Ian Hurst from Ashburton with a salmon from the Waitaki River weighing 15.075kg (33 lb).
Salmon angling in New Zealand's South Island very much goes in cycles of good and poor years. The full cycle appears to take about eleven years or so.
The difference between the best and worst years for salmon returns and fish size are considerable. In good years there can be many chinook salmon weighing in excess of 30 pounds while in poor years there are fewer fish and most will not exceed 20 pounds.
During the poor seasons many believe that the fishery is doomed but after a few years it returns stronger than ever - or at least that has been the case for approximately 100 years. It is widely believed that feeding conditions at sea are the determining factor for both fish numbers and size. Low river flows also contribute to poor returns.
Interestingly even in the very best years many anglers still don't catch any fish at all from year to year - or catch perhaps only one every few years. While some anglers catch dozens of salmon every year regardless of the size of the run. Knowledge and experience are the main factors that contribute to the success of the individual angler.