Fish & Game New Zealand’s Otago region extends from Shag Point on the South Island’s East Coast south to The Brothers Point in the Catlins area.

The region runs inland to include the whole of both the Clutha and Taieri River catchments, as well as a number of smaller coastal river catchments such as the Catlins, Tahakopa, Tokomairiro, Kaikorai, Waitati, Waikouaiti and Shag.

Some of the best trout and salmon angling waters in New Zealand are found in Otago and residents and visitors alike enjoy the many angling opportunities the region has to offer.

Dunedin is Otago’s main city and trout fishing close by is maintained by stocking Sullivan’s Dam, Southern Reservoir (both water supply reservoirs) and Tomahawk Lagoon with trout. The water reservoirs are open year round and anglers can use fly or spinning methods. The mouth of Leith Stream in the central city is a popular spot for spin anglers.

Coastal estuaries and tidal river reaches on the Waikouaiti, Taieri, Tokomairiro, Puerua, Clutha, Catlins and Tahakopa rivers all have good numbers of sea-run and resident brown trout that anglers can target using all methods.

These waters are open for fishing throughout the year. Salmon run into the Clutha and Taieri Rivers from January to April. The most popular spot for salmon fishing on the Clutha is downstream from Roxburgh Dam to Millers Flat near the main Road from Milton to Alexandra.

Lowland coastal lakes such as Waihola, Waipori and Tuakitoto provide angling for perch, brown trout and contain a spectacular variety of waterfowl and wading birds.

Larger electricity and irrigation reservoirs in Central Otago provide an abundance of still water fishing, often at higher altitude. Lake Onslow, Poolburn Reservoir, Fraser Dam, Falls Dam and Loganburn Reservoir all hold good stocks of brown trout. Upper Manorburn is a rainbow fishery and Lake Mahinerangi, closer to Dunedin, has stocks of browns, rainbows and perch.

Medium-sized rivers such as the Taieri, Manuherikia, Pomahaka, Catlins and their tributaries all support brown trout. Examples of important tributaries include the Deep Stream (Taieri) and the Waipahi River (Pomahaka). The Shag and Waikouaiti Rivers, north of Dunedin, are smaller streams characterised by high water clarity making them suitable for fish spotting.

In the Maniototo, in addition to the main Taieri River, there are some excellent irrigation dams. These smaller reservoirs are put-and-take fisheries and Fish & Game regularly stocks them with trout. They provide reliable angling relatively close to Dunedin. At Mathias’, Rutherford’s and Blakely’s Dams permission has been granted to cross private land. Coalpit and Hoffman’s Dams, close to Naseby, are on public reserves. These waters can produce some amazing trophy fish and are very similar in character to English reservoir fishing.

Further inland Lake Dunstan provides a very accessible lake fishery for brown and rainbow trout. It is popular with boaties and all angling methods can be used making it ideal for family angling. At the top of the Clutha River catchment Otago’s three large glacial lakes – Wakatipu, Wanaka and Hawea – all support excellent mixed fisheries for brown and rainbow trout, and quinnat salmon. This is Otago’s summer playground whether you are fishing from the shore or a boat. Known as the Southern Lakes area it gets many visitors from throughout New Zealand and overseas.

Lake outlet fisheries on the Kawarau River at Frankton, near Queenstown, and the Upper Clutha near Wanaka are well known and productive. The Hawea River between Wanaka and Hawea townships is worth a visit but watch out for fluctuating river flows. The Upper Clutha between Lake Wanaka and Lake Dunstan offers challenging angling on a major river.

Flowing into the Southern Lakes are pristine high country fisheries for brown and rainbow trout. For example the Lochy, Von, Greenstone, Dart, Hunter, Dingle Burn, Timaru Creek, Matukituki and the Makarora with its tributaries, the Wilkin and the Young. Many of these high country rivers contain some of the clearest water in the world where rainbow and brown trout are easy to spot but not always easy to catch.