abstraction or pollution into the future. the into pollution or abstraction all times. Refer to your regulation booklet for for booklet regulation Island South your to Refer times. all

most waters are protected from dams, large scale water water scale large dams, from protected are waters most A valid fishing licence is required and must be carried at at carried be must and required is licence fishing valid A

unmodified river catchment in the country of which which of country the in catchment river unmodified Fishing Information Fishing

fishery. The Buller is now the largest and essentially essentially and largest the now is Buller The fishery.

angling friendships. angling strengthened and protected for its trout trout its for protected River Gowan and strengthened

angling, sharing of information and has begun many many begun has and information of sharing angling,

challenged in 2003. The resulting Order has been further further been has Order resulting The 2003. in challenged

avoid problems. This will result in more productive productive more in result will This problems. avoid

New Zealand in 1987, finally gazetted in 2001 and then then and 2001 in gazetted finally 1987, in Zealand New

A polite approach enquiring about fishing plans should should plans fishing about enquiring approach polite A •

Conservation Order, originally sought by Fish and Game Game and Fish by sought originally Order, Conservation

Do not fish ahead of them. of ahead fish not Do •

for the angler. The Buller is now protected by a Water Water a by protected now is Buller The angler. the for

Respect other anglers already on the water. the on already anglers other Respect •

and most varied waterway with a huge choice of waters waters of choice huge a with waterway varied most and

Fishing Etiquette Fishing

The mighty is both the region’s largest largest region’s the both is River Buller mighty The

Report any missing or damaged signs to Fish & Game. & Fish to signs damaged or missing any Report General Information General

property owner. property

Buller River Buller

home unless you have the express permission of the the of permission express the have you unless home

When fishing adjacent to farmland, leave your dog at at dog your leave farmland, to adjacent fishing When • angling regulations and bag limits. bag and regulations angling

Respect private land. If in doubt, ask permission. ask doubt, in If land. private Respect • larger Nelson Lakes. Lakes. Nelson larger

fence lines were possible. were lines fence Gowan Bridge is open year round, together with the two two the with together round, year open is Bridge Gowan

hours before using in another waterway. another in using before hours Avoid disturbing stock or trampling crops. Walk along along Walk crops. trampling or stock disturbing Avoid •

upper Maruia only. Only the main Buller below the the below Buller main the Only only. Maruia upper

item to the touch and then leave for at least another 48 48 another least at for leave then and touch the to item

Do not stray into paddocks with stock. with paddocks into stray not Do •

some rainbows in ; Lake Daniells and the the and Daniells Lake Rotoroa; Lake in rainbows some

DRY

If cleaning is not practical (eg: animals) dry the the dry animals) (eg: practical not is cleaning If

Stay within river margins. river within Stay • The Buller is almost wholly a brown trout fishery, with with fishery, trout brown a wholly almost is Buller The

Cross fences without damaging them. damaging without fences Cross •

large cups) with water to make 10 litres. 10 make to water with cups) large Fishing Information Fishing

Leave gates as you find them. find you as gates Leave •

2% solution is 200ml, a 5% solution is 500ml (two (two 500ml is solution 5% a 200ml, is solution 2% •

Do not litter. not Do •

before moving between tributaries. between moving before 5% solution of dish washing detergent washing dish of solution 5% •

Park vehicles away from tracks and gates. and tracks from away vehicles Park •

you Check, Clean and Dry your gear, or use a second set, set, second a use or gear, your Dry and Clean Check, you 5% solution of antiseptic hand cleaner hand antiseptic of solution 5% •

for all. for

weeds elsewhere in the Buller catchment, so make sure sure make so catchment, Buller the in elsewhere weeds 5% solution of nappy cleaner nappy of solution 5% •

Remember these simple rules and ensure ongoing access access ongoing ensure and rules simple these Remember •

Owen. Don’t be the person to shift didymo or other other or didymo shift to person the be Don’t Owen.

5% solution of salt of solution 5% •

Access Rules Access

into several tributaries including the Matiri, Gowan and and Gowan Matiri, the including tributaries several into

2% solution of household bleach household of solution 2% •

It has been moved, however, however, moved, been has It

Rules below to ensure the continued use of these areas. these of use continued the ensure to below Rules Hot (60°C) water (60°C) Hot •

due to its frequent river freshes. freshes. river frequent its to due Please respect private property and abide by the Access Access the by abide and property private respect Please

minute with any of the following: the of any with minute the confluence confluence River Howard the permission first (check the description details on the map). map). the on details description the (check first permission

CLEAN

Soak or scrub all items for at least one one least at for items all scrub or Soak

downstream, particularly below below particularly downstream, ask permission, however in some locations you need to ask ask to need you locations some in however permission, ask

but is usually less abundant abundant less usually is but access the river without having to to having without river the access

clumps at the waterway. the at clumps

few km of the upper river, river, upper the of km few these locations you are free to to free are you locations these

hidden clumps when leaving waterways. Leave the the Leave waterways. leaving when clumps hidden

still grows thickly in the first first the in thickly grows still and many tributaries. In most of of most In tributaries. many and

that have been in contact with the water and look for for look and water the with contact in been have that

location outside Southland. It It Southland. outside location

at various locations along the river river the along locations various at

CHECK Remove all obvious clumps from all items items all from clumps obvious all Remove

the first confirmed didymo didymo confirmed first the associated signs have been provided provided been have signs associated

Rotoiti in September 2005; 2005; September in Rotoiti Fish and Game Access Points and and Points Access Game and Fish

Help stop the spread of didymo, an aquatic alga pest. alga aquatic an didymo, of spread the stop Help

the Buller River below Lake Lake below River Buller the Access

PROTECT OUR WATERS OUR PROTECT

a Fish and Game officer in in officer Game and Fish a

FISH & GAME NZ GAME & FISH Didymo was first spotted by by spotted first was Didymo

to make sure you don’t get carried away! Didymo can make weighted nymph fishing frustrating but invertebrate numbers are enormous. These rivers remain clear even during heavy rain but can be an acquired taste. Buller tributaries – Mangles, Owen, Buller River Trout are abundant in many Buller tributaries including smaller rivers and creeks too numerous to mention. A Access major proportion of the region’s estimated 900 km of back country rivers are in the Buller. Some like the Owen have Nelson Lakes Trout marble waters with abundant big aquatic insects as trout food; others like the Mangles and Maruia have perfect trout The headwaters of the Buller include a feast of fishing for growing conditions and excellent spawning and rearing the backcountry angler. conditions, resulting in large numbers of trout.

Lakes Rotoiti, Rotoroa and their inflowing rivers, the Mangles River Travers, Sabine and D’Urville, provide excellent wilderness Good legal access along river up to top of gorge. Upstream fishing. The National Park has good tracks, bridges and of gorge riparian rights apply, access permission is required huts that anglers can utilize. A Water Taxi service is also from landowners. available on both lakes to their upper end. Trout numbers are good in the lakes with fly fishing being the most Maruia River productive in the clear waters. Trolling works well on the While no specific access points have been marked on the lakes at times, provided you use a lead line or downrigger map, the Maruia River offers lots of opportunities. Legal to get your lure to where the fish are feeding. River mouths access along most of the river and its fishable tributaries is and shallower parts of the lakes are especially productive, good, although if in doubt ask permission first. Rainbow including for harling. trout can also be found in Lake Daniells, the Alfred River and Pell Stream. Brown trout in the inflowing rivers are amongst the canniest you will find anywhere, with trophy fish potential. Gin Suggested Flies or Lures clear water means that the smallest nymphs and long Buller Caddis, Pheasant Tail, Hare & Copper, leaders are essential, or fishing early or late in the day on Cicada – Late summer the change of light. With a cicada hatch in summer the fishing is magic. Trout numbers remain good throughout the season due to regular influx of fish from the lakes. Supported by: Gowan and upper Buller Rivers TM TM

The two lake-fed rivers have trout present but challenging fishing conditions with big tumbling waters and slippery Nelson Marlborough Region boulders to negotiate, along with an abundance of didymo. NEW ZEALAND www.fishandgame.org.nz Hooking a fish is not as difficult as landing one; take care NELSON / MARLBOROUGH REGION BULLER RIVER ACCESS POINTS ᵴ = swimming spot ۩ = toilet Ᵽ = picnic area To Nelson/Blenheim SH63 1 SH6, 7.8 km south of Murchison or 3 km from O’Sullivans Bridge 2 SH6, 7.2 km south of Murchison or 3.6 km from O’Sullivans Bridge KEY Tricky road exit/entry - unsuitable for campervans. 3 SH6, 6.4 km south of Murchison or 4.4 km from O’Sullivans Bridge State Highways 4 Doughboy Stream Hinehaka Road Follow stream along edge of paddock to river. Other Roads ST ARNAUD 5 Hinehaka Road 4WD Roads 1.4 km from no 4. Foot access only, park by tree on road edge away from shed/gates. Walking Tracks 6 Matakitaki West Bank Road Lake Access to the lower upstream of SH6 (not sign posted). ᵴ Buller River Teetotal Rd Rotoiti 7 Fairfax St Murchison 29 Track near church. 28 Tributaries 8 Riverview Holiday Park and Cafe ᵴ ۩ Ᵽ Follow tracks up and down stream from boat ramp. Camping # Access Points 9 SH6, 2.4 km from Murchison 30 Speargrass Creek Follow road by truck weigh station 0.8 km to river. Open Open 10 Matiri Valley Road 1 Oct - 30 Apr All Year 27 6.2 km from SH6 turn off. no sign. Contact M, Sagar for permission phone 03 523 9333. Owen Domain ۩ Ᵽ 11 Entrance by Owen Tavern. Excellent District Council camping Station facilities including showers. Creek 12 Raits Bridge ᵴ 26 Homestead Creek Turn off SH6 1.2 km from Owen Domain. Nice swimming beach. 13 Picnic Area Follow road to river. 14 SH6, watch for signs on bend of SH6. 15 Granity Creek 25 Follow track to river. Popular kayaking and rafting location. ۩ Gowan Bridge 16 To /Nelson SH6 Park on SH6 side of bridge. Access to river on east bank side of bridge. 24 17 Washout Creek Park on roadside or 4WD track through bush to parking area. Walking track 23 to river. Howard River 18 Keystone Picnic Area - SH6 Ᵽ Harleys Kawatiri Junction ۩ Ᵽ 19 Bridge 22 Track on the east side of the Hope stream bridge takes you to river 400 m 21 Baigents Rd away. Picnic and toilet facilities by historic bridge. 20 Windy Point - SH63 20 Turn down track to the river off a sharp bend in SH6. 21 Harleys Rock Bridge 19 Access up and down stream from the east bank. 22 Baigents Public Road 200 m east of Harleys Rock Bridge. Drive down stream approx 1.8km to Kawatiri GOWAN RIVER Lake parking area. 18 Junction Rotoroa 23 Bluffs - SH63 2 3 6 24 Howard River confluence 5 Track on west bank of the Howard Stream. 4 25 SH63 600m upstream of the Howard River 17 26 Homestead Creek - SH63 1 27 Speargrass Creek - SH63 Gowan Bridge 300 m east of Speargrass Creek bridge. 16 28 Upper Buller Bridge Parking on both sides of bridge. DOC walking track up true right bank

upstream of bridge.

Lake Rotoiti Outlet/Buller River source ᵴ ۩ Ᵽ 29 15 ➣ Turn down Mt Robert Road, drive 1.5 km to river and Nelson Lakes 7 14 National Park camping grounds. No sign.

6 N 30 Teetotal Road 5 Drive 5.5 km along a rough track (ignore right turning tracks) until you go 13 through gate and the Teetotal Creek. The Buller river is now within 100 m.

4 BULLER RIVER BETWEEN MANGLES RIVER AND Raits Bridge Well worth exploring, enquire at the nearest farm 12 house for access permission and directions. 3 2 1 For those seeking a challenge and don’t mind getting wet the Matiri is worth OWEN RIVER 11 Owen Domain exploring. Good legal access along the river bank throughout the length of the river, however practical access to and along the river in many places is difficult due to vegetation its gorgy nature. 1 Matiri Valley Road 8.6 km from SH6 2 Track Drive 6 km from bridge along west bank road to DOC car park. 4WD vehicle Nuggety Bridge only or walk from there. No trout in or above Lake Matiri. Future access here may improve when small hydro scheme is commissioned. Mangles River OWEN RIVER 1 East Owen Road 200 m from SH6. Lake 2 Big Bend Matiri 2.2 km from SH6 on East Owen Road. Park and walk 150m upstream along road where track leads down steep bank to river. 3 Owen River Gorge - sign usually missing 9 4 Owen River Gorge - sign usually missing 5 Sandstone Creek MATIRI 8 RIVER 1 Don’t block gateway. Follow creek to river. 6 Shingle Cliffs 2 7 MURCHISON Matakitaki River 9.7 km from SH6 east Owen Road, walking access only down track. 10 6 7 Brewery Creek Walk to the confluence of Brewery Creek to cross Owen River. To drive Cole Rd further up valley gain permission first at the farm house across Brewery Creek bridge.

5 GOWAN RIVER 1 Gowan Valley Road 1.4 km from bridge over Buller River. 2 East Bank Road - downstream Hinehaka Rd 4 Vehicle access to parking 0.8 km downstream of bridge. Legal access along riverbank to Buller confluence. 3 3 East Bank Road - upstream Vehicle access to parking 1.0 km upstream. Legal access along river bank 2 to Lake Rotoroa outlet. 1 4 Gowan Valley Road 1.6 km from east Gowan Bridge turn off. 5 Fisherman's Cottage Vehicle track to river (cottage is private). 6 Gowan River Source Bridge To Christchurch SH65 Access along both banks of the river. Good walking track downstream on east bank.

Falls Maruia River MATAKITAKI RIVER Legal access along most of the river is good, although there are some areas where riparian rights apply. If in doubt ask permission first. 1 Matakitaki West Bank Road Access to the lower Matakitaki River upstream of SH6. Not sign posted but plenty of opportunities. 2 Hotham St To Westcoast SH6 Access to the east bank up and downstream.