Freestone · Mixed Sedimentary · Otago

Greenstone River

The Greenstone is one of the great Southern-Lakes wilderness rivers — a clear, walkable back-country river between Wakatipu and Te Anau holding brown and rainbow trout you spot and stalk in gin-clear flats.

Species

Closed season

Season reopens 1 November. Plenty of other water available now.

Closed — confidence not applicable today.
Water temperature for brown trout
Cool — slow
3°C est.ideal 10–16°C
0°14°28°
The full read · show the working · for brown trout · confidence 40%
How the 0 is built — score × weight = contribution
Temperature4 × 28%1.1
Flow41 × 22%9.0
Clarity15 × 18%2.7
Feeding Time70 × 13%9.1
Pressure80 × 7%5.6
Insect activity24 × 12%2.9
Limiting factor: Water temperature (2.9°C) is outside Brown Trout's preferred range (10–16°C)= 30
Can you trust it?
Water temperatureair-to-water estimateestimated
Level / flowon-river gaugeobserved
What would change the calculation
Warmer water — toward the 10–16 °C ideal band — would lift the temperature score.
A drop and clear would lift the flow and clarity scores.
Conditions
○Regional est.
Level
Moderate rain recently
No gauge reading
Water temp
2.9°C
Estimated
Clarity
Very coloured
Air temp
-3°C
Wind
W 7 km/h
Light breeze
Pressure
1014 hPa
Rain · 48h
17.2 mm
Moderate rain
Rain · ahead
0.0 mm
No meaningful rain · next 48h

No gauge on this water — readings are regional estimates from weather, not a live gauge.

Weather-only: no live gauge wired. Clear wilderness river — sight-fishing best on low, clear, stable water with good light.

Hatch timeline · todayQuiet day

Hatch predictions

Today's headline hatch shown — see all 2 active hatches hour by hour with Pro.

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

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

Permits & access
Permit required — see local rules.
  • Otago Fish & Game — a Fish & Game licence is required; back-country reaches typically open 1 November
  • Check the current Anglers Notice
  • Check Clean Dry (didymo present)
  • Public DOC access; tread lightly.
Directions
Apple MapsGoogle Maps
About this water

The Greenstone is one of the great Southern-Lakes wilderness rivers — a clear, walkable back-country river between Wakatipu and Te Anau holding brown and rainbow trout you spot and stalk in gin-clear flats. Public DOC access via the Greenstone valley track. It rewards stealth and good light over numbers; fish it lightly and space yourself from other anglers.

Under the surface

The Greenstone threads a broad tussock-and-beech valley between Lake Wakatipu and Lake Te Anau, a clear, gentle wilderness river of long flats and gravel runs walked by the Greenstone valley track. Brown and rainbow trout hold visible in its clear pools — a renowned Southern-Lakes back-country sight fishery.

Wading: Remote valley, cold water, clear water spooks fish — back country care

  • River
  • Mixed sedimentary
  • Partly confined
  • Glide
  • Pool riffle
Seasons & zones
  • Trout1 November → 30 April
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