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Will Spry Fishing Report Jan 2012
High lake levels means happy fish
January has continued in the same vein as earlier in the season, with some terrific weather and some great fishing to be enjoyed. A highlight for me has been the fishing on Lake Ophua and the surrounding streams.
With the lake at very high levels, not only have the boaties been happy, but the trout seem to be as well, taking advantage of the rich food pickings on the margins of the lake.
A well presented waterboatman pattern, given a slight twitch as a trout approaches, seems to do the trick nicely and will leave a big grin on your face as the well proportioned trout hit the fly and run.
Both dry fly and nymph have been working well here and I would suggest that the condition factor of these fish will only continue to improve if current conditions continue.
On Lake Benmore, the trout have been moving around a bit more and with lake levels fluctuating, but mostly remaining lower, in the hot weather, the best fish have been found in the deeper water where it is also cooler. Some boisterous rainbows are the highlight on this fishery and while fly anglers have been having a ball here, I believe lure anglers have been struggling a bit more. Damselfly imitations have proven very successful, particularly when moved quickly for a short distance, then left to sit for a moment before watching the fish swirl in on the fly.
On the high country headwater rivers some productive cicada fishing is just beginning, with excellent responses to terrestrial imitations. Grasshoppers and blow flies have also worked well here. Fish along the grassy banks at this time of the year will hold under the cover of the bank, staying out of the sun, but willing to move out into the current to intercept a terrestrial imitation.
Canal fishing has proven popular in the past month of holiday season, and with reports of some salmon escapees on the Tekapo canal, things are looking up for those who are hooked on these locations. Fly anglers have done well out of a an hour or two spent walking the edges and casting to rising trout on the canals as well, especially when the flows are lower and slower.
The “low country” rivers are starting to feel the low water levels, with the Tekapo River in particular starting to didymo up quite badly – suspended didymo making the job a lot harder. However, some mayfly hatches continue through the day here, particularly during the cooler days.
The Ahuriri is in great shape at the moment, and looking good for the summer, with some strong fish to be found in the upper reaches and plenty of fish working the reaches below the SH8 bridge. It is very clean and mostly clear of didymo in most places.
Will Spry is an independent fishing guide; his reports are not officially representative of Fish & Game NZ
