Graeme Hughes
Salmon dominate the fishing news this week with an increase in the catch rate of sea run Chinook salmon from the Rakaia, Rangitata and the Waitaki.
In the Waitaki River catches have been reported over the length of the river with a good number of fish caught in the upper river, perhaps the most salmon caught here for at least a decade. Often salmon caught in Kurow area are fish that have been in the river for some time and they tend to be dark in colour, this season however this is not the case with most anglers reporting their catch to be handsome, silver specimens.
In the high country Sockeye salmon began their spawning migrations from Lake Benmore with the first fish seen in the recently enhanced Ruataniwha springfed stream on the 25th of February. Ecan’s Ray Newman in Twizel, sockeye salmon champion and watch dog, reports that the largest migration he has seen has moved into this small tributary and that redd excavation is in full swing.
Lake dwelling Chinook salmon still feature in the anglers bag, and I have been asked to collect heads for Otago fisheries scientist and Fish and Game Officer Ras Gabrielsson. He is looking at otoliths, inner ear bones, and comparing them with otoliths taken from salmon caught from other catchments in an effort to obtain a “signature” of each. It might be that in the future it will be possible to identify the origin and life history of any angler caught salmon by looking at the inner ear bone. If any anglers are successfully catching and keeping lake salmon if they could freeze the heads and contact me I would uplift them at some convenient time.
On the trout fishing scene, continual norwest winds have been far from helpful and so it was on my annual trip to Lake Ohau. It was blowing strong when I left Kurow and it was blowing strong when I returned four days later.
In desperation after two days of wind our party sought some shelter at Lake Middleton. I haven’t fished here for 20 years and at that time it was overstocked with small “lean” rainbow trout 25cm in length. I embarked on a study and project to increase the size and improve the condition of the Middleton trout. This was achieved over several years by limiting the amount of spawning that occurred in the only tributary of this lake and removing some of the population. The fish that were caught were bigger and better and many of the mature ready to spawn trout which were tagged and relocated to Ohau tributaries were caught in Lake Ohau. Anglers and fishing guides at that time reported an increase in the number of rainbow trout caught in Lake Ohau and whether this was due to the project or just a naturally occurring improvement in a fishery that had declined markedly one could not be sure however I like to think I had a hand in the recovery, be it ever so small. I digress. After an hour or so and not a touch, over a “brew” in the shelter of the larches we decided to persevere as there was really no alternatives unless you wanted to battle the elements. It was good decision as the fish “switched on” and we began to hook and lose the most liveliest rainbow trout I have experienced for some time. It got to be that when you hooked a fish you expected it to leap in the air and toss the hook. If you were fortunate the lure was ejected after several leaps. After about 2 hours of action 4 rods had lost a dozen and landed 10 Middleton rainbows.. So 20 or so fish wasn’t too bad and quite a relief after two and half days of no fishing and no fish.
At about 2.30am the following morning I was awoken by the lack of wind! It was quiet and at 4.30am all was still calm. Our 2 boats were on Lake Ohau by daylight as we only had until mid morning before we were scheduled to leave for various parts of the South Island. I have to say I was “skunked”, my visiting angler however hooked 4 and landed 3 and I won’t mention the brand new $20.00 lure that a sizeable rainbow took off with due to the guest angler trying to wind the fish through the tip ring!
Our Lake Middleton catch being prepared on the shores of Lake Ohau
There has been no rain fall to speak of and rivers remain low and clear, the Ahuriri is at a low level with just over a 9 cumec flow. The Rangitata is low and clear at 54 cumecs and the Waitaki is at 300 with no major changes expected.
Tight lines.
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