As soon as TRM posted the encouraging blog yesterday, praising the Rotorua precedent of forming a club to encourage kids’ fishing, we were questioned by anglers asking why DOC (Department of Conservation) has not done the same. Fair enough too. They did publish their intentions to do this over ten years ago, but then must have forgotten.

The complainants were particularly curious about why TRM’s blog did not mention DOC at all. If you are curious about how they could have been missed, then think “cunning strategy”. SWMBO needed to explore, first, what TRM readers suggested.

DOC are clearly the most obvious visual reminder of everything in the Taupo fishery with prominent DOC signs everywhere – see some of their signage photos below. They also manage most of the anglers access trails and close others by not maintaining them. Encouraging kids to try fly fishing would be a natural progression for their role.

In their official role as the Taupo Fishery Managers, they are the only organisation that issues fishing licences, sets the rules and regulations, and enforces to deter poaching. They produce a regional trout-fishing guide map which illustrates where fishing is permitted but cannot help tourists find river access.

TRM’s correspondents emphasised that DOC is the obvious organisation with a duty to establish a kids’ club to encourage youth to take up trout fishing. They claimed that DOC publish extensive publicity about it, but asked what they actually do to encourage kids? Mmmm…

They emphasised DOC would have to be keen as their staff are already trained and are paid for it. Good point. How could we have missed that?

Their Turangi office is centrally located in the Turangi CBD opposite the library.

They even have a $ budget dedicated to encouraging trout fishing, largely funded by license holders over the last 100 years, aka fishos. So perhaps we have already paid for it.

Some were quite adamant. One caller pointedly demanded, “Isn’t this their job?” He may be correct when readers refer to their following Regulatory policy statement:

Over ten years ago, DOC’s 2015 Regulatory Statement (17) clearly advised:

“DOC wants to maximise opportunities for fishing, and enable more children to participate in trout fishing, but this requires new fishing conditions to be implemented and trialled. For example, rivers which are currently reserved for fly-fishing only could be opened to junior anglers for spin-fishing (an easier and less expensive technique) for some or all of the season to encourage participation. In other situations, the Department may need to trial more restrictive fishing methods in order to improve the quality of the fishery.”

Now, ten years later, where can junior anglers go spin-fishing?

This was an interesting statement, as it followed DOC’s own consultant’s 2013 review of the Taupo fishery. The first recommendation was that there should be only one fishing licence throughout NZ, and, horror of horrors, DOC should explore joining Fish & Game… So that was quickly shelved.

Their closing comments sum up how they waste their time publishing such tripe. They claim they need Government Cabinet approval (!) before taking any action that might require them to follow their own directives. By the time they achieve that the issue has been forgotten. I wonder if they can be “fast tracked” too?

i.e. Extract from the Agency Disclosure Statement

This Regulatory Impact Statement has been prepared by the Department of Conservation.

It provides an analysis of options to enable the effective management of the Taupō Sports

Fishery by making it practical to more frequently change the conditions for fishing.

The Taupō Sports Fishery is managed under the Taupō Fishery Regulations 2004 which

are made under the Conservation Act 1987 and the Maori Land Amendment and Maori

Land Claims Adjustment Act 1926. Options requiring amendment to primary legislation

were outside the scope of this analysis, thereby limiting options to those that could be

implemented by amending the Taupō Fishery Regulations while remaining consistent with

the existing Acts.

Implementation of the policy proposals in this paper will require Cabinet approval to issue

drafting instructions for regulations to be prepared by Parliamentary Counsel Office,

followed by further Cabinet consideration and approval of any proposed amendments to

the Taupō Fishery Regulations.

Jeff Flavell, Policy Director

18 August 2015

So they mention it, then shelve it. They read like a TUI advert – very typical PR of all weak Government Departments!

The following information is directly from their website promoting Fishing with kids:

Young boy on a boat holding a caught trout.

Fishing with kids

Introduction

The Taupō Trout Fishery offers many opportunities to introduce children to fishing.

Fishing is a great way to encourage children to switch off their screens and enjoy spending quality time in nature. It provides an opportunity for them to relax while learning new practical skills. The excitement of catching their first fish may lead to a healthy life-long pastime.

Getting started

If you are an experienced angler, it can be easy to take a child fishing – they could just tag along with you. A better approach is to adapt the trip to make it more suitable for them.

Tips for getting started:

consider a highly active form of fishing like spinning, jigging or even bait fishing for catfish
shorter fishing sessions fit well with short concentration spans and allows time for new skills to bed-in between trips
gear should also be easy for young children to handle, so you may need to invest in a suitable entry level set up rather than use an old heavy rod and reel
once the basics are established you can consider introducing fly fishing techniques such as wet fly or nymphing
you will need to buy a Taupō fishing licence – either add your children to a Family Licence or buy a low cost Child Licence.

Children’s fishing packages

Another option is to take advantage of one of the fishing packages available at the Tongariro National Trout Centre. They are a popular and convenient way to introduce younger people to fly fishing for trout.

The benefits include:

an experienced instructor will teach them how to cast, hook and net their trout
no experience needed and all fishing gear is provided
a separate fishing licence is not required
fish preparation and smoking facilities are available on site.

A variety of packages are available to suit different ages and level of experience. Booking is recommended.

Discover which fishing package would suit you best.

Fishing for catfish

Catfish are an unwanted pest in the Taupō Trout Fishery. However, they can be a good way to nurture an early interest in fishing.

They are found in large numbers in shallow areas such as Tokaanu and Motuoapa and catching them is very easy on basic gear. You can try eating them but if they are not to your taste the family cat will certainly enjoy them!

Tips for catching catfish:

the easiest approach is to fish from a jetty or wharf – Tokaanu and Motuoapa are ideal spots (Tokaanu Wharf has since been closed off for public safety)
use small pieces of bread or cheese dropped in the water to attract them
cast a line with couple of small, baited hooks rigged above a light sinker
a Taupō fishing licence is not required.

Local fishing tackle stores are an ideal place to get advice on suitable gear to get your kids started.