Spate · Mixed Sedimentary · West Coast, NZ

Hokitika River

The Hokitika River mouth flowing into the Tasman Sea on New Zealand's West Coast
Poor · Brown Trout
Hare & Copper Nymph · 12-16
Closed season
Season reopens 1 October. Try elsewhere.
Closed — confidence not applicable today.
What moved it
  • Level1.48 mLast reading 16h ago
  • Water temp11.0°C
  • ClarityClear
Today's fly
Hare & Copper Nymph
Hare & Copper Nymph12-16
High-confidence seasonal pick
Conditions on the water
Live gauge
Level
Steady
1.48 m
Last reading 16h ago
Water temp11.0°C
ClarityClear
Weather10°C
WindN 13 km/h
Pressure1026 hPa
Rain · recent1.6 mm
Rain · ahead62.6 mm

The nearest gauge doesn't record temperatures, so we've estimated it — defer to the river keeper's advice.

How these readings are sourced

Weather-only: no live gauge wired. Spate river with glacier-fed headwaters — read both rain colour and glacial tinge plus flow trend. Stale data is dangerous.

Water temperature for Brown Trout
Ideal
11°C est.ideal 10–16°C
0°14°28°
How to fish it · for Brown Trout
When
Nymphing can work through most of the day.
Where
Cover mixed depths.
Method
Start with tight-line nymphs and adjust if fish rise or drift higher.
Kit
9 ft #4 rod, floating line, 12 ft tapered leader to 4–5 lb fluoro tippet.
Hatch timeline · todayQuiet day

Hatch predictions

Today's headline hatch shown — see all 2 active hatches hour by hour as a supporter.

Start free trial

14-day free trial. Cancel anytime.

Sub-surface · on the nymphunder the surface

Hatch predictions

Supporters see the full sub-surface read.

Start free trial

14-day free trial. Cancel anytime.

Evidence
Records-basedModerate confidence

Based on species-occurrence records, not local invertebrate surveys.

Through the year
0–3 scale · September highlighted
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Trout seasonSeason
2
2
2
1
1
2
2
Deleatidium / NZ Mayfly DunHatch
3
3
3
3
2
2
3
3
3
Large Dark MayflyHatch
3
3
2
2
3
Burrowing Mayfly / Green MayflyHatch
3
2
2
Caddis / SedgeHatch
3
3
3
2
2
3

Numbers are intensity 0 (none) to 3 (peak) — a guide, not a guarantee.

Ranked for today
Fly box · Brown Trout
Permits & access
Permit required — see local rules.
  • West Coast Fish & Game — a Fish & Game licence is required
  • Check the current Anglers Notice
  • Check Clean Dry (didymo present).
What's coming
Plan ahead
5-day outlook
Gallery · 2
  1. The Hokitika River mouth flowing into the Tasman Sea on New Zealand's West Coast
    The Hokitika River meeting the Tasman Sea
  2. Terrain map of the venue
    Terrain map
The full read · show the working · for Brown Trout · confidence 90%
How the 0 is built — score × weight = contribution
Temperature100 × 28%28.0
Flow80 × 22%17.6
Clarity95 × 18%17.1
Feeding Time75 × 13%9.8
Pressure80 × 7%5.6
Insect activity51 × 12%6.1
Conditions total= 84
Can you trust it?
Water temperatureair-to-water estimateestimated
Level / flowon-river gaugeobserved
Prey activitymodelled from regional profilemodelled
Directions
Apple MapsGoogle Maps
Seasons & zones
  • Trout 1 October (main river); some back-country 1 November → 30 April (back-country) / year-round (lower)

    West Coast Fish & Game licence required. Legal status: guidance_not_permission.

Related guides
Euro Nymphingsubsurface methods
Booking & contacts