Ngongotaha help
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Category: Freshwater Fishing
Forum Name: Freshwater Fission
Forum Description: The place to discuss all matters related to freshwater fishing!
URL: https://www.fishing.net.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=98699
Printed Date: 10 Jun 2026 at 2:23am
Topic: Ngongotaha help
Posted By: BFIST
Subject: Ngongotaha help
Date Posted: 11 Feb 2014 at 8:17pm
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Hey guys I'm quite new to flyfishing and have been doing reasonably well at the stream mouths of Rotorua. I've since tried to expand my skills and have had a few shots on the Ngongotaha middle sections of the river by the hatchery. Every time I have come away frustrated and with less flies in my box! What techniques should I be using? I've tried nymphing mainly. I see lots of trout in the pools but never seem to get any strikes. I've tried using some dry's with nymph underneath and still nothing. I usually use a H&C with 8lb fluorocarbon with a small white indicator about 1.5m above the fly or with a dry about 50cm above it. I usually wade up the stream and fish the pools (trying to be sneaky) I cast upstream and try and keep in contact with the line and let it drift down. Most of the time I am casting to fish I can see but still no luck. Can anyone give me some advice about what I'm doing wrong or how I can improve the odds in my favour? I am quite keen to try and get one on a dry particularly but not sure what to use. Thanks |
Replies:
Posted By: flyfisher
Date Posted: 11 Feb 2014 at 8:28pm
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I'd personally go for a 2.3mm Black Tungsten Bead Pheasant Tail in #16 over a H&C (I know people love them as do fish, but they look like a ball of fluff to me!) and maybe drop your leader to 5lb max, fish the longest leader you can get away with - 12ft +. I also usually prefer a dry as an indicator, like a #10 Parachute Adams or #12 Royall Wulff - kinda doubles ya chances and far less mass presented to the fish. Fish will often go 50/50 on dry nymph this time of year. But your best chance of success is to probably bribe Clark from H&F up there for an hour or two on the river or even do half a day with a guide, will shorten that learning curve dramatically. The Ngonotaha, can be a pretty specialised bit of water I believe. ------------- https://www.youtube.com/user/troutboynz |
Posted By: BFIST
Date Posted: 11 Feb 2014 at 8:37pm
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Thanks for the help. I went to H&F today to pick up a few supplies but didn't see Clark there. An excuse for another trip back there in the near future I think. |
Posted By: RC17
Date Posted: 12 Feb 2014 at 9:59am
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I'm no expert, but I usually pick up fish most times I visit the Ngongotaha so my 2 cents... I prefer to fish any patch of water on this stream where I can't see the bottom. In the Ngongotaha those patches will almost always hold fish, and I find are more likely to take a fly than the fish sitting in the shallow runs. Usually I use a fairly large gold or black bead head H&C, with a smaller prince nymph or pheasant tail running 20-30cm behind. Straight 8lb flurocarbon trace, usually 1.5-2m to the top fly. As smaller indicator as I can get away with. I don't like to go any lighter than 8lb flurocarbon, too many big browns with plenty of snags to hide! If I'm fishing in a pool where I can see fish and they aren't taking the usual offerings, will usually try something with a bit of flash, or the orange bead head H&C. Cheers, Rich |
Posted By: upstream
Date Posted: 12 Feb 2014 at 4:26pm
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I'll offer my hopefully useful advice too since the experts on this water aren't online. I absolutely agree with Rich. Fish the pools where you can't see the bottom, that's where the big browns feel most comfortable. Stealth is your friend on this stream - wear drab clothes and fish close. Cast short and limit false casts. Try to maintain direct contact with your fly. Short line techniques can work well here. You don't need a long leader, you want to control exactly where your fly lands. Big bushy nymphs usually seem to do well. A scruffy nymph or H&C type fly in size 10 works well. I generally only fish one fly in the Ngongi, eliminates snags when fishing to and fighting fish. But an option if you are having no luck is tying a #10 grey ghost streamer behind the nymph, fish as usual but allow the streamer to swing at the end of the cast. Don't go less than 8lb tippet and use strong hooks. Good luck, there are some beauty fish in that stream at times.
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Posted By: RC17
Date Posted: 13 Feb 2014 at 4:29pm
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Probably worth adding as well that as the Ngongy gets a bit of pressure during the day you will pick up rainbows and browns throughout the daytime, but best chance of a big brown is definitely dawn or dusk. Particularly dusk in my experience. They like to hang out under the banks or go to ground under snags in pools during the day! |
Posted By: BFIST
Date Posted: 24 Feb 2014 at 11:29am
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Thanks for the help guys. I managed to sneak out for a couple of hours yesterday afternoon and managed to pick up and release 6 rainbows. Nothing huge, and were caught on a mixture H&C's and PT's that I had tied up myself so even more satisfying. I felt that I had a bit better understanding of where my fly was drifting and that made a difference along with having some confidence in my fly. I saw some big fish in some of the pools, but the little fullas were that much quicker to the fly. Thanks again for the help. |
Posted By: Pole Dancer
Date Posted: 24 Feb 2014 at 11:36am
Not there anymore Brett, too busy with guiding work, clinics, tying and dog training. Speak to Mike or Simon in there, both know their stuff. We'll catch up for a fish sometime again soon. ------------- http://www.clarkreid.co.nz" rel="nofollow - www.clarkreid.co.nz FFF Certified Casting Instructor / Umpqua Designer Tier 
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BFIST wrote:Posted By: RC17
Date Posted: 24 Feb 2014 at 12:18pm
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nice one! |
Posted By: BFIST
Date Posted: 27 Feb 2014 at 6:16pm
| Sounds good Clark. |
Posted By: tmmo
Date Posted: 13 Mar 2014 at 9:55pm
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How is she looking at the moment? Considering a run down this weekend- hoping to get some fishing done on Saturday, and assume it will be washed out on Sunday.... What do you think? Is Saturday a realistic option? |
Posted By: RC17
Date Posted: 14 Mar 2014 at 1:14pm
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I think you will be ok until early avo Saturday... Will be pretty windy so casting could be a bit of a challenge, would expect a decent number of browns and a few rainbows to be in that lower-mid section early next week... |
Posted By: alan syme
Date Posted: 14 Mar 2014 at 9:36pm
| I have not fished the Ngongotaha for a while but have found that an indicator is not always needed and you often can fish effectively without one, it is only a very small stream and as others have said, stealth is key. |