Yesterday 1 pm The most popular trout pool in NZ – the mighty Tongariro Bridge Pool

This angler pressure would be busier than usual for a winter weekday on the mighty Tongariro…  Usually by early afternoon they are all sleeping back in their fvourite motel.  As you know, the weather is always like this during winter in Turangi.

 After an inmate phoned from New Plymouth to check what the angler pressure was like, before he made the three and a half hour drive over, I replied (a guess only) there would be about 6-8 anglers in the Bridge Pool and about the same number spread throughout the town pools.

Then to confirm our guestimate, (?) Pumpkin and I did a brief midday photo survey of the town pools by TRM’s bike…  A beautiful easy efficient way to enjoy the river bank trail and to inspect the pools.

Generally over the last week or so the river fishing results continue to be a bit erratic for this time of the year still waiting for the major spawning runs to commence.

This morning one lucky (?) inmate hooked into ten (nymphing glo bugs) but most others scored only a couple of hits.  Needless to say the lucky fisho was also wearing a certain fishy hat to improve his chances and his appearance!.

Starting at the most popular pool in NZ we counted 6 wading, 3 either side, two waiting on the bank, two recovering at the coffee cart.

A further three fishos could be seen wading in the distance through the lower bridge pool beyond the end of Herekiekie Street.

Only one decent sized Rainbow could be seen from the bridge safely positioned behind the bridge support where it was practically impossible to present a drifting weighted nymph  to him.  He was positioned too deep and was too smart using the strong current and showing off by waving to onlookers on the bridge.  Yes – him.  His red flanks were quite evident.  If they have read the books, the jacks are always supposed to come up the river first to prepare their redds, so there must still be thousands of hens anxiously  waiting to follow.

Then moving up river there was no sign of any angler activity in the Daisy Pool – at the confluence just above the bridge – or on the TRB of Judges Pool.  One angler was seen at the head of Doctors Pool aka where the Island Pool used to be below the flying fox wire.

Moving further up river the Major Jones Pool was deserted with only one tourist wandering around collecting stones or pumice.  The Breakfast Pool had one angler thrashing the end of the foam line on the TRB.

Above the swing bridge one angler was almost out of sight (hiding from those crossing the swingbridge?) in the Rip and two wet liners were wading well out up in the Hydro Pool.  He is just seen on the extreme left of the image.

As you can see it was another fine mild winter day, no wind, just wonderful to have such a river on our doorstep where a pool to yourself is only a five minute stroll.  The anticipated rain should only improve the fishing for the weekend.

The recent weather is indicated by the daffodils fighting hard to remain dormant until 1st September – they don’t stand a chance.  The blooms were bulging to herald spring.

I wandered lonely as a cloud…