Castle River

Castle River, in Southland, New Zealand, is a river where current dictates almost everything. Rocks, undercut banks, and fallen timber are the obvious targets, but the productive water at Castle River is often the seam between two current speeds — that's where fish wait for food to drift past. Match the size of your bait or lure to whatever insects, baitfish, or crayfish you can see in the water.

Location

-44.8816, 167.7620 · View on OpenStreetMap →

Species Reported in Southland

These species are commonly caught at fishing spots across Southland. Conditions at Castle River may vary.

Brown troutRainbow troutEuropean perchEastern Australian salmonChinook salmonAustralasian snapper

Fishing Techniques

• For Brown trout

  When fishing streams, focus on seams and current breaks, where trout hold to ambush prey.

• For Rainbow trout

  Vary your retrieve speed when using spinners to find what triggers a strike; sometimes a slow, steady retrieve works best, while other times a faster, erratic retrieve is more effective.

• For European perch

  Vary your retrieve speed and lure depth until you find what the perch are responding to on that day, and use light line.

Recommended Gear

Tackle commonly used to target the species reported in Southland.

Plan Your Trip

Anglers heading to Castle River should sort licences and confirm seasonal regulations for Southland before the trip. A quick weather check the morning of helps too — wind direction in particular can make or break a session at a spot like Castle River.

Nearby Spots in Southland

See all fishing spots in Southland →

Other Fishing Regions in New Zealand