New Zealand Fish & Game communications update for fresh water anglers and licence holders on the potential closure of a Rotorua district lake due to invasive gold clams.

Using soft baits on a river can be very productive for anglers, follow these tips from the team at Southland Fish & Game for the best results.

Thousands of anglers across the country headed out before dawn this morning to start the 2021/22 sports fishing season. The weather played its part, with fine weather for opening day across most of the country. With Covid-19 restrictions, fishing has become a great way of dealing with the stress the restrictions cause and provides an excellent opportunity enjoy the outdoors and change things up a little. The opening day of the new fishing season this year is in the middle of Mental Health Awareness Week. This is appropriate given that fishing is one activity that has been proven to improve your wellbeing. Studies overseas have shown that going fishing reduces stress, and with the school holidays starting this weekend, fishing also is a great school holiday family activity.

Or seeking to improve your trout angling and learn new techniques? Come along to the free Canterbury Trout Festival starting at 8.30am on September 4 2021 at Peppers Hotel, Clearwater. We have again been able to persuade some of New Zealand's best trout anglers to come and share their knowledge and skills.

At 0001 hours on Saturday the 7th of November, the high country fishing season kicked-off throughout Canterbury. Anglers in their hundreds flocked to the iconic Canterbury high country to take part in the annual fishery opening with many anglers out on the water just after midnight. A combination of good weather before the southerly change hit meant anglers were able to celebrate this tradition with gusto. At the annual Lake Coleridge fishing competition over 200 anglers entered the popular contest and many more came for the prize draw.

Freshwater anglers are eagerly anticipating the start of the new trout and salmon fishing season, which begins on October 1. Early reports indicate there is some excellent fishing to be had this coming season. Licences are available now and the photo on the licence was the winner of the 2020 Fish & Game Fishing Licence Photo competition. Take your camera with you when you go fishing because the competition will begin again in January 2021 with more spectacular prizes to be had. "Getting your licence signals that winter is over, spring is here, and Christmas is coming, which means your favourite little stream, lake or river will be open soon for fishing," Fish & Game New Zealand Chief Executive Martin Taylor says. With more Kiwis holidaying at home this year the time is right to have a go at fishing when you are camping, tramping or just visiting your local lake, river or stream. "Kiwis are exploring New Zealand like never before. Every river you cross is a fishing opportunity. "New Zealand is one of the world's great fishing countries. Our lakes, rivers, and backcountry streams all offer fantastic opportunities to fish for brown and rainbow trout. In the South Island, you can also fish for salmon in many places. "You are never far from the action."

Are you looking for an outdoor activity for your kids these school holidays? Why not try fishing? North Canterbury Fish & Game has released around 200 catchable sized salmon into the Groynes children’s fishing lakes. The salmon have been kindly donated by Mount Cook Alpine Salmon and The Isaac Conservation and Wildlife Trust.

The most significant change ever to the way sea-run salmon are managed in NZ has been proposed, to help rebuild Canterbury’s wild sea-run salmon population. In co-operative decisions, the Central South Island Fish and Game Council (CSIFGC) and North Canterbury Fish and Game Council (NCFGC) have formally resolved that a sea-run salmon "season bag limit" regime should be implemented across both regions. Both Councils have jointly agreed to recommend this new tool, to restore the resilience of wild salmon populations. Fish and Game New Zealand will now seek Government regulations to implement this proposal. The size of the season bag limit will be reviewed annually, based on where the size of the spawning population sits within the range of spawning thresholds.

With the country stepping out of Alert Level 3 on Tuesday, freshwater fishing is now a great option for recreation and to provide for the table. "Being able to break the cabin fever and go to your local river fishing is fantastic safe family fun" says Nick Page from the Hawke’s Bay Fish and Game. "A quick check of our regulations book will let anglers know where they can go locally for a fish" says Nick Page.

South Island salmon anglers are being asked for their help in the first east coast wide salmon harvest survey. The Nelson/Marlborough, North Canterbury, Central South Island and Otago Fish and Game Councils are asking anglers to actively participate in the annual sea-run salmon harvest survey that is about to be undertaken. The survey comes at a critical time when sea run salmon populations are at depressed levels and the Covid-19 alert level restrictions may compromise the ability of Fish & Game to undertake annual population monitoring in the field, like helicopter-assisted spawning surveys. The survey covers all sea-run salmon rivers of the South Island east coast, spanning the area from the Wairau River in the Nelson/Marlborough Region to the Clutha River in Otago. Sports fishing licence holders will be contacted directly via the email or phone contact details they provided at the time of purchase. The sea-run salmon survey identifies the number of anglers that target sea-run salmon each season and the number of salmon they harvested. The total annual harvest is estimated by applying that information to all licenced anglers so it is important that as many anglers as possible participate in the survey.

Anglers are being urged to get into some “terrific” fishing on the Rotorua lakes – after reports of excellent catches and record spawning runs underway.

After ten years absence, tench have returned to Timaru’s Centennial Park Lake, offering anglers a challenging new fishing opportunity.

Faced with continual decline in the sea run salmon fishery, the two Canterbury Fish & Game regions have voted this week to align most of their salmon regulations.