Reel Life January 2024

Plenty of opportunities for those willing to travel

We are hearing good reports on how well our rivers have recovered since Cyclone Gabrielle, and as we approach the first anniversary, it’s great to see how well the region's rivers have started to recover.

 Invertebrate life is starting to return, and the sightings of many fingerlings throughout the Mohaka, Ngaruroro & Tuki Tuki Rivers show we are on the right track.

The many slips through the region will still be an issue for water clarity and make our usual methods for assessing Trout populations, such as drift diving and electric fishing difficult.

We are hoping that with the clear spell we have been having, we will get into the upper reaches to do some population assessments.

With the hot weather also comes algal blooms, and HBRC has issued a warning for toxic algae in the Tuki Tuki near Walker Road in Central Hawkes Bay, so be cautious with dogs and swimmers in the area.

Upper Ngaruroro

One of our licence holders spent some time in the upper Ngaruroro and had this to report:

• Immaculate condition, moderate to low level, making crossing very easy although quite slippery, gin clear, very easy spotting.
• Fishing: Exceptional dry fly fishing, as good as it gets. All fish were caught on drys throughout the four days, rising to most things, and there were lots of cicadas around but not close to water yet.
• Very good evening rise in some of the pools.
• Fish condition was excellent, between 4-7lb.
• Bumped into someone who kept a very nice/fat orange fish, probably sea runs very silver, similar to trout we get here in the lake.

Trout Fishing Teaser

If you’re a passionate angler keen to pass on your skills and knowledge to eager beginners, we need your help.

We want more people to discover the joys of Trout Fishing, but they need somewhere to start, so we want to help them along by running beginner courses at The Game Farm so they get a feel for why it’s such a great sport to be involved in.

Our first event will be on Saturday, 23^rd March, and we are looking for people who can demonstrate casting techniques, types of flies and their uses, filleting & smoking Trout and lending a hand while they test their skills on our ponds.

If you are interested in being involved, contact Kerry on 0212746119 or email kmeehan@fishandgame.org.nz to learn more.

This event can only go ahead if we have enough volunteers to run the workshops.

Online River Survey

Thanks to those who have been filling in the survey when you’ve been out on the rivers; it helps us better understand what’s happening out there, as we can’t be everywhere.

And to say thanks, everyone who contributes to the survey over the season goes in the draw for a $200 Hunting & Fishing Voucher drawn on April 30^th 2024.

Click here to see the survey https://forms.office.com/r/8Z52YQv1nj, and don’t forget to save the link for next time!

Tight lines

The team Hawkes Bay Fish & Game