Rakaia River – Ashburton

Discover The Rakaia River

The Mighty Rakaia – New Zealand’s best Fly Fishing location

Rakaia, a rural community 50 kilometres south of Christchurch, sets an immediate impact on its visitors with its landmark salmon and 1.8 kilometre bridge spanning the Rakaia River, one of the world’s best examples of a braided river and offering some of the best fishing in the country.

The Rakaia is the best salmon river in New Zealand. Hundreds of salmon are frequently caught during the season (November to March) and the annual Rakaia Fishing Competition in February attracts anglers from all over the country.

It is very wide and highly braided over almost its entire 125 km length. Though access is good from either bank all the way back in to the Southern Alps most angling pressure is concentrated in the 22 kms between the SH 1 bridge and the river mouth.

Twenty years ago it was unknown for anglers to fish for salmon above the gorge but this is now more common. The dry and dusty shingle riverbed often spans over a kilometre in width interrupted with slow flowing braids ranging from just a few inches to fast water several metres deep.

Rakaia River Mouth Salmon and Whitebait You might like Rakaia Rivermouth Searun Brown Trout

The braided Rakaia River is also home to adrenaline adventure activities such as jet boating.

For more information on this location visit http://www.ashburtondistrict.co.nz/newzealand/rakaia/