The spring-like weather — cool, wet and windy — we have experienced over the past few days has raised most river levels, but some have now dropped to reasonable fishing levels this weekend.
Good fishing conditions are defined as conditions that prevail at a time that you are free to go fishing.
Around this time of year, the tussock lakes are popular destinations but with unpredictable weather, road conditions can be difficult immediately after rain.
If you can get there, though, the fishing can be good.
Usually there are green beetles around at this time, but I am not sure how the cool conditions have affected their emergence.
Regardless, trout still have to feed, and there is plenty of other food for them in the water.
Water boatmen, midge pupae, snails and damsel fly nymphs and adults are the main items trout rely on. There are also terrestrial insects that get blown on to the water.
Richard Fitzpatrick had a good bag of fish on the Loganburn Dam on a blowfly humpy, probably because he did not have any coch-y-bondhus.
When assessing the weather for a trip to the tussock lakes, do not assume the conditions prevailing at sea level will be the same up there.
A few years ago, because it was fine and calm in Wingatui, I decided to go to the Loganburn Dam for the evening rise. So, I tootled up there.
By the time I got there it was a little cloudy — but I was not concerned as there was a nice trout rising to sedge right where I parked.
It took my sedge imitation straight away. But by the time I had returned it, the wind had sprung up and it began to rain and within a few minutes it was blowing a gale and pouring down. So, I climbed back into the car and went home.
A long drive to and from for just a few minutes fishing.
The wind is a fact of life up on the tussock and it will blow terrestrials on to the water, so do not let wind alone put you off.
Do not be afraid to fish blind with subsurface imitations if nothing is rising.
Some of my best fishing on the Loganburn Dam has been on a damsel fly nymph when there has been no surface activity.
Last weekend, I fished on the Maniototo with Murray Smart and Bruce Quirey.
We started in cool conditions at Mathias Dam which was very full and clear. Bruce and Murray both caught very nice brown trout in their first few casts.
There were a few fish rising but they soon stopped. We plugged away and I eventually caught a good rainbow and a smaller brown trout.
Meeting up for lunch we decided to fish the Taieri, which was a good move — especially for Bruce, as he got into several fish there.
