Fishing News index> November 2008

Upper Streams open December 1st

The place for Rotorua anglers to be on December 1st will be the upper Ngongotaha, Waiteti and Utuhina Streams, while further East, Waikaremoana’s Hopuruahine and Mokau streams will provide promising sport. These waters have been closed since the end of June to protect wild trout fisheries during the winter spawning season. Their opening provides opportunity for summer fly fishers equipped with dries and nymphs. Some late spawning or post spawning fish remain and these tend to be in poorer condition then younger or fresh run fish which will spend the summer feeding on aquatic insects. 

There are plenty of rainbow trout already in the Ngongotaha with some fresh, late run fish still heading up to spawn. This fishery in particular provides a variety of summer prospects from medium and large rainbows to massive, but elusive trophy browns.

Fish & Game run a research trap in the Ngongotaha which was installed between the 4th and 13th of November. A steady numbers of rainbows ran during the early portion of the month. On the last trapping night the season’s first brown trout appeared. The largest was a 6.35kg hen (14lb) shown below.

Remember to be vigilant against aquatic invaders this summer. Didymo is still not in the North Island (that we know of) and we all wish to keep it that way.

All you have to do is follow the simple rule “Check, Clean and Dry”. It’s as simple as washing your gear between waterways with a 5% detergent solution and the easiest way is to carry a ‘squirty’ bottle in your vehicle and spray down your waders and fishing equipment.

A recent Ngongotaha brown

Rotorua lakes update

Lake Rotorua is fishing very well, especially off the airport on the Eastern side and up toward the channel entrance. Some very good fish have been taken recently including good brown trout around the 10lb mark. The Ngongotaha and Waiteti streams are also beginning to fish well to all methods.  The Ohau channel for the fly fishers has been patchy of late – depending on who you talk to! Results are definitely better either early or late (after dark).

Rotoiti and Tarawera are producing quite well to deeper trolling methods. Jigging will take off as summer progresses and a good thermocline develops.
Lakes Rerewhakaaitu and Okaro are fishing well to smelting fish, especially from first light thru to mid morning. The fish in Rerewhakaaitu are solid and hard fighting this summer and will be worth chasing. The lake is currently very high which limits assess to good wade fishing so use of a dinghy or kayak are recommended. 
If you are looking to take the kids out for a fun day and want an area out of the way with good numbers of fish, look toward Lake Ngapouri, Tikitapu or Okaro. These don’t see huge fishing pressure (although Blue Lake is always busy to other lake users) and have some great action that is accessible largely from the shore, kayak or dinghy.

Fun on Lake Okaro

Whakatane anglers improve Rangitaiki access 

Members of the Whakatane Trout Fishing club have just returned from a busy weekend on the upper Rangitaiki River helping Fish & Game New Zealand clear angler access tracks.  This past weekend involved a club trip to Te Awa camp on the Rangitaiki river within Kaingaroa Forest and club members cleared and sprayed angler access tracks along side the river.  Fish & Game have an extensive access programme in the Rangitaiki Catchment with just under 70km of tracking developed to help anglers get to some prime river fishing spots.  Fish & Game Officer Anthony van Dorp said the “Whakatane Trout Fishing Club members did a fantastic job and over 4km of some difficult to get through tracks were cleared.  This effort really assists our programme and club members commented on some superb fishing water they themselves discovered during the working bee.”  Fish & Game spend a lot of time and effort on making sure anglers and game bird hunters can get to the resources they use and the assistance of club groups to this programme is invaluable.  “The efforts of the club over a number of years have not only helped Fish & Game, but benefit all anglers that use the river, with the Rangitaiki being the most popular river fishery in the Bay of Plenty region” Mr van Dorp said.  The track maintenance programme in the Rangitaiki catchment has nearly been completed for the season and will allow anglers to fish extensive areas of the river over the coming summer months.

Rangitaiki access information brochure is available by clicking here.

The Rangitaiki fishery

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