Salmon fishing at McIntoshes Rocks near the mouth of the Waimakariri River.

McIntoshes Rocks are 2km upstream from the Waimakariri Rivermouth. It is a great place to go to while away a few hows with a good chance of catch a salmon for dinner or the smoker.

My pick of salmon tackle for fishing at McIntoshes would include a 2.13m (seven foot) graphite rod and baitcaster reel. There are two basic types of rod available. One is for use with a freespool reel which is fished on top of the rod. It has at least eight smaller line guides and often a trigger grip under the rod. This is my preference.

The second type of rod is designed for use with a fixed spool reel (eggbeater), which is fished under the rod. Usually there are fewer line guides; mostly five or six. The first line guide closest to the reel is always bigger with this type of rod because the line comes off the reel in large coils that are progressively dampened as the line travels up through the guides towards the tip.

There are many rod and reel combinations available at tackle stores. Most novice anglers start out with a fixed spool reel or eggbeater and later they progress to a freespool also called a baitcaster reel. The baitcaster takes a bit more time to learn to operate correctly than an eggbeater. With an eggbeater they is no chance of you getting a dreaded tangle (birds nest) when casting. The ratio of baitcasters to eggbeaters among salmon anglers would be around 20:1. Some salmon anglers prefer an eggbeater reel and never use anything else. The eggbeater is very useful when fishing in a head wind at the Rakaia Rivermouth because you just won't get any tangles from line coming off the spool faster than

the lure is taking it away. I still use my old Daiwa Regal 2500 for just this reason when the wind is blowing hard towards me when I'm casting. You can get some excellent eggbeater reels these days, which incorporate multiple ball bearings in their construction, reasonably cheaply compared to 20 years ago. Winding the handle on these modern eggbeaters you'll find them very smooth indeed. Gone is the unbalanced wobble you used to get!

The way to avoid birdsnets with a baitcaster is to tighten the adjusting knob on the end of the reel which causes more friction on the spool. This reduces casting distance but greatly reduces tangles when casting. As you get better at using the freespool you can begin to loosen the knob back a little at a time.

A freespool is better because the line lasts longer, are lighter, casting accuracy is greater, and baitcasters generally last much longer in use than an eggbeater. For your first baitcaster I would get an Abu 6500. You can't go wrong with one of these. They last forever. Should you decide to buy a flasher baitcaster later on like the excellent Shimano Calcutta 400 your Abu 6500 will be a good spare to have in your bag should you get a breakdown or hopeless birdsnest on your new reel. For river fishing, such as at McIntoshes Rocks, you want a reel that holds at least 200 metres of 9.1 kg (20 lb) monofilament line.

You will also need at least ten silver zed spinners. The most popular weights are 22-28g. On some fishing days you can loose quite a few; other days you don't loose any. Always carry plenty just in case it turns out to be one of those bad days. When the river is a bit murky or discoloured the salmon seem better able to spot white zed spinners. I have had a great deal of success with these even when the river is clear. More here on zed spinners too.

The only other thing you need for salmon fishing at McIntoshes Rocks is a salmon landing net. You need a big salmon sized net. It is next to impossible to get a salmon out of the water along the rocks without a net. Anglers used to use a gaff (strong stick with a big hook at the end) but you don't see this much any more. Sometimes your salmon will be foul hooked and you will have to release it. A net will allow you to do so without harming the fish. If you don't have a net someone else probably will. Someone with a net is sure to assist you to land your fish. Never attempt to help someone land their salmon unless they give you the go-ahead first. If it is lost you'll get the blame. Generally though salmon anglers at McIntoshes get on well together and will help you net your fish. See a 17 pound Waimakariri River salmon caught at McIntoshes Rocks. Here is another big fish lifted from the rocks in a salmon landing net before being releaded.

If you don't take along your own net you risk catching a big fish on a day when there are only a few anglers present and no one has a net!

One of the biggest mistakes I see anglers make at McIntoshes Rocks is that they cast out and then start winding straight away before their zeddie has had time to sink down near the bottom. You have to cast upstream at about 45 degrees then count about ten seconds before you start winding. Winding speed is also critical. If you wind too fast your zed spinner will plane to the surface and you won't catch any fish. Unfortunately watching the bloke fishing next to you and copying him isn't always a good idea as he could be winding too fast as well. A good tactic for the beginner is to ask the other anglers; who catches the most fish? Then watch him for a few minutes to see how long he waits before winding and see how slowly he is turning his reel handle. You are certain to be surprised at just how slowly some of the top anglers are retrieving their lures at McIntoshes Rocks. Keep in mind that the water in front of the white post is 7 to 10 metres deep. When the tide is running out the river flow increases in speed. This also causes your lure to rise to the surface faster. Sometimes when you are overly keen and you can see others landing salmon you get excited and start winding faster and faster! Here is another good Waimakariri River salmon caught fishing from a boat at McIntoshes Hole.

The best time to fish is the top two hours of the tide particularly when it starts to run out. I have caught salmon at McIntoshes at all different stages of the tide so I wouldn't worry too much if the tide is all wrong. The salmon don't care either way.

Many anglers at McIntoshes Rocks will tell you that if you can see salmon porpoising on the surface you are unlikely to catch one. I think this is largely correct. I have fished there some nights when salmon have been breaking the surface all over the place and nobody is catching them. Mind you some anglers are much better at spotting fish than others. See a good McIntoshes salmon caught from a small boat.

Finally fishing at McIntoshes Rocks isn't for everyone. When a boatie decides to park 20 metres straight in front of a line of anglers fishing from the rocks tempers get frayed. If you are a boatie fishing here use your head and anchor on the other side of the river. See boats at McIntoshes Hole.

If you like fishing in the close company of others and having a chat about fishing or anything else it could be just the place. It is great to arrive after work and quickly discover exactly how many fish have been caught there that day and when they were landed. Sometimes it can get very crowded with salmon anglers fishing from boats anchored in the river. I think I once counted 27 boats anchored along this stretch. You have to make allowances for this. They is often something interesting going on: a boat passing too quickly, someone landing a fish, kayakers paddling past, fish swirling, mullet eating algae from the rocks, and just maybe you might catch a salmon as well too!

You might also be interested in: Salmon Spinners, and White Salmon Lures, and Salmon Super Spinners, young salmon being released at Montrose, and Fishing for Salmon, Trout and Kahawai.

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