Waimakariri River Fishing

Upper Waimakariri River maps

Access map

Access map with topography

Lower Waimakariri River maps

Access map

Access map with topography

LINZ topographic map: (260 Map Series, 1:50,000)
M35 Christchurch
L35 Waimakariri
L34 Puketeraki
K34 Wilberforce

River flow

View graphs of the current Waimakariri river flow at the Environment Canterbury website:
- at the Old Highway Bridge (lower reaches)
- at the Waimakariri gorge

River level

View a graph of the river stage height at the Waimakariri and Esk River confluence.

Rainfall

View a graph of the current Waimakariri rainfall at the Environment Canterbury website:
- at the Waimakariri gorge
- at the Waimakariri and Esk River confluence

River and flood phone and text info

Phone: For river flow and rainfall info, phone 083 225 522, then press 2, then 2. Calls cost 12 cents per minute.

Text: For river level and river flow info, text:

- RV WAIME for the Waimakariri Esk confluence
- RV WAIMG for the Waimakariri gorge
- RV WAIMO for the Old Highway Bridge (lower reaches)
to 3226.

The cost to have the text message sent to you is 30 cents.

Access pamphlet

Waimakariri River access pamphlet

River report

Fish & Game river report: phone 03-366 2986 (1 Oct-30 April).

Trout health study

You can assist the trout health monitoring programme by:

• Recording precise measurements of each fish length and weight, date and the location on the river where the fish was caught.  Please use the form at the Fish & Game website to record the fish details.
• Sending or dropping off the fish head(s) to the F&G office at 3 Horatio Street, Christchurch.

From the gorge to Arthurs Pass

Description

The fishing is limited above Mt White Bridge but there are large brown trout in the gorge and upper reaches, where the river is more stable fishing. When the river is low in summer, trout move down into the gorge. The tributaries offer more consistent fishing.

Fish numbers and size

Excellent in the tributaries such as Broken River, Winding Creek and the Porter River. Limited in the upper reaches above Mt White Bridge.

Access

Jet boat is the best way, but below the gorge you can access the river from the Waimakariri Gorge bridge. State Highway 73 provides an access point at Whites Bridge and crosses the river further upstream.

Access the tributaries from SH73 between Lake Lyndon and Lake Pearson. Access the main river just west of Cass, where SH73 comes close to the river.

See the Upper Waimakariri River access map and the list of access points.

The Gorge

The Waimakariri Gorge is a spectacular fishing venue that offers top class salmon and trout fishing. with the best months being from late February to late April. Salmon pools (pools with slow water adjacent or near to the main current flow) are easy to locate and access. Fish lie very close to the bottom of the river and so it is necessary to get lures down deep and fish them along the bottom to entice a strike.

Fish numbers and size

The Gorge offers more consistent salmon fishing than further down river. Numbers are good and fish tend to stay longer in the gorge than in other parts of the river.

Access

Most of the best fishing is reached by boat. There is limited access at Gorge Bridge, Woodstock and the Kowai River confluence for the shore-based angler.

SH1 to Gorge Bridge

Description

Salmon fishing in the middle reaches is unpredictable, and dependent on being there when the fish run. Mid February to the end of March are the best month. Salmon pools are easy to locate and access. Slow flowing, deep water is often found around clumps of willow trees or river protection groynes. Fish lie very close to the bottom of the river and so it is necessary to get lures down deep and fish them along the bottom to entice a strike.

Fish numbers and size

Salmon run up river after a good fall of rain has caused the river to rise. They tend to move through these middle reaches quickly in an effort to reach the gorge before the water level drops. Their numbers drop dramatically at other times though some fish can be usually be caught in holding pockets.

Access

Between July-September 2007 anglers may experience some problems accessing the eastern side of the Waimakariri South Branch/Otukaikino Stream below Dickeys Road - see an aerial photo and more details provided by Fish & Game.

See also the Lower Waimakariri River access map and the list of access points.

The mouth and lagoon

Description

A unique feature of the Waimakariri is its flows into a big tidal bay, up to 100m wide.

The best salmon fishing is February and March (the salmon run is later and shorter than in other rivers). The top half of the outgoing tide is the most productive in the tidal reaches, especially when this coincides with daybreak. McIntosh’s Rocks is the most popular spot and requires no wading.

Sea run trout are present throughout summer. The riffles at the top of the tidal zone close to the Old Highway Bridge are the most popular spot for trout fishing. The best time to fish is when a discoloured river coincides with low tide during the last hour of daylight.

Fish numbers and size

Excellent

Access

Boat access: Launch into the Kaiapoi River at the ramp near the BMX track in Kaiapoi; at Kairaki or just above the Motorway Bridge.

By road: McIntosh’s Rocks are 1km above the mouth on the north side.

Access the tidal reaches directly off the Old Main North Road, or through Kaiapoi.

See the Lower Waimakariri River access map and the list of access points.

In the Waimakariri, spinning is most effective when you are in pursuit of salmon. Use:
- a medium/heavy actioned rod, 2-2.5m in length
- a fixed or free spool reel capable of holding 200m of 7-10kg line
Fish the spinner as close to the bottom of the river as possible.

If fishing with a fly it is necesssary to use a fast sinking line as the fish will only be caught when fishing close to the bottom.

Sea run trout

Especially in faster flowing water, use streamers that resemble smelt such as Parsons' Glory, Yellow Lady, or Yellow Rabbit.

Spin fishing can be effective in slower water.

Up river trout

Blind fishing with either fly or spinner works well. The tributary streams offer a more typical back country experience, sight fishing for both brown and rainbow trout using lightweight fly tackle.

Streamers:  large smelt patterns (sizes 2 -6)

Spinners: Use ticers and zed spinners in weights between 28 - 42 grams in the tidal reaches and around 17 - 22 grams in the middle reaches and gorge.

Nymphs: Hare and Copper, Green Stonefly, Halfback, Pheasant Tail or Damselfly Nymph

Dry flies: Royal Coachman, Royal Wulff, Humpy (green or yellow), Coch-y-Bondu, Green Beetle, Muddler Minnow or Hopper

Streamers: Hamill's Killer, Mrs Simpson , Parson's Glory, Woolly Bugger or at night a Black marabou or Black Fuzzy-Wuzzy

Spinners: Use Tasmanian Devil or Black Toby