The popular Tongariro videos by Tim recently included a visit to the upper river Blue Pool, where he hooked into ten Rainbow trout by swinging a (Parachute Adams?) dry fly. The immediate reaction was questions from TRM inmates who were catching a few by nymphing with glo bugs and a few dredging with woolly buggers but were looking for another challenge that promised more fun.

It is that time of the year between seasons when all fly patterns work – depending on the choice of pools – but if any sucking surface activity is detected then a dry fly is guaranteed to provide much more fishy entertainment.

To confirm this is the normal historical pattern at this early time of the summer season, the following 100 year old guide’s recommendation was posted on TRM’s blog in 2017…

(Above is Taylors Camp offering Tongariro anglers accommodation in the 1920’s)

With warmer summer conditions threatening (?) TRM has been besieged about the best time for dry fly techniques on the Tongariro River.  Many anglers curiously imagine this is an exciting new phenomenon?  Not so…

About 60 years ago, that is even before SWMBO’s time, Joe Frost, was the owner of what has ‘morphed’ into Creel Tackle shop. 

He wrote the following article based on his experiences on the Tongariro with a dry fly about 100 years ago – in the early 1920’s…

(Above right – Joe Frost at his tackle shop -1939)

“For a long time, many anglers were under the impression that the large rainbow did not feed on the surface and, therefore, would not take a dry fly.  This idea has proved to be wrong as many anglers now use this method on the Tongariro, as well as smaller streams in the Taupo region. Today this type of fishing has become very popular and good sport can be expected under favourable conditions.

The upper reaches of the Tongariro are particularly adapted (*) to this method of fishing, for there one finds more broken water with ideal eddies, and it’s in such places that fish will be resting and feeding, and only short casting is necessary.

These large rainbows will take either a dry fly, nymph, or artificial green beetle, according to the time of day and season.

Fishing the orthodox method upstream with reasonably light gear, such fish provide grand sport and when the water is low and clear they can be tempted when they are not so keen on the lure.

With favourable conditions, the angler could use this method throughout the season, as I myself have had good sport right through from November to May……”

(*) The article by Joe Frost was published before the Tongariro Power Scheme plumbing developed dams and tunnels and canals which pinched most of the flow from the Tongariro to transport it across to Lake Rotoaira for the Tokaanu Power station turbines.

In the early 1920’s Joe Frost was originally employed at the trout hatchery and then as a ‘ghilly’ (fishing guide) at Taylor’s Lodge providing dry fly casting tuition.

(That is Joe Frost above and Pop Sanderson below)

Eventually, he opened his own tackle shop which he operated until 1950, when Geoff and ‘Pop’ Sanderson took over.

At that time the shop was part of Taylor’s Camp – photo below.

The Tongariro River has so much interesting absorbing history unmatched by any other trout fishing location in NZ.

i.e.  During the 1920’s Taylors Camp accommodated the ‘gentry’ (on right below – now looking more than a little tired and since sold and redeveloped into superior residential…).

Their ghilly, Joe Frost, guided Lord Jellicoe – Admiral of the Fleet and Governor-General from 1920 to 1924.

Then he guided the new Governor-General, Lord & Lady Bledisloe, and then the next Governor-General, Lord and Lady Galway.

They all stayed at Taylor’s Camp as Tongariro River Motel – the first tourist motel in Taupahi Raod – was not developed back then.

The shop was then shifted by Frank Schlosser & Frank Harwood to its present location and renamed “Creel”.

(SWMBO is still waiting in considerable anticipation for a G-G to book into TRM…)

And what does all that rich history have to do with dry fly fishing? Nothing really.

Sorry. 

I got carried away – again.

But what the Tongariro needs today – is a Governor-General keen on fly fishing who would soon put a stop to the abuse and destruction of the lower river brown trout nursery in the name of ‘progress’ aka ‘flood protection’? After fifty years of sadly watching the lower river deteriorate due to severe aggradation caused by the reduced flow from the hydro scheme, it is time anglers are compensated for the lost pools and lost access downriver, and replaced by extending angler access (bike trails?) above the Blue Pool. Seems perfectly fair…

(Photo on right – In 1959 a more modern anglers’ ‘motel’ and camping ground was developed on the main road – now Taupahi Road.  Can you recognise which one?)