Following the TRM Daily Report yesterday on Boulder Reach, anglers contacted us about the new bypass – the overflow from the TLB to Poutu River – that they claim will become the main river! What do you think?The reports were prepared with images to illustrate the changes and to act as warnings of what could happen in this upper river if it is not “managed”. i.e.
Changes to an upper river pool – the Poutu
Can you recognise this fishy pool? Read on…
Further to previous updates – more of a photo journey of anglers access and Tongariro River pools following the 700+ flood – we have finally ventured up above Red Hut.
(The car park for TLB of Boulder Reach can now be safely accessed by standard 2WD family cars – previously recommended for only 4WD wagons)
These images were taken on 24 January when the river flow was still up around 40 cumecs – compared to more normal flows at around 27 cumecs.
So many of the changes to flows in the river are still not revealed.
I can confess that a couple of sneaky no-name little runs between named pools, that were my special favourites, have been completely wiped out.
That is one of the most challenging aspects of this river.
(The walking track from the car park was washed out but is still “walkable” – but that is just at the start…)
After every flood we have to learn all over again.
Rather than just go to the same old favourite spot where you caught your last trout, we all have to learn how to read the water again to identify and locate possible probable likely trout homes.
(The over-flow bypass poured through like a hydraulic bulldozer – which may have stemmed from the original river course which contained such famous pools as the Breakaway – washed out the track – but this has unexpected benefits too)
I started last week by heading up river above Red Hut swing-bridge to Waddells Pool and up to the Poutu Pool.
(Turning left and following this wash-out leads to the lower reaches of the Poutu River. So? See below!)
I tried both left and right banks but have not provided any images as there were not enough significant changes to comment on.
(Looking up river on the Poutu Stream is a very promising new pool – you could almost smell the trout waiting for anglers…)
Again it is stressed that the river was still running high and some of these changes may not become apparent until low tide.
(Looking down river from the same spot on the Poutu River leading to the Tongariro River. Previously this was only accessible by deep wading from the confluence.)
So this report is limited to the Poutu Pool.
(This is the mouth of the Poutu Stream where it flows into the Tongariro River.)
Rafters have commented they usually spot many trout waiting at this deep pool but they are lying very deep – a heavier wet line might be successful?)
(Looking across the Poutu Pool up river)
Previously TRM have hardly ever reported on the Poutu River as angler access has been the problem.
(Below – looking down river towards the Poutu Pool with Poutu River confluence just visible on the left)
We know of fishing guides who have often been saved by the Poutu River reliability – producing trout on a hard day when the Tongariro may be flooded and too dirty to fish. It has a steady more constant flow as it is controlled by a dam at the top above the waterfall from Lake Rotoaira.
The other well known pool accessed off SH1 confirms there are always trout in there all year. The exposure of this additional access is one of the surprises from after the flood.
Often it can be as good as the Hine or Waytoohardanui. OK?
(Looking up river indicates major changes with increased flow in the side channel from below Boulder Reach on left of photo – or on TRB – but this may pattern may change when the river resumes normal levels.)
27 January
Upper River
Boulder Reach
Above is Waddells Pool (no changes with Red Hut swing bridge in the distance) and below is Poutu Pools reported on yesterday:
Following the updates on Poutu and Waddells Pools today’s report is Boulder Reach.
The main changes to Boulder Reach are more to do with the anglers access.
The pleasant walk – waddle in waders – stroll from the car park now involves crossing a wash-out.
This has been such a pleasant bush walk for so long it was a surprise to see the extent of the damage.
We always enjoyed looking out for native pigeons roosting in the tops of the more mature trees and Manuka. Some were so fat from eating berries they could hardly fly.
The old dry creek bed overflow from below Big Bend was flushed out by the recent 700+ flood.
This has added to the walking difficulty along the track to Boulder Reach.
You might need a wading pole just to get there…
The images may not adequately portray the extent of the washed out track but the climb down and out again is now more difficult for those older anglers – so you are warned…
On right you can see the impact from the “hydraulic bulldozer” which has re-created the old river bed.
Now the boulder bed of the over-flow, which used to have such famous pools as the old Breakaway about twenty years ago, looks like a river waiting to happen.
Then on to the Boulder Reach itself.
The TLB has been subject to the arrival of a sand bank which has moved down river to make wading much easier.
Anglers can now safely wade out directly from where the track joins the river, to cast into the seam of the main flow.
It may be just as well as the bubble line from the main flow has moved well over to the TRB.
The “new beach” should be evident in the images.
Usually such sand is detrimental to fishing prospects as it covers the stony pebble river bed which supported most of the trout food – caddis etc. so there is a down side.
The sand is a mixture of pumice and toxic ash. Trout usually hate it.
However during our inspection two good sized Rainbows were easily spotted casually cruising up and down the sand bank – possibly searching for their previous food source.
The images should be self explanatory looking up and down this popular pool.
Above Boulder Reach – image on right – there is more broken water and fast riffles but it is too early with the flow at about 40 cumecs during inspection to see how much better (or worse) this may be.
The access road in from the Blue Pool Road and the car park have been improved also – see photos from the report yesterday on Poutu Pool.
Big Bend Pool
More fishy images of changes to the upper river… Big Bend Pool car park is 1.8 km from SH 1 on the Blue Pool road.
Image above demonstrates the higher level of the Tongariro River compared to the over-flow bypass at the head of Big Bend Pool.
During the flood this is where it broke out of the main flow to form the new bypass which wrecked the walking access to Boulder Reach – image on right.
It looks like a river waiting to happen.
It appears to be inevitable that the another bypass will take this route soon – which will hinder access to TLB of Boulder Reach and Big Bend and Fan Pool.
Above Big Bend Pool
This has been a difficult exercise as since the flood the Tongariro River refused to drop to more normal 26-27 cumec levels.
Looking down to Big Bend Pool.
At the time of this last report on Sunday 28 it was still flowing high at around 35 cumecs. The grey colour was from a slip up beyond the walking tracks somewhere in the gorge. On Friday the Kaimanawa region was hit by storms and heavy rain, Saturday the river was coffee coloured and unfishable, so Sunday we took the chance that it might have recovered.
Big Bend Pool
So all comment is subject to a higher river level and difficulty in being able to spot any major changes. Anglers who know the upper river from the Blue Pool access road may identify changes in the flows to the heads of pools but they do not appear to be significant.
Tail of Big Bend before it splits above the Fan Pool
The biggest impact is still from the forestry harvesting before Christmas changing the scenic character of the access road. It looks ugly but is now much easier to navigate with the giant pot holes now a memory only.
