This small salmon weighed 9lb. It was caught at McIntoshes Rocks on the north bank of the Waimakariri River on 3 Jan 2005. There seem to be resonable numbers of salmon in the Waimak but they are mostly smaller fish under 20lb.
The Waimakariri River is often described as an "after work fishery" because of it's close proximity to the city of Christchurch. Indeed there can't be many cities in the world where it is possible to catch searun brown trout and quinnat salmon just 30 minutes drive from the city center. The Waimakariri is a medium sized river, highly braided in it's middle reaches, but flowing in just one main channel for the last few miles before emptying into the sea at the small holiday settlement of Pines Beach. Tidal influence effects the river as far up as the old Main North Road bridge. Salmon fishing is best during the first weeks of March though surprisingly there is less angling pressure this late in the season.
