Thread: Nelson recreational fishers beware.

Originally Posted by mikee

Agree with the first bit but To be fair in all my years working in fishing related industries (maintainance roles) and some of it in Timaru)) I have never ever seen a salmon come off a inshore trawler (ie fresher, no processing facilities). While they could be going into the fish meal plants of the bigger factory vessels I guess I some how doubt that too.

I would suspect that more likely the lack of salmon in the 90's had more to do with environmental conditions including river flows.
My uncles and grandfather still did alright but then 90% of the fish are caught by 10% fisherman. Dad got 29 last year out of the Rakaia but mum pipped him with 30

Salmon numbers do seem to be very cyclic. I only really fished for them whilst on holiday in Temuka, so some years would be good, and others awful, depending on river levels. I caught my last salmon in the Opihi, about 1km upstream from the mouth in January 2013.

Has anyone on the forum fished the Wairau? I've been meaning to for years, but never got around to it.