Fishing Reports

A welcome break from the wind last Sunday saw quite a few boats out on Lake Rotorua and from what I could see some anglers were doing quite well.  The Airport and the channel markers off the Ohau Channel through to the Pins seemed to the more popular parts of the lake.

Fly fishers continue to do well off the entrance to the Ohau channel, though there are more spent fish there than good conditioned fish.  Size 10 tungsten-bead nymphs fished as a wet fly or grey ghost/silver dorothy smelt patterns are enticing fish. Fishing with a sinking or floating line doesn’t seem to make much difference. Walking in from the Marama Resort side of the channel seems to though.

A few fish were still hanging around the Pipe earlier this week.  The pipe was flowing strongly though the weather conditions made for miserable fishing.

Should the weather cycle that we have been experiencing break, there should be smelting fish over the weed bed at Ruato Bay. This event seems to be a regular cycle during the day at this time of the year. A floating line, long trace and a grey ghost, stripped quickly through the water, is a very effective method here.

A break in the weather also saw the Ngongotaha and Waiteti rivers clear enough to be fishable for a day or two. The lower Ngongotaha fishes particularly well throughout the year, though there are mostly rainbows available at the moment.  Fish with condition factors up to 60 are being caught on a regular basis in the Ngongotaha and any pool where anglers can’t see the bottom will be holding fish. Fishing at night, using a sinking line and doll fly or black marabou is particularly effective.

Lake Rotoehu is fishing well, and will continue to do so for a few months more. Trolling is the best method, using two colours of lead and a green lightning bolt turbo.  Shoreline fishing will be in full swing by the end of September, weather permitting.  Dragonflies and damsels seem to hatch a little earlier in this lake and, when the trout key into the hatch, there can be some very easy fishing available.  Smelt also seem to move into the shallows earlier than the larger lakes, so sight fishing to cruising trout is the best method. Casting back to the shore from outside the weed beds, with a floating line, works best.

Lake Rerewhakaiitu is another lake that provides great shoreline fishing during the spring and summer.  As the water warms, insects become motivated to hatch.  Some come out of the bottom sediment, some out of the weed, most head straight for the surface and fly away to begin the cycle all over again.  Damsels and dragonflies head for the nearest vegetation/object that pokes out of the water and at times, I have had up to 10 damsels drying themselves out so that they can fly.  Fishing around the extensive reed beds with the appropriate nymph can result in a great days fishing.
 

O'KEEFES FISHING REPORT, by Bert Robinson