Anglers forward bookings for February were extraordinary – even by TRM standards.

Fly fishing might be gaining in popularity again.  So where are they from?

Most are from all over West Island  – Perth, Newcastle, Sydney, Ballarat, Melbourne, Ballina, mainly aiming at Lake O which has been producing as well as ever since the prevailing winds eased off after Christmas.

Other TRM inmates are guided fishing teams from New Caledonia and Slovenia and individuals from USA and UK.

Kiwi anglers are in a minority as they have all gone back to ‘work’ – always considered as highly over-rated at TRM.

The cicada hatch is arguably the best we have seen for many years.  So it appears they have chosen the ideal time.  The fine weather is just stunning.

Last week during my brief guiding career (6 hours) we were dive-bombed by them everywhere along the river.  They were a wonderful sight.  Now the fish are starting to realise how tasty they are.

Photos are TRM’s American guest from last week who copped me as a guide after a mix-up of dates.  As he had to suffer my limited abilities compared to several other ‘real’ guides he had used locally, I almost felt sorry for him.

Just as well he had a great sense of humour putting up with my puny efforts.  Fortunately he was very patient and understanding.  Unfortunately last week was just a couple of days early for the trout to switch into their annual cicada orgy.

You never know who you might meet on the Tongariro.  The angling inmate being ‘misguided’ by me was Bill Mares from Vermont.  After visiting the Duchess Pool I had commented on some of the rich history of the Tongariro such as the visit by the Duchess of York and the continual trail of GG’s (Governors General) during the 1920’s to 1950’s.

In response he had casually mentioned he was an author of many books including a fishing book which included an anecdotal history of “Fishing with the Presidents”.

So after I returned him to Taupo airport I couldn’t resist it –  I ‘googled’ it.

(Google described his 1999 book review as follows:

“All men,” Herbert Hoover noted, “are equal before fish.” Even presidents.

Mares, a former member of the Vermont House of Representatives and author of many previous books, has written an informative and often witty book on the fishing exploits of America’s presidents.

We learn that George Washington was, for a time, a commercial fisherman, that FDR had a special chair built into his boats to allow him to fish, and that Ike tried in vain to teach his vice-presidential running mate Richard Nixon to fly fish. “It was a disaster,” Nixon admitted. “After hooking a limb the first three times, I caught my shirt on the fourth try. The lessons ended abruptly.”

Jimmy Carter loved fishing but admitted to being “piscatorially retarded.” (Jimmy Carter has even fished the Tongariro delta but this is Bill’s review)

This lighthearted and entertaining book offers insights into the personalities and leisure habits of the presidents.

Mares, it should be noted, rates Grover Cleveland as his favorite presidential fisherman.  Review by Michael A. Genovese,)

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