Courtesy costs nothing.
Recent feedback from several anglers is disconcerting…
Signage on right is at Blue Pool car park where the anglers access track leads up river to anglers heaven aka Sand Pool, Whitikau Pool, Fence Pool.
Some mislead fishos (who do not stay at TRM) may not realise that on the Tongariro it is compulsory to be civil and kind and courteous to all other anglers.
Every single time you are entering the river – when another angler was there ahead of you – he should be greeted and consulted. Only he decides whether you will be trespassing on his space depending whether he is moving up river nymphing or moving down wet lining.
Some might prefer to stay where they are for longer than others. That is not a crime either. They may havegot up earlier to get there first and that is that is their choice. But if you want to catch more fish it is better to keep moving up or down a pool.
There is absolutely no excuse to cast into, or to allow your line to drift down into another angler’s space. OK? No argument.
Please just be as considerate to others as you would expect them to treat you.
(Recognise the pools on right? The old Plank Pool in the Braids back in 2011 before the Council ‘flood protection’ (?) works destroyed the Braids.)
Often anglers will invite you to join them if asked. But if you just barge in without asking then expect to be abused. It is not hard.
TRM absolutely hate having to preach this sort of message but once every year, usually about this time, we have to respond to anglers’ complaints on the lack of fishing manners by others.
It does not happen often as most of the river pools are so vast to accommodate everyone, but there are a tiny percentage of over enthusiastic anglers that get carried away and are (unintentionally?) rude and spoil it for others and threaten the great tradition of Tongariro fishing during spawning runs.
Obviously there are exceptions – i.e. at peak time in the famous Bridge Pool – but generally the river is BIG enough to easily absorb over 100 anglers in fifty pools. When the river is crowded those deserted spots and runs between pools are often more productive where the trout have not been disturbed or spooked by endless depth charge bombs – as seen in the Bridge Pool.