Fishing report - Rivers are generally fishable, although there is some weather due over the weekend that may return them to the cloudy state they have been in for the majority of the summer.

This last week has seen some good fishing, with some of the backcountry rivers starting to fish well. A heli day yesterday rewarded us with one of the most enjoyable days of the season, with several large hard fighting browns landed after taking a well presented dry, and many opportunities missed!!

We have been fishing mainly stillwaters, as well as some smaller rivers east of the mountains that are not affected by the floodwaters, with the odd excellent day in the lower reaches of some backcountry rivers when the conditions allow.

Smelt fishing should start in the next few weeks with the cold weather bringing them into the rivers to breed.

Yes, I know it sounds like conditions have been tough, but we have had and continue to have some great fishing. The trout are in excellent condition, and we are catching mainly browns between 3 and 5.5lbs. with a 10lb brown landed last month to make an anglers day! While fishing in the rain and wind a few days ago, we had one of the most enjoyable days of the season - fish rising freely to mayfly imitations, and good solid feeding behaviour all day. While it was difficult to spot fish, many times we were casting to trout in the shallows with their dorsal fins out of the water as they chased food in the grassy margins.

Flies working are:  Cicadas (still!), Monsums bully, Damsel fly nymphs, as well as bead heads, mainly black tungstens or the like, as well as smelt.

Lake Hawea is close to its maximum level, so expect the Hawea river to be up to 200 cumecs soon. 

Lake Wanaka is dropping nicely, and the fish are becoming more concentrated again over the weed beds.

Good luck and Tight Lines