3 .Cam River 10. Okana River (Little River) The Cam supports reasonable populations of brown trout in The Okana River contains populations of brown trout and can the one to four pound size range. Access is available at the provide good fishing, especially in spring. Public access is available end of Bramleys Road, from Youngs Road which leads off to the lower reaches of the Okana through the gate on the right Introduction Lineside Road between and and from the Lower hand side of the road opposite the Little River Hotel. City and its surrounds are blessed with a wealth of Camside Road bridge on the north-western side of Kaiapoi. places to fish for trout and salmon. While these may not always have the same catch rates as high country waters, they offer a 11. Lake Forsyth quick and convenient break from the stress of city life. These 4. Lake Forsyth fishes best in spring, especially if the lake has recently waters are also popular with visitors to Christchurch who do not Another small stream which fishes best in spring and autumn, been opened to the sea. One of the best places is where the have the time to fish further afield. especially at dusk. The best access sites are off Spencerville Road, Highway first comes close to the lake just after the Lower Styx Road and Road. turn-off.

Getting There 5. 12. Kaituna River All of the places described in this brochure lie within a forty The Kaiapoi River experiences good runs of salmon and is one of The area just above the confluence with Lake Ellesmere offers the five minute drive of Christchurch City. The lower , Lake the only places in where Chinook salmon are regularly best fishing, particularly during spring. Access is directly off the Ellesmere and its south western tributaries are accessed by caught on bait; -freshwater shrimps and pilchards being most Akaroa Highway. driving to the township of Lincoln and heading south towards popular. The best fishing is between SH1 and the confluence with from there. Lake Forsyth and the north eastern tributaries the Waimakariri. Access is available at the Hall Street boat ramp and 13. Halswell River from Smith Street, both within the township of Kaiapoi. The upper of Lake Ellesmere are accessed off the Akaroa Highway. The The Halswell River meanders from near the Halswell township down Kaiapoi (or Silverstream) offers good spring creek fishing for trout. rivers north of Christchurch can all be accessed off SH1 on the to Lake Ellesmere. It crosses many public and private properties Check with local landowners before fishing this part of the river road to Amberley and Kaikoura. and flows beneath several bridges. Access to the mouth can be had because much of it lies on private land. from where the river intersects with Seabridge Road down either bank just south of Motukarara. Places to Fish 6. ; -see separate brochure. 1. Ashley River 14. Lake Ellesmere The Ashley River is typical of many small to medium sized Canterbury 7. Otukaikino River/South Branch The tributaries of Ellesmere fish better than the lake itself, however rivers in that it gets very low during summer months. The fishing is This delightful spring creek contains good populations of smaller good fishing for sea run trout can occur at Taumutu when the lake best between October and December in the lower reaches although trout and is a very popular “after work” fishery. It also hosts good runs is open to the sea. Take the access track which leads off Gullivers the fishing upstream of Rangiora should remain good all season. The of larger spawning trout in autumn. The most popular access points Road and out into the beach. best access points are through the Beach township, the are the Dickies Road Bridge (turn left off SH1 just before leaving SH1 Bridge or the bridge immediately north of Rangiora. Belfast and travel a short distance down Dickies Road) and through 15. LII River the Groynes Park. (off Johns Road between the Airport and Belfast). The LII fishes best during spring and early summer, particularly in 2. Cust River the reach just above the lake on a dark night. Access can be had at Wolfes Road (follow the road to the end) or off the main Selwyn This river offers good brown trout fishing in spring when flows are 8 & 9. Avon and Heathcote Rivers Huts Road. good. It is accessed off the Rangiora-Cust Road and off the - Despite these rivers flowing through a major city, they are both good Rangiora Road (Skew Bridge is a popular access point). Most of the junior fisheries. . Access is very good along both rivers. Please check Cust lies on private land so please check with the landowner before the current regulations for closed areas and dates.

you start fishing.

1 and April 30. April and 1 www.fishandgame.org.nz

These are recorded each day the office is open between October October between open is office the day each recorded are These [email protected]

Reports on river fishing conditions are available on 03 366 2986. 2986. 366 03 on available are conditions fishing river on Reports (03) 366 9191 366 (03)

North Canterbury Region Canterbury North F&G Telephone River Reports River Telephone F&G when fished on the bottom with a small weight. small a with bottom the on fished when

freshwater shrimp or live cockabullies (a small native fish) work well well work fish) native small (a cockabullies live or shrimp freshwater

well in small sluggish streams such as the lower Selwyn. Worms, Worms, Selwyn. lower the as such streams sluggish small in well

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Tasmanian Devil or small ticer are recommended. Bait fishing works works fishing Bait recommended. are ticer small or Devil Tasmanian

predictions of likely fishing conditions in coming days. Contact the the Contact days. coming in conditions fishing likely of predictions

following a fresh. Lures which cast and sink well such as the Toby, Toby, the as such well sink and cast which Lures fresh. a following

summer season which advise on recent catches and make make and catches recent on advise which season summer

the bigger rivers, especially when they are carrying a little colour colour little a carrying are they when especially rivers, bigger the

Free weekly email fishing reports are available throughout the the throughout available are reports fishing email weekly Free

reaches of the Lake Ellesmere tributaries. Spin fishing works well in well works fishing Spin tributaries. Ellesmere Lake the of reaches

Email Fishing Reports Fishing Email

slow sinking lines is the favoured technique, particularly in the lower lower the in particularly technique, favoured the is lines sinking slow

which live there. After dark fishing with streamer flies on floating or or floating on flies streamer with fishing dark After there. live which

to use light weight fly fishing tackle in order to catch the fussy fish fish fussy the catch to order in tackle fishing fly weight light use to west rain in the Alps is likely to cause a flood the following day). following the flood a cause to likely is Alps the in rain west

fishing the small spring fed streams during daylight hours are advised advised are hours daylight during streams fed spring small the fishing predict when the river is likely to come down in flood (heavy north north (heavy flood in down come to likely is river the when predict

country streams but check the regulation guide for details. Anglers Anglers details. for guide regulation the check but streams country to fish the big rivers should consult the high country forecast to to forecast country high the consult should rivers big the fish to

Bait, spinning and fly fishing are legal for trout fishing in most low low most in fishing trout for legal are fishing fly and spinning Bait, increase in strength in the afternoon and evening. Anglers who wish wish who Anglers evening. and afternoon the in strength in increase

Methods Christchurch is also known for strong easterly winds which often often which winds easterly strong for known also is Christchurch

north west or south west winds, especially in exposed locations. locations. exposed in especially winds, west south or west north

will be useful for predicting local conditions. Avoid fishing in strong strong in fishing Avoid conditions. local predicting for useful be will

This site is great for weather forecasts. The Christchurch forecast forecast Christchurch The forecasts. weather for great is site This

19. Rakaia River Rakaia 19.

; -see separate brochure. separate -see ;

www.metservice.co.nz

Metservice

the mouth can offer good fly fishing during daylight hours. daylight during fishing fly good offer can mouth the

the mouth is good after dark but the river between the car park and and park car the between river the but dark after good is mouth the

Rakaia when it drops below 180 cumecs. 180 below drops it when Rakaia

turn left again onto a small bridge not far from the corner. Fishing at at Fishing corner. the from far not bridge small a onto again left turn

10 cumecs, the Waimakariri when it drops below 80 cumecs and the the and cumecs 80 below drops it when Waimakariri the cumecs, 10

with Timber Yard Road (heading south). Turn left down the latter and and latter the down left Turn south). (heading Road Yard Timber with

gorge. The Ashley generally becomes fishable once it drops below below drops it once fishable becomes generally Ashley The gorge.

mouth. To get to Harts Creek follow Lake Road to its intersection intersection its to Road Lake follow Creek Harts to get To mouth.

This website service is very useful for showing the river flow at the the at flow river the showing for useful very is service website This

Harts Creek is a good fly fishing stream, especially towards the the towards especially stream, fishing fly good a is Creek Harts

ECan River Flow Service Flow River ECan

18. Harts Creek Harts 18.

of help: of

out to the river. the to out

before leaving home. The following information sources should be be should sources information following The home. leaving before

cross a wooden bridge and turn left into Aitkens Rd. This road leads leads road This Rd. Aitkens into left turn and bridge wooden a cross

climate is highly changeable and anglers should check the weather weather the check should anglers and changeable highly is climate

road on the left after the bridge (heading south - Hanmer Road), Road), Hanmer - south (heading bridge the after left the on road

advised to check conditions before leaving home. The Canterbury Canterbury The home. leaving before conditions check to advised

after the Lake Road/ Lake Road South intersection. Take the first first the Take intersection. South Road Lake Road/ Lake the after

Ashley, Waimakariri and Rakaia do flood frequently and anglers are are anglers and frequently flood do Rakaia and Waimakariri Ashley,

Cross Coes Ford and follow Lake Road until it crosses the river, just just river, the crosses it until Road Lake follow and Ford Coes Cross

fishable much of the time. However the larger rivers such as the the as such rivers larger the However time. the of much fishable

This river can provide good fishing but, again, is subject to low flows. flows. low to subject is again, but, fishing good provide can river This

The rivers close to Christchurch tend to be stable and are clear and and clear are and stable be to tend Christchurch to close rivers The

17. Irwell River Irwell 17.

Further Information Further

Ford is the most popular access point to this part of the river. the of part this to point access popular most the is Ford

fishing Regulation Guide before you commence fishing. commence you before Guide Regulation fishing

changes to a delightful meandering stream of pools and riffles. Coes Coes riffles. and pools of stream meandering delightful a to changes

flows into the sea. Please consult a current Sports Sports Island South current a consult Please sea. the into flows

Upper Selwyn Huts to the mouth. Above the Upper Huts the Selwyn Selwyn the Huts Upper the Above mouth. the to Huts Selwyn Upper

fishing in all freshwaters and within 500 metres of where any river river any where of metres 500 within and freshwaters all in fishing

but is often dry in the middle reaches. Access is good from the the from good is Access reaches. middle the in dry often is but

A current sports fishing licence is required for trout and salmon salmon and trout for required is licence fishing sports current A

This river contains good numbers of brown trout in the lower reaches reaches lower the in trout brown of numbers good contains river This Regulations 16. Selwyn River Selwyn 16. CLOSE to CHRISTCHURCH

Ashley River 1 1 2 Cust River 1 3 Cam River

OXFORD 4 Styx River RANGIORA 5 Kaiapoi River 2 WOODEND 6 Waimakariri River - see separate brochure

SPRINGFIELD WAIMAKARIRI 7 Otukaikino River GORGE 3 KAIAPOI 8 Avon

5 6 9 Heathcote River SHEFFIELD 10 Okana River (Little River) 4 BELFAST 11 Lake Forsyth WAIMAKARIRI RIVER 7 12 Kaituna River HOMEBUSH DARFIELD O LD 13 Halswell River 77 WE ST COA ST ROA D 8 14 Lake Ellesmere 73 CHRISTCHURCH 15 LII River CITY 16 Selwyn River TEMPLETON

17 Irwell River MAP REGION 1 9 ROLLESTON LYTTELTON 18 Harts Creek HALSWELL 19 Rakaia River BURNHAM

LINCOLN

DUNSANDEL TAITAPU

16

15

MOTUKARARA 17 LEESTON 13 12

1 10 18 11 RAKAIA LAKE ELLESMERE

SOUTHBRIDGE AKAROA

14

19 North Canterbury Region