Trout Tracker -South Island

Peter Langlands The 1 October sees the new trout fsihing season and the vast majority of waters open to fishing. Time to consider some trophy trout options. There is no doubt that when targeting big fish you need to have a plan. Knowing both locations and techniques that work. Large trout often occur from year to year in the same locations and although the odd large fish is randomly caught there is certain predictability for catching big fish. Big trout require three main factors 1 – A rich food source 2 – Some structure in which to find refuge 3- For river trout in particular, remoter locations without too much angling pressure, although there are quite a few exceptions to this rule. Places to find large trout can be put into three main categories. Firstly searun trout can reach large sizes feeding in rich estuarine environments and then moving into spring creeks or into the lower reaches of rivers. The protein rich environment accelerates in food availability in spring from shrimps to whitebait to smelt, allowing big fish to be caught, often from small rivers and coastal lagoons. Searuns often reach peak sizes around December and January. Any coastal rivers system offers the potential of trophy trout in the spring. When food availability peaks in November and December searuns can be quite bold and feed hard. Often by late December searuns become harder to catch in the day time, often as a response to disturbance caused by increased salmon fishing activity, and during this early summer period night fishing is the best option. By March searuns are heading up river with the male fish going up first followed by groups of females latter in the season. Secondly stable backcountry rivers are the domain of trophy trout that made NZ famous in the 1980’s as a world class destination to visit. Trophy trout rivers are well known in some circles. Basically it is the combination of a stable river environment with good rock structure and deep pools that makes a good trophy trout river. It is this stable environment that means that the same rivers produce trophy trout year after year. Many of these trophy trout waters are in the headwaters and smaller tributaries of large river systems. Stable rivers provide a steady food source for trout, which they require to put on weight. A mix of stone and rock sizes in the river bed and some deep gorge pools are often favoured by trophy trout in back country Rivers. In addition to rock structure also look for banks which have collapsed into the river which offer trout cover. Thirdly trophy trout occur in warm stable lake environments such as those in the Rotorua Region have reputations for large trout. Each lake fishery is different. In the South Island often remote lakes with a low population of trout (as the result of predation by large long-finned eels and shags) and limited recruitment will have large trout. As a rule the more trout there are in a like the smaller the average size- so doing your homework to find out if a certain lake is a trophy lake or not is worthwhile. Catching trophy trout in lakes often is the domain of night fishing. Although some lakes have good sight fishing for trophy trout and this is to me the ultimate! In addition to locations, knowing something about the behaviour of trophy trout is important. Often they will be nocturnal feeders, especially as mentioned in the height of summer as water temperatures and day time disturbance increases. Locally the rivers at Lake Ellesmere fish best for trophies from 11pm to 3am- at this time large bullies emerge and smelt move high up in the water column. Also at sites such as Ellesmere and the Rotorua Lakes they are simply so rich in food that trout only need to feed for short periods of time. Big trout know the cover well with back country fish, especially browns being the most cunning of all. When fishing backcountry rivers be prepared to jump in the river and follow the fish down or throw your rod to an angling buddy on the other side, if that is what you have to do to prevent getting snagged up and broken off. Big browns love rubbing the tippet against the rocks. Therefore it pays to check your gear often and use a good quality, high breaking strain, low diameter tippet. Checking your gear is important and for all but the most educated trout I would not go below 4 kilogram breaking strain line (unless fishing a lake edge) as now will need some grunt. Big trout fight hard and you need to be patient and have faith in your gear. Also using high quality hooks is essential as cheaper hooks will bend out. Often you have to hold a five kilogram trout on a size 14 hook. Often the take from big trout is subtle. At times, and this happens more often that you would expect, the trout hardly moves and simply opens its mouth and sucks the fly it by displacing the surrounding water. Takes for big trout are often very subtle in contrast to the splashy takes of smaller fish. Often the take from a large fish will registar as little more than a bump on the indicator. Many trout in headwater rivers will move up and take a nymph without moving the indicator at all. The same apples to fishing lures with even the slightest tug often being a large trout. Quick reflexes are needed. Why bother targeting trophy trout? Firstly it is simply the challenge. Often a wilderness experience in a remote location or a mid-night venture to somewhere closer to home. It is all about personal achievement and excitement. It might only be one fish per season that goes over the trophy threshold (which I define as four kilograms) but it is often the most memorable. Yet despite all the knowledge the odd trophy trout will turn up in an unexpected location and that is what trout fishing keeps exciting. Location, location, location. Exact locations to encounter trophy trout are a right that is earned and in many cases- especially South Island back country rivers, a closely guarded secret but the following locations are all worthy of fishing for trophy trout- Searuns- Lower Waikato feeder streams, Lake Wairarapa outflow- Lake Onake, Wairau , Clarence, Waiau, Rakaia, Rangitata, Opihi/Orari/Waihao mouths, Waitaki, Taieri, Oreti , Waiau (Southland) Fiordland Rivers, Haast, Waitaha, Taramakau, Grey Rivers, entrance and Okarito Lagoon, Karamea and Mokihinui Rivers, Aorere, Takaka and Perlorus River including the estuary out from Havelock. Also around Christchurch the Avon River and Lake Ellesmere tributaries. Headwaters- Upper catchments of the rivers named above. Many stable spring creeks in high country environments also have trophy fish. A search on Google Earth may reveal some of these, many are in the upper parts of Southland’s rivers, the Mackenzie Country and adjoin the headwaters of Canterbury’s braided rivers. On the West Coast the upper Grey tributaries and those of many south Westland rivers are worth a look. Any spring creek on the coast has the potential of trophy sized fish early in the spring. In the North Island the Rangitikei, Mohaka and many of the Hawke’s Bay and Urewera rivers are worth a look. The Wellington region has its fair share of trophy trout headwaters and perhaps one of the most overlooked trophy trout headwater regions in NZ. Lakes- Rotorua Lakes and many smaller tarns scattered in isolated parts of the South Island. Often smaller tarns will have few, but large trout. Waituna Lagoon in Southland is an overlooked trophy searun option when open to the sea. Lake Mapourika on the west coast yields some large browns often taken as bycatch when salmon angling.