South Island, New Zealand Fishing Report Today

Name’s Artificial Lure, checking in with your South Island fishing report. A cool, settled pattern sits over most of the island today. Light nor’east to variable winds on the east coast, a bit more westerly puff on the West Coast and around Fiordland. Skies are mixed cloud and sun, with the odd light shower pushing through the Southern Alps and down the West Coast. Afternoon temps are sitting in the low to mid-teens on the water – chilly enough that the fish like a slower presentation. MetService has sunrise around 8 am and sunset just after 5 pm down Christchurch–Dunedin way, a touch later further north, a touch earlier in Southland. That gives you a short but punchy bite window either side of dawn and again late arvo. Tides on the east coast are running mid‑range. Around Lyttelton and Pegasus Bay the morning low lined up not long after sunrise with the flood pushing in through late morning and peaking early afternoon, then draining again toward evening. On the southern and Otago coasts the phase is similar but shifted roughly half an hour. Those first two hours of the incoming have been the prime snapper and gurnard window in the northern half of the island, and a good time to find kahawai working bait close to the river mouths. Recent reports from local tackle shops and charter skippers say: • Tasman/Golden Bay: Solid kahawai schools and decent pannies of snapper still hanging on in 15–25 m, with the better fish taken at first light. Gurnard showing on the sand patches. • Canterbury inshore: Red cod have thickened up on the deeper sand, with schoolies, rig and the odd elephant fish still about. Kahawai are working the surf lines on clearer days. • Otago/Southland: Blue cod and tarakihi in good numbers off the reefs, with trumpeter and the odd groper out deeper. In the estuaries, sea‑run browns and fat kahawai are on whitebait and smelt when the water’s clear enough. Lure choice: Inshore saltwater, soft‑baits in natural baitfish tones – anchovy, pilchard, motor‑oil and new penny colours – are doing damage on snapper and gurnard when fished slowly on light jig heads. Micro‑jigs in 20–40 g, silver or blue, are hot on kahawai and mid‑water snapper, especially worked vertically over sign. For blue cod and tarakihi, small metal jigs and slow‑pitch styles in pink or orange fluttered near the bottom are hard to beat. Bait: Fresh is king. Pilchard cubes, salted bonito and fresh mackerel strips for snapper and kahawai. Squid and mullet slabs for red cod, rig and school sharks. For rig specifically, small crab or crayfish baits on a running rig fished in the surf or off river mouths is the go. In the estuaries and rivers, spin fishers are doing well on small silver spoons, soft‑plastics and shallow‑running minnows; fly fishers are matching the smelt with sparse white streamers. Couple of hot spots to think about: • **Pegasus Bay / Waimakariri mouth** – Work the contour lines in 10–18 m on the incoming; soft‑baits for snapper and gurnard, with stray‑lined baits out the back. Closer to the bar, look for working birds and cast micro‑jigs or small metals into bust‑ups for kahawai. • **Otago Peninsula reefs** – Launch from Portobello or Careys Bay and target the foul in 20–40 m. Ledger rigs with squid or mackerel will find blue cod and tarakihi. On calmer days, drifting these reefs with slow‑pitch jigs can turn up bigger cod and the odd by‑catch of trumpeter. Freshwater quick note: Alpine rivers are running cold and clear between showers; spin and fly anglers are picking up resident browns on small nymphs and soft‑baits in the deeper runs. Lakes Wakatipu and Wanaka are giving up rainbows and browns to trolled tassie devils and smelt patterns in the top 5–10 m of water during low light. That’s the wrap from Artificial Lure. Thanks for tuning in, and don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss a report. This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai. Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn

Kia ora team, Artificial Lure here with your South Island fishing rundown. Around the coasts, a light west to nor’west flow is bringing settled weather for most of the island, with only a bit of chop on the more exposed west coast. Inland, it’s cool in the mornings, warming to mild, clear afternoons. MetService has sunrise around 8:00 a.m. and sunset just after 5:00 p.m. for Christchurch and similar times either side for the rest of the island, so your prime low‑light windows are short but sweet. Tides on the east coast, from Kaikōura down past Banks Peninsula, have a mid‑morning high and an evening low. On the south coast around Bluff and the Catlins, the highs are running a little later. That means first light into the top of the morning tide, and then the last couple of hours of the afternoon ebb, are your best bets for a bite window. Coastal reports from local tackle shops and club anglers over the last week have been solid. Off Canterbury beaches, anglers have been seeing good numbers of school **shark**, **rig (spotted smoothhound)**, and the odd **elephant fish** still lingering in the deeper gutters. Down south around Bluff and Fortrose, there have been pannies of **blue cod**, a few **tāraoa (gurnard)**, and the usual run of **spiny dogfish** if you’re fishing too static or with old bait. On the rocky areas of Banks Peninsula and Otago Peninsula, evening sessions have produced **kahawai**, small **trevally**, and a few **snapper** pushing further south than they used to in recent years. In the freshwater, local salmon and trout anglers on the Waitaki, Rakaia, and smaller tributaries are reporting clear, cool flows. Fish & Game updates and club chatter point to steady numbers of **brown trout** in the 2–4 lb range, with the odd larger fish taken in deeper pools and tail‑outs during the calmer, overcast spells. High‑country lakes are quieter but still giving up solid fish for those trolling or running softbaits along drop‑offs. Fish activity has been best mid‑morning once the frost lifts, then again late arvo as that sun drops and the light flattens off. Bright, still conditions in the middle of the day have pushed fish tighter to structure or deeper water, so think stealth and subtle presentations during that window. On the lure front, for surfcasters on the east and south coasts, **paternoster rigs** with 3/0–5/0 recurves and a bit of bling have been doing damage. Best baits have been **fresh mullet**, **squid**, and **paddle crab** for rig and elephant fish. If you can get it, a fresh crab or cray leg will out‑fish frozen bait most days. For kahawai and workups close to shore, small **metal slices** in the 20–40 g range and **soft‑plastic jerk shads** in natural baitfish patterns are working well, especially when retrieved quickly through bust‑ups. Freshwater spin fishers are doing well with **small softbaits** in olive, brown, and smelt colours, plus **inline spinners** in gold or copper on slightly overcast days. Fly anglers are turning to **small nymphs** under indicators and **streamers** swung through deeper runs as the water cools. Couple of hot spots to put on your list: • **Banks Peninsula – Taylors Mistake and the nearby points**: Good structure, consistent kahawai and the chance of rig and schoolies on the sand fringes. Fish the morning high with crab and squid, and keep a spinning rod handy for any surface bust‑ups. • **Southland – Fortrose and the mouth of the Mataura estuary**: Productive for blue cod just off the beach, plus rig, school shark, and the odd big kahawai. Target the last of the incoming and first of the outgoing tide with fresh fish baits or crab, and don’t be afraid to cast a softbait around the channel edges. That’s the wrap from Artificial Lure – tight lines, travel safe, and respect the conditions wherever you’re heading. Thanks for tuning in, and don’t forget to subscribe. This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai. Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn

Kia ora, this is Artificial Lure with your South Island fishing report. Light westerlies across most of the Island today, a bit fresher in the afternoon on the coasts. Skies are mixed cloud and sun with the odd shower rolling through the West Coast and Fiordland. Inland Canterbury and Otago are calmer, with clear patches and cool starts. Overnight temps have been nippy, so the morning bite has favoured the late-morning window as things warm. Around the eastern seaboard, sunrise was roughly just before 8 and sunset just after 5, giving a short but productive day. On the big tides of the winter cycle, expect a decent push around mid‑morning and another useful change late afternoon. The turn of the tide has been the key bite window for both surfcasters and boaties. Inshore in Pegasus Bay and off Banks Peninsula, anglers have been finding good numbers of school **snapper**, plenty of **kahawai**, and the odd **gurnard** and **rig**. Reports from local tackle shops say soft‑baiters fishing in 10–25 metres have done well on 3–5 inch jerk shads in natural baitfish colours, especially on the incoming tide. Surfcasters using **pilchard**, **mullet**, and **prawn** baits have picked up a mixed bag, with the better fish showing in the last hour of light. Down south off Otago Peninsula and into the Catlins, the boats have been into solid **blue cod**, **tarakihi**, and some tidy **groper/hapuku** out wide. Ledger rigs with fresh **squid** or **mackerel** strips are still the go‑to. Jigs in the 60–120 gram range, slow‑pitch style in pink, lumo, and blue, are doing damage on cod and by‑catch when drift speeds are manageable. In the harbours — Lyttelton, Otago, and Bluff — winter **elephant fish** and **rig** are worth targeting on sandier patches with **crab**, **prawn**, or **shellfish** baits. Light traces and smaller hooks have outfished heavy gear. Evening sessions around the top and bottom of the tide have produced the more consistent runs. The freshwater scene has been classic winter: cold water but good quality fish. Canterbury high‑country lakes and the Waitaki and Clutha systems are giving up solid **brown** and **rainbow trout**, especially to patient anglers. Spin fishers are doing well with small **silver and gold Tobys**, black and gold **Tasmanian Devils**, and 7–10 gram soft‑baits in smelt patterns. Fly anglers swinging **streamers** — woolly buggers, rabbit patterns, and small zonkers — are picking up rainbows in the drop‑offs and browns skulking along the edges in lower light. A couple of hot spots to keep on your radar: • **Pegasus Bay in 15–20 metres**, especially off Waimairi to North Beach, has been consistent for kahawai and pannies on soft‑baits and small slow jigs. Work the tide changes and watch for bird activity — when the gannets and terns start bombing, get a lure in the water quickly. • **Otago Peninsula reefs**, particularly around Taiaroa Head and further south when conditions allow, are holding good blue cod and the odd trophy fish. If the swell is down and you can sneak in close, berley hard with minced pilchard and use lightly weighted baits for the bigger models. Best general‑purpose lures right now: natural‑tone soft‑baits, 60–100 gram slow‑pitch jigs, and small spoons. Best baits: pilchard, squid, fresh mackerel, and crab for the surf and harbour species. That’s the wrap from Artificial Lure — tight lines out there, stay safe, and remember to check the latest marine and weather forecasts before you launch. Thanks for tuning in, and don’t forget to subscribe. This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai. Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn

Name’s Artificial Lure here, checking in with your South Island fishing report. We’ll start around Canterbury and down into Otago. MetService is calling it a settled early winter pattern today: cool, mostly clear skies with light nor’easters on the east coast, building to 10–15 knots on some headlands this arvo. Overnight lows near freezing inland, single digits on the coast, and daytime highs nudging 8–11 degrees. According to MetService marine, coastal seas are slight to moderate, with a long, lazy southerly swell on the Pacific side and a gentler roll in Foveaux Strait. Sun’s up about twenty past eight and ducks out just after five, so your real bite windows are that first hour either side of sunrise and again leading into dusk. NIWA’s tide tables show a mid‑morning high followed by a solid afternoon run‑out on both coasts, giving you nice current lines around river mouths and points. Fish activity’s been classic early winter. Local tackle shops in Christchurch and Timaru report good kahawai and schoolie salmon action around the Rakaia, Rangitata, and Opihi river mouths when the tide’s pushing in and the sea’s clean. Most fish have been mid‑size: kahawai in the 1.5–2.5 kilo range, with the odd bigger bruiser, and the tail‑end of the salmon run still turning up the occasional 3–4 kilo fish. Down Otago way, Dunedin and the Taieri mouth have produced pannies and a few better snapper off the rocks and small boats in close, especially on the evening bite. Bluff and Foveaux Strait charter skippers have been into blue cod, tarakihi, and the odd trumpeter, plus plenty of spikies to keep you honest. Expect cod in that 35–45 cm bracket, with the better fish holding on broken foul and reef edges. Best lures right now: - For kahawai and salmon off the beaches, run 28–40 gram silver and blue hex wobblers, small chromed slices, and slender soft‑baits in pilchard or anchovy colours. A fast, erratic retrieve is doing the damage. - For inshore snapper and gurnard, 4–5 inch soft‑baits in new penny, motor oil, and natural baitfish patterns on 3/8 to 1/2 oz jig heads. - Offshore and reef work for cod and tarakihi, simple ledger rigs with flashers in pink, chartreuse, or glo‑in‑the‑dark are still king. Top baits: fresh is best. Pilchard cubes, salted bonito, squid strips, and fresh kahawai or mackerel cut bait are all producing. For blue cod and tarakihi, small squid or shellfish baits kept tidy on the hook are out‑fishing big slabs. At the river mouths, try pilchard cores, small mullet, or anchovies, and don’t overlook a surf‑rigged tuatua or paddle crab for the odd mooching snapper. A couple of hot spots to have a crack at: - Brighton and Blackhead, just south of Dunedin: good structure, kelp and reef fingers, and that afternoon dropping tide has been pushing bait in tight. Soft‑baits and lightly weighted baits lobbed into the wash are turning up snapper, blue cod and the odd john dory. - Rakaia River mouth: classic winter kahawai and lingering salmon spot. Work the colour change where the river meets the sea with metal lures and small soft‑baits. Fish the incoming and first of the high, and keep moving until you find the working birds and surface splashes. If you’re heading out in the dark, keep an eye on the marine forecast, carry a light, and respect those winter swells – they’re lazy but they’ve got plenty of punch. Thanks for tuning in, and don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss the next report. This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai. Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn

Kia ora, this is Artificial Lure with your South Island fishing report. A broad high is parked over most of Te Waipounamu today, giving settled, clear conditions and light winds for much of the day. Inland Canterbury and Otago are seeing cold starts and frosty banks, but by late morning it’s crisp and sunny with just a light nor’easter along the coasts. Down in Southland and Fiordland, expect a bit more cloud building with a light southerly and the odd shower pushing through exposed headlands later on. Sunrise around the east coast has been just after seven, with sunset a bit before five, giving a short but tidy bite window at dawn and again in that last hour of light. Those low‑light periods have been the standout times for both trout in the rivers and kahawai and snapper close inshore. Tides along the east coast – from Kaikōura down through Banks Peninsula to Timaru – are running mid‑range today. The incoming has been the most productive, especially two hours either side of the high. On the south and west coasts, that push of clean ocean water on the flood has really kicked fish into gear over reefs and river mouths. River fishing has been solid. The lower Waimakariri and Rakaia have given up good numbers of sea‑run browns this week, most fish in the 2–4 lb class with the odd bigger model. Anglers swinging small silver Toby-style spoons, soft‑plastics in smelt patterns, and wee woolly bugger streamers have done best. Early and late, a natural smelt or small herrings fished dead‑drift under a float has picked up the more wary fish. Inland, the Mackenzie canals continue to produce chunky rainbows and the odd trophy brown. Recent catches have included plenty of 4–6 lb fish, with some double‑digit brutes still coming after dark. The top offerings there have been soft‑bait shads in natural browns and greens, lightly weighted, plus salmon pellets and cured shrimp drifted close to the bottom. Saltwater action has been picking up along the Canterbury Bight and down into Otago. Off Brighton and Aramoana, small boats and kayaks have reported pannies in the 30–40 cm range, along with gurnard and plenty of kahawai. The go‑to lures have been 20–40 g slow‑pitch jigs in pink and orange, and small silver slices for the kahawai workups. For bait fishers, fresh mullet, squid strips, and bonito cubes fished on simple ledger rigs have outfished frozen packets by a mile. Blue cod and tarakihi have been biting well around Banks Peninsula and the North Otago reefs. Use ledger rigs with 4/0 recurves, baited with squid or tough strip baits, and keep your sinker just heavy enough to hold bottom. Out wider on the west coast, when the sea has allowed, puka and bigger cod have been coming from deeper pins, with heavy jigs and big slab baits doing the business. If you’re after a couple of hot spots: • First, try the Taiaroa Head–Aramoana area near Dunedin. Work the channel edges on the incoming tide for kahawai and the odd kingfish, with 40–60 g metal lures and live baits, then drift the sand patches inside for snapper and gurnard on stray‑line rigs. • Second, Banks Peninsula’s reef systems off Le Bons and Magnet Bay are well worth a run when the swell is down. Slow‑pitch jigs and soft‑baits over foul ground have been turning up mixed bags of blue cod, perch, and the odd snapper, especially in that late‑afternoon bite window. For land‑based fishos, the Timaru breakwater, New Brighton Pier, and Otago Harbour wharves are all producing kahawai and the odd school shark on pilchard and squid baits; a small surf popper above your bait can make a real difference in the clearer water. That’s the lay of the water for today around the South Island. Thanks for tuning in, and don’t forget to subscribe so you don’t miss the next report. This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai. Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn

Name’s Artificial Lure here, checking in with your South Island fishing report. Across much of the coast today we’ve got a settled pattern: light to moderate northerlies on the east side, a bit more westerly puff out west, and cool, clear conditions overall. MetService has coastal temps sitting in the low teens, with a mix of high cloud and sunny spells. First light was around twenty to seven this morning, with the sun up just after that, and it’ll be ducking away again a bit after five this evening, so it’s a shortish winter window. Tides are on the move but not extreme. Around Christchurch and Banks Peninsula the morning high has already pushed through, with a decent drop heading into the afternoon low, then a building evening high pushing more current onto the reef edges. Down Otago and Southland, the highs and lows are staggered by roughly an hour, but the pattern is similar: best current and bite windows around the turn of the low into the afternoon, and again an hour either side of the evening high. Inshore, the winter snapper scene is quiet this far south, but the blue cod and gurnard have been doing the heavy lifting. Local chatter out of Moeraki and Karitane has boats picking up good pans of blue cod in 20–40 metres, along with a mix of sea perch and the odd decent gurnard. Off Banks Peninsula, anglers working the foul have reported solid numbers of school terakihi and plentiful spikies, with a few better carrots when the drift slows. Out wider, the charter skippers off the Otago coast have been into respectable blue cod and trumpeter on the deeper pins, plus some stubborn sharks stealing gear when the burley trail is too generous. In Foveaux Strait, cod numbers remain strong, with plenty of legal fish and the occasional real donkey. Best baits right now are the winter stand‑bys: fresh squid strips, mullet, and if you can get it, fresh kahawai or mackerel cut baits. Keep them small and neat; the fish are a bit more tentative in the cooler water. For those running lures, 40–80 gram slow‑pitch jigs in natural baitfish colours and pinks are working well on cod and gurnard when fished close to the bottom with gentle lifts. Softbaits in 4–5 inch sizes, particularly new penny, motor‑oil, and blue/white, are getting nailed when drift speeds are under about a knot. Fish activity has definitely shifted to the low‑light periods. Dawn and that last hour before dark are prime, especially around changes of tide. Midday still produces, but bites can be short, so make the most of any little flurry—keep baits in the water and don’t muck around re‑rigging. Couple of hot spots to put on the list: • Moeraki ledges and nearby reef country: Great for land‑based missions at first light with a berley trail, picking up blue cod, sea perch, and the odd elephant fish off the sand patches. Fish a running rig with a small circle hook and squid strip. • Taiaroa Head and the inshore reefs off Otago Peninsula: When the swell is manageable, working the 15–30 metre line with softbaits and slow jigs has produced mixed bags of cod, gurnard, and kahawai. Keep an eye on wind against tide here; it can stand the sea up quickly. If you’re heading out, rug up, fish the changes, and downsize those baits just a touch for the cooler water. Thanks for tuning in, and don’t forget to subscribe so you don’t miss the next report. This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai. Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn

Name’s Artificial Lure, checking in with your South Island fishing report. We’ve got a settled early‑winter pattern across most of the island today. Light westerlies for many coastal areas, a bit fresher around the southern capes, with cool, clear patches and scattered showers drifting through. Daytime temps are sitting in the single digits to low teens, so layer up and keep the fingers warm. Sunrise came just after seven this morning and sunset will be not long after five, so you’ve really only got those prime bite windows around first light and the last hour of evening. The barometer’s reasonably steady, and that’s helping keep fish on the chew when the wind drops. Tides around the east coast – Canterbury and North Otago – are running mid‑range. Expect a good push over the morning high, then easing into the afternoon. Around Otago Harbour and down to the Catlins, the turn of the tide is the key: snapper are scarce this far south in winter, but you’ll still find pannies and the odd horse in the warmer pockets and shallow reefs. Blue cod and gurnard are the mainstay on the sand fringes, with kahawai working bait schools on the surface when birds start dipping. On the west coast – Fiordland up toward Westport – the swell is modest but still sloppy around exposed headlands. When the sea backs off between fronts, the cod and tarakihi have been thick on the 30–60 metre marks. There’ve been solid hauls of blue cod out of Bluff and Stewart Island, with a few trumpeter mixed in for those willing to push wider on the calmer days. Recent catches have been dominated by: - Blue cod in good numbers, most anglers binning out easily on inshore reefs. - Kahawai schools off river mouths like the Rakaia, Waimakariri, and Waitaki, especially on the incoming tide. - Sea‑run browns nosing around those same river mouths, taking advantage of whitebait and smelt. - In the lakes – Wakatipu, Wanaka, Tekapo, and Coleridge – rainbows and browns are moving shallower, with some chunky fish taken close to the drop‑offs. Best lures and baits right now: Inshore salt: - Soft‑baits in natural baitfish colours – 4–5 inch jerk shads in smoky, anchovy, or pilchard tones. Fish them slowly along the bottom for cod and pannies. - Small metal jigs, 20–40 grams, dropped straight down and yo‑yo’d for kahawai and cod. - Fresh bait is king: squid strips, mussel, and fresh kahawai slabs on ledger rigs are outfishing frozen stuff by a mile. River mouths and surf: - Hex‑wobblers, silver Toby‑style spoons, and small soft‑plastics for kahawai. - For sea‑run browns, try small smelt‑pattern soft‑baits, soft eggs, or a simple blue‑silver spinner worked just on the edge of the dirty water line. - Bait fishers are doing well with pilchard cubes and mussel in the gutters on a simple running rig. Lakes and canals: - Tassie‑style lures in pink, frog, or traffic‑light colours slow‑rolled behind the boat. - Small Rapala‑style minnows in brown trout or smelt patterns for shoreline casting. - In the canals, lightly weighted soft‑baits in natural browns and olives, and for those drifting bait, a well‑presented salmon or shrimp chunk. Couple of hot spots if you’re heading out: - Otago Harbour: Work the channel edges and structure around Quarantine Island and the leading markers. Drift soft‑baits or drop ledger rigs with squid. Good mixed bags of blue cod, gurnard, and the odd snapper still showing. - Rakaia River Mouth: On the incoming tide, watch for birds and surface splashes. Cast metal lures for kahawai and have a second rod set with a small bait for a chance at a sea‑run brownie cruising the colour change. For the adventurous, a weather window on the south coast out of Bluff or Fortrose can produce excellent cod and the odd trumpeter on the reefs about 40–60 metres deep. Just pick your day carefully and keep an eye on that westerly building. That’s the word from Artificial Lure. Thanks for tuning in, and don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss a report. This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai. Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn

Kia ora, it’s Artificial Lure here with your South Island fishing report. We’re sitting in late autumn now, and the change of season is written all over the water. A cool south‑westerly has been brushing the coasts, with most places sitting in the low teens, a touch cooler overnight. MetService has had light to moderate winds for much of the east coast, a bit fresher and gustier around Foveaux Strait and the exposed West Coast. Skies have been mixed: clearer in the mornings on the Canterbury and Tasman sides, cloud building and the odd shower sliding through in the afternoon. Sunrise along the east coast has been just after 7:40am, with sunset a bit before 5:20pm, so your prime bite windows are those first two hours after dawn and the last hour of light. Slack water around the mid‑morning and late afternoon tides has lined up nicely with those periods, especially in the estuaries. NIWA’s coastal data and the local harbour boards have been showing modest neap tides, so not huge current, but enough to keep things moving. In Akaroa and Lyttelton, the morning incoming has fished better, while around Tasman Bay the turn of the evening tide has been the go. Saltwater first. Out of Kaikōura, charter skippers have been reporting good numbers of blue cod and sea perch in 40–70 metres, with the odd trumpeter and school groper still showing when the swell eases. Simple ledger rigs with 6/0 recurves, baited with fresh squid or bonito strip, are doing better than fancy hardware. Around Banks Peninsula reefs, pannie‑sized snapper are still turning up, though smaller than mid‑summer fish. Soft‑baits in natural baitfish colours — think 4–5 inch jerk shads in smoky grey or new penny — are outfishing plain bait on calm days. Down in Foveaux and around Stewart Island, the blue cod have been very willing. Locals have been doing well using slow‑pitch jigs in 60–100g, especially pink and orange, fluttered just off the bottom. A strip of fresh mackerel on a dropper still beats everything when the drift is quick. Gurnard are sneaking into more catches over the sand, particularly in 20–30 metres off Bluff. Harbour and estuary action has slowed with the cooler water, but there are still kahawai working bait in the lower Waimakariri and around the Waimea Inlet on the incoming tide. Small metal slices, 10–20g in silver or blue, cast into visible work‑ups, have been producing solid fish. A few sea‑run browns are nosing into the lower rivers — lightly weighted soft‑baits, or small natural‑coloured hardbodies, have picked off some lovely fish in the slower edges and gut‑lines. Freshwater wise, the high‑country lakes are coming into their own before winter close‑offs. Around the Mackenzie canals, anglers have been picking up hefty rainbows and the odd trophy brown on lightly weighted egg patterns and small soft‑baits, especially orange and pale pink, bounced close to the bottom when flows are steady. On the lakes, brown trout are cruising the shallows looking for one last big feed. Small green‑and‑gold Tassie‑style lures, or black and gold tobys, retrieved slow at first light have been deadly. Streamers like olive Woolly Buggers and rabbit flies, stripped with pauses, are also producing. If you’re looking for a couple of hot spots: first, the inshore reefs off Taylors Mistake and Godley Head near Christchurch have been holding mixed bags of blue cod, perch, and the odd snapper when the sea lays down. Fish the afternoon incoming with stray‑lined pilchards or soft‑baits drifted back into the berley trail. Second, the Nelson side of Tasman Bay, particularly around the Boulder Bank and the gutters off Delaware Bay, has given up some nice snapper and kahawai. Early morning missions with lightly weighted baits and small soft‑baits in natural browns and greens have worked well. Bait choices this week: fresh squid, mullet, mackerel, and pilchard are the top producers in the salt; in freshwater, think natural — small smelt patterns, soft‑baits in olive and brown, and classic nymphs like hare‑and‑copper under an indicator when the sun gets up. That’s the wrap from Artificial Lure — thanks for tuning in, and don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss a report. This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai. Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn

Kia ora, this is Artificial Lure with your South Island fishing report. We’ve got a classic late‑autumn pattern running down here. MetService has cool, clear conditions over much of the east and south, with a light southerly easing through the day and afternoon highs sitting in the low teens on the coasts, single digits inland. Inland lakes are crisp at first light, and you’ll want the thermals. Coastal waters off Canterbury and Otago are sitting around 11–13°C; a touch warmer up toward Nelson and Tasman Bay. Sunrise was around twenty past seven this morning, with sunset just after five. That makes the prime bite windows the dawn change of light and the last hour before dark. Niwa’s coastal outlook has a gentle swell on the east coast, around a metre or less for much of Canterbury and Otago, with light seas in the shelter of Banks Peninsula and the Marlborough Sounds. Tides are running mid‑range today; in places like Lyttelton and Dunedin you’re seeing mid‑morning highs and evening lows, giving a nice bit of current for those change‑of‑tide missions. Reports from local tackle shops in Christchurch and Dunedin over the last few days say the autumn run of gurnard and schoolies is ticking along nicely on the Canterbury Bight, with plenty of small to mid‑size kahawai in close. Surfcasters soaking baits around Birdlings Flat and south toward Taumutu have been picking up modest bags: a mix of school shark, rig, and a few decent red cod. Fresh crab has been the standout bait for rig, with squid and pilchard doing the damage on the cod and sharks. Down south, word from Otago Harbour charter skippers is that pannies and blue cod are still on the chew around the channel edges and rocky structure, though you may need to work a bit harder than in summer. Soft‑baits in natural baitfish colours, particularly 4–5 inch jerk shads in new penny and olive, have been doing well on the outgoing tide. Those drifting with small ledger rigs and bits of squid or tough skipjack are also reporting steady blue cod and the odd john dory around structure. Trout anglers around the Mackenzie Country and Central Otago are seeing clear, cold rivers and dropping flows. Local guides out of Twizel say the canals have given up some solid rainbows to patient anglers fishing lightly weighted soft‑baits and small egg patterns, especially during the low‑light periods. On the lakes, brown trout have been cruising the edges; a small black woolly bugger or a green‑bodied soft‑bait slowly twitched along the drop‑offs has been effective. Best lures and baits right now: for saltwater, keep it simple—fresh paddle crab, shellfish, and mullet strip on the bottom for rig and school shark; small metal spinners and soft‑baits for kahawai and trevally. For the cod and pannies, 1/2 to 1 oz jig heads with natural soft‑baits or small flasher rigs tipped with squid are hard to beat. For freshwater, tiny soft‑baits in brown or smelt patterns, size 14–16 nymphs, and small streamers are all pulling fish. A couple of hot spots to put on your list: First, Otago Harbour—work the channel edges from the harbour bridge down toward the heads on the outgoing tide. Drifting soft‑baits or small flasher rigs around the drop‑offs has been turning up blue cod, pannies, and kahawai, with the odd bonus john dory. Second, the Tekapo and Pukaki canals—fish the deeper pools and edges of the current seams in the low‑light periods with small egg patterns or lightly weighted soft‑baits. Be patient, move slowly, and you’ve got a real shot at a trophy rainbow or brown even in these cooler conditions. That’s the wrap from Artificial Lure—rug up, fish the changes of light, and keep your baits fresh and your drags set light. Thanks for tuning in, and don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss a report. This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai. Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn

This is Artificial Lure with your South Island fishing report. We’ll start with the weather. MetService this morning has most of the South Island under a cool, settled pattern after passing fronts. Light to moderate southwesterlies along the east coast, a bit fresher around Cook Strait, easing through the afternoon. Skies are partly cloudy with the odd shower brushing coastal Canterbury and Southland. Inland, especially around the lakes, it’s crisp and clear once the fog burns off. NIWA’s coastal data shows cool sea temps: around 12–13°C off Otago and Southland, a touch warmer, 13–14°C, off Canterbury and Kaikōura. Tides on the east coast are running mid‑range neaps. Around Dunedin and Otago Harbour the mid‑day high is lining up nicely with the early afternoon bite window; low falls late evening. Along Canterbury beaches, the high is slightly earlier, helping the morning crew. Daylight is stretching out as we head toward winter. Around Christchurch, sunrise is just after 7:30am, with sunset a bit before 5:30pm. Down in Dunedin and Invercargill it’s a few minutes shorter. The key bite periods today are that first light window until about 9am, then again from mid‑afternoon into dusk, especially where the incoming tide overlaps. Inshore action has been steady rather than spectacular, but there are fish around if you work for them. Local tackle shops in Christchurch and Dunedin report pannies of blue cod and gurnard coming off small boats working 30–50 metres, and the odd respectable trumpeter for those running a bit wider off Otago. Off the Canterbury surf beaches, anglers have been picking up school sharks and rig (spotted smoothhound), plus some decent red cod as the water cools. Best baits this week have been fresh if you can get it: mullet, squid, and blue mackerel strips. For rig, crabs are still king — small paddle crabs or soft‑shell if you can net them. Keep your traces tidy and your hooks sharp; the fish are nipping rather than smashing baits in the cooler water. Lure fishers have been doing well around structure. Slow‑pitch jigs in the 40–80g range in natural baitfish colours are raising cod and the odd snapper further north around Kaikōura. Soft‑baits on 3/8 to 1/2oz heads in motor‑oil, new penny, or smelt patterns are working well over foul ground and reef edges. Around the estuaries, 3–4 inch paddle tails in darker profiles are turning up kahawai and sea‑run browns where the water’s a bit coloured after showers. Trout and salmon anglers inland are enjoying clear, cool flows. Fish & Game updates for North and South Canterbury note rainbow and brown trout still active in lowland rivers and the hydro canals. Small natural‑coloured soft‑baits, Tassie devils in darker winter patterns, and size 14–16 nymphs (hares ear, PT) have been the go, with some solid canal rainbows reported on pink and orange soft eggs. Two hotspots to think about: First, Otago Harbour. The channel edges and sand flats from the Heads up to Harwood and Port Chalmers are holding blue cod, gurnard, and kahawai. Fish the turn of the tide with lightly weighted baits or small jigs, and don’t be afraid to move until you find life on the sounder. Second, the Canterbury surf from South Rakaia down toward the Rangitata mouth. Fish that pushing tide with crab baits for rig and squid or mullet for schoolies and red cod. Long traces, breakout sinkers, and patience – the bites often come in short flurries. Overall fish activity is moderate: you’ll need to time the tides, make use of those dawn and dusk windows, and fish a bit lighter and more subtle than you would in summer. But if you pick your conditions and spots, there are still plenty of fillets on offer around the South Island right now. Thanks for tuning in, and don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss a report. This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai. Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn