Otago-Southland-West Coast
Fishing in Southern New Zealand - Otago, Southland, West Coast, and Fiordland
The southern part of the South Island is a popular destination for fresh water fishing with a number of lakes and rivers to choose from.
The large Waitaki river has abundant salmon runs, and the smaller rivers and high country lakes are habitat to significant brown and rainbow trout fisheries. Hydro lakes and canals are home to massive trout which feed in close proximity to the prolific salmon farms.
Saltwater fishing for blue cod and hapuku is also a great option. Pacific bluefin tuna are a target species in the winter months off the West Coast. Fish up to 300kg have been caught by recreational boats.
Winter Fishing in the Alps
August 2021The Southern Alps are a defining part of our island nation. Spanning the entire length of the South Island, the alps, valleys and basins have a... Read More >
Exploring Tuapeka West
May 2021Greg Morton took a trip to Tuapeka West to fish a new section of the Clutha River and was not disappointed. He shares the story of... Read More >
Fishing the Teviot River
March 2021Greg Morton had heard rumours about the small, colourful Treviot River trout, but had never targeted them himself until recently. With a favourable forecast, he ventured... Read More >
Fabulous Fiordland
February 2021Grant Blair recently went on a trip to Fiordland and it exceeded his already high expectations. There was no shortage of fish, crayfish or fantastic sights,... Read More >
Planning A Troutfishing Roadtrip
March 2020Planning a fishing trip takes some thought but using technology such as Google maps makes it even easier.... Read More >
Diving in Fiordland
February 2020Fiordland is one of those exceptional places that is often raved about but remains relatively untouched due to its vast, hard-to-access country and coastline.... Read More >
Destination review: Pounawea estuary
January 2020The Catlins region of Otago is a beautiful, though wild, place. It has a fascinating history where hardy humans had to adapt their lifestyle to succeed... Read More >
Guide to fishing the Mackenzie Canals part 2
October 2019In Part II of this guide to fishing the Mackenzie Country canals, Shane Hartstone covers some of the techniques that lure the hard-fighting canal trout to... Read More >
Guide to fishing the Mackenzie Canals
September 2019In sharing some of his experiences at the Mackenzie Country canals, Shane Hartstone has penned it from a North Islander’s perspective. He is hoping it will... Read More >
Pure salt Charters
August 2019Having been lucky enough to experience the raw beauty and ceaseless bounties of Fiordland once before, I jumped at the chance to join Sam Wild and... Read More >
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Latest Articles
Catch Black Label Livies Review
October 2021Deputy Editor Ethan Neville headed to the Far North with Catch Fishing owner John Donald to check out the brand new Black Label Livies soft-baits, and... Read More >
How to Dry Age Fish
October 2021Bea Bagnall shares her method for dry aging fish & a delicious recipe for Creamy Lemon Snapper Fettuccine... Read More >
Hooks for Whole Fish and Strip Baits
October 2021Mark Kitteridge discusses some hook options when using bait to target table fish, and also walks us through how to rig up basic dropper/ledger rigs.... Read More >
Why you need to check and clean your boat and gear
October 2021From berthage to engine maintenance. Safety equipment to navigation. Food, water, and everything in between. If you’ve got a boat, there is a lot to think... Read More >
A Tribute to Trevally
October 2021Trevally, in the opinion of Hayden Speed, are one of the hardest fighting fish pound for pound in the ocean. Hayden loves to target trevally and as... Read More >