Fishing near Wanaka, Otago

Wanaka sits at the southern end of its namesake glacial lake in the Otago region, surrounded by some of New Zealand's most productive freshwater fishing. Lake Wānaka itself — 45.5 km long, over 300 m deep, and fed by the Matukituki and Makarora rivers — holds self-sustaining populations of brown trout, rainbow trout, and Chinook salmon. Beyond the lake, the Cardrona River, Clutha River/Mata-Au, and a network of backcountry rivers and streams within an hour or two's drive make this one of the South Island's premier trout-fishing bases.