Quote for the week: Having someone behind you when you are fishing is bad as having someone looking over your shoulder when you are writing a letter to your girlfriend. (Ernest Hemingway.)
The Tauranga Taupo River.
Greetings fellow fly fishers,
Who would believe that we are nearly halfway through October. This year is really moving on. Unsettled, typical Spring weather is hitting us at the moment with a bit of everything most days and the wind is a dominant feature. I have been looking to get my boat out soon to try out the Tongariro Delta, but I’ll wait until There is not so much wind about. A few days ago, I decided to have a look at perhaps my favourite river, the “TT”. I arrived at the carpark around midday and surprise the carpark was empty. I knew the river was at a good level (about .6) and the day was fine with not too much wind, perfect really.
I walked up the track and heard some scrub cutting going on in the distance and soon came across some DOC workers cutting a new track because the last flood had eroded a fair bit of riverbank where the old track used to be making walking along it a bit dangerous. They were the only people I was to meet on the river that day and when I arrived at my chosen spot upriver, the scrub cutting noise had stopped (they had finished) and I had the whole river to myself. But were there any fish? I needn’t have worried. I could see a number of fish just cruising in the shallows at the tail of a pool I was looking to fish. They were hanging around a snag, so I had to get the casting right. Fortunately, I did and after about 3 casts I was hard into a good bow. This is a great time of year to fish. The rivers still have plenty of fish and many of them are still in great condition. I had some good action at the “TT” with some good fish, not fresh but good nick.
At this time of year many pools are empty of fishers and even the most popular of pools have plenty of space to move into if you don’t get it all to yourself. I think there will be another 2 months of good fishing ahead of us. I was on The Tongariro today (Thursday) at the Boulder Reach. As said in a previous report, the river has changed a bit after previous floods, but it is still good water with all the good qualities of the previous Boulder Reach. The fish were there too. I had the Boulder Reach to myself and dropped about 4 fish in the first hour. I checked my hooks every time and they were fine, I just had a case of the dropsies. I was fishing at the tail of the pool and 2 other fishers came down.
Two more bucks from the Tongariro , lower bridge pool from Andy, a regular ILFF customer and a Hungry bow from the “TT”.
They couldn’t get below me because it was too fast, so I pointed out to them to go in front of me and they gratefully did. On the first cast one of them was hard into a rainbow which he also lost. Shortly after I was on again to a good strong Jack and this time, he was secure. After a good battle I caught and released him and decided to vacate the pool and leave the other fishers to it. Little naturals are doing it for me at the moment, pheasant tails and variants of these size 14 seem to be good enough. More unsettled weather in the next few days but this should just keep all the pools full of hungry fish.
Well, that’s it from me this week so until next time.
For all I Love Fly Fishing gear check it all out out on-line at www.iloveflyfishing.kiwi and order what you need. Feel free to call Barrie, 021-925006 or barrie@iloveflyfishing.kiwi. You will receive your goods in quick order and at a great price.
Brian – NZPFGA Member,
