Canal Fishing

The Tekapo Canals are in the South Island of New Zealand, in the Mackenzie Country. A beautiful part of New Zealand, surrounded by snow capped mountains in winter, and stunning scenery that you won’t experience anywhere else.

The Tekapo Canals are part of the Mackenzie Basin canal system, which also includes the Ohau Canals, and they run for over 150km between Lakes Tekapo, Pukaki, Ohau and Benmore.

Most anglers venture to the canals during summer, but those who are willing to brave the cold high-country environment can experience exceptional fishing. So, you can definitely fish the canals all year round, and like any fishing environment – some days you’ll get lucky, and other days willbe less productive.

Some anglers prefer to fish at dawn and dusk, and they can certainly be highly productive times to fish. But trout and salmon can be caught at all hours of the day.

Over the years, several extensive salmon farms have been built in the canal system. So not only can you catch beast sized brown and rainbow trout, but you can also catch huge salmon who have been released or escaped the farms to gorge themselves on the rich food environment that the canals foster.

The size and condition of the canal fish is unmatched by any other New Zealand freshwater fishery. It’s not uncommon to land fish over 10lb, with significant captures over 20lb and 30lb becoming more regular.

Fishing pressure in the canals has made all the species more wary, and thanks to the food rich environment, your bait or lure needs to be enticing enough to land your target.

There are a few different fishing techniques that you can use when fishing for trout and salmon in the canals. Fly fishing, softbaiting, egg rolling and spinning are all extremely productive techniques, but they all require a different gear set up and approach.

This guide will cover off egg rolling and spinning.

Egg rolling is a unique technique, mainly only used in the canals, but becoming more widely used in freshwater fishing. This method involves casting a lightly weighted egg into the middle of the canal and walking downstream at the same pace as the current, effectively rolling the egg along the rocky bottom of the canal.

It’s a popular method in the winter months, when the fish are spawning, and eggs are drifting naturally down the canal. But it can also be successful all year round. It’s important to make your imitation egg look as realistic as possible. So, you’ll need the water to be moving, and be fishing with as little weight as possible.

A FEW TIPS

- Keep your egg close to the canal bottom, drifting at the same speed as the water flow

- Walk downstream at the same pace, maintaining contact with the bait so you can feel the bite when it happens

- Adjust your sinker as the water flow changes

ROD AND REEL

A long, sensitive rod, like our GLADIUS® Canal Classic, is ideal for egg rolling. The Canal Classic is a 6’3” rod, with a light/mediumaction. The rod has been specifically designed with the sensitivity required for egg rolling. Combine the rod with a 2500 reel for the perfect set up.

LEADER

Ultra clear, lightweight and durable fluorocarbon is recommended when choosing your leader for egg rolling. When the water is calm and clear, we recommend using 6lb Fluorocarbon or Supple Fluorocarbon. When the water is moving and not quite as clear, we recommend upsizing to an 8lb leader.

Another option is our Ultra Pink Deception leader. Pink is one of the first colours to disappear under water, so when the water is a little murky and you want to maintain a certain level of stealth, our lightweight pink leader can be ideal.

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TERMINAL TACKLE

Our mini 3-way swivels are specifically designed for freshwater fishing. The branch section has a breaking strain of 8kg, while the vertical section (backbone) is rated for a 16kg breaking strain.

Combine this with one of our Japanese made, high carbon steel fly hooks and one of our NQ Soft Eggs, and you’ve got the ultimate egg rolling set up.

Spinning is fishing with lures that imitate small fish, which are cast into the waterway and use the depth and current of the environment to create movement and entice the local targets.

Your gear set up needs to be light but robust, to ensure it can deliver a natural looking lure, but on a set up that can handle anything it might come into contact with. Some anglers swear by spin fishing in the canals from late autumn, through to early spring.

LINE

Natural presentation is key. So, a lightweight mainline is recommended. Hyperglide® 13x Braid is ideal, as the 8lb line weight is only 0.1mm in diameter, meaning it’s the epitome of stealth. The fine diameter also means it will sink rapidly with less friction, helping your lure get down to the bottom quicker.

The round structure delivers the ultra-fine diameters without compromising the robustness of the braid, which is what you need when you’re targeting beast sized trout in locations like the Tekapo Canals.

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LEADER

Due to the amount of underwater structures your leader will come into contact with, when fishing the canals, you’ll need an abrasion resistant, durable leader. But you’ll also want it to have a good level of flexibility and suppleness, to enhance the natural presentation of your lures.

LURES

Spinning with lures is meant to imitate the smaller fish that trout and salmon feed on. If they resemble a wounded bait fish, then that’s even better!

Our Spinmax and Rattle Snack lures are commonly used by anglers in the canals and have been known to catch their fair share of 30lb+ sized beasts.

Our Spinmax lures are long inline spinner style lures. They have a spinning blade at the front (off the nose) which is where most of the action comes from. The blade is harmonically tuned to attract nearly fish.

The well-weighted body which spins, and a high UV crystal flash tail, combine to create flash and movement, making them highly effective when targeting trout in lakes, rivers, and canals.

The brighter coloured lures seem to get rainbow trout particularly aggressive, whereas the classic black and gold is a must for brown trout in rivers. A great choice in dirty water because of the vibration and slower movement.

Natural coloured lures work well all year round for salmon and trout, particularly if the water is clear and the weather is not too dark.

Lumo, or brighter coloured lures work well if the water is murky, or you’re fishing on an overcast or rainy day, when the water will naturally be darker due to lack of light. A brighter colour will stand out more in the water, and with the right action will gain the attention of the fish swimming the canals.

You want your lure to have a slow drop down through the water column. Sometimes they’ll get hit on the way down, but if they don’t, you want to have a nice, slow retrieve.

A heavier lure will drag along the bottom if the water flow isn’t strong enough to carry it, and if the lure is too light, it will drift on the top of the water. So, your lure weight will depend on how strong the water flow is, and how quickly you want to get it down through the water column, and into the strike zone.

Sometimes this can just be a bit of trial and error, especially if you’re new to fishing the canals, or trying a new lure.

WAIST PACK

As you’ll be moving up and down the banks of the canals, you’ll want to keep some of your gear on hand. Rather than filling up your pockets, our Waist Pack is your perfect fishing companion. Pack it full of those tools and bits of tackle you always need on hand, so you can focus on the fishing.

There are a few things to keep in mind when fishing the canals, to keep your adventure enjoyable and ensure that the opportunity to fish the beautiful canal system is maintained for future generations of anglers.

At times, the canals can be a busy place and you can be fishing in close proximity to other anglers. And because of the environment, where you’re chasing fish along the rocky banks, you need to be considerate of those around you. Don’t set up camp right next to another angler – give them some space, as you’d want the same if you were there first.

If you don’t intend to keep your fish, try to handle the fish as little as possible. If you take it out of the water for a quick photo, the emphasis is on the word “quick”. Ensure your hands are wet, hold the fish under the belly and around the tail. Only take it out of the water when you’re ready for the photo and then put it straight back into the water – we’re talking a few seconds, not 30 seconds.

To release your fish, hold it so that it’s facing into the current. This will get water running through its gills and give it time to recoup the energy it used during the fight. You’ll know when the fish is ready to swim off, as they’ll start to kick their tail around. Gently let them go and allow them to create their own movement to swim away.

• Match your drift with the speed of the current
• Keep your bait or lure presentation as natural as possible. You can do this by using lightweight lines and leaders. The right line and leader will ensure a clean drift and make your set up less visible to the fish as they have become very wary over time with the amount to fishing now done in the canals
• Bites from fish aren’t always big, sometimes they can be really subtle, so time on the water is the best way to learn
• Don’t rush to scoop the fish into your net. Instead, lay your net down in the water and use your rod to bring the fish towards the net
• Fishing is all about balance. Ensure you have the right rod and reel for your fishin gstyle and environment, and the fish you’ll be targeting. Match your line, leader and terminal tackle to the size of the fish you aim to catch