Early, late in day best times to fish in low water

Rivers and streams remain very low. In particular the Clutha, both in the upper and lower reaches, is well below average levels, giving access to areas anglers rarely get to fish.

The Taieri, too, is very low, which is normal at this time of year, but it is not fished as much as the quality of fishing warrants.

Smaller rain-fed, or rather rain-starved, streams are difficult to fish as trout drop back to deeper pools, leaving usual lies uninhabited.

Ripples at the head of deep pools or reaches are the places to fish. The best times to fish in low water are early and late in the day when there is a better chance of insect hatches.

However, trout feed during the day, too, but if they are not rising to insects they will be feeding on the bottom. The water is cooler there and that is where most of the creatures trout feed on live.

This weekend is going to be warm, so there is a chance there may be some cicadas on the water on the tussock lakes, but more likely on streams a bit lower down, such as the upper Waipori and Deep Stream.

But whether they are rising or not, trout are still there. If they are not rising, fish a sunk fly or fish a lure lower in the water. An alternative is to fish a cicada imitation, especially if there have been cicadas on the water in the previous few days. Trout will still be on the lookout for them and your imitation could be their downfall.

In the past I have fished a cicada on Lake Onslow when it was raining and only 5°C with not a cicada in sight and caught several fish.

I was on the Mataura the other day and the weather was more spring-like and a fleece and a jacket were called for. The wind was a westerly and very strong at times and restricted fishing in more open water.

The day did not start well. Mikey Seath and I fished a usually reliable stretch of water without touching a fish. We moved to another favourite spot where there was the odd rise to the equally odd mayfly.

We followed the advice above and put on weighted nymphs and, casting a long line up and across giving the nymph plenty of time to get down in the water, we struck fish.

Later on, while fishing up a deep bank I came across two eddies covered in foam, so I flicked in a nymph and, with only the leader outside the tip ring, it was seized by a fish which took off for the far side of the river.

When it eventually came to the net it weighed 2kg, double the average weight for the area. The next foam patch produced a more modest fish of 1kg, but was welcome, nevertheless.