Trout Heritage

Dion James’ family have been fishing the Tongariro River for over a century. It was his ancestors who are largely responsible for the river’s current international reputation, playing host to a long list of illustrious guests, including legendary American fisherman Zane Grey. Below, Dion takes the time to reflect on his trout fishing heritage.

There are not many more reputable fly fishing rivers than the famous Tongariro River in Turangi, just south of Taupo.

With thousands of international and domestic tourists coming here to get a taste of its famous trout fishing, it is regarded as the trout capital of New Zealand. It was originally made famous nearly a hundred years ago in fishing books by the legendary American author Zane Grey and remains one of the most famous trout-fishing destinations in the world.

Captain Mitchell, Zane Grey and Hoka Downs made the Tongariro River famous through Zane's book Tales from an Anglers Eldorado.

This is the area I have deep ancestral Maori heritage in. My mother was born and bred in Turangi. Her father was a known top local fly fisherman who raised his children on trout and lived off the land. Two of his children, my uncles, even had after school jobs working in a local tackle shop tying flies. We even have a pool named after the whanau – ‘Downs Pool’ is on the lower Tongariro River. So, it’s fair to say, fly fishing and trout run through my veins. 

Growing up, my parents used to drive us down to Turangi, and we often called into our marae Korohe on the way past for events or to pay our respects to whanau (family) who have passed on. In Turangi, we would visit the whanau homestead, which is perched near the banks of the mighty Tongariro River. It didn’t take long before they bought me my first lot of fly fishing equipment and then an uncle soon took me out for my first fish one winter’s morning.

As an indigenous people of our tribe, namely Ngati Tuwharetoa, we also owned various land blocks around the area. As children, we used to visit one of these blocks settled next to the Tongariro River called the Kowhai Flats. This, to say the least, has been an area of controversy.

It all started with my great grandfather Morehu Downs and great-grand-uncle Hoka Downs. They were trout fishing guides in Turangi and pioneers of tourism on the Tongariro River and Lake Taupo. Their journey began at the beginning of the last century in the 1920s. 

They had established a fishing camp at a place called Kowhai Flats on the banks of the Tongariro River, which we still own today. These two brothers bought out over one hundred original owners of a 304-acre block until there were only nine remaining owners who didn’t sell their shares to them. Their fishing clients included Americans, the Prince of Wales of the day and the famous Zane Grey. They even had a bathhouse at the camp which was built for the exclusive use of the Duke and Duchess of York. A nearby fishing pool was named for the Duchess as well.

Zane Grey is credited with writing about the merits of Lake Taupo’s fishing, as well as the Tongariro and Waitahanui Rivers. His stories brought fishers from across to the globe to this part of New Zealand, contributing millions to the economy.

The world-famous Tongariro River.

With the assistance of Zane Grey, my two ancestors formulated the idea of a trout hatchery at the Kowhai Flats. It was seen as one of the commercial drivers of an emerging tourism industry, ensuring the lake and rivers were stocked with trout, and would hopefully establish a successful family business.

Unfortunately, the government of the day confiscated 35 acres of the 304 acres owned by the Downs brothers. This may at first glance not appear to be a significant reduction in land ownership but the land confiscated was the Kowhai Flats where the Government knew the hatchery was going to be built. The Government then threw the Downs brothers off their land, and under the Public Works Act built the hatchery themselves in the interests of ‘public good’. 

The Waihukahuka spawning stream that runs directly through the land. This stream was an important part of the writer’s ancestors’ idea to build a hatchery.

The Downs brothers were men with a vision for the future. Not only were they clearing the land with axes and cross cut saws, they were also good businessmen. This was evident through their ability to systematically buy out 100 odd landowners. As a family, we believe there is no reason they would not have raised the capital and built that hatchery themselves.

Almost a hundred years on, I assume the descendants of the small number of owners who hadn’t sold their shares to the Downs brothers are being returned some of the land under and around the hatchery as a token gesture by the Government. As a family, we are not even getting a small part of the millions of dollars that has been earned on and around Lake Taupo over the years; however, the return of this sacred piece of land sees the beginning of past wrongs being corrected.

Today the Crown is coming to the party. A historic day was marked on July 2017 at Waitetoko Marae where the Crown signed Treaty claims made by our iwi. The Crown gave an apology and complemented it with the return of confiscated land blocks and compensation. The Crown are building a new partnership with our people to settle the historical treaty grievances we experienced. And now, with the return of the land, we are also helping to manage the hatcheries, including the National Trout Centre. 

The Tongariro National Trout Centre is managed through a trust by Ngati Tuwharetoa, the Minister of Conservation and the Tongariro National Trout Centre Society Incorporated (who have each appointed two trustees). The Downs whanau have also appointed a trustee who is on the board.

The main objectives of the Trust are to develop and promote the Centre and to administer, control and manage the recreation reserves associated with it.

Under the Treaty settlement, a significant part of the whole site will be vested in a reserve, but owned by Ngati Tuwharetoa and governed by the Trust. The Trust will provide the Crown with a licence to occupy the land at the Centre and the National Trout Centre Society with a licence to occupy the buildings.

Despite its historical controversies, the Tongariro River remains a fisherman’s paradise. It’s home to high stocks of rainbow and brown trout, as well as the steelhead strain, which is a sea-run rainbow trout. With tourism booming in the Taupo region and with Mount Ruapehu ski fields in close proximity, the local economy looks like it will recover well after a strange 2020. The National Trout Centre is another great attraction, and makes for an awesome day out for the family. Kids can do everything from feeding the trout to learning about the ecology and habitat of some of our native species, many of which are in viewing tanks. The blue duck (whio) programme and the ‘take a kid fishing’ day are held annually.

The National Trout Centres' fishing pond, which is the perfect place for kids to catch their first trout.

There is also a building dedicated to the Trout Centre in my grandfather’s brother’s name – Whakapumautanga “Darkie” Downs – for his sterling work in conservation and for our people, which takes the form of a learning facility for an education programme called ‘Taupo for Tomorrow’. The programme is a hands-on learning experience that covers trout ecology and freshwater environments. It also provides a sound understanding of how natural resources are sustained and shared amongst different users, as well as promoting angling as a recreational activity.

A special mention should be given to those two great ancestors of mine, Morehu and Hoka Downs, whose hard work, dedication and vision help put the Tongariro River on the world map. Personally, finding out more about my great heritage has given me an urge to get more connected and hands-on with the Trout Centre, the land and my people.