Rivermouth action going off!

I’m almost scared to jinx things, but the weather has been kind to us again over the past couple of weeks! Warm, dry weather has been the mainstay; a little windy at times, but manageable.

Freshwater

Kahawai have been absolutely going off at the river mouths! The numbers of these fish are nothing short of phenomenal at the moment. Anglers at the Hurunui, Waimakariri, and Rakaia river mouths have enjoyed an abundance of kahawai. It has been great to see how many families have been getting out there, having heaps of fun and also putting some food on the table.

Small, shiny lures like ticers, and little jigs and spoons like Chinooks and Senkou, seem to be the go-to presently, but remember-soft baits work really well too, and if you intend to release your fish then a single hook helps with that. It is a very simple process to switch out your treble for singles on most lures.

The sound of cicadas has been echoing around the place lately. Fishing terrestrial patterns in our high country is always a memorable way to spend a day or two, and if you’re like me and your casting can be a little wayward at times, having these patterns hit the water hard is often an advantage!

Reef Ward added plenty of fun into his holiday courtesy of some great Rakaia river mouth kahawai action.

Saltwater

The settled weather has continued to see some magnificent sea conditions and catches of bluefin tuna right down the West Coast. For anyone interested, we have Sam Macklin from Shimano NZ and Chris Firkin from Black Magic Tackle in store from 6pm Monday, January 30, to share their knowledge on targeting bluefin tuna.

The same sea conditions haven’t gone a miss on the east coast either, Motunau and Akaroa have seen great viz for diving. There have been some good opportunities to get out wider from Akaroa and nab some ‘puka, cod and gurnard. The kingfish out of Lyttleton are in their prime now, although there has been the odd day that they have been there but difficult to catch – perhaps the conditions have been a bit too good?

When they are in that mood, changing things up can often spark a response. Try a soft-bait or a slow-pitch jig rather than a stickbait and even when you are fishing a topwater lure, have a jig or softy ready just in case you are getting follows but no takes.

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.

Simon McMillan
Christchurch Hunting and Fishing New Zealand
75 Clarence Street, Addington, Christchurch
03 3430212
https://www.facebook.com/ballingershf.co.nz
www.huntingandfishing.co.nz