Ōpihi River Fishing Near Timaru: Trout and Salmon

Last updated October 2026

The Ōpihi River is a lowland trout and salmon river just north of Timaru. It runs out of the Ben McLeod and Richmond ranges, past Pleasant Point, and reaches the sea at Milford Huts, a bach settlement on the north side of the mouth about 7.5 km south-east of Temuka.

Brown trout live through most of the river, and a small run of Chinook salmon comes in from the sea late in the season. Fish & Game Central South Island rates the stretch from the mouth up to the SH1 bridge as the best water for both species.

At a Glance

Location

Mouth at Milford Huts (north side), east of Temuka; lower river at Waipopo Huts (south bank); middle river around Pleasant Point

Type

Lowland river over a shingle bed, with willow-lined banks and a lagoon at the mouth

Water

Freshwater, including the lagoon, the shore between the outlet and the sea, and within 500 m of the mouth

Main species

Brown trout, sea-run brown trout, Chinook salmon; a few rainbow trout in the lower river

Best time

Early season for trout; salmon usually run in February, and the mouth fishes best when it is open after rain

Season

1 October to 30 April; winter season below SH1, 1 June to 31 August (fly and spinner, trout only)

Licence

Fish & Game licence; salmon also need the Sea-Run Salmon Licence add-on and season bag limit card

Getting there

North bank: Milford Huts, Wareing Road, SH1. South bank: Waipopo Huts, Seadown Road, Roaring Camp Road, Saleyards Bridge, Hanging Rock Bridge, Raincliff Bridge

Flow gauge

ECan Ōpihi River at Rockwood (upper river)

Rules

Fish & Game Central South Island regulations

What Makes It Worth the Trip

The Ōpihi runs over a shingle bed between willow-lined banks. Early in the season it often runs clearer than the big snow-fed rivers such as the Rangitata, which makes it a good choice for sight fishing when they are dirty.

In a dry summer it shrinks a long way, and flows can drop to a small fraction of normal from mid to late summer.

The river has several big tributaries. The Opuha (Ōpūaha) joins below the gorge at Raincliff and carries more water than the upper Ōpihi itself.

The Te Ngawai (Tengawai) joins near Pleasant Point, and the Temuka River, carrying the Te Moana, Kakahu and Waihi, joins downstream of Temuka. The Opuha Dam has cut the number of extreme low flows, so the river now reaches the sea most of the time.

The mouth forms a lagoon at Milford, and it closes from time to time. Heavy seas can block it, but that is usually short term, and the river breaks through the gravel bar at the next low tide.

In low summer flows it can keep closing and reopening, and Environment Canterbury opens it mechanically when the lagoon threatens the huts and farmland.

The shingle braids are a nesting place for black-billed gulls, so give any colony on the riverbed plenty of room in spring and summer. Whitebaiters work the lagoon in season, and anglers share the lower river with them.

How to Fish the Ōpihi River

Where and when

Fish & Game says the best fishing for both trout and salmon is from the mouth up to the SH1 bridge, and its access pamphlet calls the lower river, from the Te Ngawai confluence down to the mouth, the most popular stretch.

For brown trout further up, it points to the water around Hanging Rock Bridge. The mouth is fished most when smelt and whitebait are moving into the river. Salmon usually arrive in February, and the lower river gets much busier then.

Late in the season, and especially after heavy rain, both trout and salmon fishing improve markedly. When the river is low and clear in midsummer, trout move into the deeper pools and under overhanging willows, and they take stealth, accurate casting and fine tippets.

What to catch and what to use

• Brown trout: dry flies and lightly weighted nymphs on a 4 to 5 weight rod, with long leaders in clear water. Small dries (sizes 16 to 18) such as Blue Dun, Parachute Adams and Coch-y-Bondhu suit early season; cricket and hopper patterns work in summer and early autumn. Pheasant Tail and caddis nymphs (sizes 14 to 16) work through the riffles.
• Trout at the mouth: smelt-type flies such as Grey Ghost and Ginger Mick when smelt and whitebait are running.
• Salmon: spinning is the usual method, around the mouth and the lower river. A Zed spinner, or a weight and Colorado spoon, fished close to the bottom on a rod that casts 15 to 28 g lures. Large Tobys and Rapalas also take fish.
• Bait: allowed in the main season. When the river is up and coloured, drifting worms through the pools gives spin and bait anglers an edge over fly anglers.
• Rainbow trout: a few turn up in the lower river, from the mouth to about the SH1 bridge.

Reading the flow

Check ECan’s Rockwood gauge on the upper river before you go. A fresh after rain often opens the mouth and brings salmon in, while a long dry spell can leave the mouth closed and the lower river thin.

Getting There and Facilities

• Milford Huts (north side of the mouth): about 7.5 km south-east of Temuka by road. Fish & Game’s pamphlet lists Boiling Down Road to the north side of the mouth and Connollys Road to the south side.
• Other access: on the north bank, Wareing Road and the SH1 bridge at Temuka; on the south bank, Waipopo Huts, Seadown Road, Roaring Camp Road, Saleyards Bridge at Pleasant Point, Hanging Rock Bridge and Raincliff Bridge.
• Farm gates: do not park in gateways, leave gates as you find them, and stay within the river margins.
• Camping: Timaru District Council allows camping at Milford Lagoon for up to 3 nights. Arrive after 4pm, leave before 10am, and note the total fire ban.
• Walks: for the riverside walking track at Pleasant Point, see our Opihi Walkway guide.
• Tributaries: for the river that joins below Temuka, see our Temuka River fishing guide. The Waihi and Te Ngawai are also worth fishing early in the season.

Rules and Safety

• The whole river follows the Fish & Game Central South Island regulations. You need a Fish & Game licence, and the lagoon, the shore between the outlet and the sea, and the water within 500 m of the mouth all count as freshwater.
• The main season is 1 October to 30 April for trout and salmon, with fly, spinner and bait allowed. The river is split at the Opuha junction, and the daily limits differ above and below it.
• Below the SH1 bridge there is a winter season from 1 June to 31 August, fly and spinner only, for trout. Salmon may not be taken then.
• To fish for sea-run salmon you need the Sea-Run Salmon Licence add-on and its season bag limit card, which covers both Central South Island and North Canterbury. The season limit is very low after poor salmon returns in 2025/26: record a kept fish on the card straight away, and once you reach the limit, stop fishing for salmon for the season.
• Sea-run salmon may not be fished for between 11pm and 4am in December and January, or between 10pm and 5am in other months.
• Toxic algae warnings have been issued for the river at Waipopo Huts in the past. Check LAWA’s Can I Swim Here before you go, and keep dogs away from algal mats.
• Check, clean and dry your waders and gear before moving to another river.

Tackle and Bait Nearby

• Davo’s Fishing Hunting & Sport, 186 Hilton Highway, Washdyke, Timaru: rods, reels, lures, flies, line and whitebait gear.

Fishing licences and the salmon add-on can be bought online from Fish & Game.

Official Sources for Ōpihi River

Common Questions

What can you catch in the Ōpihi River?
Brown trout through most of the river, sea-run brown trout and a small run of Chinook salmon in the lower river, and a few rainbow trout below the SH1 bridge.

Where is the best fishing on the Ōpihi?
Fish & Game rates the stretch from the mouth up to the SH1 bridge as the best for trout and salmon. For brown trout further up, try around Hanging Rock Bridge.

When do salmon run up the Ōpihi?
Usually in February, late in the season. The mouth needs to be open, and a fresh after rain often brings fish in.

Where is Milford Huts?
On the north side of the Ōpihi mouth, about 7.5 km south-east of Temuka by road. Waipopo Huts is on the south bank.

Do I need a licence to fish the Ōpihi mouth?
Yes. The lagoon and the water within 500 m of the mouth count as freshwater, so you need a Fish & Game licence, plus the Sea-Run Salmon Licence add-on if you are fishing for salmon.

Can I fish the Ōpihi in winter?
Only below the SH1 bridge, from 1 June to 31 August, with fly or spinner, for trout. Salmon may not be taken in the winter season.

Does the Ōpihi run low in summer?
Yes. Flows can drop a long way in mid to late summer, although the Opuha Dam now keeps the river reaching the sea most of the time. Check the ECan Rockwood gauge before you go.

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