   This article is reproduced with permission of   
New Zealand Fishing News

September 2019 - Peter Langlands
Re-publishing elsewhere is prohibited

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