Murray River

Murray River is a river flowing through West Coast, New Zealand. River fishing rewards anglers who learn to read current — fish hold in the seams between fast and slow water, behind rocks and submerged logs, and at the heads and tails of pools. At Murray River, working a lure or fly down-and-across the current usually outperforms casting straight upstream. Higher water concentrates fish; clear, low water makes them spookier.

Location

-44.1333, 168.8830 · View on OpenStreetMap →

Species Reported in West Coast

These species are commonly caught at fishing spots across West Coast. Conditions at Murray River may vary.

Brown troutRainbow troutEastern Australian salmonAustralasian snapperRed codlingYellow-eye mullet

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 Eastern Australian salmon

  Eastern Australian salmon often school, so if you catch one, keep fishing the same area; they are aggressive feeders and readily strike at moving targets.

Recommended Gear

Tackle commonly used to target the species reported in West Coast.

Plan Your Trip

Fishing Murray River usually starts the day before — checking weather, tide or river-flow data, and confirming your licence is valid for West Coast. Conditions in New Zealand can shift quickly, and a quick pre-trip review saves a lot of wasted travel.

Nearby Spots in West Coast

See all fishing spots in West Coast →

Other Fishing Regions in New Zealand