Mataura River · hatch chart
1 October to 30 April on most water; some sections open year-round
By month
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
| Month | Insect | Stage | Size | Time | Intensity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | Caddis (Hydropsyche) | Adult, evening | #12-14 | 21:00-23:30 | |
| Feb | Ant fall | Terrestrial | #14-16 | 12:00-16:00 | |
| Mar | Blue-Winged Olive (Baetis) | Dun | #16-18 | 14:00-18:00 | |
| Apr | Small caddis and midges | Adult | #16-20 | 14:00-18:00 | |
| Nov | Mayfly (Coloburiscus humeralis) | Dun and spinner | #10-12 | 12:00-17:00 | |
| Dec | Mayfly (Ephemera) | Dun | #10 | 20:00-23:00 |
Flow and visibility
The Mataura is a spate river: heavy rain in the Eyre mountains can put it up a metre overnight and colour it brown for two to three days. When it clears it fishes superbly, because the flush moves the weed and the fish feed hard. In a dry summer the middle reach can drop very low and warm, at which point the fish move into the faster, broken water and the best fishing is early morning.
The insect plate
