Hemphill River

A beautiful river to fish offering fairly easy access up a scenic, medium sized and clear running river. Being so close to the Old Ghost Road and the Mokihinui Forks Hut, this river sees a reasonable amount of pressure from anglers so the fish become remarkably spooky as the season progresses. Late season fish will sit out of sight making sight fishing tough.

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General Information

General location

Located in Kahurangi National Park

Access cost

Access is free to the public

Access permission

No permission is needed

River Access

This river is most commonly accessed from the North Branch of the Mokihunui River confluence of the Hempill River. From the Mokihunui Forks Hut you can ford the South and North branches of the Mokihinui at time of normal flow rates

River accessibility

The river offers fairly open accessibility, walking the riverbed is mostly unrestricted with a few fordings required and the occasional scramble up and over rocks further up the river

River fording

The river is small to mid-sized with many spots to safely ford knee to waist deep water at times of normal river flow. It can become unfordable at times of high river flow and definitely unfordable at times of flood

River clarity

The clarity is superb offering great sight fishing opportunities, flooding will see discoloration however it clears very quickly

Fishing Information

Fish present

Brown trout

Fish numbers

Medium numbers up to the confluence of Maori Gully River, from there the numbers start to decline. 3 1/3 km up from Maori Gully River is a 10 metre waterfall that inhibits fish moving up the river

Fish size

The average size is 3lb with the odd larger fish present

General fishing

This river sees a lot of pressure from fly-in anglers plus the opening of the Old Ghost Road which has opened up easier access for trampers and mountain bikers. The fish become spookier and harder to fool as the season progresses. Long leaders and a good cast is required for success

Fishing regulations

Fishing regulations

Catch and release

Catch and release is not enforced but is highly recommended

General Facilities

Toilet facilities

None

Rubbish disposal

Not serviced for rubbish, please take ALL rubbish with you on departure

Cautions and Safety Information

Weather cautions

The weather can turn very quickly in this area. Both night time and daytime temperatures can plummet without warning, make sure you are well prepared with the correct gear. Unscheduled rain can appear and come down with force, rivers can then rise to impassable levels within minutes. Extreme levels of rain can fall in any season

Weather report

Weather report

Sandflies

Sandflies can be present in high numbers, insect repellent is recommended