The Otago region is ranked second and, between the two regions, they account for 38% of days anglers spent fishing in New Zealand in the 2007-08 season.
The survey, carried out every seven years by the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (Niwa) for fish and game council regions, does not include Lake Taupo which is administered by the Department of Conservation.
The latest survey reveals the massive growth in popularity of the Central South Island Fish and Game Council region.
The region stretches from Katiki beach north to just south of the Rakaia River to the Southern Alps.
In total, excluding on Lake Taupo, 1,202,400 days were spent fishing in New Zealand during the 2007-08 season, with the adjacent Otago-Central South Island-North Canterbury regions making up more than half of those.
Central South Island tops the list of the 12 fish and game regions in New Zealand with 241,400 angling days in 2007-08, compared with 168,500 in the 2001-02 survey - the biggest growth of any region.
Otago is second on the list with 215,400 angling days, a slight decline compared with 218,700 in 2001-02.
The Eastern region in the North Island was third with 209,500 (231,300 in 2001-02), North Canterbury fourth with 195,400 (118,000) and Southland fifth with 135,900 (157,100).
The Niwa report said the increase in the popularity of the Central South Island region was predominantly due to increased angling on lakes, particularly in the Waitaki Valley.
"This increase was strongly associated with the dramatic increase in the estimated usage of Lake Benmore which rose from 21,740 angler days in 2001-02 to 58,850 in 2007-08," the survey said.
That made Lake Benmore the most popular fishing lake in New Zealand, excluding Lake Taupo.
Smaller, but significant increases were also recorded for Lakes Aviemore, Ruataniwha and Opuha.
In contrast, angling days on lowland rivers declined, which Central South Island chief executive Jay Graybill put down to decreasing flows and water quality and, to a lesser extent, didymo.
Angling on the Waitaki River had remained stable, in contrast to the Rangitata River.
Mr Graybill said that might relate to salmon angling with releases from the McKinnon hatchery boosting salmon numbers in the Rangitata, Opihi and Orari Rivers.
The survey said the Central South Island region was notable for the relatively high proportion of visiting anglers, both from elsewhere in New Zealand and from overseas, who spent 99,650 days fishing.
Many of the visiting anglers came from the adjacent North Canterbury and Otago regions, but those from other areas in New Zealand spent 12,400 angler days in the region.
In contrast, Central South Island anglers preferred their "home patch", only spending 35,210 days fishing in other areas of New Zealand.
Survey facts
Total angling days in NZ: 1,202,400.
*Five most popular regions:
Central South Island: 241,400 days, 20.1% of NZ total.
Otago: 215,400, 17.9%.
Eastern: 209,500, 17.4%.
North Canterbury: 195,400, 16.3%.
Southland: 135,900, 11.3%.
*Note: Excludes Lake Taupo.
