Thread: Salmon

Anybody else trying to catch a salmon

I will be Jan/Feb in the Rakaia.
Hopefully I will be as successful as last time!

Well let’s hope the chinook(Quinnat) is a good run… are there any mechanical fish counters on the Rakia???…Feb/Mar being the peak of the run,…. Would interesting to see the numbers if possible???

Someone caught a good one waitaki mouth two nights ago

Originally Posted by A330driver

Well let’s hope the chinook(Quinnat) is a good run… are there any mechanical fish counters on the Rakia???…Feb/Mar being the peak of the run,…. Would interesting to see the numbers if possible???

Not as far as I know. Salmon fishing has deteriated largely thru loss of water taken for "other things". I remember watching my Grandad catch Salmon in the Ashburton river, now its just a poluted trickle in the stones!

Originally Posted by mikee

Not as far as I know. Salmon fishing has deteriated largely thru loss of water taken for "other things". I remember watching my Grandad catch Salmon in the Ashburton river, now its just a poluted trickle in the stones!

My wifes old uncle from way back in the 60s caught a 42 lb salmon from the Ashburton river mouth.I live to far away from the salmon rivers to be allowed to catch one salmon only.More bang for your buck tipping a deer over times 10.

Originally Posted by A330driver

Well let’s hope the chinook(Quinnat) is a good run… are there any mechanical fish counters on the Rakia???…Feb/Mar being the peak of the run,…. Would interesting to see the numbers if possible???

Park about 3 to 5ks up from the mouth when the river is low,120cu/scs you should find a place where they are shooting the rapids.Generally hug the south side of the river.

Originally Posted by Ryan_Songhurst

Someone caught a good one waitaki mouth two nights ago

You live in a prime place there RS,10 minuts from the mouth in the evening.Big sea run trout rise on the evening tide there.

Originally Posted by Trout

Park about 3 to 5ks up from the mouth when the river is low,120cu/scs you should find a place where they are shooting the rapids.Generally hug the south side of the river.

Very surprised they don’t have a fish counter of sorts to register the run… especially if the numbers are low???

40 od years ago on the Waitaki river they had a fish counter.Generally now they do fly overs,over the spawning grounds n cound the reeds.

Yeah only allowed one per day and total of 2 for season. Total farce as thats really the only answer "a learned organisation" can think of!

Originally Posted by mikee

Not as far as I know. Salmon fishing has deteriated largely thru loss of water taken for "other things". I remember watching my Grandad catch Salmon in the Ashburton river, now its just a poluted trickle in the stones!

I use to catch lots of salmon and some ripper sea run Trout from the Ashburton mouth me and the ol man use to average 35 each a year and a couple always over 35lbs

Mid 70s down the Waitaki for xmas holidays,use to catch salmon.About February the 6th,the big runs would start coming in.Youd let 14-16pounders go,not big enough.

Originally Posted by mikee

Yeah only allowed one per day and total of 2 for season. Total farce as thats really the only answer "a learned organisation" can think of!

What is the answer ?

Originally Posted by sore head stoat

What is the answer ?

Well fish and game used to run a salmon hatachery at Glenarrife and release salmon every year. Does not happen now i believe.
Water is extracted for a multitude of uses leaving rangitata, rakaia and ashburton as shadows of their former selves.
Licence holders would not mind restrictions in catch if other things were being done to try and improve things.......