Central North Island - Freshwater
fishing report
August 5, 2022
Well the amazing fishing on Taupo rivers just keeps on going this year. What an amazing we are having!! The Hine is now starting to peak as we go into August and we will see a lot more darker spent fish appear in the catches. In saying that there are still very large “backend” spawners entering the river although not in big numbers but certainly bigger fish.
The Waitahanui has also seen some very large rainbows in the last week or so.
Also some very nice browns are being caught on their way back down to the lake.
The Tauranga Taupo has been the most popular river to fish over the last few weeks as the numbers of stunning silver bars has been phenomenal to say the least. We have also seen plenty of rain over the last few weeks and the rivers have been in perfect condition for winter fishing.
The extra water will make the crossings on the TT very dangerous but if you can time it as it is on the way down and make the crossings after the fresh then the fishing will be spectacular!
The Tongariro as predicted has been the wild card this winter with some amazing numbers and huge rainbows caught over the last few weeks.
I have seen some fantastic pictures of rainbows and browns lying in the water next to double handed rods and some fairly large lures. This tells me that the “swingers” are catching some of the larger fish. It is probably not the method for big numbers but certainly seems the pick of the bunch for good quality fish.
I must admit that this time of the year as the other rivers possibly peak my attention turns to the Tongariro and there’s no other method that I enjoy more than swinging lures with a spey rod.
Its such a relaxing way to fish and there’s nothing like the rip roaring hit that you get when swinging. The tug is the drug they say!
We know from DOC figures that some of the biggest runs of fish are still to come on the Tongariro right through until October.
As far as methods go bomb and eggs are the mainstay through winter especially in higher flows.
In the clearer lower conditions heading into spring a more refined approach will be needed with naturals, smaller indicators, a reduction in leader diameter, and a stealthy approach being required..
Some early caddis and mayfly hatches can happen at anytime now on a warmer spring day so I will be taking a dry dropper unit from mid to late August.
Spring is just around the corner now so there is lots to look forward to in the Taupo calender.
Lakes Rotoaira and Otamangakau open September 1st, smelting is fast approaching, and the river mouths also continue to give good sport when levels fluctuate on the rivers.
Expect a mixture of fresh and returning fish form the river mouths going into spring but there will be plenty of action to be had.
Tight lines from the team and Fly & Gun Hunting and Fishing.
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