Tauranga-Taupo River Access

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    Posted: 24 Jun 2020 at 5:02pm
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I used to be a regular visitor to the TT and used to have good success at the Ranger's Pool.

For a few years, I had access to drive to the Environment Waikato river level monitoring site when the leasee, pre pine planting, gave me a key to the gate off Kiko Rd.

I must have been one of the last vehicles to have driven to the Cliff Pool carpark before it was cut off by the July 1998 floods. (still the highest water lever in Hamilton)

Is there still a track up there. I remember it was an hour walk from the Crescent Pool - daresay it's changed a fair bit since 2007, my last visit to the TT.

Caught my first trout at the Ranger's Pool. My casting was rubbish so my mate got me to stand upstream of the little creek and drift my line downstream and managed to catch more than my mate.
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Bigfishbob Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24 Jun 2020 at 8:27pm
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Hey Roy you haven't been able to drive into the monitoring site for a very long time, well before i started fishing there 15 or so years ago. The best access now to that area is through Kereru lodge and you have to be staying there to use it, which is why we book a couple of weekends there a year to do that. 

There is also the track from hell from the car park that goes all the way to Rangers, but that's still a 2 hour walk, which now has a river crossing about half way up.
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote CC551 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11 Jul 2020 at 4:16pm
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Originally posted by Fishb8 Fishb8 wrote:


I must have been one of the last vehicles to have driven to the Cliff Pool carpark before it was cut off by the July 1998 floods. (still the highest water lever in Hamilton)

Is there still a track up there. I remember it was an hour walk from the Crescent Pool - daresay it's changed a fair bit since 2007, my last visit to the TT.



I started fishing up that way in the mid 80's and it was very handy being able to drive up to the Cliff.  When that went even being able to drive up to the Crescent made it reasonably feasible to spend a good morning, or even the day up there without having to walk too far.  For a while there I fished with a group of guys who would cut across country through the quarry and emerge at the Cliff Pool.  They were pretty hard core and would fish even further up than the Rangers Pool when that section was open.  I went with them once but it was a bloody long way - especially with Neoprene Waders.

I'm heading up in a few weeks with one of those guys - we will probably have a flick in the TT at some point for old-times sake but doubt if I can be bothered walking much further up than the Crescent
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote taurangatroutmaster Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 13 Jul 2020 at 12:09am
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Rangers is still an easy walk. There's a track all the way with a few easy crossings
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Fishb8 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14 Jul 2020 at 4:34pm
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Had a good friend who worked in Env Waikato in Hamilton and he sent me an ariel map of the area and walked in dark from Crescent to Cliff using compass. There were some big water hazards!
I used the Wire water levels to judge river crossings and even got a ride to The Wire pool from a tech who did quarterly calibration of flows. Then I got a key to drive from Kiko road from lease holder and that lasted for a few years. Even parked off Kiko Rd when pines were planted.
The BIG fish year was awesome on TT.
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Sako Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 Jul 2020 at 12:17pm
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Originally posted by taurangatroutmaster taurangatroutmaster wrote:

Rangers is still an easy walk. There's a track all the way with a few easy crossings
 
I wouldn't call it an easy walk. Okay, it's level but still a hell of a long walk from the current car park. Have fished the TT from 1973 and several times so far this winter. The amount of anglers fishing the river this winter is staggering.
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote taurangatroutmaster Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 Jul 2020 at 3:57pm
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We used to have a family batch all through the 80s and 90s right next to the TT. I know the area very well. Compared to when u could drive up to the old crescent pool it's long I guess but as you say it's all flat. I can get back from rangers to the main carpark in under 2 hours no trouble at all. I haven't fished it this season but I hear Taupo is fishing pretty well this season.
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Rickrude Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 19 Jul 2020 at 12:49pm
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Hi, If I might a a few cents in - the river has changed a lot over the last 30 years. The old pools are still there I guess but do not really look like what they did in the pre 90’s and before a flood cut off the crescent.
The better waters unfortunately start from above the old crescent now (which you can just make out the old entrance if you look hard). It’s a 10-15 min walk from the car park to here. The cliff pool is about a brisk 30 min walk from crescent. Then Approx 30 min brisk walk to rangers.   The water in between crescent and cliff has been magic in the past years. There are a few that now walk to rangers before sunlight and nymph/wet line every pool coming downstream say 5 mins each pool. The results can be outstanding.
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Fishb8 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 19 Jul 2020 at 3:10pm
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I always started at the Rangers but one year (2005?) the floods created a perfect pool between the Rangers and the Boulder (where I had very few results).
You had to bum slide down a steep bank and there was a 25 metre shingle beach and a 50 metre run with a 10 M hot-spot - perfect for 1 angler. not much deeper than 1 M and not too wide so great for casting from R bank for a RH angler as not too much lead needed. Also the rapids upstream to the Rangers often had way more trout than you'd expect and just needed a single fly and no indicator - H&C did well there
That pool lasted 2 years before it changed again.
One of my best ever days was in murky water in the lower wire when myself wading by L Bank and another on R Bank would have landed nearly 40 fish in 3 hours - some only 1 1/2 metres away.
During the BIG fish year I hooked a 9 lber at the rangers and it got downstream of me and I had to follow - talk about 'A River Runs Through It'! Landed it at the Ladies Mile.
Next cast at Rangers, 45 minutes later, I hooked a really good one that shot upstream, into backing before snagging me on a branch. A Ranger came along and weighed my 2 fish and asked if anyone was upstream. Told him one guy had (still open). He came back and told me the guy upstream had a rainbow nearly 12 lb!
When the guy with the big fish returned he showed me it and the unusual fly (globug with white maribu and tinsel) it had in its mouth....my fly! He got it only 45 minutes after I lost it. 
My 3 trout weighed 25 lb!
I had a friend in Hamilton who worked at Environment Waikato in Hamilton and I'd get the river levels. At a flood, I'd plot graphs and determine when it was possible to do the 2 crossings safely and go fishing on those days when river was still a bit murky but not too deep. No internet in those days but will still work today using public data.
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Sako Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 25 Jul 2020 at 10:18am
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Tramped up to the Ranger's Pool from the car park in my new Simms, flash Harry G4Z waders on Thursday before dawn. I won't be doing that again any time soon. The river was fairly clear and lower than ideal. Fishing was lousy and only hooked two by 11.00 a.m. One was a beautiful fat hen just over 5lb and the other was a strong fish which broke me off; that hasn't happened for many years so some excitement for the long walk.
 
Anyway, I was amazed at the vegetation growth where the old car park, just below the Cliff Pool used to be. From shingle to a forest of 3 metre high scrub. Nature waits for no one.
 
As usual the fish in the TT shoot through pretty rapidly after a fresh has subsided to clear, especially this time of year. Better later on September/October. One day it's red hot and the next virtually barren.
 
 
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Redfinger Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 25 Jul 2020 at 8:10pm
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Fished Tongariro Thursday for 3- landed and lost 3 down at braids - one nice fresh fish. Friday went up TT - fantastic morning - landed 9 to 5lb - released 4 - some fat fish back to the smoker. For a pretty average caster one of my better efforts .
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Fishb8 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26 Jul 2020 at 3:35pm
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Well done!
Never realised the limit had gone up from 3.  

Sako - I've done the Crescent to Rangers numerous times in neoprene waders and still caught nothing. Managed 5 trips in my early fly fishing years without even a touch. The 6th trip I was watching a helicopter flying low and looked back at indicator and couldn't see it...tightened up and fish on. Must have been trying too hard!!   
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Rainbow Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26 Jul 2020 at 8:20pm
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I would say Taupo is producing the best fish for at least 20 years.  
No guarantee that it will last.    Good haul Russel
 
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Redfinger Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26 Jul 2020 at 8:50pm
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Fishb8 - yes limit went up to 6 in 2017 - personally not over fond of eating trout myself but have many friends that do and want them for smoking so happy to oblige.I find Lake fish far better for eating and quality not as good longer they spend in river.There are plenty of fish in the Taupo system - arguably too many so nothing wrong with knocking a few on the head. We observed a few dead fresh run fish floating on side of river - perhaps victim of bad releases - who knows - you do see some anglers posing too long for photos etc.
Rainbow - yes quality of fishing best i have seen down here - maybe just lucky day but my mate was fishing further up river and had 4 fish in a row deal to him - one he estimated at over 8lb - just couldnt hold them.

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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Fishb8 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 27 Jul 2020 at 6:59am
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In my early years, fishing with the guy who got me started, he landed 8, when the limit was 8....I got nothing....
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Rainbow Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 27 Jul 2020 at 10:21am
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Best years were 1997=98 could be a year out as memory tends to fade    This followed the 1995 Ruapehu eruption.    8 pounders were caught then.      This year I would say there are some genuine 5 pounders around with the occasional bigger fish but as always lost ones go above that.     Looking at some big Rotoiti fish gives me a good comparison of what Taupo is producing at the moment.     Trout size only goes up if there is enough food in the lake for the number of fish    At Taupo most of the time the balance is not right and the  trout are starving and maidens are either too small or can not recover condition after spawning.     This is one fishery that really benefits from merciless harvest.   
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Sako Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29 Jul 2020 at 11:16pm
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Originally posted by Redfinger Redfinger wrote:

Fished Tongariro Thursday for 3- landed and lost 3 down at braids - one nice fresh fish. Friday went up TT - fantastic morning - landed 9 to 5lb - released 4 - some fat fish back to the smoker. For a pretty average caster one of my better efforts .
 
Nice going Redfinger. I suppose I was a little harsh on the TT saying the fishing was lousy as when I think about it I only fished in three places for a short amount of time and spent the rest of the time either walking or taking a break from walking. The penalty of being 67 and not as fit as I should be, plus getting hare brained ideas about walking for hours in new waders.
 
Didn't get a touch in the Rangers after trying a 15' leader, a 1.6g tungsten bomb and several different flies from a small glo bug to various size gold bead H&C's, flashback down to size 16.
 
The fish that busted me off on 8lb fluoro was in the run that used to be the old Wire Pool. Hit hard and couldn't stop it's fast run downstream. It didn't feel foul hooked so there's definitely some large fish about this year.
 
Next time at the TT I'm only walking as far as my usual spots which is the slow stretch above the old Rock Pool shingle beach (once known as the Red Gate Pool) which is no longer a pool and down through there. I notice that there's usually someone fishing one or both sides in the ripply water in between those two stretches which some trout spawn in. They do pretty well too from what I've seen with some nice fresh fish among the darker spawner's landed.
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Fishb8 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30 Jul 2020 at 6:56am
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"Used to be the old Wire pool'??
What's it like now?It used to be an upper pool by the measuring station. A set of rapids and another pool to the Windmill pool.
http://rainfallmap.waikatoregion.govt.nz/cgi-bin/hydwebserver.cgi/points/details?point=1&catchment=17
That must still be there as reading are still current.
The upper section was good most of the time and the lower was great following a fresh.
It was great being able to drive to the wire pool when I had a key to the gate at Kiko Rd. There must still be a track for the service vehicle to drive to the measuring station but it's private now.
Big floods in 1998 cut off the track from Crescent to the Cliff but just as it was happening, I drove my RAV4 as far as I could then had the Cliff to the Rangers all to myself. Never saw another soul all day until I got to the Crescent and the car park was full of 'proper' 4x4 vehicles that never chanced the drive. My last drive up that side.
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Redfinger Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30 Jul 2020 at 9:35am
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My experience is limited on the TT but a pattern has developed. I tend to find many pools look perfect but dont hold fish on that particular day - however with a bit of luck and perseverence i have found a good spot eventually that fished very well with lots fish. Best on a slightly higher flow too of course. Bottom half lots of snags too but fish hide in or near them too.
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote taurangatroutmaster Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30 Jul 2020 at 11:15am
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Quite often have to cover alot of water to find the fish in the TT. Quite often if lots of people are around they are hard under the overhanging blackberry. If your indicator isnt drifting perfectly within a cm or 2 of the blackberry u won't catch them
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