Fishing in New Zealand

Fishing in New Zealand

The scenic Rakaia River is considered by many as the best salmon fishing river in New Zealand. The Rakaia can boast to having the most consistent salmon runs of any of the NZ rivers.

So a day or two chasing these impressive fish is a good option to consider when planning your NZ fishing trip.

Salmon begin returning to the Rakaia river in mid November to start their migration up to their spawning grounds in the head water tributaries. In New Zealand the main salmon fishing season runs from January to mid April. The Rakaia run peaks during Feburary and March.

The type of salmon found in NZ is the Quinnat, (also know as the Chinook or King) which can grow up to 40 lbs. Some seasons produce an abundance of larger fish, over all they average between 12 to 15 lbs.

All guided salmon fishing is by jet boat. This is a distinct advantage as the NZ salmon fishing rivers have large braided river beds with some distance between good water so this is where the jet boat comes into it's own and is invaluable to the salmon fisherman. The guided day starts at day break as this is when the salmon are most active, so be prepared for an early start.

Most salmon are taken on spinning gear, using Zed or Colorado spoons, while the fly fisherman can expect success also.

Enquiries and more information available from www.flyfishingnz.co.nz/salmon-fishing

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