Auckland / Waikato News > May 2009

Fishing in June

Fishing at this time of year can be spectacular, especially if you come across a large school of trout moving upstream to spawn but equally it can be hard work.  Over the next month trout in the lower reaches of the major river systems move upstream to find suitable spawning waters.  These trout don’t receive much angling pressure during the year and are usually only targeted by anglers during this spawning run.

What gear to use in early winter
During the spawning season, male brown trout will often take a swipe at other males – a reflex action designed to drive away competitors.  They will also swipe at lures.  For small streams, I find a red veltic spinner to be effective.  In larger rivers, such as the Waikato, a large toby spinner can be deadly, again with a bit of red.  My favour lure is a black toby with a red squiggle (I have to paint it myself).  Wet fly fishing with a large lure can also be effective – a red setter is a good choice.
Female trout deposit their eggs in redds (nests) in the streambed that are then fertilised by the male and covered in gravel.  During this process, eggs are often dislodged and swept downstream where they become a rich food source for other trout.  Therefore, lures that imitate trout eggs, especially glow bugs, are very effective during the spawning season.  I mainly fly fish at this time of year using a heavy nymph (usually hair and copper) and then a small glow bug. 

Where to fish in June

Lake Pupuke
I’ve been told that during and immediately after heavy rain, trout in Lake Pupuke will congregate in large numbers at the outflows of the stormwater pipes entering the lake.  I’ve never fished Pupuke in these conditions but it should be worth a look.
Hikutatia and Komata Rivers (both north of Paeroa on SH26)
Both are small streams that get a run of fish from the tidal reaches of the lower Waihou River.  They’re good fish, rainbows averaging about 1.5 kg but often bigger.  The Hikutatia is probably best fished with a spinner as the pools are long and deep, although you will find some reasonable nymphing water in the upper reaches.  In the Komata River, trout often congregate in high numbers in the pools below the road fords along Komata Reef Road.  In both waters the fishing is inconsistent but occasionally spectacular.

Omahine, Kakahu and Rapurapu Streams  (near Matamata)
Three small streams that receive large runs of fish from the Waihou and Waiomou Rivers.  The Omahine is a tiny stream that gets a good run of brown trout, best fished with light gear.  The Rapurapu Stream has long had a reputation for holding big fish during the spawning runs.  A fisheries scientist during the 1950’s considered that the fish needed to be big to move the large cobblestones in the Rapurapu streambed during spawning.  Evolution in action, perhaps.  You can get an excellent view of the Rapurapu on Google Earth, and the section downstream from Rapurapu Road looks especially enticing.  This section is on private land so you need to ask the landowner on State Highway 29.  In contrast to the Rapurapu, the Kakahu Stream has a pumic gravel streambed and generally the fish are smaller, although there is nearly always heaps of fish.  Again there is a considerable stretch of fishing water across private land.  Much of this stream has overgrown in recent years but if you put the effort in and talk to the landowners you will certainly find some good water. 
 

Phil Mitchell with a large brown from the Kakahu Stream

Lake Karapiro
The Pokaiwhenua River receives a run of trout from Lake Karapiro.  These fish can only run as far as the waterfall on the Putaruru-Arapuni Road but there is at least 12 km of fishable water between here and the lake, although there are several gorges which you have to walk around.  Access is across private farmland, either via SH1, Putaruru-Arapuni Road, Horahora Road or Hildreth Road.
The lower reaches of the Little Waipa Stream also receives a good run of fish but is even more inaccessible.  I have fished it in previous year by kayaking up from Horahora Road but there are numerous rockfalls you need to drag the kayak over and it is a lot of work.  Plenty of fish, however.
The Arapuni spillway, which flows over the bed of the lower reaches of the Waitete Stream does hold good fish but again takes a bit of effort to get to.  There is an extensive walkway between the spillway and the tailrace starting from Arapuni Village (across the swing-bridge and then up the stairs) but you need to ‘bush bash’ a bit to get to the best water.  There is a short stretch of excellent nymphing water but most of this reach is best fished with spinning gear.

Lake Arapuni
The only river entering Lake Arapuni that is open to fishing is the Mangawhio Stream.  The lower reaches have limited fishing but the pool below the falls usually fishes well and always holds fish. 
Last year in June there was a large school of fish congregating beneath the Arapuni  Dam, presumably trout from the hatchery liberations looking for somewhere to spawn. 
 

Looking down from the Arapuni Dam on a large school of rainbows.

Whakapapa River
Flows in the upper reaches will usually not exceed 3 cumes in June unless there is heavy rain, so this section of the Whakapapa is very accessible.  There is a run of fish into the pools below the TPD intake during early winter.

Waipa tributaries
Plenty of big browns in all the Waipa tributaries but they’re not easy to catch. 

Awakino River
Again this is another fishery which is highly unpredictable during June.  In some years there are large schools of rainbows throughout the upper river but occasionally the runs don’t occur until later in the year when the river is closed.

 
Awakino rainbow in full spawning colours.

Ben Wilson
Fisheries Manager

bwilson@awfg.org.nz

Back to Reel Life