Kakanui River

LINZ topographic maps: 1:50,000 (260 series)

The Kakanui is a generally clear flowing river that has suffered recently because of poor farming practises such as water extraction. During the warmer drier months of late summer its flow can become quite low at times.

It is however an important river for anglers and produces excellent fish especially early in the season when good numbers of large fish can often be found chasing whitebait in the lower reaches.

Description

Above the Clifton Falls the river mostly flows through a steep sided gorge making it better suited to fit anglers who are prepared to walk some distance and push through vegetation inplaces. It has a number of pools punctuated buy swift runs. It is best fished in the pools especially when the water is low. The water is generally very clear and flows over a rock and stone bed. Cover for the fish is quite limited and anglers are best to walk looking for habitat that trout will like (where there is some deep water and some cover nearby for safety)

Fish numbers and size

Numbers of fish in this section are low with fish being around the 0.75 - 1.5kg mark

Access

Accees is difficult and requires some walking. There are a few rough roads that can get anglers near the river and permission must be sought from landowners to fish this section.

Description

Downstream from the Clifton Falls the river opens out and is a series of deep pools with good bankside vegetation and fast runs. The river runs over a shingle bed and between willow lined banks making for good trout habitat. This is excellent nymph and dry fly water.

Fish numbers and size

Good numbers of fish that range from 0.75 - 2 kg

Access

There are a number of access points which include the Dunrobin Road Bridge, Five Forks Road Bridge, Old Mill Dam andState Highway 1. Again seek landowners permission before crossing their land.

Description

The lower reaches  below SH 1 are much slower and less well defined. This section does have some excellent fish at times however particulalrly early in the season when the trout are targeting the schools of migrating whitebait. Best fished with a wet fly or spinner.

Fish numbers and size

Good numbers of fish some of which reach trophy size (i.e. above 4.5kg or 10lb)

Access

A road that turns of SH 1 at Maheno takes you to the mouth of the Kakanui. Side roads take you close to the river in a number of places and a bridge crosses the river at Kakanui township nearthe mouth.

Nymphs: emergers, caddis, willow grubs and small lightly weighted pheasant tails and pheasant tail emergers.

Dry flies: Mayfly patterns such as a blue dunn, adams or twilight beauty (match the hatch with size and colour). Beetles also work well in early summer.

Wet flies: Small spider patterns and wee-wets in the upper and middle reaches with larger whitebait and smelt imitation flies such as a Dollfly, Parsons Glory or Grey Ghost in the lower reaches. Use dark coloured flies such as a Fuzzy Wuzzy or black Woolly Bugger in the evenings and at night. A fly with a flourescent body that glows in the dark such as a Midnight can also work.

Spinners: small silver lures such as a silver toby or zed spinner.

Trout: No limit

Salmon: (from 1 Mar-30 Apr).
Minimum 300 mm.
Maximum 450 mm

Salmon: (from 1 Mar-30 Apr).
Minimum 300 mm.
Maximum 450 mm