Tongariro suffering from crowding…
The Tongariro is such a very popular river… and so it should be. Last weekend was about as busy as it gets. The car parks needed parking wardens.
As indicated above on the 7 day Tongariro flow graph, all the stars were in line with wet weather for several days and then the flow was declining into the weekend. That had to attract fresh spawning runs. So far there have been lots of dribs and drabs but no really big runs so far this winter, so we were due for something special. The other tribs were still too flooded or too dirty so everyone picked on the mighty Tongariro.
(Image above of the Braids “picket fence” of anglers and carpark taken by Kevin Neil on Saturday morning.)
All TRM inmates reported good results on the weekend varying from a few small trout to over twenty. SWMBO loves seeing them all go home happy and planning to return again asap. Nymphers definitely triumphed over the ‘others’. The best report back was a 7 pound brown but everyone else were hooking into and loosing record numbers of fresh rainbows..
We could go on and on but amongst the feedback were mixed messages about the crowding difficulties – particularly in the Braids where Council are considering installing parking meters. So inevitably with the crowding came the complaints. So it is time for the annual reminder…
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 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 (or she), who was there first, 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 heinous crime either. They may have got up earlier to get to their favourite pool first and may be reluctant to give it up to late risers. 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.
Often anglers will invite you to join them if asked. But if you just barge in without asking then expect to be questioned – often severely. 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.
