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Travers River

 

The Travers is a beautiful wilderness river providing wonderful fishing for large trout in a beautiful mountain environment.

Fish typeBrown trout
Situation6 hours walk or 30 minutes boat ride from the small town of St Arnaud.
SettingThe Travers is a beautiful river that winds across wide tussock country between bush covered slopes. It has pristine cool snow fed water and is a delight to fish. It is located at the head of Lake Rotoiti (southern end) and is the main feeder into this lake. It is also an important spawning river for the lake.
Maps

Access map

Check conditionsView MetService weather forecast
DescriptionThe river has a mostly shingle and stone bed  and the water is very clear water in which the large trout can be easily spotted. The wide grassy flats make for easy casting and the water is easily waded but be warned, like most wilderness waters the fish are easily spooked by any poor cast or hurried approach. Flowing through a stunning mountain valley this is a beautiful river to fish. We strongly recommend catch and release to protect the fish stocks.
Fish numbers and sizeFish numbers are good with the average fish being in the 2-4lb range.
Ease of fishingOnce there, the Travers is an easy river to fish with wide grassy banks and a good walking track allowing easy access to most of its fishable length.
Access

Access is via walking (about 5-6 hours from St Arnaud or a boat ride. See the access map.

Recommended lures

Nymphs:
Small unweighted nymphs such as Pheasant Tail variants and Hares Ear, Hare and Copper.

Dry flies:
Cicada patterns are very effective from late summer and beetle patterns work well in early summer. Otherwise use small flies such as Greenwell's Glory, Coch-y-Bondhu,
Humpy, Royal Wulff or March Brown.

Wet flies:
Small wets like Greenwell's Glory, March Brown and emerger sedge patterns such as Invicta work well when fished sub-surface.

Spinners: Small bladed spinners (Mepps or Veltic) fished into the faster water or through the deep pools or into the faster rapids are best for this river.

Regulations
Applicable toTravers River and tributaries upstream of Lake Rotoiti.

The Travers water is classed as a designated water and so needs a special licence as well as the normal licence.

RegionNelson/Marlborough
Season1 October - 30 April
MethodsArtificial fly, spinner
Bag limit2 (with only one fish exceeding 500mm in length)
Size limit (cm)No minimum size

Other fishing waters of the region



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