Tongariro River Motel is targeted by so many regular trout anglers who understandably take more than a casual tourist passing interest in the Tongariro River.  Particularly overseas anglers are naturally curious and want to know everything about their selected trout fishing river.  They have plenty of other river fishing choices elsewhere and need to know if their selected trout fishing will be nurtured and protected in the future.  Fair enough!

For tourist anglers, the Tongariro River is much more than just another river used mainly for hydro power purposes.  It is undoubtedly the most famous trout river in NZ and the major spawning river for the entire Taupo fishery.

As such it attracts many tourist anglers plus rafters and others wanting to enjoy the natural beauty.  Tourism is the biggest industry in this region and for NZ so they expect that tourism reputation would be a significant factor in decisions on how to manage a wild trout fishery.

Sorry.  Sadly, this is not true.  So they get alarmed when they see or read about their favourite world famous trout fishing river being straightened out by diggers or gravel being removed as flood protection measures (?).

All previous attempts to contain the Tongariro have failed but every new council expert consultant has another wacky scheme to control the flow – it is like a kids sand pit for engineers.

At this time of the season the annual migration not only involves spawning trout but many regular fishy visitors who can’t wait to tell us on arrival .  They cannot believe we just idly sat by two months ago and watched diggers destroying and reforming the most popular pool in the river (?).

When TRM get asked and questions get too difficult, we show them the following video – produced in 2014 – largely to buy time as we cannot explain or support the Waikato Regional Council’s flood protection works.

Whilst the video does not answer their questions or justify the eco vandalism, it confirms the power company PR department are aware and pay lip service to anglers concerns..

As SWMBO (She Who Must Be Obeyed manages everything at TRM) is often closely questioned by West Island anglers She needs such BS props to avoid having to explain the Council stupidity.  It might be a bit basic but She really thinks it is important for these tourists to want to come back again…

Hence this brief video involves their spokesman from the power company, Genesis – Cam Speedy – explain about their deep concern (?) for anglers needs and their balancing act between using the region for hydro electricity power generation and maintaining the trout fishery.

You be the judge…?

Where else on a world famous trout fishing river would the Fishery Managers or Council allow earth moving machinery to demolish and redevelop the most popular pool during early spawning runs?

It defies logic.

Before the video was produced the Power Company, Genesis Energy, may have been charitable on environmental matters, but as they have sold off 49% of their shareholding, their company strategy has to be to maximise $$$ profits for their new corporate shareholders.

Meanwhile, so far, “touch wood”, the Bridge Pool fishing remains as good as ever but the wonderful trout fishing still available is more a freak of nature than the result of any corporate engineering or flood protection programme.

The next video was also created by Genesis in 2014 to patiently explain the Tongariro power scheme for public education purposes.  See if you can identify any importance they place on trout fishing and tourism…