Rakaia River Fishing: Salmon and Trout near Christchurch

Last updated October 2026

The Rakaia River is a large, snow-fed braided river that reaches the Pacific Ocean about 60 km south-east of Christchurch. Fish & Game calls it one of New Zealand’s premier salmon fisheries, and it also holds sea-run and resident brown trout.

Most anglers reach it at Rakaia Huts near the mouth, or at the State Highway 1 and State Highway 77 bridges.

The salmon run builds from November and peaks from December to January, and the river can rise and become unfishable within hours after alpine rain. You need a sports fishing licence, plus a sea-run salmon licence and season bag limit card to fish for or keep salmon.

At a Glance

Location

Rakaia River, from the mouth at Rakaia Huts upstream to the gorge, south-west of Christchurch

Main species

Sea-run chinook salmon, sea-run and resident brown trout, rainbow trout in the upper river

Method

Spin and fly; bait is allowed for trout below the Coleridge tailrace posts, but not for salmon

Best time

Salmon November to March, peak December to January; mouth mid January to mid March on an incoming tide

Season

Salmon 1 October to 30 April below the tailrace posts; trout all year below them

Licence

Sports fishing licence; sea-run salmon licence and season bag limit card for salmon

Suits

Experienced anglers; the mouth and surf need care, and the gorge is jet boat only

Access

North Rakaia Huts, State Highway 1 bridge, State Highway 77 bridge, and tracks off Acton Road

Tides

Matter at the mouth and lagoon only; flow and floods rule the rest of the river

Toilets

At the Ashburton District Council reserve at Rakaia Huts (off Kingsburys Road)

More About The Rakaia River

The Rakaia rises in the Southern Alps and runs about 150 km to the sea. Its Māori name is Ō Rakaia. It is a braided river on an unstable shingle bed, and after a flood it often has a new course.

The 1988 Rakaia Water Conservation Order recognises it for its outstanding fisheries, angling and jet boating, and it is also an Important Bird Area, with breeding colonies of black-billed gulls and many wrybill.

Salmon enter the river from the sea and run upstream through the summer. Fish & Game says salmon do not feed in fresh water, so lures have to be fished close to the bottom to provoke a strike. The lower river between the mouth and State Highway 1 is the most heavily fished section.

The mouth is highly mobile. It can sit anywhere from one to four kilometres from the end of the road, and a boat or ATV helps. The surf, the gut and the tidal lagoon are all fished. Above the gorge, the river is quieter, with resident trout holding in deep pools and boulder cover, and spring-fed tributaries that run clear.

How to Fish the Rakaia River

The mouth and lagoon

Anglers fish the surf, the gut and the lagoon. Fish & Game says the best salmon fishing at the mouth is from mid January to mid March on an incoming tide. Surf salmon fishing is variable, and the best time to try is when the sea is calm and clear.

In the gut, try the middle of an incoming tide on a slow current. Sea-run brown trout fish best on a low tide in shallow, fast riffles, especially when the river is discoloured, from November to February.

The lower and middle river

Between the mouth and State Highway 1, pick a promising spot and wait for resting fish rather than chasing them. Between State Highway 1 and State Highway 77, cover more water: fish each pool or run a few times, then move on.

Target slow water, deep pools and the lee of structure. Jet boats, drift boats and ATVs are all used here. The lower reaches usually clear first after a flood, and a falling river after a flood can signal good fishing.

The gorge and upper river

The gorge is reached only by jet boat. About 10 km above it, walk-in access opens up, especially from Double Hill Run Road on the south side, and Kowhai Flat is a popular access point and campsite. Salmon fishing in the upper river is best from January to March.

What to catch and what to use

• Sea-run chinook salmon: Fish & Game suggests a medium-heavy rod of 2 to 2.5 m with a reel holding about 200 m of 7 to 10 kg line. Zed Spinners and Colorado Spoons are the usual lures, fished close to the bottom in slow water near the main current rather than in shallow side braids. Surf anglers use heavier ticers or slices for distance.
• Sea-run brown trout: streamers that imitate native smelt, such as Parsons Glory, Hope’s Silvery and Yellow Rabbit, on a heavy fly rod with a fast-sinking line. Spin anglers use a lure rod with a lead sinker. The last hour of daylight on a warm evening is best.
• Resident brown and rainbow trout: silt makes sight fishing hard, so most fishing is blind. Black Toby or Tasmanian Devil lures suit spin anglers, and streamers or weighted nymphs suit fly anglers. Dry flies are less reliable.

Getting There and Facilities

• Access points: Fish & Game lists North Rakaia Huts, the State Highway 1 bridge and the State Highway 77 bridge as the main access from Christchurch. Roads run up both banks with marked tracks to the water, so look for Fish & Game Angler Access signs.
• Mouth to State Highway 1: most tracks start from Acton Road on the south bank, including Dobbins Ford, Griggs Road and Maginisses.
• State Highway 1 to State Highway 77: access from both banks via Rakaia Terrace Road and Rakaia-Methven Road, including Lowes Cutting, Sleemans Road, Steels Road and Te Pirita Road.
• Rakaia Huts: the main car park for the north side is on Pacific Drive. The Ashburton District Council reserve off Kingsburys Road has toilets and allows overnight camping for up to 2 nights, at $10 a night through a donation box (checked October 2026).
• Rakaia Gorge camp: 48 non-powered sites on South Terrace, off the Inland Scenic Route just south of the high bridge. It costs $10 a person, children under 10 are free, and it is very popular with anglers. A site supervisor is present from October to April.
• Licences: Fish & Game lists Rakaia River Holiday Park (85 Rakaia Terrace) as a licence agent, and Ashburton Hunting & Fishing (393 West Street) and Outdoor Adventure Sport (519 East Street) in Ashburton. You can also buy online.

Rules and Safety

Licences and rules

• Rule set: North Canterbury Fish & Game. Check the current North Canterbury sports fishing regulations for seasons, methods, size and daily limits before you go.
• The tailrace line: white posts near the Lake Coleridge tailrace split the rules. Below them, trout are open all year (fly, spin and bait) and salmon from 1 October to 30 April (fly and spin only). Above them, trout and salmon are open 1 October to 31 March, fly and spin only. These are the 2026/27 dates.
• Salmon licence: a sea-run salmon licence and a season bag limit card are needed to fish for or keep salmon, as well as a whole-season sports fishing licence. Fish & Game says this also applies within 500 m of the river mouth. The card costs $5, you must record each salmon straight away, and the card must be returned at the end of the season even if you caught nothing.
• No salmon fishing is allowed in any river from 1 May to 30 September. Night limits apply: no salmon may be taken between 11pm and 4am in December and January, or between 10pm and 5am in other months.
• Wading: felt-soled waders and footwear are prohibited. Foul-hooked fish must be returned immediately.
• Boats: boat fishing is permitted, but boat and jet boat rules are set by councils. Check them before you launch.

Floods and river safety

• The Rakaia is liable to flood at any time of year, and after a flood it often has a different course. Heavy rain in the Alps can make it unfishable within hours.
• Check Environment Canterbury’s river flow data before every trip. Fish & Game says salmon fishing is often best below 180 cumecs, and trout below 240 cumecs, measured at Rakaia Gorge. Environment Canterbury notes that flow can step up or down because of hydropeaking from the power station upstream, so watch the river level while you fish.
• The mouth and surf zone change quickly. Do not cross channels when the river is rising, and tell someone where you are going.
• The riverbed is nesting habitat for birds such as black-billed gulls and wrybill. Keep dogs away from nesting areas.
• Much of the land beside the river is private. Use marked legal access and ask the landowner if in doubt.

Trusted Sources

Common Questions

Do I need a licence to fish the Rakaia River?
Yes. You need a sports fishing licence for trout. To fish for or keep salmon you also need a sea-run salmon licence and a season bag limit card, and Fish & Game says this includes fishing within 500 m of the river mouth.

When is the best time to catch salmon in the Rakaia?
Fish & Game puts the run from November to March, peaking from December to January. At the mouth the best months are mid January to mid March, on an incoming tide.

Where do I fish the mouth?
Through the hut settlements on either side of the river. On the north side, Rakaia Huts has a main car park on Pacific Drive. The mouth moves and can be one to four kilometres from the end of the road.

What flow is best for salmon?
Fish & Game says salmon fishing is best below 180 cumecs and trout fishing is ideal below 240 cumecs, measured at Rakaia Gorge. Check Environment Canterbury’s flow data first.

Can I use bait on the Rakaia?
Bait is allowed for trout below the white posts near the Lake Coleridge tailrace. Salmon fishing is fly and spin only. Check the current North Canterbury regulations.

Can I fish the gorge?
The gorge is reachable only by jet boat. About 10 km above it, walk-in access opens up, especially from Double Hill Run Road on the south side.

Is the Rakaia safe to fish after rain?
Not always. It can rise within hours after alpine rain and change course after a flood. Check river flows, and do not cross channels when the river is rising.

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