After paying between $120 and $150 for fishing licences, anglers on the Lower Waitaki River are facing the possibility that a whole salmon season could be lost due to high flows on the river.
Legally, salmon can only be caught on the Waitaki between October and the last day of March, but heavy rain and spills from hydro dams have raised the river to levels where it cannot be fished.
Fishing had been impossible on the river so far this month, and South Island Fish and Game field officer Graeme Hughes said it would not be fishable any time soon.
''It depends entirely on the northwest conditions. If there's more rain, that will slow the process down. I would say we are looking at weeks, not days.
''It could be we lose the whole of February.
''There's absolutely nothing that we can do about that. There's absolutely nothing Meridian can do about that. Until we get some of the storage out, it's just going to remain in this very unfortunate situation.
''Certainly the odds are against the fishermen at the moment.''
Although he said it ''wouldn't be the first time'' that a whole season had been washed out, the early signs in December had indicated this season could have been the best season ''for some time'' on the Waitaki.
''But the weather gods have turned against us.''
Mr Hughes said the annual salmon count, which would take place in May, would reveal how good a season ''it might have been''.
Because Canterbury Rivers such as the Rangitata and the Rakaia did not have any hydro lakes on them, they would recede to fishable levels much more quickly.
Anglers north of the Waitaki would not have the same issues, he said.
''They go up quickly and go down quickly, but here it takes a while to go down.''
The Waitaki River peaked at about 1200cumecs on Monday, and was still running at 1000cumecs yesterday - more than double its normal flow of 200 to 400cumecs.
Meridian Energy spokeswoman Michelle Brooker said spills had started from Waitaki hydro dams at the start of this month and it had been thought those would continue until the start of February.
However, if more rain fell more spills could be needed, Ms Brooker said.
''At this stage we are expecting high flows on the Waitaki for another two weeks. But it depends on how much rain we get, whether we need to keep spilling.''
Waitaki Kaik Fishing Reserve Camp resident
Diane Landrebe said she and many others were faced with the possibility that their fishing licences might have been a waste of money this year.
''I don't think it is a very good situation and a lot of people agree,'' the angler saidCentral South Island Fish and Game licences cost $120 for and adult or $150 for a family licence, but Otago Fish and Game operations manager Ian Holland said fish and game officers had seen an increase in anglers fishing without licences, particularly at river mouths throughout Otago.
Mr Holland said many people seemed to be surprised that the freshwater sports fish jurisdiction extended 500m out to sea from every river mouth.
''What that means is that if you are fishing with gear that could take a trout or salmon at the river mouth, a ranger can legitimately request a licence and if you are unable to produce one, your gear could be seized and you could find yourself in court.''
