Canterbury is renowned for freshwater fishing. In the summer, fly-fishing for trout and whitebaiting are popular with many anglers.
Whilst the fishing is spectacular in summer - the trout season slows at the end of April. Winter is still a great time to explore new locations and techniques. Low flows in winter allow you to get a good look at the streambed and any potential fish-holding lies.
Rainbow trout are a lot more active than brown in the lakes over the winter months and are a better candidate for the lake angler. Unlike browns, which spawn in winter, rainbows spawn later on in spring, so they still tend to actively feed over the winter.
Salmon fishing in the East coast rivers such as the Rakaia, Rangitata and Waitaki rivers gets underway in January and some excellent ser-run slamon are caught by anglers fishing the river mouth and further up these snow-fed rivers that run out through the canterbury plains to the Pacific ocean.
Nestled on the east coast of the South Island, the KaikÅura coastline is world famous for its rich marine life and coastal heritage.... Read More >
With the underwater topography dropping off from a few metres to over 1500 just a stone's throw from the shore, Kaikoura is a fishing, diving and... Read More >
The Chatham Islands produce monster blue cod, paua and crayfish.... Read More >
About 800km to the east of mainland New Zealand lie the remote Chatham Islands. One thing you will often hear the locals say is “you’ll never... Read More >
Christchurch has a diversity of landscape features, many of which provide unique fishing opportunities, writes Peter Langlands.... Read More >
Peter Langlands heads north from Christchurch on State Highway One, taking a series of coastal diversions.... Read More >
The last few seasons have seen an exciting new fishery develop off the Canterbury coastline – casting lures for the mighty yellowtail kingfish. In previous years,... Read More >
As meaningful fishing targets become fewer with the passage of time, Mark Kitteridge is making a concerted effort to tick off some of the remainder.... Read More >
Possessing over 320 kilometres of coastline and over sixty bays, Banks Peninsula comprises over half of Canterbury’s coastline – so no wonder Peter Langlands wants to... Read More >
The rewards are there to be taken, but Greg Morton finds his monster canal-trout apprenticeship may not yet be complete… A couple of issues ago I... Read More >
On the field, Warriors second rower Kurt Capewell is fierce, focused, and relentless. Away from the game, he enjoys a quieter pursuit: fishing.... Read More >
Make the most of your catch with this tasty croquette recipe using the delicious meat from the head of the fish. ... Read More >
When it comes to smoking meats, often the more time and effort you put in, the better the results will be.... Read More >
Baitfish, although generally an afterthought for recreational fishers, are a crucial part of the whole angling equation... Read More >
Extreme Boats has just released its Proline Alloy range, targeted at budget-conscious anglers and divers. We review the first two models. ... Read More >