Salmon action at Kaikoura

Once again, the weather has been settled over the past two weeks, but the sea has been a bit lumpy locally making it tough on the boat anglers.

Saltwater: As mentioned above, the sea hasn’t been the kindest lately but flicking smaller shiny lures with plenty of action is proving effective for salmon off the beach at Kaikoura. Concentrating close inshore, casting behind the waves, normally does the trick. They’re not around for a long period up there and September generally sees the best of it. I mentioned last report to keep an eye on the past full moon for the whitebait – and I was right! The east coast rivers all appeared to get some good numbers of bait coming in through that period. The West Coast on the other hand has been unusually quiet – might need to keep an eye on that October full moon! Lake Ellesmere has been opened to the sea this week, and as a rule, the whitebait like to get in there, so it could be good this weekend!

Freshwater: We’re on the cusp of the freshwater fishing season kicking off on October 1, and the timing to open Lake Ellesmere couldn’t be better for our lowland anglers. The influx of whitebait and silveries into the system is what makes those resident fish fat and drags trout in from the sea to help replenish numbers. The Ellesmere feeder streams normally fish best at night with bait fish imitations, but early morning can produce some neat sight fishing opportunities too, with small nymphs often proving effective.

Lucy McMillan with a Lake Coleridge brown trout. 

Lake Coleridge closes on September 30, and from what we’ve been hearing it has still been fishing well, so make the most of the last few days before the season is over. The lake is very high currently, which can make foot access a little more difficult, but can also provide the chance of trout cruising the shallows more readily in search of some tasty morsels. Remember to fish your feet first!

We have a very active team of keen anglers in our Fishing Department, so please fire any questions our way and we will point you in the right direction to keep you on the fish. Please check out our Facebook page for more info on what we are up to in Canterbury.