Shane French
Lake Taupo Fishing Update
The Tongariro held fish just before the flood and had good numbers after the river was fish-able yesterday. It is still running high but is fishable with a Nymph and is a fantastic Greeny colour.
The Tauranga Taupo is still running a wee bit high but it will have had trout move into it. Watch the level on this river as we are due more rain tomorrow, some heavy at times.
The Hine also had a run go through just before the rain hit. A friend of mine fished it just as it became fish-able again and did really well.
The Waitahanui had colour in it, early in the week. It lacked numbers of trout however. I picked up three for a mornings walk, taking them all down low in the river. I haven’t fished the lower pools for ages, so it was nice to cast a fly in there and a good bonus to hook up.
If we get the rain like they are saying, then the river levels will increase again and maybe make a few un-fishable. Actually just looking now for the Taupo forecast, it is for rain over the next four days. Watch your crossings as the rivers are already high and flowing strongly.
Tight lines Shane
Earlier Report:
July 24, 2016
Hey all.
Wow what an interesting season this is turning out to be. It is certainly a far cry from last years bumper season, numbers wise, however to be positive about something, the quality is there, for the most part. Some nice trout are coming out of all the rivers and the lake itself. Well that is when you can get out there, weather wise! We have had a wild winter in Taupo, just what the lake needs to Mix. Hopefully this will help with next seasons smelt numbers and size. There are constant reports of good number of trout holding off most of the drop offs. Wouldn’t it suck if they started spawning there instead of the Rivers 
As I mentioned, trout numbers are low in all the rivers, now including the Hinemaiaia, for this time of year. We better get some “Run’s like hell” if we are to salvage 2016. The trout that are making their way into the rivers are vanishing, fairly quickly. Therefore the rivers are not stocking up.
With that all said and done.
The Waitahanui has trout most of the way through it. Take your time guys, this is a great river to spot trout in, probably the best over winter. They will materialize out of the crystal clear waters once you hone in on what to look for. Then it is just a matter of getting a drift to them. I fished the Waitahanui with this Gentleman, (word used very loosely there). He is not too far off ten decades old and even with buggered knees and hips he still walks the banks of the Waitahanui as much as he can. He is probably known more for his Cossack hat than his prowess with a Rod, 
but there is no man out there who appreciates what we have in NZ than Balt and so taking him out and getting him into easy distance spots is what our friendship is all about.
I looked at the Hinemaiaia Friday and was a little disappointed with the fish numbers. I was there first too It will be getting a thrashing over the next few days as the Tauranga Taupo and Tongariro are now in proper flood! The Hine will be high too, but will come down faster than the other two. I looked at the Hine rip the other day. It keeps splitting with some flow heading North and the rest more Westerly… Yuck! It will improve when Chris gets here.
As mentioned the Tauranga Taupo is in Flood! It hit 1.8, that can change the pools around. The lake is full so it will take some time for this to run off, giving the trout a good amount of time to swim through. The TT has not had a fantastic year and certainly nothing like last year.
The Tongariro has hit 308 and will be raging! Apparently it had a small run go through yesterday, (Saturday) and was probably about to get another one before this stormy weather hit. What will it be like next week when the levels drop, I can barely wait to see. I had heard from numerous fisherman that the river had been hard going, with only small pockets of trout in there. In the same breath apparently the Delta is stacking up!
Overall, I am not worried about our fishery, (apart from size). If the trout coming in were thin, then I would be concerned. The food source is obviously there and has been for the past 5 years, with the condition of Taupo trout getting better and better from 7 to 8 years ago. With the wild winter we have had and the mixing effect it will have and positive flow on effects from there, I am sure our fishery will be a healthy one next season. I’d just like to see a few more bigger fish.
Be safe, keep an eye on your terrain while walking and tight lines.
Shane
| Mike Hughes: Flood update. Sun 24th July, 2016 |
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Tight linesMikeEarlier Report – now obsolete…
8.30 am 28 July
Tongariro fired up ?
Just to advise the Tongariro is fishing very well, anglers all reporting good fish.
Creel Tackle House & Cafe 189 Taupahi R
Andrew Burden shared Sporting Life Fishing Outfitters – Turangi‘s post
Sporting Life Fishing Outfitters – Turangi added 13 new photos.
We had a bit of rain through the Central Plateau over the last few days. The Tongariro had its biggest flush for a while peaking at 308 cumecs and the smaller systems all came up to add some colour and flow.
I got a couple of days away and hit the Tongariro on Monday with Paddy Morgan &Peter Carty and the Hinemaiaia on Tuesday with Paddy and the Delta King.
Monday morning on the Tongariro started slow with the flow still reasonably swift. A few dropped fish before the afternoon kicked off which saw Paddy get stuck into some cracking chrome.
Tuesday on the Hinemaiaia was a blast with the Hine flow slightly up, great colour and the fishing was fantastic. I used my Euro Nymph setup and Paddy and the Delta King Indicator Nymphing. We all got into fish, some small, some outstanding, some dark and some beautiful silver bullets.
It was a great break and will be doing it all again in a couple of days. Can’t wait.
Jared, Peter & I will be in the shop all day, pop in and say howdy, get yourself geared up and get into it.
See you at Sporting Life
| By John Baker – Raised Hackle |
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June 23rd 2016
I thinking you all are waiting for a report from us on the Fly Fishing in Paradise. Well today i can say there are nice fresh fish running the Tongariro also other rivers are producing . I’m very suprised that the Trout have taken so long to run to the spawning grounds, as last year they started on the 1st of April . But from now on i’m expecting good runs to move to the spawning grounds . so anglers it’s time to dust of the rods and head to Paradise .See you out on the river , as now the trout are running ,i will be out most days from now on. The Fish below were landed 2 hours ago.
Tight Lines John O & Blonde
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How’s the fishing? … slow.
Sat 16th July, 2016
A more wintry feel on the river this week especially the last couple of days. Frosty mornings and light winds gave way to cold south westerlies and heavy showers which put some color into the Tongariro as flows peaked around 75 cumecs midweek. You would have expected this to kick things off a little but the buzz word along the river continues to be the word “slow”.A lot more jacks getting caught and there are increased signs of spawning activity as small pods of fish sneak upriver.With fish spread out like this it still pays to keep on the move.I had a day on the river with Mike on Monday and it wasn’t until we’d relocated four times that we found a few fish late into the afternoon.Mind you I don’t think we’d have been that bothered if we hadn’t.
THE DOWNSTREAM WATER LOAD
The heavy showers and gusty winds of the last couple of days have put some anglers off.
We’d all prefer to fly fish on calm, still days. But that isn’t always the case and we sometimes have to cast in a tricky downstream wind when we’re upstream nymphing on the Tongariro.
Even if you swop to short line methods like Czech nymphing, a stiff downstream breeze can put so much bow in the leader you’re unable to stay in touch with the nymphs and detect the takes.
But when it’s like this and you’re fishing the indicator, downstream water loading can be invaluable.
As with any water loading technique how you “set up” the cast is important.
If you’re on the TRB and the flow and wind is coming at your left shoulder … take a few steps out and lay a nice straight line downstream, slightly towards the bank your casting from.
I can’t stress this bit enough … the line must be straight before you commence the upstream draw.
The wind will actually help with this.
Don’t try and wait for the current to straighten out the line. When you do this you risk the nymphs snagging up, which could result in a broken rod tip when you begin the forward cast.
So if its not straight … re-lay it.
Let the flies settle for a second but not too long or they’ll sink to the bottom.
I prefer to turn my wrist here so that the reel faces outwards and the rod is roughly parallel with the top of the water.
Now maintaining this flat casting arc draw the line upstream along the surface in a smooth progressive acceleration.
The friction caused by the water molecules trying to “hang on to” the fly line will load the rod. This is why its vital to eliminate any slack before you begin the cast. If you don’t, you’ll be halfway through the casting arc before the rod begins to load, during which time the flies will have continued to sink and you’ll be unable to lift off smoothly.
Once you get this right, as you lift off, keep the rod tip low so that the line is propelled upstream under the wind.
Its a fairly easy cast to master and will keep you fishing when some give up.
Having said that an unexpected gust of wind can catch out even the most experienced angler and Steve Bodine from Michigan discovered a bomb up the nose was nothing to be sniffed at!
You can stop laughing now Jimmy.
So a slightly better week on the Tongariro with just enough fish around to keep things interesting … if you’re prepared to move around.
I found a few close to town on the 5 wt earlier in the week.
For instance the brown took right under the rod tip in three feet of water. It was fat with eggs and was quickly returned.
With a report to write … no fishing for me today but I’ll be out tomorrow to see if there’s any change after yesterdays wet weather.
Best stretch for me this week … the upper river.
A few more anglers on the Tongariro but I hear some of the smaller northern rivers are getting a lot of attention and Sean emailed me a pic of a big rainbow jack caught in the Hine.
Rain or showers forecast for the next ten days along with some gusty winds until early next week.
See you out there
Mike