On 24 January 2014 I landed this limit bag of solid fresh run 5-6 pound browns above – all caught on cicada patterns in lower Tongariro de Latours Pool. They were three out of 7 hook-ups – 5 were Browns, 2 were Rainbows.. (that was before Waikato Regional Council diverted the river and ruined the pool) Anything else you need to know?
A recent inmate, Mark Gibb, suggested it was time to switch to a dry fly two weeks ago – see his results below. But TRM held off reporting his advice as we did not want to get you too excited so early in the season when you were still relaxing on holiday. We prefer to wait until you are back at work…
However TRM’s Facebook yesterday suggested it might be timely now – i.e.
“Steve from Creel Tackle shop phoned complaining as usual about some noisy insects that were drumming up such loud mating calls he could clearly hear from inside the shop. OK?”
Thanks Steve. The hot humidity will help boost the hatch too.
So now we have to be patient until the trout switch into a cicada ‘habit’. Once they have tasted a few they are ‘hooked’ (absolutely addicted?) and will not look at anything else. Cicada time really is the easiest dry fly style fishing and without doubt the most exciting time imaginable on the Tongariro. Often they don’t even have to see it. Just the sound of a big fat cicada splashing on the surface is enough for them to race across a pool to slash at it hoping to beat the others. My sort of fly fishing…
Image above is of Kiki with a typical limit bag of big solid Tongariro Brown Trout, all caught on a cicada dry fly patterns. (We had a friend of Kiki from Sweden call in last week. She sends everyone her love. TRM still miss her guiding style…)
Email TRM or Ph. 07 386 8555 for a booking asap. before we are booked out…
Mark Gibb wrote:
Hi Ross,
Very much enjoyed the stay, here are a couple of fish picked up on the dry fly in the riffles this morning.
Anglers will appreciate the significnce of that. The trout are starting to look up. Forget the bombs.
It is time to convert to a dry fly – good training for when the cicadas start hatching.
