Fishing News index> May 2007

Winter shoreline prospects

Winter Shoreline Fly fishing up to mid May on Rotoiti, Okataina and Tarawera has been challenging. Local temperatures have been more likely to appeal to holiday makers then the hardy bunch of anglers who normally brave the bleak conditions typical of May. Additionally we have had little substantial rain in the region for months making the big mature adult fish slow to begin their spawning runs. On a bright note, it appears we will be in for another bumper winter when the weather finally does play and as I write this light rain is beginning to fall. Senior Fisheries Officer, Rob Pitkethley, reports “the catch rate on Rotoiti should be good this winter. Our 2005 spring liberation of yearlings was 15,000 fish and it’s these fish which will be returning to their liberation points as big 3 year olds” Early indications support this too with persistent anglers (those that put in the hours even when things are hard) landing some impressive fish. American, Gorden Langenbeck, who visits the Rotorua lakes fishery almost every winter has reported tough fishing this week but still managed to land a great 4.85kg rainbow hen and a bunch of fish between 3 and 4kg.

Eastern Fish & Game will again be carrying out surveys of the winter shoreline angling. Our officers will be surveying catch rate, fish size and angler satisfaction. Fishers are requested to carry licences at all times.

Trophy Rotoiti rainbow

Trapping runs steady.

The stable spell of fine weather throughout April and into May has resulted in limited fish movement through both the Ngongotaha and Te Wairoa fish traps. Ngongotaha brown trout runs were very low during April but have since improved and resulted in some spectacular catches. Anglers have reported hooking up to half a dozen browns in a session and sometimes even landing one!

The Te Wairoa trap at Tarawera has produced only a moderate 320 fish since April, 130 less then the same period last year.

Autumn hatchery liberations

This week sees our annual autumn liberations kick into gear and over the next fortnight almost thirty five thousand yearling rainbows will be liberated as part of Fish and Game’s annual stocking program. For some those numbers are difficult to comprehend but it doesn’t stop there! Another fifty thousand fish raised at the Ngongotaha hatchery will be liberated in the Spring of 2006. …and the result of all of this effort – there simply is no better place to fish!

For more information on liberations in the Eastern region click here.

A liberation of rainbow yearlings, Lake Rotoiti

Back to Reel Life May 2007