Brown and rainbow trout.

The Maruia River has 186 brown trout per kilometre or nearly 300 per mile (as surveyed by the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries).

Access map

The Maruia is an excellent water to fish offering all forms of angling experience from spin fishing through to delicate dry-fly fishing for large wary browns. The river runs over a gravel bed though there are areas where it runs between rock outcrops that can really test anglers who have spotted large fish in the depths.

The lower reaches mostly flow through willow lined banks while above the Mairuia Falls, the river flows through beech and manuka trees. The Maruia Falls (formed during the 1929 Murchison earthquake) also form the boundary with both rainbow and brown trout above the falls while only brown trout are found below them.

Above the confluence with the Woolley River there is a braided section that holds fewer fish though those that are there tend to be quite large.

Access is via Highway 65 which runs from joining SH6 12 kms south of Murchison and traveling to the small settlement of Maruia Springs near the rivers headwaters. See the access map.

Nymphs:
Small nymphs such as Hare and Copper, Pheasant Tails and Caddis imitations all work well in sizes 14 or smaller.

Dry flies:
Small flies such as Hardies Favourite, Dad's Favourite and March Brown all work well at all times of the day. Fish bushier flies over the faster water. Very small flies are best in the upper braided reaches.

Wet flies:
Small wets like Greenwell's Glory, March Brown and emerger sedge patterns work well when fished sub-surface. These flies are particularly effective when fishing the evening rise.

Spinners:

Small bladed spinners (Mepps or Veltic) fished upstream into the faster water or through the deep pools.