The weather prospects for the holiday period are not promising from the angler’s point of view. The Pomahaka and the Mataura are the best of the bigger rivers, while smaller rivers are fine so far. However, make sure to check the regional council website for the latest water-monitoring readings before setting out to fish. If you see too many refusals, it can cause brain fade and loss of confidence in your fly choice. If a fish is caught early in the day the confidence it promotes has been known to last all day.

Source: Otago Daily Times December 19, 2025 21:32 UTC