Eastern Reel Life January 2019

Trout converge on stream mouths

An extended period of fine hot weather has seen an influx of trout into the stream mouths of Lake Rotorua.

Right: Anglers at the Hamurana stream mouth.

This almost annual event draws lots of anglers, but there are lots of fish too.

Anglers are reporting impressive fish numbers caught and released during a session with the best times being early and late at the change of light.

The lake’s typical rainbow trout tips the scales about 1.2kg, however during December a couple of hundred "jumbo" hatchery display fish were released into Lake Rotorua while repairs were carried out at one of the display ponds.

Many of the fish (see below) were in excess of 10lb with some over 20lb!

Pleasingly, a number of these trophy fish have been caught by anglers fishing stream mouths, the heaviest to date thought to be about 15lb.

Fishing on the deeper Rotorua lakes has at times been challenging.

Heavy boating traffic during the festive season seems to have a negative effect, even when fish are deep, but this remedies itself once boating eases in January.

The thermocline currently sits at a relatively shallow 10-15m where fish are feeding comfortably in cool 16C water.

Rotoiti continues to produce the best fish of the region, followed by Okataina and then Tarawera.

Anglers are reminded that they can now return tagged trout data from the lakes to us online by clicking here.

Fly fishers around the region are delighted at the dry fly action that has sprung up on cooler backcountry streams and at Lake Waikaremoana.

Cicadas are in full bloom along with terrestrial insects such as beetles and blowflies and most streams are clear and reasonably low.

Grab your licence online - click here - if you haven’t already got one.

January fishing tip

Wherever you are fishing in the heat of summer, remember that trout like (need) cool water and where possible, will go seeking it.

Cold inflowing streams or spring water are ideal places to find trout when lakes and big rivers get too warm.

In deeper lakes, trout go deep – at least 20m so don’t bother fishing the surface when it’s over 20C.

Anglers, we need your help...

We are seeking information on your fishing in our Eastern Region.

We'd like to hear about your fishing trip, both successful and otherwise!

Please click this link to provide us with information about your trip. Participants go into the draw to win a $100 voucher from Kilwell.

Dairy farmer delighted with Fish & Game rod

Andy Garrick presents the Epic graphite rod to Kevin Taylor.

Eastern Region Manager Andy Garrick has presented a Waikato dairy farmer and keen angler with a handcrafted fly rod - as the winner of a Fish & Game Prize draw.

Tirau local Kevin Taylor won the Epic rod hand-made in Wanaka by Swift Fly Fishing Company, in a prize draw for readers of Reel life.

Kevin had a practice cast on the hatchery lawn. Click here to see it.

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