Reel Life November 2023

Blue Springs closure update

The Blue Springs Walkway has been closed by the District Council due to a slip blocking the upper car park and causing safety issues at the Whites Road car park due to congestion. 

Although the walkway is closed, the river is open to fishing as long as you stay off the walking track.

Staff have asked for clarification from DOC who administers the reserve at the beginning of the track for further information and have not received a reply.

It is not possible to access the upstream end of the track and the closure could last for up to a year.

Please check the spring flyer for further information.  

It is still cold enough to fish lowland rivers like the Waikato

It is time to plan your summer fishing adventures but if you haven’t hit your local lowland rivers yet it's not too late. 

Like last year water temperatures are very low and there are still plenty of fish in the Waikato and small lowland streams in the Waikato.

Staff have received some tag returns from small streams around Hamilton that have never had fish recorded in them.

So don’t rush off to the higher elevation summer streams just yet as the trout have not been forced into their summer habitat yet so we would not expect streams like the Mangatutu or Awakino to be fishing at their prime yet.

Waikato anglers must wash boats to fish in Rotorua Lakes

Biosecurity New Zealand has imposed a Controlled Area Notice (CAN) to prevent the spread of the gold clam into the Rotorua Lakes.

All boats that have been in the Waikato River in the past 30 days are now required to be cleaned at a designated wash station before entering any of the Te Arawa lakes. 

The designated wash station (The Wash Place) is located at 338 Te Ngae Road just past the turnoff to the Redwoods (Tarawera Road). 

Boats and trailers must be cleaned just prior to entering the water on the same day. 

Anglers are also required to fill in an Online self-certification form prior to launching.

Up-to-date information on the gold calm can be found on the MPI web page.

Tight Lines

Adam Daniel, Auckland Waikato Fish & Game