Reel Life February 2024 - Eastern

Business as Usual in the Eastern Region

As we reported last month in Reel Life, the hot summer conditions continue to produce excellent angling in the region.

Some of the region's smaller and perhaps lesser-known lakes are fishing well too, so if peace and tranquillity are more your thing, then take a look at the likes of lakes Rotoma, Rotoehu, Okareka and Rerewhakaaitu. They don’t produce the bigger fish you’ll get from Tarawera or Rotoiti, but the catch rate and quality can be exceptional.

Little lakes like Okaro and Ngapouri are also well worth a visit too especially with smaller craft such as kayaks, float tubes and dinghies.

Above: Rotorua’s Noel Hyde with a cracking Rotoiti rainbow.

The stream mouth action remains red hot. Hamurana, Awahou, Waiteti and Ngongotaha stream mouths are producing impressive numbers of rainbow and brown trout. Don’t overlook the small, cold spring streams flowing into Lake Rotorua at this time of year also. The action is likely to continue until the lake begins to cool. We have already had some cooler nights here in Rotorua.

If you are new to trout fishing or the Rotorua lakes area the stream mouths are easy to fish. A floating line and smelt fly or Wooly Bugger fly or a small nymph, of almost any type, suspended under an indicator work well. Spin fishing is permitted and a good method is to use a bubble float with a fly suspended underneath. Twitch the float occasionally to entice the fish and lift the rod gently if the float stops drifting or sinks. 

Where have all the cicadas gone?

We normally associate this time of year with the excitement of cicada fishing however the cacophony has gone silent in recent weeks. Cicada have years when the population boom, but it seems like this isn’t one of them! Never mind however as the hot summer brings a multitude of other terrestrial and aquatic dry fly action with it, so don’t pack the Royal Wulff box away just yet! Have a look here for some interesting cicada information – did you know we have 42 species here in NZ?

Have you ever stuck yourself with a hook?

On a recent outing to the Awahou Stream mouth Auckland angler, Ian Roger managed to stick a small nymph into his lower leg. Fortunately for Ian, we were on hand and managed to remove the offending fly with a set of forceps.

If you fish enough, sooner or later you’ll find yourself with a hook embedded past the barb – but don’t worry. Removal is reasonably easy and painless if you know how. Here’s a useful YouTube video to see how it’s done.       

New Zealand Fishing, Hunting and 4X4 Expo

It’s on again! The highly successful NZ Fishing, Hunting and 4x4 Expo will run again in Rotorua on 23-25 August 2024. This year it’s going to be bigger and better. Follow their social media to keep in touch: https://www.facebook.com/NZfishinghunting4x4

Datawatch tagged Trout
Tagged trout can now be entered online. Entries go into the draw to win one of 20 free whole-season fishing licences: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/QCH5ZR6

Eastern Region Fishing Diaries – All lakes and streams
Fill in your fishing diaries here to help us manage the Eastern Fish & Game region. Participants go in the draw to win a $100 voucher from Kilwell: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/QRSD7D3

Tight Lines

Mark Sherburn, Eastern Fish & Game