Rangitata River (Rangi) 17 lb salmon 7 January 2008. This photograph courtesy of Malcolm Bell - The Complete Angler.

*Hurunui River 14 lb salmon 31 December 2007.*

The four rivers were the Hurunui, Waimakariri, Rakaia and Rangitata

Greg Martin’s run of good luck started on the 26th of December 2007 with a 16lb salmon from the Waimakariri River. Then followed a 14lb fish from the Hurunui River on the 31st of December. The New Year started in grand fashion with an 18lb’er from the Rakaia River on the 5th of January 2008. Greg then headed to the Rangitata River where he landed an excellent 24lb fish on the 7th of January. That is four salmon from four different rivers, all in the same season.

Greg says his final ambition for the season is to get one on a fly rod casting a streamer. I’ll bet you can do it too Greg.

*Rakaia River 18 lb salmon 5th January 2008.*

Four salmon from four rivers!

Four salmon from four rivers in a season is a tremendous feat for any salmon angler. When targeting four salmon from four different rivers there is a lot that can go wrong. Timing is everything! For a start, the rivers have to be clear and fishable during the time you have available to fish them.

Secondly, the salmon have to be running the river, or be present in the surf at the time you are able to fish for them!

All salmon fishing seasons are different. Some years north-west winds over the Southern Alps can drop rain in the high country almost continuously making the rivers unfishable for long periods. Other years it can be very dry and the rivers low. To catch salmon from the rivers mentioned above you need to travel quite some distance as the Hurunui and Rangitata are at least 230kms apart. It would take at least three hours to drive from one to the other with Christchurch city between them. Congratulations Greg! Well done!

A magnificient 17 pound quinnat salmon, brillaint silver in colour and fresh from the sea, caught at the mouth of South Canterbury's Rangitata River. Photograph courtesy of Malcolm Bell - The Complete Angler tackle store Christchurch. The angler Greg Martin landed four salmon from four different Canterbury rivers all within 13 days of one another. It can be done! — A magnificent 17-pound quinnat salmon, brilliant silver in colour and fresh from the sea, caught at the mouth of South Canterbury’s Rangitata River. Photograph courtesy of Malcolm Bell – The Complete Angler tackle store Christchurch. The angler Greg Martin landed four salmon from four different Canterbury rivers all within 13 days of one another. It can be done!

The other big salmon river not mentioned is the Waitaki which would have added another 100kms one way! The Waitaki River is about 70km south of Timaru and is generally not fished very often by anglers from Christchurch, partly because it is three hours drive from the big city, and partly because you would have to drive right past the Rakaia and Rangitata Rivers to get there.

Anyway, the salmon sure are running this season. So get out there!

Salmon anglers also call these rivers: “Rangi” (Rangitata) “the Mak” or “Waimak” (Waimakariri). I guess the Hurunui and Rakaia Rivers have short enough names already!