Photos are the Tongariro River Bridge Pool back in April 2018 when the WRC (Waikato Regional Council) consultant engineers tried to recontour one of the best pools in the Tongariro River.

They also excavated a canal down the TLB (True Left Bank looking down-river) from the Braids down to Reed Pool, to redirect the main flow away from the end of Herekiekie Street and Tongariro Lodge. They failed of course. Tourist anglers could not believe local anglers or the fishery management could allow bulldozers to shape the contours in one of the best iconic trout fishing rivers in the world. They were correct too.

The photo above was dated July 2017 when the Bridge Pool was unquestionably the most popular pool in NZ. It scored a maximum of 9/9 on TRM’s chart.

Following the flood in 2022, it is now a shadow of the former. This is where the TRM Pool Rating chart becomes more important for tourist anglers to be able to measure and select the pool that best fits their skill and ability and challenge and physical requirements. It is the only measure of the relative performance of Tongariro River pools available. As the last update was in 2017 it is overdue for an update to reflect all such changes.

The 2017 update scored the Bridge Pool a maximum for reliability – right up there with Major Jones Pool, Breakfast Pool, Hydro, etc. which confirms them as top-producing pools all year round. Now it is but a shadow of the former pool. It is more of a powerful run where it is almost impossible to wade to achieve a natural drift to get the flies down deep below the current. So how should the Bridge Pool score now?

This has been the challenge for TRM inmates to contribute to the chart above and score all the pools to reflect their relativity. i.e. Which is the easiest for wading? Which has the most beautiful scenery? Which is plagued by snags? Which is the most difficult to access? Which is spoilt by angling pressure?

This is the last opportunity for Tongariro River fishos to contribute to the update of the Pool Ratings chart, before it goes to the printers. Please send your comments and amendments asap.

(CONFIDENTIAL: Since the 2022 flood the “new” Bridge Pool holding area has swopped sides – from the TLB to the TRB – and moved down-river about 50m where the anglers are fishing above. But keep it to yourself. OK?)