Fishing Reports

While the rain over the past weekend was really needed, it sure made for challenging conditions for anglers without good quality rain gear.  Catch rates were high from the Ngongotaha and Waiteti streams until the rivers became flooded and dirty from the runoff and for those who waited around long enough for these streams to drop in level and clear enough to fish, were amply rewarded.  Rainbows have keyed onto free floating fish eggs as the stream beds were turned over by the extra volume of water so those who fished imitation eggs did very well.  Chartruese bodied grey ghosts also caught fish when fished off a sinking line or in conjunction with a weighted nymph.  The main challenge was to find slower parts of the stream to fish. As both of these streams as well as the Utuhina should fish well for a few days after the water level drops and the water clears enough to see about 50cm into the water.  As Lake Rotorua starts to warm up with the longer hours of sunlight, both the Waiteti and Ngongotaha stream mouths are worth fishing with spider patterns or wee-wets as there is often an impressive evening rise. 

Rainbows have moved into the Hamurana Springs Stream over the past week as well, though they are fairly spooky in the gin clear water.  Fishing a smelt pattern after dark, on a sinking line, inside the mouth has resulted in a few fish being caught.  Fishing the mouth as the lake water warms with wee-wets is also a good option here. 

With the extra water in Lake Rotorua, getting out beyond the closed area off the Ohau Channel has been a mission for all but the tallest angler.  There are fish holding there, both brown and rainbow trout, though many are spent fish.  Fishing from an anchored boat, 50 to 100 metres off the entrance should produce good numbers of fish. 

The Kaituna River, below the control gates has provided some frustrating moments for a few anglers.  With the gates being wide open there has been a huge amount of water going down the Kaituna, though the amount of turbulence has decreased dramatically with the increased flow.  There are plenty of trout holding in this area but they are proving to be tough to land as they are large fish in very fast water.  Most anglers have found that their hooks are too light to handle the pressure of the fish and the fast water so anglers have been losing them prior to getting them to the net.  A floating line with a weighted nymph and a grey ghost has been successful from the true right bank, roll cast the line out, then feed extra line out so that the fly combo drifts around in the slower water.  The current makes the grey ghost move around in a realistic manner.  On the true left bank a sinking line and olive woolly bugger is a better choice at the moment and, as there is more room for the back cast, a long cast across the current and letting it swing until it straightens can be successful.  A slow retrieve up the current, after the swing, also tempts trout here.  Below the State Highway bridge there is fairly good access from the true right bank though it is more suited to spinning than fly fishing.  There is a lot of deep fast water and huge backwaters which gives anglers plenty of opportunities to perfect their dry fly fishing techniques from the end of next month. 

Lake Aniwhenua often fishes very well from the shore at this time of the year and this year is no exception.  Both spinning and fly fishing is successful, especially if there is a little colour in the water.  The frosty weather and low water temperature also helps to kill off the weed beds throughout the lake and this allows easier access for the fish from the shore or a boat. As the days get longer and warmer insect life will start to become much more active as do gold fish which are found in almost every lake in the eastern region.  Blood worm, waterboatmen and goldfish imitations all work well as the water starts to warm up.

The new season is fast approaching and the new licences should be available from early September.  October One is a Friday this year.