You'd have a decent shot at a sea runner down at the mouth with a green zed spinner. I hooked into a mean trout down here on fly gear, but sadly all my gear took such a battering in the surf that the line snapped very soon after. Stand on the seaward side and cast your gear out into the eddy created by the outflowing gear. Then retrieve.

I'd be looking to probably use 15lb line in the surf. I was using 10 pound flouro, and it got battered to bits. That said, it'd probably come into less contact with the rocks whilst spinning.

Ok, I literally mean stand on the beach where the river flows out to sea. Look out to sea. Cast your fly into the slack swirling water created by the outflowing river. Unless the river is flowing straight out this should be apparent. If it's flowing out just cast into the outflowing water and pull it across and through.

I'd say just go for an average-large size one. I really don't know as I'm pretty much exclusively fly fishing.

Hopefully KJ replies and sees this thread. He's far more knowledgeable about this than I.

What are sprats and silverys?

The Rakaia can be a cruel mistress- some days it's on others it ain't. as Lalandi said there are way easier to fish waters around the place but there aren't too many places where huge fiesty browns can destroy you on a nine weight. Anyhow the Rakaia is a huge river and few can claim to be experts as it is also so damn changeable but heres a technigue borrowed off the lure fisherman that will give you as good a chance as any of catching a big searunner or maybe a salmon:

Step 1: ensure you have a licence
Step 2: head to your chosen fishing shop and buy some flies I suggest yellow rabbits in size 2 or 4, grey ghost or hopes silvery in size 2 to 6 and some yellow ladies. Get quite a few. Also by some banana leads and some 15lb Maxima trace line.
Step 3 : monitor the river flows on www.ecan.govt.nz. You want a bit of colour but not a full on fresh- usually perfect conditions are from 150-170 cumecs but this pretty variable so sometimes you've just gotta go. Also dusk and night fishing can be way more productive especially for the big boys.
Step 4: rig up as follows, rig the banana lead with split rings and swivels at both ends, then off the trace end swivel attach two length of mono- one approx 1.2metres and the other around 75cm in length- attach one of the yellow ladies as a salmon/attractor fly to the longest line and one of the other patterns to the other line.
Step 5: Find some good water- it varies in the rakaia but generally fish anything that resembles a drop off, slowing, constricting of flow or that generally looks fishy- you'll work it all out. Cast out, then let the sinker swing in- you'll feel it tap,tap, tapping on the bottom as it swings. At the end of the swing hang the flies then slowly retrieve up the edge.

Hope that helps.

We are now about to plan a trip to either Tekapo or Coleridge, however we are unable to find accommodations for Lake Coleridge (thats as cheap as possible anyways).

i am excited to come give this river a shot...I missed the king salmon season in Alaska this year.

Just a quick update:

I've heard that leaving it to dry is another option. If we left the rods aside in the sun for a week or two (before we go for our next trip) will that be alright?