Trout fishing Waikato

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    Posted: 12 Sep 2018 at 11:48am
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Hi anyone keen to help out a reasonable new freshwater angler! Trying to figure out fishing spots in the Waikato river or close by, what’s the best lures to use this time of year, any help would be appreciated ☺️
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote The Tamure Kid Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 12 Sep 2018 at 4:17pm
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It's a long river, where are you based?

There is some excellent fishing in some of the hydro lakes (particularly the headwaters of Arapuni and Karapiro) which are technically part of the river, but in some cases fishing with a spin rod and sinker/fly is the best way, rather than fly fishing.
I didn't have much success in the main river itself, where it runs through extensive willow banks, but I'm sure locals in the know do well at times.

I've read about big browns in the river near Huntly and north, but again, would require a lot of time and effort to get to know the locations.

There are some lovely small streams in the greater Waikato catchment, but in my experience the fish were pretty small. Not my cup of tea, and I didn't like pinning small fish in the head with a dry fly or nymph hook. as it seemed to cause damage to their mouths. 

Fish & Game put out some great brochures with spots to try, and I'm sure there are clubs you could join to take advantage of the camaraderie and local knowledge.
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Bbavs Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 12 Sep 2018 at 9:04pm
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Hi thank you heaps ! All advice is really appreciated ! I’m based near Huntly ! (Te Kauwhata) i tried a spot this afternoon down on the river and caught about a 4lb brown trout , will there be only one? Or multiple.. do I keep shifting spots?
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote old timer Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 12 Sep 2018 at 9:25pm
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There still possibly be more.
Also take note of what was happening at that spot so you can look for others that are similar. E.g. Current depth structure eddies. Also try remember how you fished. Even if you were spinning remember each cast is different. Retrieval speed. How long you let it sink for. Did you cast up stream, straight across
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote The Tamure Kid Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 12 Sep 2018 at 11:01pm
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Good advice.
This time of the year, the fish in the main river may be chasing whitebait, so if you see whitebait schools or fish busting up, persist in those areas. A small smelt fly behind a sinker (1m trace) may be more successful than a spinner or bibbed minnow.

But you're doing okay with a 4lber straight off the bat!!
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Fishb8 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 15 Sep 2018 at 7:49am
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I live close to the river at St Andrews, Hamilton and have caught a few rainbows - not big, but there's a guy who uses soft plastics and catches heaps - like 100+ a year.
I know in summer, fishing wher little creeks enter the river are a good place to fish.
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Steps Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 15 Sep 2018 at 9:08am
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Does anyone drift from a boat? be it casting into like lt places . or hang a line?
I have heard carp put up an impressive fight?
Are they an issue going after trout?

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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Fishb8 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17 Sep 2018 at 7:23am
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Koi are very strong but are difficult to catch as they are very wary. Hooked several on sweetcorn but couldn't stop them and broke off.
There is a spot where the Te Rapa dairy factory's water outlet enters the river - water is warm and attracts big schools of Koi and mullet - have jagged them using a weighed treble with 50 lb braid on a Penn 650 - very sporting, eh?
Use the koi for snapper bait.
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Steps Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17 Sep 2018 at 8:12am
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What sized hook..thinking more as sport.
 Yes used carp in the past, good saltwater bait.. but make sure you scale it 1st.
And great in burly... but unlike KY / mullet heads.. pre split, the carp heads dont go thru the multcher as well.

Side note: stand to be corrected here... I thought koi where a hybrid and not fertile, and our carp in rivers where orginally from flushed gold fish  ????
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Bbavs Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17 Sep 2018 at 8:57pm
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Hey I haven’t noticed any white bait this far up ! But I have a few spots that I have fluke caught some trout ! Would be good to go out with someone who knows a thing or to just to give me a rough idea on where to fish my (decent) spots , I’m a young angler (18) would appreciate anyone with knowledge for a genuine day or afternoon fishing ! Not sure on how to read water and all that jazz! So if anyone is available and keen to help out I’d appreciate it a lot ! 😬
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Fishb8 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 Sep 2018 at 4:39pm
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Steps, grass carp are infertile triploids and are used to clear weed.
They are different from koi. I don't think that koi were goldfish??
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Steps Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 Sep 2018 at 4:58pm
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Just got home.. was chatting to a freind about maybe doing a Waikato drift in the boat from around Taupiri or Ngaruawahia maybe.. also depends where boat ramps are... to the  Hoods Landing...
 Just something a bit different.

He was down on the river whitebaiting with his son.. just to fill a bit of time his son put the crust off his pie onto a hook...and bang, around a 750mm carp, and was all on...Thumbs Up
 A KY on steroids on real light gear..

 Rec fishing.. sport, doesn't just need to be for a feed or edible does it?  then throw in the scenery..
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Shilo Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 Sep 2018 at 9:06pm
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For carps we have:

Goldfish released from ponds & aquariums mainly because people underestimate the size they grow to which is up to a 10-12" and thus bigger then the little bowls they thought they could keep them in.

Koi Carp As above, but illegal to keep now & have to be killed if caught.  These are the big buggers that are common in the Waikato and surrounding waters. Koi have barbels while goldfish don't.

Grass Carp Introduced to clean up weeded up waterways, they have very particular spawning conditions and not expected to spawn in the wild but there has been some rumours of it happening in the Waikato.

Silver Carp Eat photoplankton so were introduced to clean lakes with low visibility.  Again very particular spawning conditions which shouldn't happen here.
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Fishb8 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 19 Sep 2018 at 8:41am
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Originally posted by Steps Steps wrote:

Just got home.. was chatting to a freind about maybe doing a Waikato drift in the boat from around Taupiri or Ngaruawahia maybe.. also depends where boat ramps are... to the  Hoods Landing...
 Just something a bit different.

He was down on the river whitebaiting with his son.. just to fill a bit of time his son put the crust off his pie onto a hook...and bang, around a 750mm carp, and was all on...Thumbs Up
 A KY on steroids on real light gear..

 Rec fishing.. sport, doesn't just need to be for a feed or edible does it?  then throw in the scenery..
sure doesn't need to be a feed - some big Tench in Hamilton Lake.
Pie crust, tomato sauce on it?
Be yourself; everyone else is already taken
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Steps Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 19 Sep 2018 at 10:19am
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Didnt mention tomato suace.. but what kid has or will eat a pie with no TS these days?
 hmm maybe that bit crust had none.. it would have got eaten right?Wink
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote upstream Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 19 Sep 2018 at 10:54am
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Hi Blake,
Pop into Sweetman's tackle shop in Huntly. They'll be able to point you in the right direction. Right about now is prime time on the lower Waikato river. Fish hard against the edges - the fish won't be in the middle of a raging torrent. 
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Tonyg26 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 02 Oct 2018 at 9:21pm
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Mate go see Logan at Hunting n fishing’s hamilton, he’s the guy that catches heaps on soft plastics in Huntly,

http://www.waikatosportfishing.co.nz
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (1) Likes(1)   Quote Bbavs Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03 Oct 2018 at 7:25pm
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Thanks but I’m pretty much sorted now ! Spending a bit of time at the river has helped heaps I’ve landed about 10 nice brown trout
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Reel Deal Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03 Oct 2018 at 10:53pm
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Yes whitebait as far as Hamilton as DOC have installed climbers for them up streams that have been piped and have seen adult native fish upo that stream by Fairfield bridge.
I have caught very large trout on spinners at the base of Horotu bridge.
I heard a record monster trought was caught many years ago under police bridge Hamilton.

Personally I wouldn’t eat a trought below Karapiro.
My best trout fishing expoeriance to date was a 6 pound brown caught in the upper reachers of Karapiro. Lure running along a weed bed with the large trought running beside the lure through the thick reads for at least 10 meters before getting ahead and amubsdushing the lure troilled by boat. Just one of those moments that you will never remember.very dramatic
The gods do not subtract from the allotted span of men's lives the hours spent on fishing - Assyrian Proverb
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Fishb8 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 Oct 2018 at 3:42pm
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Back in 1983 when I first arrived in Huntly, there was a photo of a kid with a 16lb brown caught by the quarry on river road on a spinner.
I saw some real biggies chasing white bait around Xmas time right next to the power station intake (where I worked).
Be yourself; everyone else is already taken
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