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Rakaia River mouth at dawn on the 6th of December 2009 looking towards Banks Peninsula some 45km to the east. |
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Surf fishing the Rakaia Rivermouth at first light. |
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Cleaning a kahawai caught fishing in the surf. |
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So far this season there have been unusually low flows in the Rakaia River. During October and November we can expect at least one or two big floods to come down sweeping all before them but so far this just hasn't happened. Perhaps a dozen or more were caught at the beginning of last week (late November) when a small fresh came through. It seems the salmon are just waiting for a bit of colour in the river. If they are waiting they are doing so well out of casting range! However most days the odd salmon is caught here and there but no more than that.
The mouth is well down towards the South Rakaia Huts. It is only about one kilometre from the camping ground. There is a very long spit on the north side. A decent fresh through the river will almost certainly punch a hole through this shingle barrier further north. Last year anglers coming from the south side had to walk or ride up to five kilometres to get to the mouth proper, which gives you some idea just how wide the Rakia can be in its lower reaches - and how long it has been since a flood.
The searun trout are in magnificent condition. I would describe them as round bodied and torpedo like. They are surprisingly powerful fish. They pull hard and strong much like a salmon. Their considerable size and strength is no doubt attributable to their unlimited diet of silveries. These little cucumber smelling fish are present in the lower river, and the surf, in what must be countless millions. The trout are very well fed.
These searun trout are not always easy to catch. For some reason I seem to be foul hooking and releasing plenty of fish this season. Whereas I hardly ever foul hook a trout when fishing the slower, less boisterous water of the lower Waimakariri River. Any ideas emailed to me on how to take more of these Rakaia fish in the mouth would be greatly appreciated.
Overall I'd say that the Rakaia River mouth takes much more effort to fish than the more sedate Waimakariri to the north. The mouth of the Rakaia River seems to change shape with almost every rise and fall of the tide. The place seems to have a rugged life of its own some how. Fishing it is exciting but requires different gear. Many anglers fish the lower Waimakariri River with Rapalas and a range of other lures, whereas the faster, deeper water of the Rakaia Mouth makes feathered lures taken down with a lead weight up the line the only effective fishing method in most instances. It is also much more difficult to access without a four-wheel-drive vehicle or a quad bike.
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| The Hopes Silvery pattern is a good match for the real thing but a Yellow Rabbit may be a better option with so many silveries present! |
| How to fix the leak in your waders. |
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A powerful searun trout from the lower Rakaia River. |
Watch for birds working close in to shore and particularly along the sides of the gut. If schooling silveries are present, and birds are working them, trout and kahawai are sure to be there even if sometimes they aren't chasing the baitfish to the surface. It is always worth casting your lures despite what some of the experts might say. The first push of the new tide, all the way to the top of the tide, are the best times to fish, but searun trout can be taken on any part of the tide – particularly if birds are working baitfish the trout will be close by.
The best colour lures seem to be those with a bit of yellow in them. Yellow Rabbits are a good choice. I prefer Hopes Silvery patterns as these look the most like a silvery baitfish if we are “matching the hatch,” however several top local anglers are using the yellow coloured patterns very successfully. Perhaps the Hopes pattern looks too much like a silvery whereas the different yellow coloured lures tend to attract the predators attention more readily.
Some anglers report better success fishing for the searun trout after dark. With the river very clear and low trying a smaller lure is also worth a go. However with so many silveries present in such clear water at the moment I guess the trout can afford to pick and choose which ones to chase!
The best time of day to fish the surf is just after first light at five in the morning. We don't always think of trout as a sea fish but plenty of big searun trout are being caught in the breakers and just behind them on the south side of the mouth.
Sea fishing on the north side is too dangerous. The spit is narrow and big sweepers pass over it regularly. The tip of the north side spit is rightly known as Suicide Point. With several fatalities and near misses in recent years on both sides I note that many Rakaia River whitebaiters and anglers are now wearing life jackets both for whitebaiting and fishing the spit and lower river. This is a good thing to see. A life jacket, or rapidly inflatable buoyancy aid, is a worthwhile investment if you plan to fish this area.
Kahawai are also being caught early in the morning and are a welcome catch for most. The early mornings are a magic time of day to be at the Rakaia River mouth. Usually the wind will have dropped over night and the fishing is often at its best for the day. Mind you it makes for a very long day in the hot sun if you are travelling any sort of distance to the Rakaia River for the day after such an early start. Most local hut owners and campers will fish for a couple of hours early in the morning then head back for a bit of a sleep.
The Rakaia River is yet to fire up on the salmon but I'm sure that a good size run of fish is just a matter of days away. Watch for any sort of rain in the head waters and head to the Rakaia River after a day or so as it starts to clear!
Related articles include: Salmon, Searun Trout or a Kahawai, also Trout Near Christchurch, fishing with the Canterbury Lure Rod and Selwyn River Brownies. Young salmon being released at Montrose in the head waters of the upper Rakaia River Salmon. South Rakaia is also good for surfcasting.
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The sea at South Rakaia isn't always this calm. |
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