Fishing & Hunting

With a district bordered by braided rivers, backcountry lakes, the Pacific Ocean, and the foothills of the Southern Alps, receational hunters and anglers are well catered for..

Fishing

The Ashburton District is within Fish & Game New Zealand’s Central South Island region which extends from the south bank of the Rakaia River in the north, to Moeraki in the south.

With its headwater in the Southern Alps, the Rangitata River is noted for chinook salmon fisheries with trophy fish being regularly reported.

The Rakaia River offer excellent sea-run salmon fishing between November and March. The best time to plan a trip is during February when river flows tend to be stable, after the period of major snow melt in the Southern Alps. Most salmon are caught on heavy spinning tackle upriver or on specialised long distance casting tackle in the surf next to the river mouth. The salmon with an average size of around 8kg is one of the most highly sought-after sports fish in the country.

The Rangitata Mouth is one of the more famous fishing locations in the South Island with very large numbers of salmon being regularly caught there.

Smaller rivers including the Ashburton together with many high country lakes are habitat to substantial brown and rainbow trout fisheries. Sockeye salmon and fontinalis (brook trout) are also present in some of these waters.

The region offers some of the best wilderness angling waters in the country. Without the usual visible trappings of civilisation, fishing in streams meandering through open tussocklands and beech forest against a backdrop of the Southern Alps is a special experience.

To view more information on Fishing Access in the Ashburton District, please click here. Numerous fishing guides in the district are available for river and lake expeditions.

Hunting

Recreational hunting is also a popular activity for visitors to the Ashburton District. Trophy hunting for red stags, fallow bucks, thar and chamois, goats, rams and wallabies can be organised by a number of specialised hunting guides in the district as well as bird shooting.

FEATURED PRODUCTS

 
Backcountry New Zealand
Backcountry New Zealand has established itself as one of New Zealand's leading guiding outfitters. Whether Fly fishing New Zealand or exploring the backcountry with our wilderness guides, we deliver the highest level of professionalism and provide our guests with personalised experiences that are informative, rewarding and exceed expectations.

Discovery Jet
Trout and salmon fishing in the intricate network of braided river channels, gushing opalescent blue waters rich with salmon and trout and enjoy a gourment picnic on the banks of the river. We can tailor-make a jet safari for you. Whether you simply want to fish remote stretches of the Rakaia or take a jet boat photographic plus much more.

Click here to view all Fishing product listings within on our website

Click here to view all Hunting product listings within on our website