Fishing News index> July 2008

Winter shoreline fishing

There are still some good fish coming in for those prepared to put in the effort. Large fish have recently been caught at The Pipe and from Ruato Bay on Lake Rotoiti. While fishing has been patchy from time to time, persistence and picking the conditions has paid dividends for some. Typically, rain conditions are producing the best results both after dark and early mornings. Rotoiti rainbows are still averaging an impressive 3.2kg with a few fish tipping the scales over 4.5kg (10lb). One of the best catches confirmed for the season is Bruce Hawkin’s massive 5.25kg (11lb 8oz) Ruato jack caught on a dark evening in July.

Lake Okataina continues to fish very well and producing a slightly higher catch rate then the other regular locations. Anglers have reported lots of fish moving in the shallows and on the surface here, however they are can sometimes prove to be tricky to hook. Lumo doll flies with small egg patterns trailing are the current rig of choice. Successful anglers have caught well conditioned fish averaging 2.3kg.

Details of the winter shoreline fishing availability can be downloaded from our access brochure page by clicking here

Anglers try their luck fishing a Rotorua lake shoreline

Kids fishing program

The children’s fishing program kicked off to a super start in July with over 400 children participating on a morning when the North Island was covered in chilly show! The program is hosted by Eastern Fish & Game from the Ngongotaha hatchery site, sponsored by Rainbow Springs and Kilwell Sports and run by the Rotorua anglers association.

The next event is scheduled for August 10 and details can be downloaded here

Action from July

Small lake winter opportunities

While some of the prominent lakes are closed for winter, a large number are still open for fishing including a selection of relatively small lakes. Tikitapu (Blue Lake), Okaro and Ngapouri for example are all a short distance form Rotorua township and offer excellent small boat or kayak trolling or shore bases spinning and fly fishing. The fish at these lakes are smaller, but often more plentiful then the better known Rotorua locations – why not give them a try, you might be pleasantly surprised! 

 Tikitapu – worth a try

Lake Rotorua tributary fishing

The lower Ngongotaha and Waiteti Streams are still open to fishing at this time of the year and are producing some excellent returns. We are in the peak of the rainbow run at the moment as prime fish hit the streams ready spawn.

The Ngongotaha Stream fish trap run by Fish & Game as part of our monitoring program was only able to be operated for 4 consecutive nights due to heavy rainfall in the catchment. Thirty rainbows were counted through the trap per night averaging 480mm in length and 1.44kg in weight. The largest being 2.4kg. Three browns ran nightly and these averaged 628mm and 3.38kg.

The downstream section of the trap had a good number of spent Brown trout (predominantly) heading back toward the lake.

Best opportunities occur at the stream mouth with wet flies or the lower reaches with nymphs and egg patterns.

Local Lindsay Lyons with a small Ngongotaha rainbow

Te Wairoa Trap (Tarawera)

The major runs of spawning fish up the Lake Tarawera tributaries appear to be tailing off. To date we have had 1350 trout through the Te Wairoa trap. This is fractionally behind the run last winter. The trap is operated between April and the end of August each year.

Brood (parent) fish collected from the trap have produced 71 crosses to date. The offspring will supply all of the Rotorua lakes are some other Fish & Game regions in the North Island.

Stripping a rainbow of precious eggs

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