Year-Round Fishing Opportunities with Zane Mirfin
September
Spring is in the air and temperatures are usually warming nicely. The opening of the general fishing season is still a month away but there is plenty of water open year round. Some good fishing can be found for hungry trout returning from winter spawning in the smaller upstream tributaries. Rising water temperatures assist midday spring mayfly hatches and attract spawning baitfish into tidal reaches of rivers. Sea run trout fishing begins.
October
The opening of the general fishing season offers full access to all of the fisheries within the "Strike Zone". The countryside is green and the willows have burst into life. Excellent fishing with nymphs and streamers. Water temperatures may still be cool but hot days produce some good midday hatches and hungry fish in the smaller tributaries. A good time for sea run browns in tidal zones. This is a great opportunity to enjoy productive local river fishing on uncrowded waters. Get in first, and have first opportunity at trout uneducated in the way of anglers.
November
The start of longer days, warmer water temperatures, improving hatches and feeding trout on all waters. Our biggest mayflies are active producing a mix of good nymph and dry fly fishing. It is the start of good heli-fishing and wilderness campouts. Molesworth trips are in full swing. Generally good river flows and the season"s highest catch rates.One of our favourite months.
December
The real start of summer with hot days. Great dry fly (mayfly) and nymph fishing continues with some terrestrial dry fly fishing later in the month. Evening caddis hatches start to peak. By now the bigger trophy fish are also more visible. This is a great time for campout fishing. Fishing opportunities are still uncrowded and trout are active and willing. Life couldn’t be better.
January
The onset of the main New Zealand summer holidays and an increasing number of visiting overseas anglers. With hot summer days wilderness streams are fishing well. Trout are active on large summer terrestrials with some great chances for trophy trout. January – March are our prime months for fishing interest and it is essential that anglers wanting the best opportunities should have your guiding and accommodation organized by strike Adventure® well in advance. Kingfish are well established in Tasman & Golden Bays by now for saltwater fly anglers wading local flats.
February
This is the peak of the overseas tourism season. River levels have dropped and water temperatures climb steadily throughout the day as anglers enjoy the height of summer. Trout are still feeding well on large terrestrials on many rivers but as fish become wary and selective in popular locations, anglers who can fish light and fine will still enjoy good success. With rivers low conditions are prime for wet wading with sight fishing at it’s zenith. Large rivers come into their own as fish start to concentrate in shallow riffles.
March
The start of our Autumn (Fall) and a beautiful time of year. This is the last month for good trophy trout fishing. By the middle of the month water temperatures are cooling and fishing pressure is easing. Fine settled weather, superb light and continuing low rivers find the trout in their peak condition and riffle fishing with small caddis and mayfly nymphs offers excellent sport. Passionvine hoppers on local rivers produce some top dry fly fishing. As the month progresses hatches of smaller mayflies and caddis reappear throughout the day.
April
This is the last month of the full trout fishing season. Days are shorter and cooler but there are fewer anglers about and this is a good time to hit the road and chase the best of the fishing. Fish have started to move upstream pre-spawning and concentrations of fish make themselves vulnerable. Sight fishing is more restricted to the middle of the day with blind fishing more productive early and late. A favourite month and with climate change happenings (or whatever you prefer to call it) there is increasingly summer-type weather crossing into May.
May
The start of our winter fishing season. Not all fisheries are open but those waters that are produce some excellent fishing. Autumn mayfly hatches on lowland rivers like the Motueka are some of the best of the year. Rainbow trout are feeding well and provide good fishing with bead head nymphs. All in all this is a very pleasant time of year around the Nelson area. A great opportunity to combine trout fishing with some duck-hunting with the opening of the gamebird hunting season. Great lake fishing on the West Coast from our commercially registered boat MNZ134307.
June, July, August
The middle of the New Zealand winter with some clear days and cracking frosts. There are always some fishing opportunities throughout the middle of the day with June offering good wet-lining for rainbows. Combining trout fishing with excellent quail hunting is also an option. Some say the West Coast Lakes fish best in August.
