DOC’s Taupo Fishery May Update

DOC’s Taupo update May 2017

Great brown

Reports from anglers, guides and the Department of Conservation (DOC) all indicate this is looking to be a great winter season on the Taupo fishery.

The high monthly rainfall really kick starting the season with some great fish weighed and measured ny DOC. The heaviest being a rainbow hen caught at the Bain pool, Tongariro River – 2.5kg & 560mm long. The average rainbow trout weighed by DOC rangers was 1.6kg & 505mm.

DOC Reports from their recent survey, anglers have been very pleased with the fishing with an average “fishing enjoyment” score of 9.7/10 (136 people interviewed). While this season has been above average in numbers and size of fish caught it would appear that from June through to October the rivers will continue to produce some great fishing.
Waipa trap

The Waipa stream fish trap, which provides DOC an insight into the Tongariro River spawning run and has seen some monster fish come through this month.

A large proportion of the fish have been very large brown trout, typical for this time of year. Raibbows tend to have their main spawning runs later. The largest weighed was 4.0kg (9lb) & 695mm with majority of the browns weighing between 3-4kg!
Boat survey

The DOC Fishery team have competed a 3 day survey coverung 110km in 7 parallel transects across Lake Taupo. They focused on the abundance of food sorces such as smelt and have found that smelt density higher in the Eastern Bays and the Southern end of the Lake, particularly around the thermocline and drop off. These results enable the team to estimate lake productivity following last summer and to predict the growing condition of trout in the Lake.
Chech nymping

What are the most popular methods fishing on the Taupo rivers?

A recent DOC survey found that just over 70% preferred floating line nymph fishing and 22% used a sinking line while nearly 7.5% have moved to czech mymphing. The most popular and successful fly has been the glo-bug,
Spawning fish

And if you would like to see trout running up a small stream to spawn, watch this video.

The fish are there and are in above average condition. So dust of your waders and thermals and buy a licence and get out there. Taupo fishing is what winter was invented for.