The last hard trap data came from DOC for May. In a new initiative, they announced they would release trap results monthly? Anglers wait in anticipation for their update. In the meantime, anglers will just have to rely on TRM inmates results. OK? You might not believe TRM as we might have a commercial agenda, so this time we rely on one angler’s results to update our data.

Simply, so far, it has been a stunning spawning season.

Usually we would rely on a wide cross section of fishos catch results as they go through the TRM smoke house. But in this instance, one angler’s results should be a good barometer as he has booked in and fished consistently about every two or three weeks from the start of the spawning season. He is better than a novice as he has been practising casting into the Tongariro with his trusty wet line for only about thirty odd years. He claims it is as good as it ever gets…

Like most other TRM inmates, this Taranaki farmer is of a quiet retiring demeanor – not like a sea-angler who might rave about his catch rate. Tongariro anglers are generally far more discreet. You can easily tell by his dress code he is a true refined rural gentleman. We have posted this without him knowing… so please don’t tell him. For security purposes TRM prefer not to name him but just show some images to tell the story instead.

On the basis of his TRM attendance record over the previous decade or two, if it was an ordinary season he would not have kept returning. He left this morning in raptures. Again! He will be smiling all the way back to Taranaki. But he did the same several times in June and May. and April. His results have just been improving every trip. To achieve his remarkable catch rate, the sage simple advice from him is never to follow the crowd. If the Bridge Pool is not performing or too crowded then move to anywhere that the trout have not been disturbed. Yesterday he reported 12 cars in one car park early in the morning so rather than stop, he just sneaked off further down the river instead to find his own deserted spot . The result – 13 landed from one pool. Extraordinary world class fishing!

A repeat of DOC TURANGI TRAP DATA (from May)

Anglers are catching some excellent quality rainbows, yet in the headwaters and spawning streams, trap data suggests it’s the large brown trout that continue to dominate.

Browns run earlier than rainbows and they’ve been working their way upriver for a couple of months now. Following the good brown trout fishing experienced over summer, it’s no surprise to hear they are in excellent condition. Size is good too, with data from May identifying both males and females up to 3.8kgs – a kilo heavier than the same time last year!

Rainbows that have reached the trap have also been in superb condition, echoing the experiences of anglers over the last few weeks. We anticipate many more of these silver bullets as winter progresses.

In a new initiative, we plan to release monthly trap data over winter. ????