Otago - May 2010

Changing of the seasons

The sun sets on Lake Hawea and another Otago trout season.

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For a lot of anglers in the south the closing of many lowland waters and the start of duck shooting season brings a switchover of recreational activities.

But there are a multitude of opportunities for those who fish on. Browns have started their spawning runs from the lakes, but the rainbows continue to congregate around the feeder river deltas.

Hawea’s Timaru Creek is handy to Hawea township and has been fishing well. Lake Wanaka’s Makarora delta can be approached from a 4WD access at Boundary Creek and is a great trolling spot. The Matukituki is handy to Wanaka Township, and Benmore’s Aruriri arm is also easily accessed and has a high catch rate.

A deepening drought has seriously affected both the Kakanui and Shag Rivers, with sighting of dead fish being reported from the Shag. Other rivers seem to have scraped through. Releases of fish into Dunedin’s Southern and Northern Reservoirs have replenished those easily-accessed waters.

Salmon catches from the Waitaki during the tail end of the season were encouraging, and good numbers were taken from both the Clutha and Taieri, but catches from Otago Harbour throughout the season were once again disappointing. Only a handful of fish were weighed in during the two-day harbour competition.

Settled sea conditions have favoured the local boaties. Trumpeter continue to feature, but right now you have to work hard for the blue cod. Fish under 35cm (many of the locals only take fish over this size) are coming up two or three at a time, but the larger fish are taking quite some finding.

Crayfish quotas have been practically halved for the coming season. Last season saw a 45% increase. MFish has been quick to drop numbers after the build-up of local stocks obviously went walkabout. Hammering temporary local build-ups and continuing to take larger female crayfish seems short-sighted, but I’m not going to make friends in certain quarters by saying so.

Flounders are in, so time to dust off the spear and light. Early nightfall takes away the excuse of getting to bed too late.

- © Fairfax NZ News