Every Summer after a fresh when there is more colour in the water we always see big browns quietly sneaking up the Tongariro hugging close to the banks out of the main current.  Scott decided to target these last night and hooked his in the image above about 7 pm last night behind other anglers lined up at the Bridge Pool in about 2 feet (50cm) of quiet water.  Very smart.

(This was the only one returned for the smoker – apart from the other 12 he landed during the day.)

You can see in the other image on right he has done it before.  It must be the lucky hat…

But that wasn’t today’s fishy story… 

This is the absolutely true story about “Blondie”… ?

A couple of weeks ago, just after New Year at peak holiday time, Scott arrived at TRM only to find to our horror we were booked out?  (SWMBO had him booked in for the following day.  During peak times all motels experience similar over-booking problems) 

So SWMBO anxiously examined the guest list to try to find a spare bed for the night with another more ‘compatible’ angler who wouldn’t mind the intrusion?. 

The obvious solution was the lucky inmate – Trev – in a big two bedroom family unit on his own.  Trev – image on left returning on TRM bike – had booked it on his own for two days re-orientation on the Tongariro River pools while waiting for his family to join him. 

So we phoned him on his mobile – he was over in Napier visiting other friends – explaining the dilemma. 

To make it more interesting SWMBO explained the new guest needing to share his unit was a lovely friendly 40 year old Scandinavian blonde lady.  Trev enthusiastically agreed and drove back from Napier in less than 2 hours only to discover Scott camping in the spare bedroom. 

So ever since then Scott has been known as “Blondie”.