Hamilton Burn

Access map
Access map with topography

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

• View MetService weather forecast for Invercargill.
• View river level, rainfall and river flow details and graphs at the Environment Southland website.

Hamilton Burn (and the associated North and South Braxton Burns which join it in the upper reaches) are slow flowing waters that flow between banks lined with willow and broom. As they do not have a great structure the fish tend to cruise the pools looking for food or to station themsleves along the foam feedlines.

Although the water usually has some colour, fish can usually be spooted when they are feeding as they tend to often feed near the surface. thjey therefore respond well to dry flies and unweighted nymphs. When no fish are visible it pays to fish the likely looking watr blind.

Nymphs: Small lightly weighted or un-weighted nymphs such as a Pheasant Tail emerger, emerger and stonefly patterns.

Dry flies: Small mayfly patterns such as a Blue Dun, Kakahi Queen or Twilight Beauty. In the summer when the Cicadas are about, a large cicada pattern can prove irrestible. Also try a blowfly or bluebottle during warm still days or a Daddy-Long-Legs (Crane fly) in the evening.

Wet flies: Soft hackled flies such as a Gosling worked across the faster water and through the riffles. Emerger patterns are also good on this water either fished as wee-wets or cast just ahead of a trout rising in the evening and left to float downstream rather like a dry-fly.

Spinners: Small bladed spinners such as a veltic or Mepps.