1 hour 15 minutes from Nelson.
1 hour from Blenheim
Setting
This lake
which provides the source of the Buller River is deep and clean
and home to a large population of brown trout. It is fed by
the snow-fed waters of the Travers River which enters the lake
at its head or at the southern end. It is surrounded by bush
which mostly comes down to the waters edge making fishing difficult
from the shoreline.
The clear cold waters of the
lake and the surrounding bush makes for ideal trout habitat.
Due to the closeness of the bush there are limited opportunities
for the shore based angler though good fishing can be had around
the outlet to the Buller River and at the southern end where
the Travers River enters the lake. Mostly it is fished by trolling
or spinning or fly fishing from a boat.
Fish numbers and size
Fish numbers
are good and they avaerage size is between 3 - 4lbs. Large fish
are regularly caught however and there is always the chance
of a trophy fish in these waters.
Ease of fishing
Most fishing is from a boat
(there are two boat ramps; one at St Arnaud and the other at
the northern end of the lake). There is excellent fishing to
be had where the Buller leaves the lake and at the mouth of
the Travers at the southern end.
Access
St Arnaud
which is the only town on Lake Rotoiti is reached via highway
63 which turns of the Murchison Blenheim highway (State Highway
6) at Howard Junction.
Dry flies:
Fishing terrestial flies around the shore line can be productive
in the warmer months and particularly in the early morning
or evening. Patterns such as Humpy,
Coch-y-Bondhu,
Royal Wulff
or any large sedge pattern can work if the trout are near
the surface. When trout are seen to be rising in the
warmer months, a green
beetle or cicada
pattern can be effective.
Wet flies:
Usually large streamer flies are fished in the lake. Trolled
or harled flies such as Parson's
Glory or a Rabbit
fly work well. Use dark colours at night (eg Craig's
Night-Time or Hairy
Dog) and lighter colours during the day.
Spinners: Spinners
either cast or trolled are very popular and effective. Toby
patterns, Tasmanian
Devils or Cobra
work well.
