Continuing the review of Tongariro Pools for the revised TONGARIRO RIVER BUCKET LIST – ‘Fifty pools to fish before you die’ pool rating schedule…

The photos should tell the story… If you take a closer squiz at the photo above you might see a TRM inmate – Mark Tomsett – crossing the new bypass stream on the rope. That confirms why a regrading is necessary. It is a bit tricky without waders. The bypass has broken through the TLB above Boulder Reach and below Cliff Pool and emerges into the Poutu River. SWMBO (She Who Must Be Obeyed knows everything) has predicted this bypass will eventually become the main river flow with the same pattern as the Breakaway Pool was left high and dry many years ago.

Tongariro River fishos are so spoilt by so much choice in riffly runs and holding pools and easy access options that this pool and Poutu are in danger of being struck off their approved list as being too difficult? As so many inmates have achieved “maturity”, they like to be kept aware of such obstacles. They suggest that wading and casting are difficult enough without more physical challenges.

Until now the river has been flowing too high to make any meaningful judgment on the wading access for the update of the Pool Rating Survey.