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Hanmer River Access

Printed From: The Fishing Website
Category: Freshwater Fishing
Forum Name: Freshwater Fission
Forum Description: The place to discuss all matters related to freshwater fishing!
URL: https://www.fishing.net.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=58496
Printed Date: 06 Jun 2026 at 2:20am


Topic: Hanmer River Access
Posted By: Cuzza
Subject: Hanmer River Access
Date Posted: 12 Oct 2010 at 11:22am
Here i go again asking for help.... going to a wedding in Hanmer this weekend, and want to sneak in some fishing, have had a look on the usual websites to see if there is any access for fly fishing close to Hanmer, we will only have a car, no 4wd, is there anywhere nearby than you can get access to a fishable river? On the net the only thing I could find was a 4wd track just after the Hanmer bridge?


Replies:
Posted By: flyfisher
Date Posted: 12 Oct 2010 at 11:34am
Jump on over into the Clarence Cuzza, lovely river, quite an easy drive over Jollies Pass even for a two wheel drive (esp. if a rental!). Reasonable numbers of fish (some quite large) and rock and stone water. Dog Brook which runs through the town centre used to have tons of browns but they are small. The Hanmer and Percival also hold fish but never found them overly productive.
 
The Waiau has some quality fishing off the highway through to the Pass, have caught some good fish scrambling down the bank when the water is clear and pushing up into the gorge (have caught Salmon as well on trout spin gear as a by-catch here as well when river was dirty) it's a large river so cross carefully, the fish tend to sit deep under the current.
 
The Hope River just up the road is also very good for big fish, not big numbers but well worth it as they often run 6-8lbs and often there's no need to tramp to the upper reaches, I've always found it most productive along the barren highway stretches - it is guided heavily in the upper reaches. Then there's the Boyle, Nina, Lewis etc etc... paradise!


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https://www.youtube.com/user/troutboynz

Posted By: Mike.Thomas
Date Posted: 13 Oct 2010 at 6:31am

Fish and Game have access signs at good access points all along the Waiau, with parking spots. I just stopped at one of these and fished, there was enough water to fish for an hour or so without crossing.

Good luck.
All the best.
Mike

Posted By: jamesdaulton
Date Posted: 13 Oct 2010 at 2:23pm

I dont want to hijack this thread - but I will be in the (that) vacinity early Jan. Is it worth a fish then? if so any tips and what gear to pack? I usually have spin and fly gear in the car...but will be short of space I suspect.

Posted By: Mike.Thomas
Date Posted: 14 Oct 2010 at 9:11am
Hi James, January is a good time, plenty of terrestrials for the trout to feed on. I fished the waiau with a #6 fly rod using a dry fly as an indicator and a small pheasant tail or similar under it. Personaly when fishing big water i ignore most of it and concentrate on fishing the edges, I took a lovely 5lb brown from here standing in shin deep water and casting back towards the bank, he must have been siting in water no more than a foot deep.
A spin rod will allow you to target the deaper pools, you never know you may get an early Salmon!
All the best.
Mike

Posted By: jamesdaulton
Date Posted: 14 Oct 2010 at 9:23am
Thanks Mike - great info - I will go prepared and risk the wrath of the wife!
 
I've never caught a salmon....even the slightest chance is very inticing!

Posted By: Cuzza
Date Posted: 20 Oct 2010 at 10:47am
Well got up to Hanmer, weather was awesome, shot over Jacks Pass to the Clarence, no joy, but the river was fantastic. Talking to a few people down there, it seems most of the fishing up there is sight fishing, and blind fishing in the high country rivers is tough work. I saw a few fish around some of the rivers around Hanmer, but nothing in the Clarence, still had a bloody good time though. Saw didymo for the first time. Ive got some didymo spray at home, but I was told that I could put my boots in the freezer overnight and that would take care of them, and just make sure that all of my gear is dead dry before using it again. Look forward to getting back down there......

Posted By: Mike.Thomas
Date Posted: 21 Oct 2010 at 10:53am
Hey Cuzza, glad you had a good time. Use that didymo spray AS WELL as freezing and drying out your gear! It will only take one single cell of live didymo to infect a waterway.
All the best.
Mike

Posted By: Fishsnatcher
Date Posted: 21 Oct 2010 at 11:04am
The didymo spray I''m pretty sure is just detergent stuff, clean your gear with some dish-washing liquid and then dry it out and you'll be fine

Posted By: flyfisher
Date Posted: 21 Oct 2010 at 10:33pm
Good to hear you enjoyed it Cuzza, it's a magic part of the country. One day on your must do list is to drive through from Hanmer to Blenheim via the road to Rainbow Station taking in the Upper Wairau... some stunning water and very productive. 

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https://www.youtube.com/user/troutboynz


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