Fishing News index>November 2007

TARANAKI REGION TROUT FISHING – November 2007

All streams and rivers are low and clear at present, with flows generally about half median and falling towards mean annual low flow, particularly in south Taranaki.  With the current warm weather, water temperatures in the lower reaches of streams are reaching 19 - 220C in mid-afternoon, which will be starting to put trout off the feed and in the afternoons it will be more productive to target the cooler, upper reaches of waterways.  As the trace for the Kapuni Stream (below) shows, when flows are low there is considerable diurnal variation in water temperature on sunny days and fishing in the middle and lower reaches of streams will be more productive in the mornings and evenings, when water temperatures are lower.

 
With the increasing temperatures there have been some good hatches of mayfly, caddis and midge and the evening rise has been productive.  Brown beetle don’t seem to have really got going this year, but green beetle are increasing in abundance and #14-16 beetle imitations will be a good choice when casting to trout stationed under foam lines or on their feeding lies in front of boulders etc.  Anglers are reporting good numbers of trout in ringplain streams, with one spotting seven fish in one pool and another seeing five in a 100m stretch.  The Manganuioteao near Raetihi is also providing plenty of excitement, with fit river fish of all sizes giving anglers a good workout.

Hopefully, we will get some rain to cool things down before the kids’ free trout fishing days on Saturday 8th December.  With the Waihukahuka Stream at DOC’s Tongariro National Trout Centre being confirmed as free of didymo, we have decided to go ahead with the transfer of 2-year-old rainbows from Turangi to Taranaki for the kids events at Lake Ngangana (Waitara), the Patea River at Stratford and at Opunake Lake.  Many thanks are due to DOC Taupo for their generous donation of trout and also to the Taranaki Electricity Trust for a grant to cover the cost of transport.

The reporting of dead didymo cells from several central north island rivers recently was a huge wake-up call and hopefully all river users are using the Check, Clean and Dry protocol to prevent the spread of didymo.  For anglers, this effectively means restricting yourselves to one river a day because of the risk of transferring didymo in damp socks and other clothing, which should be machine washed before use in another waterway.  Soaking fly boxes, reels, boots etc. in a bucket of 5% detergent, or putting them overnight in the freezer until frozen solid is also recommended, along with the usual spraying of waders, rods, nets etc. with 5% detergent.  Taranaki sports shops still have supplies of free didymo spray bottles, pens and “stop didymo” stickers, so please grab some and help spread the word.

Allen Stancliff
Fish and Game Officer

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