The cold snap combined with the winter weather pattern had to result in some serious spawning activity commencing in the Tongariro River pools. Everyone has their own barometers to judge the extent of spawning activity. Today our top fornicatorium spot was experiencing peak orgy frenzied activity – Turangi style.
The small shallow bypass extending along the TLB (True Left Bank looking downriver) below Major Jones Pool emerging above Judges Pool is as good as any. It is only a five-minute walk from TRM on Juno’s daily walk trail.
Today we could stand on the sheltered bank at the back of Creel Lodge just below the welcome seat for tourists and were ignored by about ten to twelve trout sizing each other up. That is the most we have seen in 2023. So we can confidently confirm for the 2023 spawning season, it is all on!
For any anglers imagining they might be easy pickings – forget it. These shallow by-asses are for spawning only and the trout are not interested in feeding as they are preoccupied with other things on their mind that are much more important! This only applies to tourist anglers from the north as at the moment the cold snap has closed all traffic to the south. Anglers need their multi-layered winter uniform to survive the bitter breeze. Choose a pool on the basis of being sheltered from the southerly. This means selecting a pool on the TRB for right-handed anglers to prevent the glo bugs from attacking uncovered ears etc.
We cannot help getting enthused by the contagious excitement from tourists returning from their stroll along the Tongariro River Trail. They get so bedazzled at the unique opportunity to watch wild trout spawning in such a natural environment, within just a few feet from where they could perve on their mating activities. They were so clearly seen that they hardly needed polaroid sunglasses, although they would assist in identifying the wider cleaned gravels in the spawning redds further out in the main river. The blue ducks get ignored. Where else could they enjoy nature’s entertainment for free?
In case our winter weather report may have discouraged you (?) above is the local outdoors gym on Taupahi Park at about 11 am this morning with fit young trainees from Edmund Hillary Outdoors Pursuits Centre enthusiastically bouncing around with squats and press-ups and chin-ups testing all the equipment. Note they were only wearing T-shirts so it cannot be too cold, but it made me feel old and feeble just to watch them.