In saying that, I still feel that the best is yet to come as everything this year has been 4-6 weeks late in happening.

Believe it or not, we have not had the consistent rain in the region that we have had for the past couple of years. Don’t get me wrong, there is some fantastic fishing out there and still some magnificent specimens caught though.

The rivers have been low and clear for some time now and yes the runs have been coming through but I feel in very small squirts and numbers. If you have been lucky enough to be Johnny on the spot with one of these runs going through you would have had a blast.

If you are the guy 200 meters above or below then you’d be struggling. The trick is to keep on the move.

We are now at the time when sheer numbers of fish in the system will give most anglers a chance of a fish or two but those bright silver bars that we all love to catch are still waiting for some consistent higher levels to do their dash.

The Hine has once again been the big draw for anglers as its local and access is very easy with sheer numbers making it great for those with just a few hours, plus it has great confidence water for beginners.

The TT has had some great runs going through but as usual your timing has to be on the money as these fish go through pretty quick after a fresh. It also drops and clears pretty quickly but is always wort a walk. Don’t be put off by the car numbers in the car park as this is really the only access and there is plenty of room on the river to spread out.

The mighty Tongariro has been a bit slower to fire but that seems to be the trend with the main runs coming later towards September. The Tongariro is our biggest spawning river and the most famous.

Those that are continuously successful on the “Tongy” are those that have put the hard yards in and have got to know the river really well. I love this river as you can use a multitude of different styles of fly fishing. It responds well to all of them.

So for the moment stick to eggs and bombs early morning and change over to naturals, Caddis, PTN, Hare and Copper as the day progresses.

On the clearer brighter days us smaller #14 and #16 nymphs, get rid of the bling, and fish skinny bland patterns. Also change your leader size down to as thin as you dare, lengthen it and clip the indicator right down.

If you are wetlining early morning is best to cover water and target those fresh runners. Wooly Buggers, Rabbits, Intruders with a bit of bling until the sun gets up and then go down in size with less bling. #12 woolies and small wets are the go.

The key really is to stay on the move when the conditions are low and clear. Cover the water really well and move.

Love to see you all on the way through so call in and say hello and get the good oil from Karsten and myself. We have a huge array of specialist fly fishing gear and a wealth of experience in all aspects of fly fishing in the Taupo district and the methods used especially in the world of Spey and Euro.

There’s some great deals and advice on offer. We have also got a great range of winter clothing to keep you comfortable now that winters grip is finally here.

Tight lines from the team at Fly & Gun Hunting and Fishing