The Brown Trout is largely a freshwater fish, The brown trout is most usually migrating from lakes into rivers or streams to spawn, although there is some evidence of stocks which spawn on wind-swept shorelines of lakes.

The brown trout is normally considered to be native to Europe and Asia but the natural distribution of the migratory forms may be, in fact, circumpolar.

The brown trout is a medium sized fish, growing to 20 kg or more in some localities although in many smaller rivers a mature weight of 1 kg (2 lb) or less is common.

The rainbow trout is a species of Pacific salmon native to tributaries of the Pacific Ocean in Asia and North America .

The freshwater form is called "rainbow trout".

After going to sea, their colour changes, including loss of the red band, and they are called "steelhead".

They occur in well oxygenated lakes and streams where the temperature doesn't rise above 12°C in summer.

The Dunedin City Council currently stock 3 areas of water in Dunedin to provide good fishing without having to travel far away. They are open for fishing all year round. Fly fishing and spinning are the fishing methods allowed; bait fishing is also allowed at Tomahawk Lagoon only.

SULLIVAN'S DAM

SULLIVAN'S DAM at the top of the Northern Motorway is set in native and some exotic pine forest. The southern end is deep but gets shallower near the inflow. It is stocked with brown and rainbow trout and has a limit of one fish per day.

SOUTHERN RESERVOIR

SOUTHERN RESERVOIR is deep with shallow areas around its western bank. It is a great place for picnicking and walking as well as fishing. It is stocked with rainbow trout but some brown trout migrate to the reservoir. The limit is one fish per day.

TOMAHAWK

TOMAHAWK has two lagoons but only the top one is stocked with fish, these being rainbow and brown trout and perch. The lagoon used to be tidal but is now permanently closed off from the sea. It is also quite shallow with a maximum depth of 1.5m. The fish are fast growing with loads of food, such as perch fry, bullies and aquatic insects to feed on. Fishing is best here during winter, spring and early summer. The limit is one trout per day and as many perch as you like. Bait fishing is very successful here.

RIVERS

Coastal Estuaries and tidal areas of the following rivers in Otago contain sea-run and resident brown trout that can be fished using all methods, year round:

WAIKOUAITI RIVER

TAIERI RIVER

TOKOMAIRIRO RIVER

PUERUA RIVER

CLUTHA RIVER

CATLINS RIVER

TAHAKOPA RIVER

Salmon can be found in the CLUTHA and TAIERI rivers from January to April.

Lowland, coastal lakes in Otago, WAIHOLA, WAIPORI and TUAKITOTO contain perch and brown trout set amidst wonderful scenery and birdlife. Lake Mahinerangi contains brown and rainbow trout and perch. All fishing methods are allowed.

The following medium sized rivers all contain brown trout:

TAIERIR RIVER (major tributary is Deep Stream)

MANUHERIKIA RIVER

POMAHAKA RIVER (major tributary is Waipahi River )

CATLINS RIVER and TRIBUTARIES

The SHAG and WAIKOUAITI RIVERS are smaller but contain clear water for easy fish spotting. The season is open from 1 Oct - 30 April for both rivers. Both rivers contain brown trout, with the Waikouaiti River containing sea-run browns as well. All fishing methods may be used.

MANUHERIKIA RIVER contains brown and some rainbow trout. The best method appears to be fly fishing fish they spot in the water, but all methods may be used. The fishing season is open from 1 Oct - 30 April.

LAKE ROXBURGH is full of brown and rainbow trout and quinnat salmon. Fishing is open year round, all methods may be used, and bag limit is 6 fish.

October

Dry fly and nymph fishing in the smaller streams.  Streams such as the Waipahi are famous for their intense early season hatches of mayflies.  There are also very few anglers about.

November

Early November weather conditions same as October but halfway through November the brown beetles start to hatch.  The beetles plus the mayflies make for some exciting fishing on the small streams.  These streams carry some very large trout.  The Mataura is now coming into its own as most of the snow melt should be gone by now.  Still very few anglers about.

December

The Mataura by now is fishing well and the small streams still have plenty of water in them.  Beetle activity is at its height, there are plenty of mayflies and caddis about -- it's a great dry fly month.  Angling pressure is still at a low level.

January

The rivers start to get pressure now, as this is the holiday month in NZ.  On the Mataura there are good hatches early morning and in the evening, also on cloudy calm days there can be excellent spinner falls.  There is good terrestrial fishing on smaller streams as the cicadas are starting to appear.

February

This is the month that gets the most pressure from visiting anglers but in Southland there are still plenty of places to go.  Some of the smaller streams are getting a little low but there is some fabulous cicada fishing in the high country lakes.  The regular afternoon hatches on the Mataura start about halfway through this month.

March

Visiting anglers are starting to thin out and the weather is usually very settled.  There are regular afternoon hatches on the Mataura often followed by a fall of spinners.  The smaller streams have been freshened up by rain and there are still cicadas about.  Mayfly activity also increases as the days get cooler.

April

Most overseas anglers have gone and the cooler weather really gets the mayflies going on the Mataura.  They go on the small streams too but it is very hard to leave the Mataura when it's fishing well.  The weather is generally settled with very little wind.

May

The season has been extended to include May this year. As the seasons have become warmer, May has become the new April with the same great mayfly hatches of March and April. This has come about as a result of pressure from anglers who had to stop at the end of April but now can take advantage of the wonderful hatches that now carry on through May.