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Reel Life Otago Jan 2012
Swiss trio hooked before escape
Three fast moving Swiss tourists caught at Lake Wanaka fishing without licences were prosecuted mere hours before they were to fly out of the country. The men were traced back to a campervan at a campground, and the rental company involved was able to intercept them at the end of their trip and provide them with the documents - and the bad news. They each paid significant fines before boarding their plane.
A handful of tourist anglers escape prosecution each year for fishing without a licence by leaving the country. It is hoped that this will send a message to other like-minded travellers thinking of freeloading on our world-class fisheries.
Mixed bags for southern lakes boat anglers
Rangers conducting roving creel surveys and licence checks on Lakes Wanaka and Hawea over the last couple of weeks have struck variable results from anglers. Some boats have been fishless for days while others are regularly getting a couple for the smoker.
The only pattern seems to be those that are up early and trolling closer to the edge are doing better than others who rate the fishing as ‘tough’. Salmon are by far the most commonly caught species and they’re tending to be caught on lead-lines or other deep trolling gear.
Brown trout are proving elusive for most, although shore-based fly anglers are picking them up in the most undisturbed and sheltered bays.
Upper Clutha cycle trail great angling option
The recently opened cycle trail between Luggate and Albertown provides excellent access to seldom fished parts of the Upper Clutha River. And the fishing is superb, especially at the moment as the river is so low and clear. The best angling is closer to the Luggate end where a combination of large boulders and nicely placed islands and pools provide near perfect habitat for brown and rainbow trout.
There are various access points to join the trail including Shortcut Road, Stevensons Road and the car park at the Cardrona mouth. The whole trail takes around one and a half hours to complete, but regular fishing stops can more than double the time!
So grab your spin fishing gear, bike and helmet and take a ride. If you haven’t been on a bike in a while, one of those cheap gel seat covers is highly recommended.
One of a dozen or more stunning fishing spots alongside the Upper Clutha cycle trail between Albertown and Luggate. Pack a lunch as you’ll spend more time on the river than you might expect.
