The polar blast which hit most of the region this week has also put a dampener on the start of the whitebait season in Otago.
The season opened on Monday throughout the country, except for the West Coast.
Department of Conservation Coastal Otago ranger Bill Wheeler said the weather appeared to have discouraged people from whitebaiting in coastal rivers in recent days.
While whitebaiting folklore talked of snow drawing whitebait up rivers, on "this side of the divide" it was more likely to make rivers dirty, which did not make for good whitebaiting, he said.
"This weather has put a dampener on the start of the season."
The department would be patrolling waterways to ensure compliance with rules, Mr Wheeler said.
Rangers would be keeping an eye out to ensure people were not fishing outside the hours of 5am to 8pm and kept to the regulation one net at the right length.
