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Reel Life Eastern Jan 2012
Summer on the lakes
Summer fishing on the lakes has been typically productive with some fish in cracker condition caught on Rotoiti and Tarawera.
The extended period of cool, wet conditions have produced lower than normal surface temperatures for this time of year. Currently, lake surface temperatures are around 18 or 19 degrees, meaning trout are more likely to be found actively feeding on the surface for a good portion of the day.
Shallow trolling or harling with a smelt fly, spinning or fly fishing are all ideal methods to make the most of these conditions. Some good fishing is being had at depth with deep trolling, downriggers and jigging – the most productive depth from 20 to 30m.
When (if) summer really arrives, expect the surface activity to decrease and deep fishing methods to improve.
The Lake Rotorua summer stream mouth fishery is off to a slow start too for the same reason. Shore based anglers at Awahou and Hamurana are reporting improving catches but not yet at their typical summer peak. The cooler conditions are also providing opportunities at shallower lake such as Ngapouri, Okaro and Rerewhakaaitu - with good fish numbers being taken on lures and flies.
Landslide threatens trout production
A large landslide at the Ngongotaha hatchery destroyed pipe work and threatened its fish stocks on January 8. Working through the night, staff were able to keep fish alive using water pumps and bottled oxygen while they restored water flows from temporary pipes.
Forty thousand fingerlings were trucked to the Department of Conservation’s Turangi hatchery as a back-up and additional water lines have been built while a full rebuild is underway.
Fortunately we have good stocks of fish at this time of year so our annual liberation program will go ahead without a glitch, says Fish & Game Officer Mark Sherburn. “We also really appreciate the assistance from the team at DoC. We’ve built up a good relationship helping each other out in recent years and it provides good security for both fisheries.”
The rebuild is likely to take up to six weeks. The first liberations for 2012 begin in February with fish for Lakes Tarawera and Rotoiti.
Tuition popular with boaties
Boat fishing tuition run by Fish & Game in January at Lake Tarawera was popular with anglers. Over 100 people attended the third annual lecture on basic points for successful trout fishing on lakes.
