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Megan Findlay recently achieved what has unfortunately become a very rare occurrence, landing a salmon in the Clutha/Mata-Au River. Making the capture even more remarkable, the fish was fin-clipped and taken on light trout gear using a soft bait.
Hatcheries clip the adipose fin, the small fleshy fin just in front of the tail on a salmon’s back, to help monitor the size and number of returning fish. As there is currently no recreational salmon hatchery operating on the Clutha/Mata-Au, this fish most likely originated from a hatchery on the lower Waitaki or lower Rangitata rivers.
If you are lucky enough to catch a salmon on the lower Clutha, we would love to hear from you. Please send through photos. Phone us on (03) 477 9076 or email otago@fishandgame.org.nz.
If you retain the fish, keep the head in your freezer and contact us to arrange collection. A small bone at the base of the brain, known as the otolith, can be analysed to identify where the salmon was born, helping us better understand movements and protect those crucial habitats.
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