Eastern Reel Life November 2018

Trout are on the feed

Relatively warm, dry conditions as we head into summer have local lakes warming up and surface smelting activity on the increase.

Surface temperatures are getting up around 19C but there's still no sign of a thermocline forming at this stage, and fish can be found at depths of zero to 20 metres or more.

Top right: Sam Wilson with his 6.9 pounder from Lake Rotoiti.

The first couple of hours of light are productive times to harl (shallow troll) smelt flies, with either straight monofilament lines or a single colour of lead line which will fish about 1.5m deep.

Fishing at Waikaremoana has been patchy so far but expect it to improve as water temperatures rise and smelting activity increases.

The Mokau and Hopuruahine streams open to fishing on December 1, as do sections of the upper Ngongotaha, Waiteti and Utuhina Streams at Rotorua.

Rivers throughout the region are low and clear but angling pressure has been light so far.

Insect activity, promoted by the warm conditions, has been on the rise with hatches of caddis and mayfly getting fish on the feed.

Boat fishing ‘how to’

Improve your boat fishing for trout with our FREE tuition talk at Lake Tarawera’s Stoney Point Reserve at 10am on Sunday January 6^th , 2019.

This is a no nonsense, non-technical talk and demo to help boating anglers better understand some of the keys to trout fishing success.

Learning about boat fishing.

The event takes about 2-plus hours, you don’t need to book and we’ll even show you how to bone and hot smoke your catch!

Click here for details or contact Mark Sherburn at: msherburn@fishandgame.org.nz or Mob 021-244 1774.

Eastern news tippets

• Our children’s fishing days have ended for 2018. Over 900 children between the ages of 6 and 14 years experienced the excitement of catching a trout – for many their first fish! Huge thanks to sponsors Rainbow Springs and Kilwell and the Rotorua Anglers Association for their work in running these wonderful events.
• The upper section of the Ngongotaha, Waiteti, Mokau and Hopuruahina streams open again for fishing on December 1. The fish in these streams spawn late into spring, hence the delayed start. That section of the Utuhina Stream between Devon Street and Pukehangi Road also opens on 1 December. Upstream of Pukehangi Road is closed to all fishing year round.

Checking licences on the Ngongotaha Stream last opening.

• Do you keep a diary of your angling trips? We’d love to hear how you're getting on. Click Here to enter your Eastern Fish & Game fishing diary info and you could win a $100 voucher to spend at Kilwell.
• A reminder on soft baits. Scented soft baits, including any that include so-called “attractant” are not permitted except in waters where ‘bait fishing is allowed’. That means on the Rotorua lakes only unscented soft baits are allowed.

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