The Hokitika is a fast, scenic West Coast river holding strong brown trout — but it lives by the weather and its glacier-fed headwaters, so it can run milky and rises hard after rain. Time it to the falling, clearing flow, and lean on the clearer lower reaches and tributaries when the main river is up. Big, powerful water to wade with care.
Under the surface
The Hokitika races out of the Southern Alps through gorge and rainforest to the West Coast town that bears its name, a fast, beautiful river of greenstone-clear water that can turn milky with glacial melt and rises hard after rain. Strong brown trout hold its runs and the clearer reaches in high-rainfall wilderness country.
Wading: Fast pushy water, glacial colour, fast rises — serious wading care
- River
- Mixed sedimentary
- Confined
- Pool riffle
- Gorge
