Fishing near Balclutha, Otago

Balclutha sits at the heart of South Otago where the Clutha River / Mata-Au — New Zealand's highest-volume river — splits around Inch Clutha before reaching the sea at Molyneaux Bay. The lower Clutha is the marquee water here, consistently ranked among the most-fished rivers in the country, and a 2023–24 Fish & Game survey found it the most popular and productive section of the entire river below the Roxburgh Dam. Beyond the Clutha, the surrounding Clutha District holds more than 25 rivers and streams within an hour or two, including the Pomahaka, Tuapeka, and Catlins rivers, plus Lake Mahinerangi for perch. The area is particularly well regarded for fly fishing.

Top waters to fish near Balclutha

Species & education

Learn what type of fish are in Balclutha, Otago and what's needed to catch them.

Find which waters have the species you want to catch

Brown Trout

Salmo trutta

Chinook Salmon

Oncorhynchus tshawytscha

Climbing Galaxias

Galaxias brevipinnis

Common Smelt

Retropinna retropinna

European Perch

Perca fluviatilis

New Zealand Longfin Eel

Anguilla dieffenbachii

Puye

Galaxias maculatus

Rainbow Trout

Oncorhynchus mykiss

Short-finned Eel

Anguilla australis

Barracouta

Thyrsites atun

Conger Eel

Conger verreauxi

Elephant Fish

Callorhinchus milii

Gemfish

Rexea solandri

Hapuku

Polyprion oxygeneios

Kahawai

Arripis trutta

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