Media release from North Canterbury Fish & Game

Salmon season set to finish on a high
20 March 2013

Media Release
Salmon season set to finish on a high

The rain which has fallen over much of the South Island in the past 48 hours should provide a much needed boost to the end of the salmon run.

“The big salmon rivers will clear quickly, and it will be all go by the weekend” says Dirk Barr, North Canterbury Fish & Game’s hatchery manager.

The Waimakariri River had been fishing well before the rain, with a good number of fish caught most days, but the Rakaia and the Rangitata rivers had slowed up, but should now see more being caught after this ‘fresh’. The later waterway rising from 40 cumecs to 75, which is closer to the optimum fishing level of around 90 cumecs.

“The fish will be on the move as they head upstream from the ocean to the spawning grounds in the high country.”

The rain would not only increase the flows in the waterways, but would bring the water temperature down too; salmon prefer the water to be nearer 16 degrees, than the 23 degrees plus it has been recently.

The only negative for South Island fishermen is at the Waitaki River, where the level is still high - frustrating the fisheries shoreline anglers. The Waitaki River closes to salmon fishing at the end of March, as does the West Coast’s South Western Lakes, with the rest of the West Coast rivers remaining open through until end of April.

“The West Coast rivers have coloured up nicely and this will get the fish moving” stated Dean Kelly, West Coast Fish & Game’s regional manager.

“It will now be a short, but intense salmon season on the West Coast” added Kelly.
ENDS

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