Northland Reel Life August 2018

Right: Crystal Prins enjoying whats on offer in the 'Sin Bin' on Lake Taharoa.

It has been a relatively mild winter this year with ground still a bit wet under foot.

There is a definite feel of spring in the air. This is a good opportunity to take stock of your fishing kit and start to plan the rivers to target at the beginning of the new season.

October 1 is just around the corner and 2018-19 licences are on sale now.Check out our website to get yours.

Northland fishing regulations haven't changed - click here for details. There are plenty of opportunities on offer for freshwater fishing in Northland and a whole season licence is your key to all those.

Remember it also gives you access to fishing throughout the country with the exception of Lake Taupo where you need a DOC licence.

Keep an eye on your mailbox for the latest Fish & Game magazine.

If you don’t receive yours please let us know and we will make sure your details are up to date in our database.

Thanks again to all those anglers who have been dropping off trout gut samples from Kai Iwi Lakes.

We’ve had a NorthTec practicum student helping us out to assist with our work on the Kai Iwi Lakes Research Working Group.

We found some interesting items in the trout guts including, vegetable weevils, shield beetles, cigarette butts and even some kauri gum. But hints for lures and fly combinations from the last gut analysis are:

Black beetle, dragonfly larvae imitations, woolly bugger, Parson’s Glory and maybe even the likes of a kauri gum coloured lure could be a goer.

Claire Heyns sorting through trout gut contents for Kai Iwi Lakes Research Group.

Enjoy the spring season. Let’s hope the weather plays ball and we all get a chance to get our lines in the water.

For tips on freshwater fishing in Northland check out our website or drop by the office.

Tight lines

Andrew Kirk, Field Officer

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