WAIRAU RIVER ACCESS POINTS ᵴ = Swimming Spot ۩ = Toilet Ᵽ = Picnic Area
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Hamill’s Killer can also work well. work also can Killer Hamill’s Telephone (03) 544 6382 www.fishandgame.org.nz 6382 544 (03) Telephone NELSON / MARLBOROUGH REGION MARLBOROUGH / NELSON such as a Mrs Simpson, Woolly Bugger (black or olive) or or olive) or (black Bugger Woolly Simpson, Mrs a as such P O Box 2173, Stoke, Nelson. Stoke, 2173, Box O P NEW ZEALAND NEW Hares Ear, Snail or Water Boatman. Larger wet fly lures lures fly wet Larger Boatman. Water or Snail Ear, Hares 66 Champion Rd, Richmond, Rd, Champion 66 18 nymph such as a Pheasant Tail, Tail, Pheasant a as such nymph 18 – 14 size a try rising Nelson Marlborough Region Marlborough Nelson as a Humpy, Irresistible or Royal Wulf. If the trout are not not are trout the If Wulf. Royal or Irresistible Humpy, a as NEW ZEALAND NEW TM choice. If the fish are rising try a size 12 to 16 dry fly such such fly dry 16 to 12 size a try rising are fish the If choice. with a red and gold veltic or pink enticer being a good first first good a being enticer pink or veltic gold and red a with TM productive method. The trout will take any type of spinner spinner of type any take will trout The method. productive before the wind gets up. Spinning is a popular and and popular a is Spinning up. gets wind the before wind conditions. The best fishing is often in the morning morning the in often is fishing best The conditions. wind All fishing methods work well but can be depend upon upon depend be can but well work methods fishing All affects the fishing. the affects trout up to 3kg, although sediment dredging occasionally occasionally dredging sediment although 3kg, to up trout stocked fishery with brown trout around 1kg and rainbow rainbow and 1kg around trout brown with fishery stocked available at the south eastern end of the pond. It is a well well a is It pond. the of end eastern south the at available the shoreline. Camping and boat launching facilities are are facilities launching boat and Camping shoreline. the Access is excellent with a gravel road following most of of most following road gravel a with excellent is Access reservoir about 220m wide, 1300m long and 3.5m deep. deep. 3.5m and long 1300m wide, 220m about reservoir and boat anglers. It is a small man made hydro storage storage hydro made man small a is It anglers. boat and Argyle Pond is popular fishing location for both shore shore both for location fishing popular is Pond Argyle Argyle Pond Argyle estuary where fish descend to fatten up after spawning. after up fatten to descend fish where estuary round. Much winter and early spring fishing occurs in the the in occurs fishing spring early and winter Much round. The Wairau is open downstream of the Wash Bridge year year Bridge Wash the of downstream open is Wairau The permitted, to protect spawning salmon. spawning protect to permitted, Salmon fishing above the Wash Bridge on SH63 is not not is SH63 on Bridge Wash the above fishing Salmon Rainbow Enticer Rainbow Veltic Gold & Red clear enough to enable effective fly fishing for salmon. salmon. for fishing fly effective enable to enough clear Rapala Toby Gold & Black gear used in southern rivers. The river is often small and and small often is river The rivers. southern in used gear Renwick using heavy trout gear rather than the big salmon salmon big the than rather gear trout heavy using Renwick Rabbit Yellow Boatman Water good catches made by local anglers who mainly fish below below fish mainly who anglers local by made catches good Bugger Woolly Night-time Craig’s Wairau salmon ascend the river February to April with with April to February river the ascend salmon Wairau Tail Pheasant Copper & Hare Beauty Twilight Wulf Royal Humpy ch-y-Bondhu Co Access Suggested Lures Suggested Wairau River Wairau twitch when a trout cruises close. cruises trout a when twitch a nymph or lure to sink to the bottom and then give it a a it give then and bottom the to sink to lure or nymph a particularly productive technique here can be to allow allow to be can here technique productive particularly where good numbers of cruising trout can be spotted. A A spotted. be can trout cruising of numbers good where can be a good place to fish. Here there is a shallow shelf shelf shallow a is there Here fish. to place good a be can edge of the pond. On a calm day the southern, inlet end end inlet southern, the day calm a On pond. the of edge Trout can be seen and caught anywhere in or around the the around or in anywhere caught and seen be can Trout Access Fishing Etiquette • Respect other anglers already on the water. Fish and Game Access Points and • Do not fish ahead of them. associated signs have been provided at various locations along the river • A polite approach enquiring about fishing plans should and many tributaries. In most of these avoid problems. This will result in more productive locations you are free to access the angling, sharing of information and has begun many river without having to ask permission, angling friendships. however in some locations you need to ask permission first (check the Looking After Your Trout description details on the map). Please • Use the heaviest line you can get away with. Too light a respect private property and abide line means you will have to fight the fish for longer and by the Access Rules below to ensure the continued use of these that takes a toll – an exhausted fish has much less chance areas. of surviving. For specific information on where private and public land • Use a single hook and consider trying barbless hooks. titles interface adjacent to waterways, please visit • Aim to land your fish quickly. Fishing Information www.wams.org.nz • Use a net to land your fish, preferably a knotless one. The Wairau River has over 140km of fishable water, Access Rules • Keep the trout in the net and in the water while releasing it. offering water types to suit all angling methods. The lower and middle reaches are mainly braided on a shingle • Park vehicles away from tracks and gates. • Unhook the fish gently, preferably with long nosed pliers. • Do not litter. • Work quickly and avoid touching the fish at all. bed. The upper reaches above Rainbow Station are more • Leave gates as you find them. • If you want a photo, make it quick and get the fish back confined on a more stable rock and boulder bed. Flow is • Cross fences without damaging them. into the water without delay. relatively swift throughout the river’s length until reaching • Stay within river margins. • Wet and cool your hands before handling the fish and the tidal influence below the State Highway One Bridge • Do not stray into paddocks with stock. consider using gloves. at Tuamarina. The Wairau catchment is large and can • Avoid disturbing stock or trampling crops. Walk along fence • Ideally, take the photo of the fish still in the water. experience heavy rainfalls which leave the Wairau River lines were possible. • If you have to hold the fish, do it gently with one hand discoloured for relatively long periods. Early in the season • Respect private land. If in doubt, ask permission. around the tail and the other carefully cradling the fish. melting snow contributes significantly to the high flows • When fishing adjacent to farmland, leave your dog at home • Keep your hands, hooks and anything away from the and discoloured water. unless you have the express permission of the property trout’s gills. owner. Report any missing or damaged signs to Fish & Game. Fishing Information The fish population is very mobile and is a mix of river resident and sea-run brown trout, with a growing Designated Backcountry Fisheries A valid fishing licence is required and must be carried at all times. Refer to your South Island regulation booklet for population of rainbow trout.. There is also a small run of The Goulter River (upstream of confluence with Wairau), angling regulations and bag limits. salmon in the summer months. Wairau trout average 1.6kg and the Upper Wairau (above Wash Bridge) are designated as backcountry fisheries. Anglers must hold a Backcountry Licence Didymo overall, with 2–3kg fish common in the middle and upper Endorsement to fish these waters: (www.fishandgame.org.nz/ reaches. Larger fish are found mainly in the upper reaches Didymo has been recorded in the mainstream of the Wairau licences). River downstream of the Dip Flat on Rainbow Station. and the estuarine area, but can be found throughout the Upper Wairau Beat System Do not enter the water or fish upstream of the Dip Flat or in river system, particularly when sea-run trout are migrating any of the Wairau tributaries or any other rivers if you have A voluntary beat system is in place for the Upper Wairau from upstream. All the major tributaries are worth exploring as entered or fished the Wairau unless you have sterilised all of they all hold fish in varying numbers. They are better fished Six Mile Creek to the Molesworth Boundary. Indicate which beat your equipment. you have chosen by parking next to the appropriate sign. Leave early in the season, before low summer flows and elevated your intentions on your vehicle dashboard indicating whether water temperatures force the remaining fish to seek cooler you have gone upstream or downstream.