The winter shoreline fishing around the Rotorua region has really started to heat up lately for the keen fly fishers. Fish well over 4kg have been featuring regularly as the mature trout come into the shallows to spawn.

On lake Rotoiti concentrate on the release sites, anglers have been catching good numbers at Hauparu, Ruato, Waiiti, the dump and pipe areas. Darren and Mike from the shop have had great success fishing into the night with black marabou and lumo patterns retrieved very slowly. The main beach at Okataina is fishing well at both ends of the day during the change of light, the same similar fly patterns as Rotoiti are going well and the anglers that are casting shooting heads and fishing booby flies are also going well.

The fly fishers on Lake Tarawera have gone well at Te Wairoa and the orchard, this year the trout in the lake are in better condition than they have been over the last couple of years, numbers have been good which is promising for Tarawera.

The Ngongataha, Waiteti and Utuhina streams are all starting to fill up with rainbows as they make their annual spawning runs. The fishing will be at it's best just after rain especially if the streams have had a little flush of colour through them. Fish heavily weighted flies and bounce the bottom, egg patterns will work well as a trailing pattern and be sure to fish heavy leaders to avoid bust offs in the streams.

The key points for success in our lakes over the winter period are, get out when the barometer drops and we are inundated with heavy rain.

The fish come on the bite in the bad weather so get your best jacket out and chase the rain. Fish the change of light and into dark, if you don't wade out too far into the water the fish will come right into the shore so make sure you fish your feet first.

For the boaties, the fish spread out more as the water temperatures drop so a wide range of methods will catch fish. Down riggers, trolling and jigging are all still successful you will just have to cover a wider range or area as the fish a less concentrated.

With Rotoiti, Tarawera and Okataina closing at the end of the month to boat fishing, make the most out of the good weather windows and light winds. Fish will stack up off the release sites so explore and search these areas before the fish settle into spawning mode.

- Mike Davis, Rotorua Hunting & Fishing