Canterbury - May 2010

Prime time for lake fishing

The Pigeon Bay Heads area is a top spot for boat fishing for red cod.

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Often the first half of May has settled weather and is a prime time to fish the region’s larger lakes.

Lakes Waitaki, Benmore, Ohau and, to a lesser extent, Aviemore, all offer great trout fishing, with trolling being the preferred method. If the weather is still and the sun out, all these lakes also offer superb lake-edge stalking opportunities. Also, due to recent releases of land-locked salmon into Benmore, there are improved fishing opportunities here, too, while Lake Coleridge – which is regularly stocked by surplus fish from salmon farms – is closed in May but reopens in June. Trolling is productive in this lake for those with boats.

In fact, most of the region’s lakes are now being actively stocked with either salmon or rainbow trout. Lake Selfe, next to Coleridge, has been regularly stocked with rainbows, and is a good angling opportunity in either late April or during June. Fish up to 4.5kg (10 pounds) have been taken from the lake in recent years.

In addition to salmon and rainbow trout stocking, Fish & Game is also looking at setting up a brown trout hatchery this winter. The plan is to release browns into Lake Ellesmere to restore the lake’s trout fishery.

The lower Selwyn and Halswell Rivers are worth fishing, especially if the lake is high, as large trout cruise into these rivers to feed. The mid to lower sections of the Hurunui provide an outstanding river fishing experience in May, often with some good mid-afternoon mayfly hatches.

The Kaikoura region offers the best sea fishing opportunities in May, with rig, school sharks and kahawai still inshore. Blue moki up to 3kg are also taken along the Kaikoura Coastline. Fishing at night with crab baits is often rewarding; both the old and new wharfs are good spots for this. Use lots of shellfish or crushed crayfish remains for groundbait.

The settled weather in May is also a good time to put out a long-line, especially around Banks Peninsula’s sandy and muddy bays as large red cod move close inshore. The Pigeon Bay heads area is a favoured spot for boat fishing for red cod in May. The odd good-sized blue cod is also taken.

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