Lake Mapourika
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Expert angler Lex Coutts from Christchurch with a 1.8 kg butter-coloured Lake Mapourika brownie taken trolling. |
Located 10 km north of Franz Joseph in one of the most beautiful scenic parts of New Zealand. The salmon fishing is variable but there are plenty of big brown trout although you might find them hard to catch.
Though there is good brown trout trout fishing and sea-run salmon from December to March, thick bush cover makes access around the lake difficult. A small boat or kayak is a worth while investment.
Salmon were first released in to Lake Mapourika as early as 1932. Quinnat salmon run up the Okarito River from the sea into the lake from December to April. Some years the salmon fishing here is very good indeed. Big salmon are also taken by deep trolling. There is also a small population of smaller landlocked salmon present in the lake.
Like all the West Coast lakes that have dense bush surrounding them the water is tea-coloured from rain water leaching through the vegetation. This makes spotting trout hard work. Spinning and trolling are the preferred fishing methods.
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