Report from Fly & Gun Hunting & Fishing Taupo

From Gary Lyttle, Fly & Gun Hunting & Fishing Taupo

10 February 2012

No complaints from the fishing out there this week, some beautiful conditioned trout full of smelt being caught over the last few days for the trollers, best times are the change of light especially early mornings and best depths are anything from 80 feet to 130 feet deep , most consistent depth this week has been around the 30 metre mark, best lures have been the Orange and Gold and Spotty Gold with the Traffic light and small Black Toby doing really well.

Jigging is now going very well with top local spots this week over at Whareweka and over at Mine bay depending on the wind. Horomatangi Reef has been producing some stunning bigger fish when the conditions have allowed. Any of the small Pat Swift Smelt patterns will do the job and best depths are between 30 metres and 45 metres at the moment.

Fly fishing has been nothing short of awesome out there over the last couple of weeks with some of the best Cicada action I have ever seen the rivers are now stable and clear and the last spell of hot weather we had brought the Cicadas out on mass, The high country bush clad rivers have been the places to be where the Cicadas are most prolific any big rubber legged dark Stimulater patterns sized from 8# to 6# will do the job and the bigger the splash with the fly the better !!

Now is the time to be out there enjoying the very best of what our beloved Taupo region has to offer Iff you want some local Cicada action then look no further than the Tongariro which has seen some great fishing throughout its length the weather needs to be good though and overcast and cooler days will see less surface activity so keep an eye on the forecast. With luck and good weather we hopefully will some excellent Cicada fishing throughout February and possibly into early March.

From Gary Lyttle, Fly & Gun Hunting & Fishing Taupo

25 November 2011

Fishing this last week has been a lot better again out on the lake for those who braved the winds and rain. Harling is still the top method for those prepared to get out of bed and on the lake nice and early. White Striker charters have been having a blast this last week with the Harling landing a Brown Trout at 8lb and a Rainbow at 5lb, plus quite a few good quality fish one morning over at Rangatira Point.

Similar action also for Bravado and White Striker on the downriggers fishing much deeper than normal getting down to anything from 35-45 meters deep. Local anglers Mr Bill Lomaz and Grandson Jack Laugeseen have had some great fishing out there this week catching a number of good quality Rainbows topped by a Brown Trout of 4 3/4 lb.

Top lures this week are Orange and Gold Kiwis, Green and Yellow Cobras and small sized Spotty Gold Cobras, chopping and changing depth is still very much a part of success out there at the moment. The inclement wintery weather has restricted a lot of fishing to local bays this last week but once the weather settles it will be well worth while getting over to the Western Bays and over the Reef to try some less pressured water.

Local fly fishing has had a windy wintery blast this week with lots of rain so the fishing has been somewhat slower with the odd bit of good fishing has been coming from some of the local river mouths once the wind dies down. Waitahanui in particular has had some reasonable numbers going through. The Tongaririo continues to have small consistent pods of fish going through especially on these low pressures we have been having.

Backcountry rivers have had mixed reports with the wintery weather holding back a lot of insect activity and the dry fly activity in the evenings has also been very intermittent with a cold wind arriving just at hatch time. Good news is better weather should be just round the corner, Brown and Green Beetles are on the wing and I heard the first Cicada here in town just yesterday so all to look forward to now as we head towards summer.

From Gary Lyttle, Fly & Gun Hunting & Fishing Taupo

18 November 2011

A mixed bag out on the lake this week with some people finding lots of fish and having a ball while others struggled to find a single fish. The key once again has been the depth for the trollers. Fish have been caught at depths varying from 50 feet down to 120 feet , those who have been most successful are the ones who have made the effort to continually change the depths at which they fish, and also religiously staying on the move until they locate the fish.

Top lures this week are once again Baby Brown, Orange and Gold, Green and Yellow Cobras. Also working has been the Green Striped small Black Toby. Harling is still the most consistent method out there at the moment and early morning and late evening are the two best times to be out there harling at the moment.

Jigging has been going quite well for quite a few people this week with depths again quite crucial. During the middle of the day the fish have been caught as deep as 55m by some of the locals using Pat Swift Smelts and Olive and Black Woolly buggers on the point.

Local fly fishing has been quite good this week with rivers now stable and clear. The Hinemaia still continues to produce some good fishing and the Tauranga-Taupo has good numbers of fish in the upper reaches. The Tongariro still continues to have some spasmodic runs of fish through the system and with less people. About now is a very good option for some good sighted fishing weather permitting. The river mouths have had some decent fishing this week with small Bobbies and fast sinking lines especially at the Waitahanui.

Dry fly activity continues to increase in the evenings now and we had our first Caddis hatch mid week despite a cool wind using Elk Hair Caddis with a good early hatch extending over two hours so not a bad start to the dry fly season. Mixed weather forecast for the weekend so just keep an eye on what’s happening before making definite plans.

From Gary Lyttle, Fly & Gun Hunting & Fishing Taupo

11 November 2011

Fishing out on the great lake this week has been very good once again for most. November is prime time for the Harlers, and the past few weeks fishing has been outstanding for those first couple of hours of daylight. Top flies will be Parsons Glory, Yellow Lady, Green Orbit and Ginger Micks, small sized Spotty Gold and Traffic Light Cobras on the point are also going well.

Trollers have had a better week this week with top depths continuing to be around the 100 feet mark and sometimes even deeper down to 120 feet. Best lures have been Baby Brown, Traffic light, and Spotty Gold also the smaller sized Black and Gold and all Copper Tobies have been successful. The trolllers have found the fishing quite consistent even throughout the day at these deeper depths.

The weather, particularly the wind has been quite varied this week, very often restricting the areas to fish but those who have braved the elements and managed to find some sheltered bays have been rewarded with some good fishing quite close to town. Weather looks a little calmer for the weekend ahead so might be a good time to head out a little further afield and try some less pressured areas such as the Western Bays.

The local fly fishing has been quite good as the rivers have now receded. It is now time to start thinking about the dry fly dropper rigs as some fish will now seek out more riffled type water to gain condition. Lots of reports now of good Mayfly Hatches in most rivers, we had our first dry fly evening this week, and even on a cold windy night had plenty of activity by finding a sheltered area out of the wind. No Caddis as yet but with a few warm days they will be here very soon as will our first Beetle hatches, all to look forward to now so tight lines till next week.

From Gary Lyttle, Fly & Gun Hunting & Fishing Taupo

4 November 2011

Good fishing out there this week with fair reports from most boaties on the lake. Early morning harling is still the best option for sheer numbers during that magic day break hour or so. Most areas are still working well. For harling, the change of light in the evening has also been a lot better this week. Top flies are the Green Orbit, Yellow Lady and Parsons Glory, with the smaller size 6# patterns seem to be more effective at the moment.

Trolling has been a lot more consistent this week with the key depth still being just that little bit deeper around the 100 feet mark. Top lures this week are Baby Brown, Orange and Gold, Kiwi Copper, and Spotty Gold. Chopping and changing your depth if you are not catching at this time of the year will be the main key to success for the trollers this week.

Jigging has made an early start this year with some very good quality fishing coming from just a little deeper than normal this week. Try fishing out to the 50-60m mark to cover more water and different depths. Horomatangi Reef fished very well for some anglers who visited the shop this week, with fish up to 5lbs being caught at the 55m mark. Top patterns for jiggers this week are the Pat Swift Green Orbits on the point and a selection of different Pat Swift smelt patterns in sizes 10# and 12# on the droppers.

Weather looks a bit changeable at the moment for the weekend, any where you can find reasonable shelter locally is going to be worth a try. Local Fly Fishing seems to be going very well still. The Tauranga-Taupo had a good run though as predicted, but has slowed considerably now. The Waitahanui has been having good numbers and some quality fish going through this week. Those who fished the higher reaches have been rewarded with some good fishing with naturals such as Hare and Copper, PTN’s and Cadillacs in size 14# and 16#.

The Tongariro is still the top performer this week and has had steady fishing on most days. There’s good Mayfly activity on this river at the moment, so be prepared for short spells on the dries when the opportunity arises.

Ella Bowers, 7 years old of Hill Top school with a nice Waitahanui fish whilst out with dad last week

From Gary Lyttle, Fly & Gun Hunting & Fishing Taupo

28 October 2011

We have been enjoying the first signs of summer this week and the fishing out on the lake has been going well for most. Harling is still going really well for that first change of light period on day break for about an hour and half of frantic activity once again you don’t have to go far to find the good fishing. Again it does not really matter what lures you use it is just a magic time of day out there.

Change of light in the early evening has also been good but not as good as that magic morning period. Waitahanui has probably been the top spot this week with quite a few locals changing to jigging once that sun comes up. They have been going very well just over the drop off, quite a few have commented on the better sized fish now coming to the jigging over there during the day.

The trollers have also had a better week. Nick Reed from the Bravado Charters has been finding plenty of fish by going just a little deeper this week just over the 100 feet mark has been the key with Baby Brown, Spotty Gold and Orange and Gold Lures doing the damage.

The local fly fishing was performing a lot better this week as the rivers receded from last week’s rain and as predicted the Tauranga Taupo and the Tongariro performed very well for the anglers who got the timing right. Quite a bit of dry fly activity reported this week with some very good hatches of Mayfly and we had our first visitor telling us of a day on the dry fly on the Tongariro catching some nice sized mending fish on the Adams dry fly.

Quite a few reports also now of the back country rivers coming good now that the levels have settled the Mohaka especially has been fishing quite well. Long range forecast is for a long hot summer this year so let’s hope that we have that long awaited Cicada year, in the mean time, tight lines till next week.

From Gary Lyttle, Fly & Gun Hunting & Fishing Taupo

21 October 2011

Fishing out on the lake has been just a little inconsistent this week for the boaties. Early morning harling is still going really well, and Waitahanui is probably one of the more productive areas at the moment for harling.

The downriggers are finding the going just a little harder this week with key fishing depths that are varying from anything between 50 and 100 feet so the key again is to vary the depth all the time until you find the zone. Chop and change your lures, not only the colours, but vary from standard sizes to King sizes to try to see what is working on the day.
Top lures this week Yellow and Green and Spotty Gold, Baby Brown and Orange and Gold Cobras in both standard and king size.

Local rivers had another deluge of rain this week and by Wednesday there was only the Hinemaia and Waitahanui rivers left fishable. Both rivers were producing fish for most anglers with small sized globugs in the morning, and naturals during the day were doing most of the damage.

Forecast for the weekend is quite good with just showers predicted so the local rivers should be fishable by Friday and should all have reasonable numbers of fish running them. My money would be on the Tongariro and the Tauranga Taupo to be the top two performers this weekend, but you will need to double check those levels before making plans.

From Gary Lyttle, Fly & Gun Hunting & Fishing Taupo

30 September 2011

Early mornings and change of light are still the best times for fishing out on the great lake this week. Some very good fish being caught first light, with the best spots being Waitahanui, 5 Mile Bay, Rotognaia Point and round to the White Cliffs if the weather has permitted.

Fishing that shallower depth seems to be the key at anything between 40 and 80 feet as the water temperature remains at just over 11 degrees. Chop and change your depth and lures till you find what works is very much the answer this week.

Top lures are Baby Brown, Solid Gold, Traffic Light and Fluo Orange and Green Cobras. Harling has also continued to do well even just along the lake front itself this week. Smaller sized 6# flies are doing well with the Green Orbit, Parsons Glory and Ginger Mick doing the damage.

The local fly fishing has been patchy this week as the rivers have become lower and clearer after the rains. The fish are still coming through but in smaller numbers and are running through quite quickly staying on the move to find those fresh fish has been the key to success this week.

Smaller naturals down to size 16# is what you will need to use in the clearer conditions. Top spot will have to be the Tongariro this week as fresh fish continue to pulse up the river on a reasonably regular basis. Conditions are challenging but staying on the move and adapting to fishing much finer has been getting some good results with some very good quality fish showing up through the week.

From Gary Lyttle, Fly & Gun Hunting & Fishing Taupo

16 September 2011

Wind and bad weather has kept the ‘boaties’ very much at bay this week, but those who have braved the elements and found some shelter have found the fishing a little harder than previous weeks.

The Harlers that have got out on the water at first light on days before the wind has got up have had some very good fishing, but a lot of small fish to contend with.

On the other hand, the local fly fishing has had a bit of a mini bonanza with a big Westerly hitting our local rivers coinciding with some good rain over the weekend. This gave the Hinemaia, the Waitahanui and the Tauranga-Taupo some very good runs of fresh fish.

Those who were able to get out and take advantage of those conditions were rewarded with some excellent fishing. Glo Bugs and Bombs were the go on the day with large sized 10# and 12#, eggs and some heavy weight bombs to get down through the heavier flows.

The wetliners had a ball going down Tauranga-Taupo on Tuesday with some very good quality fish being caught on Black and Olive Woolly Buggers and Cone heads. The Tongariro did not get overly affected by the rain but did get a decent run of fresh fish through. Once again the wetliners probably had the best of the fishing early in the mornings.

Forecast for the weekend is for more unsettled weather (not going to say rain!) and for a colder South Westerly wind to hit by the weekend so it will be rough but the conditions with the higher river levels should be very good.

From Gary Lyttle, Fly & Gun Hunting & Fishing Taupo

9 September 2011

Harling first thing in the morning was the way to go over this past week. Harling with either a Yellow Lady or Green Orbit being chased by a standard Cobra in Fluo Orange or Spotty Gold has been the killing combo.

The downriggers are still finding fish at those shallower depths, anything from 50-80 feet will keep you in the action, chop and change to stay with the fish is the key. Top lures for the down riggers this week are Orange and Gold, Baby Brown, Black Toby and of course small or large Spotty Gold Cobras.

Top spots locally haven’t changed much with good fishing out at Dirty Duck Creek, Rotagnaia Point and around the White Cliffs have all been producing some fish. The Lake Front and Booths Farm are still producing plenty of fish but tend to be on the small side. Lots of reports of smaller fish at the moment, but all in very good condition with plenty of smelt inside the stomachs.

Jigging had a bit of spurt this week around the Western Bays area reports of some very good quality fish also from the Kinloch area for the jiggers. Top flies are the Fluo Chart smelt and small Pat Swift Smelt patters in size 10# and #12.

Local fly fishing is still on the hard side we still have had no rain to speak of for quite a number of weeks now and the fishing is definitely very hard on most local rivers. The Tongariro has little runs going through early morning and at the end of the day but very patchy. The most productive anglers are staying on the move throughout the day to find odd pockets of fish well spread out.

The river mouths have been fishing quite steady at the end of the day going through till into dark that has slowed a little now as we go in to a new moon.

Rotoaira Lake opened last week and with the great weather we have had over the last few days it has been fishing very well.
Reminder that new national licences are due 1st of October and are available from us now. Still wishing for rain, tight lines all.

From Gary Lyttle, Fly & Gun Hunting & Fishing Taupo

2 September 2011

Good fishing still going on out on the lake this week. Harling has been the top method for numbers of fish this week, also some better quality fish being caught on the Harl during the week. Reports from quite a few sources commenting on the large amounts of smelt being found in the trout caught over the last few weeks, this has got to be positive news.

Still very early in the morning is the time to be out there for the best of the fishing. Also change of light in the afternoon will produce some reasonable fishing. Top lures to harl with will be the smaller Spotty Gold, Yellow and Green Cobras chasing a small Parsons Glory or Yellow Lady.

The lake front and Golden Mile is still as good as anywhere to try, although those who took advantage of the calmer weather and ventured further afield over to the Western Bays had some excellent fishing with some good quality fish caught.

For the trollers, during the day, the top lures are still both the large and small Spotty Gold Cobras plus Orange and Gold King Cobras, Green and Yellow Cobras and the Green and Gold Toby have all been working well this week. Fishing those shallower depths has been the key this week for the trollers, anywhere between 40-60 feet deep, chop and change your lures and depths to find your fish.

Local fly fishing this week depends on how much rain we get, although we did have some steady runs through the system at the beginning of the week as the barometer dropped. Reports from the Tongariro suggest the early birds who got out of bed were rewarded with some reasonable fishing.

The river mouths have been very busy as fish start to gather at the entrances awaiting the next fresh, mixed reports on the fishing, odd bursts of activity as fish come through in small shoals some good quality fish being caught but very spasmodic. Most rivers will have had fresh fish in them during this week and are all well worth trying but we do still really need that next proper fresh.

Lake Rotoaira opens this week Sept 1st well worth a visit this time of year, also a reminder that the new National Licences are due Oct 1st and are available now.

From Gary Lyttle, Fly & Gun Hunting & Fishing Taupo

26 August 2011

Another steady weeks fishing out there on the great lake this week with cear cold and crisp winter weather and clear sunny views over the snow capped mountains. Just a stunning place to be out on at this time of year!

Best fishing is once again a lot shallower, anywhere from 40-80 feet deep. Remember the key is to chop and change fishing depths to stay in touch with the fish. Small Cobras in Spotty Gold, Baby Brown, Yellow and Green, and Rastafarian, as well as Orange and Gold King Cobra are still doing the damage also the Small Black Toby is worth a try.

Best areas are the local Bays including Acacia Bay, The Lake Front, Whakaipo and Waitahanui, over to Rotagnaia and the Cliffs, with some good reports this week from the Horomatangi Reef. If the weather stays as calm and clear as it has been recently, then basically the world is your oyster out there.

Harling has also been very productive but without doubt the best fishing whether harling or trolling is still very early in the morning and then again at the change of light, late afternoon.

Local fly fishing is still very challenging with the continued low and clear conditions. Most local rivers will have had small runs of fish go through now that the moon has died down a little, but they are running through very fast under the cover of darkness and proving difficult to tempt when found.

One big advantage you can have is being on the water before anyone else. This means getting out of bed and being on the river just before daybreak. You will find some very cold conditions but you should be rewarded with the best fishing of the day.

Top flies to use locally are small, drab and slim looking naturals such as P.T.N’s, Hares Ear and Green and White Caddis in size 14# and 16#. Change the leader right down to 5lb or 6lb B/S and keep movements to a minimum. Don’t walk straight up the runs, just stand back and watch for a while before going ahead too quickly. Here’s wishing for rain. Tight lines all.

From Gary Lyttle, Fly & Gun Hunting & Fishing Taupo

19 August 2011

Steady fishing out there on the lake this week. The key this week has been to fish a lot shallower than normal, 45-85 feet is all the depth you need on the downriggers as the lake temperatures have plummeted over the last few days.

The mornings have by far been the best time to be out there at the moment, the fishing has still been steady through the day but the “hot” time is early morning. The lake front has been where the action is this week, also Booths Farm and the Golden Mile, if you want to travel a little further afield then Dirty Duck Creek, Waitahanui and Rotognaia Point will be well worth a try.

Top lures this week are still the Orange and Gold King Cobra,and the smaller standard Cobras in Spotty Gold,Green and Yellow, Rastafarian and Baby Brown. The local fly fishing had a bit of a lift this week though not the numbers we expected despite the arctic blast. The river levels stayed pretty much the same and remained very clear.

Conditions remain the same with low and clear rivers, and best time out on the rivers by a country mile is early in the morning. Those who are braving the cold and getting out on the rivers at day break are being rewarded with some very good fishing as the fishing starts to slow down rapidly as the sun gets higher.

Small naturals are the way to go. I had a little walk up the Hinemaia and the Waitahanui on Tuesday, which turned out to be a stunning day, and had a reasonable days sport.

All the fish were caught on size 14# and 16# black beaded Hares Ears and there seemed to plenty of fish in the both the rivers but very picky, I saw some very nice Browns in the Waitahanui and managed to land one at 3.3 kg a stunning conditioned jack fish that fought like a Trojan all the way to the net.

We need a good fresh now to spur things along again, so here’s hoping for more rain and not snow. Tight lines till next week.

From Gary Lyttle, Fly & Gun Hunting & Fishing Taupo

12 August 2011

Fishing on the lake has been a bit mixed over the past few days with reports suggesting the best fishing has been quite local, mainly around the Golden Mile. Booths farm area is as far as you have needed to go really. Wharewaka and the lake front itself have also been fishing quite well.

Chopping and Changing your depth is the key to success this time of year as fish are at varying levels now. Best depths to fish are anything between 80-100 feet, top lures this week will be the Red and Green Cobra, Spotty Gold and Yellow and White Cobras, Orange and Gold King Cobra and also the smaller Black and Gold Toby.

Early Morning Harling has been successful again this week. Top Flies this week are the Green Orbits and Yellow Lady and also the Parsons Glory is worth a try. The bright Fluo Orange, Black barred Cobra has been the successful lure to Harl with this week.

The local fly fishing has been hard over the last week or so, but good news is that as I write this on Wednesday morning there is good rain forecast and is likely to last a few days into the weekend.

Get your wetlines ready with some large Black or dark coloured Woollies, use weighted ones in the higher flows and non weighted for fishing the edges as the levels recede. As the water colours up you can get away with fishing quite large eggs and use the brighter colours. Remember the bigger the Glo Bug you use, the more weight you need to get it down to the bottom.

Most rivers will respond to the fresh if they all go too high too quickly then remember the Tongariro can very often be the first river to recede and become fishable after high flows. The Waitahanui will nearly always be the last to become unfishable, so bear this in mind when planning your weekend.

We have not had any significant runs through the system since the last rains over a fortnight ago so we should be expecting a good number through this week. Enough said. Now is the hour!! It should all be on this weekend, get your waders and coats on and get out and enjoy.

From Gary Lyttle, Fly & Gun Hunting & Fishing Taupo

5 August 2011

Local fly fishing had a real boost over the last week or two, a good rain coinciding with a drop in temperature and hardly any moon. We also had some strong westerlies to help put the perfect scenario together, the local rivers responded immediately with good pulses of freshies coming up all the East side rivers. Admittedly some rivers fared better than others in regard to numbers but on the whole everyone enjoyed some sport.

This week has been more challenging as the river levels recede and the water becomes clearer, the fish are still there but become increasingly wary and less active.

We have many visitors coming in the shop complaining that the fishing is no good now until the next fresh because they aren’t catching all of a sudden. Yet I see the same folks on the river with huge indicators the size of shuttlecocks, fishing 10 and 12lb line and big size #8 eggs in low and clear water. To stay successful in these clearer conditions it is vital you adapt to the conditions on the day.

When that water starts to get clearer you need to fine your equipment down to near summer tactics, start with fining your tippet down to 5 or 6lbs, use smaller weighted naturals 12#s and #14s and reduce the size of the indicator accordingly. Stay on the move and don’t wade if you don’t have to. Many fish hug the sides out of the main current and can be spotted and cast to from the bank. If you wade to much you risk spooking not just one fish but all the fish in the pool.

Just a few pointers to try and help those that don’t do as well as they would like when the going gets a bit harder. If you’re visiting and the locals are catching all around you, pluck up courage and go and politely ask what they are using and how they are doing it, most good “Tauponians” are only too happy to help.

River mouths had a mixed bag despite perfect conditions after the winds changed. Early mornings are the best bet again, if you can get a good line out to over the lip at present then the Tauranga Taupo mouth has been the pick of the bunch this week.

From Gary Lyttle, Fly & Gun Hunting & Fishing Taupo

29 July 2011

Steady fishing out there for the boaties this week. You still don’t have to travel very far to get some decent fishing reports from just around the Golden Mile, Booths Farm and round to Acacia and Jerusalem Bays have been as far as you need to go. Plenty of fish being caught though still lots of small fish to contend with.

Top depths for the trollers have been anywhere between 60-90 feet, and best lures have been the small Spotty Gold, Orange and Gold and Green and Yellow Cobras. Harling has also been successful this week along the same areas running a Cobra lure on the point and a Yellow Lady or Green Orbit fly on the dropper. Both the flies and the lures are getting hits equally.

Fly fishing this week has been steady with the cold snap and some steady river levels and also no moon visibility at the mouth has seen a few fish moving up the rivers in reasonable numbers.

Some good quality Browns and Rainbows are still being caught throughout the local rivers. Small glo bugs are still the way to go first thing in the mornings but once the sun gets up the naturals start to score better. Flies such as Prince Nymph, Green and White Caddis, Flash Back PTN’s and Hare and Copper in sizes #12 and #14, go down in size as the water gets clearer.

The forecast once again looks mixed for the weekend. If we get some decent rain then give the wet line a go, this method is making a big come back and is a great traditional way to search a lot of water, if you have never tried it, and I am always surprised by the amount of anglers who haven’t! You should give it a go, many anglers now wet line downstream then change over to nymph and fish back up stream to the car, or vice versa.

This week’s picture is of local 12 year old Matthew Dean, who attends Taupo Intermediate School with a very nice looking 6lb Brown, well done Matthew who set a great example by safely returning this handsome fish to fight another day. Until next week, tight lines all.

From Gary Lyttle, Fly & Gun Hunting & Fishing Taupo

22 July 2011

Local fly fishing got off to a flyer this last weekend as the river levels
receded from the earlier rains. The wet liners did best as the levels took a little longer than expected to come down and clear. Most rivers were fishable and in excellent condition by Wednesday morning. Reports have been coming through of some very good fishing from most of
our local rivers, this has helped as a lot of holiday anglers are visiting
and they have been able to spread out quite well.

Early mornings with the Glo Bugs are the way to go as the water starts to clear this week, as the day goes on a change to naturals will very often get them going again. Top flies to try this week will be the PTN flashbacks, Hare and Copper, Cadlillac in size 12# and 14#.

With the higher flows there is always an abundance of both white and green Caddis made available that get dislodged and free drift in huge numbers. These are an easy meal for trout and they waste no time in zoning in to these insects at such times. Try these in sizes from 10# to 12# in the slightly coloured water and go down to 14# in the clearer water.

We took a trip up the T.T on Monday and saw plenty of anglers coming back down the track, mainly wet liners, with nice fresh silver bullets on the way to the smoke house. Top wetlining flies have yet again been the Coneheads with that little bit of extra weight for the heavier flows quite big flies up to size 4# in the dirtier water.

As the flows ease your standard Rabbit flies have been going well as have the Olive, Brown and Black Woollie Buggers in sizes from 6#
down to 10#. The river mouths will be worth trying this week as the lake starts to settle from the previous rains, the moon is not so prominent , we have some cold weather upon us so the ingredients are there for the local mouths to start performing for us.

Black, Olive, Boobies in 10#s and Rabbits and Black Woollie Buggers in 8# down to 10# will do the trick, change of light is still best time out there and if want to beat the crowds and get the best fishing then you need to drag yourself out of bed and get yourself out at the mouths just before day break.

Weather forecast looks unsettled for the weekend at the time of writing, get togged up and get out to enjoy those runs, these are the conditions we have been waiting for so take advantage and enjoy. Tightlines till next week.

From Gary Lyttle, Fly & Gun Hunting & Fishing Taupo

8 July 2011

Steady fishing out there on the lake again this week, lots of small fish still to contend with but still some good fish amongst them. We had reports of one very nice 8lb Hen caught over at the Reef this week whilst jigging for one very happy local.

Top depths still that 20-30m mark; top lures, Green and Yellow Cobra, small Black Toby, Spotty Gold and Baby Brown.
Early mornings are still the best time of day to be out there. We have got some rough looking westerlies due to hit the lake at the weekend, bringing quite a lot of rain with them. Top spots will be the Golden Mile along to Jerusalem Bay, Mine Bay and Whakaipo Bay will also offer some shelter if the weather does as forecast.

Local fly fishing has been very patchy again this week. Rain that was forecast still had not arrived so the rivers have been low and clear. The barometer has been steadily dropping this week so if we get the promised rain and with the extra chill in the air then I am hoping we should see some serious winter runs happening. Once again I would have to say that the Waitahanui is the best performing local river at the moment, not in terms of big numbers but certainly in the size and quality of fish being caught and lost.

Naturals are your best bet at the moment in the clear water with small size 14# Cadillacs, Green Caddis, PTN’s and Hares Ear. If we get enough rain to put a bit of colour in the rivers then you need to get your Glo Bugs out and make sure you have enough weight on your rig to get down to the bottom. If your flies are not on the bottom then you are not going to catch at this time of year, pretty much the golden rule of Taupo winter fishing.

A bit more activity reported from the river mouths this wee , still quite sporadic but some good quality fish being caught at the local mouths. Early mornings are the time to be out for the better fish at the moment.
Hopefully news next week of wintery weather, lots of rain and big runs of very late winter spawners running the rivers till then.

From Gary Lyttle, Fly & Gun Hunting & Fishing Taupo

1 July 2011

Still some very good fishing out on the lake this week, the first hour or two of day light has been some of the best fishing of the year, still a lot of small fish to contend with but a good number of bigger fish and in excellent condition full of smelt.

A little harder during the day light hours, you will need to chop and change depths and keep on the move to find your fish but still well worth the effort. Lake temperature is dropping quite quickly at the moment. Yesterday it was sitting at 13 degrees, which means that fish will be at varying levels, hence the need to keep changing depths to stay in touch.

Top depths have been anywhere between 20-30 metres. Top lures this week are small size Black Toby, Orange and Gold King Cobra and Green and Yellow Cobra. Taupo Bay has been a favourite spot over the past week but has had a lot of pressure. With some easing winds forecast then Wharewaka Point, 5 Mile Bay and round to Rotagnaia will be worth trying. New licences and Ramp Permits are required from today. Ramp fees have stayed the same.

Local fly fishing has been a little slow this week as a lot of rivers are now running a little low and clear. There is still good numbers of fish in the system but you have to be prepared to stay on the move to find them. You will also have to revert to smaller naturals and finer tippet to stay in touch with the fish until we get the next fresh.

The Tongariro is still the place to head for as most local rivers getting quite hard again. The Waitahanui is one local river that still has a good number of quality fish throughout the length at the moment. We had some reports this week of quite a few well conditioned Rainbows from higher up the river and tales of some monster Browns being spotted hooked and lost up toward the winter limit. Still no sign of the colder weather that we are all hoping for to get the fish really on the move up-river, even the river mouths have been a little a little disappointing despite no moon and plenty of cloud.

If you have concerns over the fishery, then now is the time to voice up. DOC have a fishery management discussion on several very important issues that will concern all of us. The opportunity to get involved will close on July 15.

If you don’t get involved then you will be left with no say as to how DOC deal with our beloved fishery. You can find this discussion board on line at www.doc.govt.nz Search for sport fishery management plan, or you can simply log onto the link at our Fly and Gun Facebook page.

From Gary Lyttle, Fly & Gun Hunting & Fishing Taupo

24 June 2011

The fishing out on the lake has been just a little bit up and down this last week, once again the stronger northerlies have been a little restrictive as to how far you can go.

On the days with better weather however the fishing has still been very good and the quality of the fish that have been caught has been outstanding.

Just along the Golden Mile to Rangatira Point is as far as you have needed to go for some consistent fishing. White Striker took a trip along to Dirty Duck Creek one day last week and had an absolute ball, some good fishing also reported from the White Cliffs round to Rotagnaia Point.

Top lures have been the Baby Brown, King Cobra in Orange and Gold and Traffic Light and also the small Spotty Gold Cobra.

Best depths anywhere between twenty and thirty metres deep, chopping and changing is the key to success. Jigging is still working well for quite a few locals out there at the moment probably not the same numbers being caught but very good quality fish when they do come along.

The local fly fishing had a bit of burst of activity mid week after the weekend rain with some very nice fish being caught from the Tongariro, surprising to see so many good Browns being caught at this time of year. If we could all be a little more selective on how many and which Browns get killed then we might just have a growing Brown Trout fishery on our hands, how good would that be! But that’s up to each individual on the day.

Local rivers are still high and dirty, but my money will be on the Tongariro once it gets a little lower, if you can the timing right on the river this week you’re going to have a ball. The river mouths had a bit of activity this week judging by the numbers strung out long the Rip. There will have been some good quality Rainbows coming through on the rain at the weekend and with moon hidden behind a big black cloud all weekend the conditions would have been perfect.

Congratulations this week to Taupo’s Roy Bowers who came out with Andrew and myself last week on a river mouth and landed a stunning 11 ½ Rainbow - his biggest ever trout, well done Roy.
Still very mild out there at the moment, thank goodness we have plenty of intermittent rain to keep the fish going through but we really need that cold snap to get them really firing up.

From Gary Lyttle, Fly & Gun Hunting & Fishing Taupo

17 June 2011

Not to many reports from the boaties out on the lake this week, those that have braved the weather have found the fishing quite good.
Most important factor has been finding the correct depth to fish at, you really do have to take the trouble to chop and change through the day to find that critical depth any where between 20-35 meters seems to be the key.

Top lures last week were the King Cobras in Spotty Gold and Orange and Gold, Kiwi lures in Baby Brown and Orange and Gold, also the fluo Yellow and White lure has done well.

We have strong Northerlies forecast for this weekend so head for Mine Bay, Whakaipo Bay and Wharewaka, if the weather permits you should try to get round to Waitahanui, Rotagnaio and the White Cliffs.

The local fly fishing had a bit of a lift this last week but nothing really to set us on fire. Similar to the last fresh we had small numbers of fish through most local rivers but were fairly well spread through the system.

The T.T once again was very average for most, but we had reports of some people doing quite well not to far from the car park wetlining, Black bodied Rabbits were the pattern used on this occasion.
Tongariro again was good for the early birds with some nice quality fish being caught on the clearing water but got harder as the days went on and as the water cleared.

One good report was from the lower Hinemaia with a couple of visitors doing well on the receding fresh early mornings last week.

Probably the most consistant river locally for numbers and quality is still the Waitahanui, Unreal eggs, Champagne and Fire Orange Glowies in 12# and 14# seem to be the top patterns here.

The river mouths have been equally indifferent, in saying that a group of Australians fished the Mouth at Hatepe the other evening just through the change of light period and reported some very good fishing.

The rip at Waitahanui has been giving up some better fish this week not big numbers though but when they come they have been good quality.
Once again med to fast sink shooting heads with various white, glow or black Boobies seem to be the key here.

Big rains forecast soon so we should see some freshies coming in the local rivers over the weekend.

Tight lines all till next week.

From Gary Lyttle, Fly & Gun Hunting & Fishing Taupo

3 June 2011

Winter fishing out on the lake continues to be very good out there, same as last week you really need to chop and change the depths around to stay in touch with the fish, top depths can be any where between 20 -30 meters at the moment.
Local fishing is still as good as any where this week with the Taupo Lake front, Acacia Bay, along the Golden mile and round to Jerusalem all good areas worth trying.

Top lures this week is still the Orange and Gold King Cobra followed very closely by the Baby Brown also the Fluo Green and Orange Kiwi and the small Black and Gold Toby all successful lures this week
A noticeable increase in the size of fish this week as the ratio of fish that make the limit size is probably approaching the 50% mark, among these have been some cracking conditioned fish up to around the 4-5lb mark.

Reports that jigging is still going quite well for some of the locals who fish out in the Jerusalem Bay area top depths for these can range from 20-40 meters so you need to increase your drifts to go over a greater variety of depths till you find your fish .
Olive and Black woolly buggers on the bottom dropper and Pat Swift Smelts above are doing the damage at the moment for the jiggers .
Those anglers that are braving the cold mornings and getting out for a Harl are being rewarded with some excellent fish at the moment concentrating around the Waitahanui drop off and over to Hatepe have been the top spots locally.

Local fly fishing had a good weekend with the receding levels at the weekend, the Tongariro again the pick of the bunch with some cracking Browns being caught, It is a shame to see so many of these big Browns being killed and taken out of the gene pool, however lots of good quality Rainbows running through the system as well , both the wet liners and the nymphers enjoyed some great sport over the weekend .
The T.T had a good run go through once the level dropped we had reports of some excellent fishing just above the car park on size#12 champagne eggs all the fish caught were in excellent condition and all around the 2-3lb mark that we expect from the T.T at this time of year.

The Hine was still up and coloured from a release at the lake at the time writing so no reports from there yet.
The river mouths are now fishing better with a good drop on the barometer and some squalid weather over the last week . some good fish coming out at Waitahanui picket but again at the time of writing still just small pockets of fish going through.

The Waitahanui river has also been fishing very well with some very nice Browns being caught and some good fat silver Rainbows being caught along most of the length.
We look as though we may have a run of finer weather for a few days now so as the rivers drop remember to fine down and get back on the naturals when the rivers start to clear.
Until next week tight lines all.

From Gary Lyttle, Fly & Gun Hunting & Fishing Taupo

20 May 2011

The local fly fishing was expecting a bit of a bumper start to the winter last week on the back end of that last front that came through quite a few fish ran but were intent on getting up river as fast as possible. They were pretty high up most local rivers by the time the anglers were out and about, not the numbers we had hoped for but well worth going out for and most anglers saw some action...

Top depths have been anything from 20 to 30 meters, as the weather now starts to mix the lake temperatures the emphasis will be very much on chopping and changing your depths to find the fish. Top lures have been the Black and Gold Toby in the smaller size, Orange and Gold King Cobra still performing well also a fluo Orange and Green Cobra was the killer on a few days last week, and of course the ever popular Spotty Gold.

This week it will just be a matter of getting out and finding some sheltered bays amongst the squalls as the weather is all over the place at the moment,
Still some good quality fish being caught though and lots of comments on the super condition found on most fish that are being kept.

The local fly fishing was expecting a bit of a bumper start to the winter last week on the back end of that last front that came through, quite a few fish ran but were intent on getting up river as fast as possible and were pretty high up most local rivers by the time the anglers were out and about, not the numbers we had hoped for but well worth going out for and most anglers saw some action, once again lots of good comments from the locals on the superb condition of fish being caught this winter, it is still quite early yet and we have more rain on the horizon, we also have some southerly weather coming our way this will cool things down to winter as we expect for this time of year and hopefully will encourage more fish to run.

The river mouths have been producing the odd good fish for those braving the weather, some very nice rainbows being caught at the moment at the change of light, the moon has been covered over with cloud this week so the fishing has continued on, the big Westerlies arrived early in the week and put paid to all but the insane from fishing the mouths for a couple of days, we are expecting a South West change by the weekend so it will be interesting to see how the mouths perform locally with this much awaited colder weather , watch this space !!

Still some very good fishing on the lake at the moment according to our friends at White Striker and Bravado, these guys are out there everyday and are always an honest gauge as to what is going on they are also just as happy to tell us when things are not so good buy the way. But at the moment all is still well with good numbers being caught at all times of the day, you don't have use gallons of fuel to find them as they are mostly finding good fishing quite close to home, Taupo Bay itself 3 Mile Bay and the lake front have all been producing this week as the weather has restricted a lot of boaties to traveling much further any way this week.

Top lures have been the Orange and Gold King Cobra without a doubt the best lure for last week closely followed by the consistent Baby Brown and Traffic Light and Spotty Gold in the smaller std sized lures. Best depths any thing in between 20 meters and 35 meters, the key now is to make the effort to chop and change your depths to locate where they are once you find one at a certain depth you will more than likely pick up more at the same depth, when the takes dry up relocate and vary the depths again.

Still lots of undersized fish but in remarkable condition Nick over at Bravado says about one in every four caught is probably a keeper, White Striker also reiterate these numbers so not so bad for early winter fishing out on our beautiful lake.
What could be better on a clear crisp Autumn morning fishing in gin clear, aqua blue water with a snow covered mountain backdrop to look out on during the day, with good fishing to boot, perhaps we should all pinch ourselves every now and again to remind us just how lucky we really are!!

The local fly fishing has had a bit of a boost on that last rain with some early runs of freshies most of the local rivers received a bit of a squirt of these early runners, we heard of some very good fish coming from the Tongariro this week again as expected not big numbers but some good sized and quality trout.

The river mouths continue to have odd pulses of fish coming through but you are having to put in some good hours to be assured of fish. Western Bays river mouths are continuing to perform well at the moment though.

We have more rain forecast for the weekend so now is the hour, the winter is here, and we know what should happen when it rains !!! say no more, see you on the water.

With thanks to Gary Lyttle of Taupo Hunting and Fishing

The lake fishing continues be going quite well although the big front at the beginning of the week kept a lot of boaties off the water for a couple of days. Once again it has been a matter of finding some quiet water for some sheltered fishing out of the elements. Traffic light and Baby Brown have been the top lures this week at depths of 30-35 meters.

Jigging has still been going well and were now into May so the fishing this year has improved considerably much later than we would normally expect. Most fish caught at the moment are full of smelt and round as footballs and very good eating fish.

The fly fishing is set for a bit of a squirt of early runners this week after the big front went through I would be giving the Tongariro a bit of a go this weekend weather permitting and would be expecting to see some nice sized rainbows coming through, probably not big numbers but there should be some quality about.

The river mouths have had a bit of a mixed week again, the Waitahanui rip was busy this holiday weekend but some nice fish were caught just before the storm came, during the day has also been productive, mainly smelt and heave and leaves doing the damage out there this week.

Weekend looks good weather wise at the time of writing so hopefully I will see some of you out there giving it go, tight lines till next week .

With thanks to Gary Lyttle of Taupo Hunting and Fishing

Still some great fishing going on out there this week on the Great Lake, the wind has been a bit inclement and has restricted the fishing pretty much to Acacia and Jerusalem Bays at the start of this week, that said still plenty of fish being caught and quite a few nice Rainbows now showing up in awesome condition, just heard of a 9lb Rainbow caught off Whakaipo as I write this, we don't know any details as yet.
Best method this week is still probably the downrigger simply because of the sheer amount of water you cover at specified depths, Best depths this week have been 30-35 meters, with the small Black Toby and standard sized Spotty Gold doing the most damage, the straight Orange and Gold Tazzie is also going well and worth a try.

The local fly fishing has been going very well this week after a good cold fresh early in the week most local rivers had some small early runs of silver bullets through them, those lucky enough to get out fishing on the receding levels had some very good sport with small glo bugs doing well early in the morning and naturals doing the best during the day.

The Waitahanui will be the one to watch this week as the prevailing winds have been strong Westerlies and with a big moon back the pressure will be off the river mouth . There will be some big strong rainbows and browns to be found up river from now and through the rest of April.

The Tongariro had some good fishing just after the rain with the early morning wetliners having lots of fun on the Tuesday morning after that bitterly cold front went through Turangi.early in the week. Medium and fast sinking lines with Natural and Red Rabbits also Olive and Black Woollie Buggers were doing the damage out there early in the week.

Weather still looks a bit unsettled for the next few days but nothing to horrendous.
I see a good covering of early snow on the mountains on the way to work in the mornings now, Taupo in full winter glory, just stunning !! The fishing is pretty much in winter mode now and we can start to look forward to some good fishing over the next few months, if it is anything like last winters fishing you won't find any complaints from me.

With thanks to Gary Lyttle of Taupo Hunting and Fishing

Still some good fishing out there at the moment lots of smaller undersized fish to contend with though this week, still reasonable numbers of bigger fish being caught though to keep the interest up.

You still don't have to travel very far to get good fishing with the lake front itself fishing quite well along with the Golden Mile, Wharewaka, Rangatira and Mine Bay.
For those willing to travel just a bit further then Waitahanui, Dirty Duck Creek and round to the White Cliffs and Rotagnaia should fish well at the moment.
Top depths between 90 and 120 feet, the most consistent depth though this week has been the 100 foot mark. Best lures this week standard sized Baby Browns, Spotty Gold, Yellow and White and Green and White, the tried and tested older styles still working as good as ever.

The local fly fishing has enjoyed some very good late dry fly sport both on the Passion Hoppers and some good Mayfly hatches on most of our local rivers, We had a bit of rain early in the week that encouraged a few nice rainbows to run up some of the rivers, the Hine and the Tongariro had some very nice conditioned fish caught around midweek, not big numbers but very good condition and a nice sort of 3-41/2lb size about right for this time of year hopefully we can expect to see more of this happening through April as we usually expect some of the biggest fish of the year to be in these small early runs.

The local river mouths have been spasmodic again but some noticably bigger rainbows being caught at Waitahanui at the change of light, good reports from over the Western Bays river mouths this week with some very good fishing throughout the day on some of the beaches over there, Smelt patterns during the day and switching to bigger Olive and Black Woollie Buggers at the change of light.

With thanks to Gary Lyttle of Taupo Hunting and Fishing

Another great week's fishing on the lake this week, chatting to the guys at both White Striker and Bravado both agree that the fishing has actually even improved on last week again, still lots of undersized fish being caught but more and more better quality fish turning up everyday. I t doesn't seem to matter what time of day your out there this week its been good all through the day. Best depths once again that 100-120 feet, top lures Spotty Gold, Yellow and White and Green and Yellow Cobras are best this week again.

You don't have to go much further than our local bays at the moment, Wharewaka, Mine Bay, Whakaipo,and Ranagatira have all been fishing well. Jigging has also been a lot better this week with the weather being a bit more settled after the weekend.

Best depths locally around the 30-35 meter mark, Pat Swift Mini Green Orbits, any of the small smelt patterns in size 10#and 12# will do the job, Olive and Black Woolly Buggers at the change of light on the bottom dropper have also been doing the damage.

Local fly fishing was smashed earlier this week with a deluge that coloured up most of our local rivers however the Waitahanui produced some nice fish at the weekend for those that were out in the rain, local angler James Clarke and American visitor Johnny Schuster were amongst some good browns swinging big black woollies as the river was rising.

Same for the Tongariro best of the fishing was for the wetliners with Big Olive and Black Woollies for both Browns and good sized rainbows in that lovely green milky water you get just on the receding levels. There should be some good fishing towards this weekend as the levels recede and the rivers have had a bit of a freshen up, we should be seeing some nice fresh rainbows starting to appear during April.

River Mouths are still a bit patchy although those that have been up early at kick off time have been rewarded best for getting out of bed with the odd better quality rainbow now showing up on change of light.

With thanks to Gary Lyttle of Taupo Hunting and Fishing

The great lake has been fishing very well this last week with significant improvements in numbers caught and noticeably larger fish this week,White Striker suggest that the proportion of fish over that 40 cm mark is approaching around 50% of fish caught. All fish large or small have been in very good condition and spewing out smelt.
Top local spots have been Wharewaka and Rangatira at around the 120-130 feet mark. Best lures have been the Babv Brown,Spotty Gold,and Yellow and White Cobras.

Local fly fishing has been steady this week with some good reports of continued dry fly sport on many of our local rivers, some good browns continue to be spotted along the lengths of the Waitahanui and the Tongariro but are getting quite tough to tempt.
Low and clear conditions are making the fishing quite challenging locally and those that are prepared to walk and cover the water are more likely to be successful, fishing small dries such as Passion Hoppers, Parachute Adams, Klinkhammer in small sizes 14# down to 18# are the flies to try at the moment.

The weather forecast is giving us a bit of rain over the week so this will help freshen up many of our local rivers and lakes. The local river mouths have been a bit hit and miss again this week and with quite a big moon to contend with so should improve once again next week and hopefully we might start to see some early rainbows arrive with that bit of rain that we have been promised.

With thanks to Gary Lyttle of Taupo Hunting and Fishing

The reports coming in this week have been back in favour of more local fishing, The Western Bays on the lake have been a little patchy for the boats this week, reasonable numbers but patchy fishing. Local spots to try this week will be the Horomatangi Reef, White Cliffs, Rotognaia Point, Whareweka has also been quite steady this week and should continue to give good fishing. Over on the other side of the bay Rangatira Point has been producing some good numbers for the trollers also give Jerusalem Bay round to Acacia Bay a go, lots of smaller fish again this week but the odd good fish is still getting caught amongst them.

Early mornings are still giving the best sport as day time fishing is quite patchy at the moment, change of light at the end of the day is also worth trying. Best depths between 30-40 meters, Top lures this week are standard sized Spotty Gold, Yellow and White, Yellow Clown and Traffic Light Cobras.

Jigging has also been a bit patchy this week, Whareweka, Rangatira Point and Jerusalem have all been reasonably consistent , best depth once again 35- 40 meters, best advice this week is to stay on the move till you find fish don't rely totally on one favourite spot give it 30 minutes and then move on to somewhere else till you find them.

Local fly fishing has also been a little patchy with a big rain mid week that put the rivers up for a couple of days, the Tongariro did not get to badly affected and fished quite well for the wet liners for a couple of days, quite a few good browns still being spotted throughout the length of the Tongariro lying along the edges and just out of the main current.

The river mouths have been a little hit and miss this week with little bursts of activity here and there and at any time of the day, both Hatepe and the Picket have been the same, but some better quality fish have been coming from the picket over the last few days to all manner of different flies and line densities no hard and fast rules at the moment just a case of being Johnny on the spot and getting your flies in the water.

Touch of frost in the early mornings now so we should start to see some rainbows entering the mouths very soon.

With thanks to Gary Lyttle of Taupo Hunting and Fishing

Western Bays have been the places to be this last week. With plenty of action and better size and quality fish over there in general, Best lures have been Spotty Gold, Lemon and White, Lemon Stripe and Green and Yellow Cobras and Kiwis have been the top lures, notice also that Yellow is high up in the favourite colours this week.
Jigging has hotted up again this week with some good local action coming from Rangatira Point in particular and round to the Moari carvings,

Top patterns once again are the Pat Swift Smelts, Ginger Mick, Mini Green Orbit and Mini Parsons 30-40 meters are the key depths to find fish this week for the jiggers.
Fly fishing has been good locally this week, quite good reports from the river mouths especially now that the moon is in a better phase , some good browns still entering the rivers and plenty of dry fly action now to the Passion Hoppers on most of our local rivers.

Tongariro has been fishing well for those that are prepared to keep moving especially of you want to target those big browns that are still moving up the river.
Just had reports of a 12lb Rainbow from the Tongariro this week not confirmed yet but just one of quite a few good quiality rainbows that have showed up this last week if you can find your way through all the smaller residents that are showing up at the moment.

And as can be seen from the photo in the right hand column, the report's author has been doing well on the Waitahanui this week!

Good fishing out there on the great lake this week haven't been able to finish a report with White Striker yet without them getting hooked up and into fish whilst on the phone. Lots of smaller fish this week, again many only just under the limit.
Good fishing throughout the day though this week so no need to get up quite so early, change of light is still the best time though.

Easterlies look set to stay for the weekend so give 3-4-5 mile bays a go and round to Rotagnaia and the White Cliffs, Golden Mile from Acacia back to the harbour has been very good but mainly smaller fish. Lemon and White , Green and Yellow Cobras, Rastafarian and the small Copper and Black Toby have been going well noticeably it,s the smaller lures that are doing best. Chop and change that depth to find the golden mark, thats the key at the moment.

Local fly fishing has been good with reports of some nice fishing to be had at the river mouths this week, quite a few good Browns at the Picket Fence this week also Hatepe has had some good fishing later into the night.

Dry fly action is hotting up again with some sparodic Cicada activity especially in some of our back country rivers.

Locally the Waitahanui is still providing lots of interest from visitors keen to try there luck on some huge Browns that can be spotted not to far up river. Passion Hoppers are now out in good numbers and the local fish are up and keen to take the dries the Hinemaia is still having some good dry fly fishing throughout the length especially early evening.

The local stillwaters have had some excellent fishing with Rotoaira being the pick of the bunch with good numbers and quality fish being caught on floaters and intermediates stripping small black woollies and Damsel flies.

Otamangakau is still producing some good fishing but has had a lot of pressure recently which can make fishing there more challenging on some days, small Da Hoova , Damsel, Buzzers and Cicadas are worth trying there at the moment .
Weather looks quite settled for the weekend so no excuses get out there and enjoy the outdoors.

Early morning harling is still the way to go if you want some quality fish at the moment, yet another week where the harling has been more productive than the down riggers, even throughout the day, mainly smaller fish harling later in the day though. Top lures have been Yellow Lady, Green Orbit and Parsons Glory, followed by a small Pink, Spotty Gold or Traffic Light Cobra. Booths Farm, Acacia round to Rangatira point, also Waitahanui and Hatepe have been the top spots for harling locally this week.

The down riggers have been finding fish any where between 30-40 mtrs this week. Top spots have been Five Mile Bay, White Cliffs, Horomatangi Reef and round to Rotagnaia Point, if the westerlies pick up then Jerusalem Bay has been very consistent for the trollers this week. Top lures are without doubt the Baby Brown in both versions followed by the Green and Gold Cobra and Spotty Gold Cobra.

The fly fishing has been steady this week with reports of good beetle activity on the surface and quite a few fish now looking up to take the dry on most of our local rivers quite a few mending fish being caught locally to the dry and many are now in quite good condition already.

Evening rise is set to get better this week, as long as that cold wind that arrives just on change of light abates.

We have heard Cicadas out in the back country this week, some say this is a good sign some say it,s far to early, either way were not far away now from some good dry fly fishing, dry fly dropper is now pretty much what were in to at this time of year and I am definitely noticing more interest in the dry fly during the day as we head in to summer.

Another good week for the harlers, once again towing a small Cobra in Spotty Gold or Traffic light with best flies up front being Yellow Lady, Ginger Mick and Green Orbit,
Best harling areas this week locally have been Acacia Bay, Mine Bay, and Whakaipo Bay, When the wind has allowed Waitahanui, White Cliffs and Rotongaio Point have been doing well.

The trollers have still found the going quite tough this week as many of the fish are at varying depths, a lot of fish and Smelt on the sounders at the 20 meter mark this week all over the local areas probabaly the reason why the harlers are doing so well throughout the days recently. Top lures for those that have found a few deeper fish have been the small Black Toby, Spotty Gold Orange and Gold and Rastafarian.
Chopping and changing the depth has been the key to success for the Trollers this week trying to keep in touch with the fish. Ranagtira Point round to the Maori Carvings and Whakaipo Bay also the South side of Mine Bay have been producing a few fish for the downriggers.

The fly fishing this week has been good with some excellent dry fly fishing on many of our local rivers, once again the Tongariro has been the top performer for some good mayfly and Caddis action, the evening rise has been a little marred this week with strong colder winds that arrive just on the change of light making the rise a very short affair.

Some good hatches of brown beetle on the rivers at change of light at the moment.
Dry fly dropper in the pockets and riffle is now very much on the cards as the fish position for the summers bounty to pass by in cooler and more oxygenated water.
Most nymphs being used will need to be down to size 14# and 16# now as the river levels are starting to drop and clear,

Back country reports are all good despite the inclement winds this week the Waipunga is running at a good level and so now is the Mohaka and its tributaries, the first cicadas were seen on the banks of the Mohaka this week believe it or not, lets hope its a sign of a good cicada season.

Weather looks a little unsettled for the weekend with a chance of some rain, It does not look to drastic at this stage and if the wind abates then its all going to be good.

Labour weekend is upon us once again and it looks like a spell of fine weather is coming with it which should provide plenty of well deserved fishing opportunities.

Fishing on the Great Lake has continued to improve with harling still producing good numbers of fish and the jiggers picking up some great catches as well. Early morning harling out on the Horomatangi Reef has been firing when the weather conditions have allowed. A small spotty gold cobra trolled around the edges of the drop offs here has been the most effective method.

Jigging later on in the day has also proved successful here particularly around the 35-40m mark. Small size #10 smelt patterns have been doing great with a small size #10 olive woolly bugger on the bottom dropper accounting for some of the bigger ones. The more successful jiggers have put their drogues to good use to help slow down their drift in the windy conditions as this allows the flies to stay down in the zone for much longer.

The Tongariro River is still fishing very well this week with good numbers of excellent conditioned fish still in the system. Reports of a few bigger fish in the 5-6 pound range have been caught which bodes well for the upcoming summer fishing season. As usual there are a few kelts turning up in the catch which is the “norm” for this time of year. Please handle these fish with care as they can be very fragile due to the rigors of spawning. If released without to much handling these fish will most likely return back to the lake and feed aggressively to get ready for the next spawning season.

If the forecast is correct Lake Otamangakau should fish well this weekend as the fine, calm conditions will bring the fish to the surface especially as there have been large numbers of brown beetle showing up. A slight breeze will push these cumbersome fliers into the water making an easy meal for the trout.

Overall it is shaping up to be another great Labour weekend in Taupo so get out there and enjoy it.

Fishing out on the lake this week has been a matter of beating the wind to get to some reasonable shelter, Harling has pretty much been the way to go for many and has probably been more successful than the down riggers this week. Just out along from the Taupo boat ramp to Acacia Bay and of course along the stretch at Waitahanui have seen good numbers of fish coming to the harlers. One or two colours of lead, Parsons Glory, Yellow Lady and Green Orbits have been the effective flies, It pays also to have a small Spotty Gold or Bright Orange Cobra trailing the fly as well.

A lot of smaller fish being caught at the moment but good numbers and in very good condition. Top lures for the down riggers this week have been the Baby Brown, Traffic Light, Spotty Gold and a fluo Orange Barred Cobra.

The fly fishing has been going well for those prepared to brave the winds, the Tongariro is probably the pick of the bunch for consistent fishing but you will need to be prepared for good numbers of anglers around as well.

The recent heavier flows have misplaced large amounts of caddis larvae and the trout are gorging on them you won't have to go much further than caddis patterns to use if the water stays reasonably clear size 12# and 14# in both green and white preferably with a little weight will do the job.

Good numbers of fish are in the river at the moment from the Bain right up to the Boulder Reach Pool. Reports of good hard fighting silver fish have been coming in from some very happy anglers after last weekend.

The Tauranga-Taupo did very well at the beginning of the week but slowed as the levels receded and water became clearer, Champagne Eggs in size 14# in the mornings have bee going well and changing to Small naturals such as Pheasant Tail flashbacks, Hare and Copper and Cadillac Nymphs in sizes 14# and down to 16# in the clearing water have been the go.

The Hinemaiaia had a late run of freshies last week but were few and far between as the river has now washed good numbers of spent fish back to the lake. Many of the back country waters are still suffering from quite high levels but should soon be in good order and will not have had to much pressure so all to look forward to there.

The forecast says we are in for another high again soon so I will definitely be on the look out for rising fish over the next week or so as we get ever closer to our dry fly season.

Well it was a very wet start for the start of the trout back country season most rivers both local and back country got a deluge of extra water that put paid to a lot well laid out plans for many fly fishers out there. Not a great surprise though it's been that sort a spring. Attention was immediately turned to the stillwaters and Otamangakau was the place that was chosen above all to try, judging by the amount of craft that were on the lake on friday.

Otamangakau fished well for some and not so good for others, those that braved the windward side of the lake and got amongst some serious chop did very well and quite a number of good sized fish were caught mainly stripping big Black Woolly Buggers and Boobys through the waves on Intermediate lines. Many anglers took shelter from the winds and stayed in calmer water although the fishing was definitely much slower in the lighter ripples.

Lake Rotoaira has also been fishing very well so far this season with good numbers and good quality fish being caught at both ends of the lake, once again at this time of year stripping lures on Intermediate and Di 3 lines will do the damage. The weather turned for the better on Saturday and this week has been amazing, the river levels have stayed high but should start to come back to normal for the weekend providing we don't get any more rain.

Both the Tongarriro and the Tauranga Taupo will be at good levels by the weekend and will be well worth a visit as many anglers will be back country and both these river will have good numbers of fresh fish running them. Its amazing how quickly nature changes the seasons so rapidly already you can see the odd mayfly hatches occurring during the day and I witnessed a reasonable Caddis hatch on a Spring creek just a couple of evenings ago so its all there to look forward to now.

The fishing on the lake has been very good as boaties have been able to explore a little further afield. The Horomatangi Reef fished well to some trollers the other day with nice quality fish being caught at around the 35 meter mark on Spotty Gold and Fluo Orange Cobras. The Harling has been very good this week with good numbers being caught along Waitahanui, White Cliffs and round to Rotongaio Point, once again very early starts are required to get the best of the fishing, two colours of lead this time of year with small size 8# Olive Green Orbits seem to be the winning combinations for that area at the moment.

Hopefully the weather will stay fine for the weekend and we can get out and enjoy the open season a little better than last week. Until next week tightlines all.

A very wet week has led to some pretty mixed fishing this week, with the already high water tables around the catchment the river levels look set to stay quite high for the weekend. Once a again keep your eyes on the Tongariro as this can become fishable quite soon after a fresh.

If the forecast changes and the big rains don't arrive then I would be seriously trying to get on to the Tauranga-Taupo this week, quite a few anglers fished this river just before the last rains and had an absolute blast, but the rising lake levels are holding back the water longer now so you need to keep your eyes on the charts for this river.
The Waitahanui Tri Lodge fishing competition took place last weekend with fishing restricted to the Waitahanui river and the Waitahanui Bay. 35 fish were caught, 2/3rds coming from the lake and the remainder the river. The heaviest fish was 5lb2oz caught by Mike Hopecross on a Traffic Light and the Shoreline Hotel was the winning team.

Most anglers that have come through the area to flyfish have been very pleased with the winter fishery, many have commented on the quantity, quality, and size of the fish caught this year compared to the last few years, this is all good positive news for not only the anglers but for Taupo as a whole.

News out on the lake from our friends at White Striker is also very good, talking to Richard Staines just on his way out tells me that they have been having a ball out there this week, The key this week is the depth, Richard and the boys have found that fishing around the 50-60foot mark has been the magic depth, some of the fish have been on the small side but lots of action with a few big fish thrown in to keep for the smoker.

Weather has been a little restrictive for the boaties but Goden Mile, Booths Farm and the Lake Front itself is as far a field as you need to go. Top lures have been small Spotty Gold, Baby Brown and Orange and Gold lures have been the best , notably a move away from the larger King Cobras used a few weeks ago.

Keep your eyes on the levels, remember your National Licences are due at the end of the month but most of all have fun.

Once again we are at the mercy of mother nature and the ever fluctuating river levels that come at this time of year. As I write this we have just had a whole 24 hours of rain pushing the river levels back up again from the low and clear conditions that have slowed the fishing down over the last week or so.

We should expect some good runs of fresh silver rainbows on the receding levels this weekend, the Tauranga Taupo and the Tongariro will be the place to keep your eyes on as they still have lots of fish sitting off the Deltas waiting to run. The Tauranga Taupo has been performing exceptionally well when the river has been at the right level with some very good rainbows falling to both the wetliners and the nymphers.

The Tongariro is nearly always the first to become fishable after a fresh, and the lower pools and town areas are the best places to try as the level and colour drops out of the river.

The Waitahanui had a reasonable run through this week with some fresh westerlies pushing small pulses of fresh fish through the system.

The Hinemaiaia is not receiving so much pressure now as the runs have noticably slowed down and a lot of fish are now returning back to the lake, most fish caught here now are very dark in colour.

The fishing on the lake has been steady with some nice fish being caught long the Golden Mile and along the Lake front itself, the fish are still at varying depths so the key is to chop and change depths to stay in touch. Top lures, still King Cobra in Spotty Gold and Orange and Gold. Harling has started very early this year for a few brave and hardy souls that are keen enough to get on the water for 6am. Waitahanui, White Cliffs and Hatepe have been the places to try. Small Green Orbits and Ginger Micks have been the successful flies with two colours of lead.

A lot of anglers are now thinking ahead to the new season just around the corner, and daylighht savings will allow a few hours here and there after work. A timely reminder that if you intend to fish outside the Taupo district you will need a new National Licence, there are now available.

The 1st of September has come around so now we have summer to look forward to as well as some spectacular spring fishing. Out on the Tongariro River this week anglers have been having some great sport particularly those who are using small natural patterns such as the White Caddis and Flashback Pheasant Tail in sizes #14 to #16. Reports of great conditioned rainbows in the three to four pound range have been coming through with the odd fresh run brownie as well. Again, it pays to keep trying new water as most of the visitors tend to hang around the main pools.

The Tauranga-Taupo River has been fishing well this week with some good fish being caught. The successful anglers have been covering a lot of water in a day so it is always worthwhile doing a bit of walking to get away from the crowds.

Finally the Waitahanui River has picked up in the fishing stakes and has been producing some hard fighting rainbows. There are still a few browns kicking around as well although these fish have most likely seen a lot of flies already so it is best to pop a few casts over them and if you have no joy you'd be better to move on.

Out on the lake the fishing has been improving with a few more fish falling victim to the lead line. A King Cobra Spotty Gold or Baby Brown lure will do the damage during the day, also try using a Fluoro Pink or Orange Cobra during dawn and dusk as these colours work well when the light is limited.

Jigging has come into its own this week with the more favourable conditions being an advantage. The Horomatangi Reef has been fishing well and also Mine Point and Whakaiapo Reef have been producing a few fish. A two ounce tear drop sinker has been best particularly when the wind picks up during the day. Smelt patterns have been working well just like they do all year as the Taupo trout will follow the schools around the lake year round.

It is shaping up to be a great weekend out there so get out and enjoy it.

Finally we have seen some lovely spring weather this week with anglers enjoying the sunny and warm conditions around the district. The boaties have been taking advantage of the clear conditions and have produced some great results out there on the lake this week. The lakefront has been fishing really well particularly for those who are trolling at around the 20m mark with a few great conditioned rainbows being plucked from the depths. A King Cobra Baby Brown or Traffic Light lure should do the damage here. It is also worth trolling a lure around the Golden Mile and Rangitira Point areas as they often produce fish when nowhere else will.

Things have been getting a little tougher on the rivers this week as the flows have reduced and the water clearing although anglers are still having some great sport.
The Hinemaiaia River is still holding good numbers of fish however a lot of these fish are in spawning mode at the moment but there are still a few fresh ones amongst them. The flow is still a little high but the water is clear so it could be a good move to put away the glo bugs and start using smaller natural patterns as the recovering fish will start feeding more actively now.

Once again the Tongariro River has been the pick of the rivers this week with anglers catching some great fish in the clear conditions. The more successful fisherman have been using small, weighted patterns such as the Quasimodo Pheasant Tail, Flashback Pheasant Tail and White Caddis in sizes #14 to #16. Also don't forget that when in clear conditions you are best to use smaller diameter leaders as well as smaller sized tippet. Four to Five pound fluorocarbon is certainly heavy enough to land the biggest of fish so do not be afraid to give it a go.

We are expecting a few showers this weekend so keep an eye on the Tauranga-Taupo River flow as this river has been running high so it won't take a lot of rainfall to boost it up again. Hopefully the rain should push another fresh run into this river so we can get some exciting fishing again.

Remember Lake Rotoaira opens up next week on the 1st of September so should provide some great sport. This lake has been improving over the last couple of seasons with fish size increasing so get out there and give it a crack.
Good luck and happy fishing.

Well what an awesome week it has been for fishing in the Taupo Rivers. Anglers have been having a ball out there with plenty of rain bringing plenty of fish. The Tongariro has been fishing very well this week especially after coming down from the 290 cumec flow it reached last weekend.

Anglers have been catching great conditioned rainbows as well as a few fresh run browns which is a great sign for the rest of the season. Wet liners have been having great results particularly close to the edges in the higher flows. Large woolly bugger patterns seem to be the favourite along with the odd Red Setter thrown into the mix.

The Tauranga-Taupo has been a violent little river this week as the high flows have been receding but should be great this weekend with a little bit of colour to it. Overall the reports have been very positive as anglers have been landing a lot of bigger fish in the 2-3kg range although a few other anglers have been coming away a little disappointed. The key is to not stay in one spot for too long. Move around and follow the runs as the fish will keep moving through in the high waters. Also, do not forget to use plenty of weight as the fish will be lying hard on the bottom.

The walking tracks on the Hinemaiaia River have been beaten to a pulp this week while the larger, more popular rivers have been unfishable. Earlier in the week saw a good sized run enter the river with some good conditioned fresh fish making up the catch. There has been more fish hooked and lost than landed as anglers have been busted off due to the increase in flow. When conditions are like this it pays to beef up your leaders and put the pressure on early in the fight to subdue these hard fighting fish.

Out on the Great Lake the fishing has been reasonably quiet with the focus being on the Eastern Tributaries at this time of year. The Trollers have been picking up a few fish here and there with the King Cobra Spotty Gold lure doing the damage at the twenty metre mark. Harling has been producing some good results however, particularly on the turn of the tide. Most fish have been falling victim to fly patterns this week such has the Yellow Lady and Red-bodied Green Orbit.

It is shaping up to be a great weekends fishing out there but remember to just relax and enjoy the fishing.

What an awesome weeks fishing we have just had, The rains came and the fish ran in very good numbers through most of our local rivers. On Tuesday the TaurangaTaupo was at 60 cumec and the car park was full as the first decent run of fresh fish for some time came up the river.

Most anglers that we saw were having a blast and we passed quite a few anglers heading back with limits quite early in the day. The Hinemaiaia had the gates opened quite early in the week and deemed the river just a fraction to high and dirty up until Wednesday, I expect more good numbers of fish would have been caught from then on, you need to be up very early on this river at the moment as its getting very popular with the new winter limit area fishing very well over the last few weeks .
The Waitahanui still remains a little indifferent with very patchy spells of good fishing, lots of little pods of fish running through together leaving large areas of river void and others full of fish.

Those that know the river well are having some very good fishing with the odd good brown still being caught higher up river. The Tongariro has had a few good freshies over the last week, those that can get the timing right as the levels drop have been having some awesome fishing, with reports of some very good rainbows in the 5-6lb bracket being caught quite regularly now.

The Tongariro has been the main draw over the last week as the river drops and clears so quickly after a fresh, The wetliners have been doing very well in the mornings with small Olive Woolly buggers, The nymphers have been using glowies at first light then switching to naturals as the sun comes up, top flies for most local rivers this last week have been Quasimodo, Hare and Copper, Caddis in Green mainly, Da Hoova and Batman nymphs in sizes ranging from 14# to 16#. More rain on the cards for the weekend, who knows how much ? But its all good, no excuses now get out and have fun in Trout Paradise.

The lake continues to fish quite well for the time of the year, the downriggers are having most success. White Clffs, The Reef, Whareweka Point have all been good spots this week with periods of less wind .The Golden Mile and round to the Maori Carvings have also been fishing reasonably well on this side of the lake. Orange and Gold Kiwi, Spotty Gold Cobra, Black and Copper Tobies have been the top lures. Chop and change your depths to find fish is the key this time of year .

This week has seen a break in the fine weather with heavy rain causing most of the eastern tributaries to flood but should clear enough this weekend for most anglers to get out and dangle a fly. The Tauranga-Taupo River has been out of action this week due to the high volume of water flowing downstream. Heavy rain in the headwaters brought the flow up around the two metre mark which is so far the highest this season. Hopefully, by the end of the weekend we should see the flow drop to a more fishable level although there are a few showers forecast for Saturday. Be prepared to lose flies on this river as the pools and lies will have changed ( not to mention a few new snags in unfamiliar places ) due to the strong flows.

The Tongariro River has been in good shape this week with the river flow reaching 105 cumecs on Monday night and clearing reasonably quickly through the week. Anglers have been having some great sport with fresh, strong fighting rainbows making up most of the catch with the odd spawner amongst them. Heavy tungsten bead bombs used in tandem with orange egg patterns in size #12 have been doing the damage in the discoloured water. Wetliners have also had some fun especially when the flow is high as the fish like to hang around the edges to keep out of the swift current. Large, weighted woolly bugger patterns in sizes #4 to #6 have been doing best.

The Hinemaiaia saw a flood of anglers descend on the river banks this week as most rivers were unfishable for a couple of days. Some beautiful fresh fish have been caught as well as a few spawners to make up the numbers. The fishing has been reasonably patchy, possibly due to the sheer number of anglers wading and thrashing the pools. It often pays to fish the more unlikely water as it is often overlooked.

It has been a little quiet out on the Great lake this week due to the unfavourable conditions for the boaties however a couple of calm patches provided some opportunity. Trolling has been producing some great conditioned fish around Wharewaka Point and Five Mile Bay with the Spotty Gold King Cobra and the Orange and Gold Clown Cobra accounting for most of the catch. Remember it is best to fish where the fish are so trolling around the drop-offs at around the 15-25m mark will give you the best chance of success.

We are expecting showers this weekend so do a bit of research and keep an eye on the river levels but, overall we should expect some great sport over the next week.

Anglers have been braving the chilly morning conditions this week and have been having some good success on the lake. Jigging has picked up this week due to some nice calm weather with the Horomatangi Reef being the pick of the spots. Top flies have been the Mini Olive Woolly bugger, Mini Jack Sprat U.V and the Gold Ginger Mick in sizes #10. Fish have been caught in a range of depths this week however it is best to position your drift to cover a large range of depth to get the best results.

Harling is still producing good numbers of quality fish especially for those keen to brave the sub zero frosts early in the morning. Rangitira Point, Whakamoenga Point and Mine Bay areas have been doing really well with the Yellow Lady and Red Taupo Tiger flies being the pick.

On the Hinemaiaia River this week anglers have had to put away their globugs and dig out their natural patterns to continue having reasonable success. Patterns such as the Chartreuse Prince Nymph, Da Hoooova and Green Magic Caddis in sizes #14 have been doing extremely well. This river is still holding plenty of fish however most of them are now in full spawning mode so take care when approaching a pool as these fish tend to spook quite easily.

The Tongariro River has still delivered some nice brown trout this week as well as a few feisty rainbows around the four to five pound mark. Once again naturals have been doing the business with small caddis imitations producing the best results for most. When the conditions are low and clear it pays to move around and cover new pockets of water such as fast runs and behind big boulders as most anglers will congregate at the pools.

Night fishing at the Hinemaiaia & Waitahanui river mouths has been better this week with some good sized fish being caught. Those fishing fast sinking lines with a Lumo Black Booby have had the most success. With some rain expected this weekend and perhaps a drop in the barometer we should see the mouth fishing improve a lot more.
I am expecting the fishing to continue to be good for the last of the school holidays but remember to rug up warm out there as these harsh frosts will carry on for some time yet.

Another good week out there on our local rivers this week, plenty of rain and showers to keep the river levels topped up and the fish running. The Tongariro has probably been the big draw as you would expect at this time of year and it has not disappointed most anglers, some very good browns continue to get caught most weeks along with some very good conditioned fat rainbows.

Wetlining has probably been one of the more successful methods over the last few days especially with the rivers continued fluctuating levels. Small Olive or Brown in 10# and 8# Woolly Buggers with the clearing water and up to size 6# and 4# Black, Purple or Brown Woollys and Coneheads in the dirtier water.

The Waitahanui has been quite inconsistent over the last few days with very varied reports of fish numbers throughout the length. Pretty much a case of the right timing and getting to know one river well is the answer for most visitors that try there hand on this local stream.

The Hinemaiaia has been going very well for most, all though the word is out now regarding the new winter limit and it is getting very busy down there at the moment .
Reports of some good Jacks still being caught on a regular basis on the Hine especially to naturals such as Green and White Caddis, Flashback, Hare and Copper and the Prince Nymph. When the water is running clear naturals are the way to go, once again Caddis and small Flashbacks are the top flies.

The Tauranga-Taupo has had a good week with some reports coming in of some good little pulses of hard fighting 2-3lb Rainbows, mainly to small champagne and unreal eggs.

Weather is looking quite unsettled again so we can safely expect much of the same showers and rain. The river mouths have had a varied week with a full moon to contend with but on the cloudier nights Hatepe has been going quite well to small Black and Olive Boobies.

Lake fishing is still good , with more S/Westerlies due you don't need to go much further than Jerusalem Point and Acacia Bay for some good trolling. Once again varying the depth at this time of year is the key, anything from 20-40 meters is working.
Top lures are King Cobra in Spotty Gold, Baby Brown Kiwi's and Black Toby .

Until next week tight lines everyone

More of a steady week with the fly fishing. The rain has been fairly consistent through most of the last few days and river levels have stayed quite high throughout.
Just as the levels recede we get another downpour which has made fishing a little difficult with dirty water and restricted wading. Despite this some very good fishing has been reported from the Tongariro and the Hinemaiaia rivers.

Once again the wetliners have been catching some very good rainbows and browns during those dirtier water conditions using Big Black Woolly's and Black Rabbits.
The Glo Bugs are now definitely on the menu and once the water settles and recedes the bombs and eggs have been catching good numbers of fish. The Hinemaiaiai has also been throwing up some very good sized jacks again this week with lots of tales of the ones that got away amongst the many snags down the lower reaches. It does pay to beef up the gear a bit on this river as you do need to get control of these larger fish quickly or it's all over too quickly, five pound tippet does not cut the mustard on this river at the moment !!

Once the water clears the naturals are still very much on the menu, top nymphs this week are the Hare and Copper, various Pheasant Tail Flashbacks, Prince Nymph, Green and White Caddis and also the Dobson Fly Larvae or ( toe biter ) nymph has been found in stomach contents in both rivers discussed today

Forecast for the weekend is very mixed weather with some showers so difficult to predict the fishing conditions, but if we don't get too much rain then it should all be good with most rivers, perhaps even the Tauranga-Taupo will fire for us, you don't know till your out there to try .

Good steady fishing out on the lake this week , once again inclement weather making it difficult to get very much further than the Bay, despite this Acaia Bay, Jerusalem and the lake front have been producing some very good conditioned fish for the trollers mostly very deep at 35 mters but the occasional flurry much shallower at 20 mtres so it pays to chop and change to get it right. Top lures have been the King Cobra in Spotty Gold, Fluo Orange and Green and the Black Toby. If the winds abate then try to get to Waitahanui , White Cliffs and Rotagnaia Point this weekend .
Tight Lines till next week
Gary Lyttle

Queens Birthday weekend turned out to be pretty much a fly fishing bonanza for those that braved the elements. Most of the local rivers fired as the levels settled after the rain, and on Sunday boy did the fish run! The Tongariro produced some stunning rainbows up to 8lbs reported and photographed, lots of good sized silver bullets around the 4-5lb mark.

Wetliners had the most fun with the dirtier water using Black Woolly's, Black Rabbits, Purple and Brown Coneheads on DI3 and DI5 lines. As the water cleared the Eggs and bombs started doing the damage and a steady stream of happy anglers could be seen in the various car parks carrying some very nice looking trout home for the smoker.

Closer to home by Sunday afternoon the Hinemaiaia was very fishable and reports of people catching seven or eight fish from the same pool were common, some very good jacks were caught up towards the new winter limit on Green Copper John size 12# and P.T.N Flashbacks 10# and 12#. L ower down the river the Glo Bugs were the go with some very nice fish coming from below the bridge.

The Waitahanui also fired and had some very impressive runs from the lower to the middle pools. It did not seem to matter whether you were wetlining or nymphing both styles worked with a variety of different flies.

More rain forecast this week to keep the runs going, there should be less people around this week and hopefully the Tauranga-Taupo will clear and allow us to get amongst some of those bullets that run it at this time of year. The wind has now changed so hopefully the river mouths will be very fishable and with the recent westerlies there should be some good numbers of fish lined up at the entrances. Try sinking lines and Black and Lumo Boobies on dark.

The boats have enjoyed some good fishing out on the lake this week although the weather has limited the fishing to local areas , the lake front itself and the South side of Jerusalem Bay have been producing some good fishing to the trollers. Top lures have been the King Cobra Spotty Gold and Traffic Light .
Tight Lines till next week

Still some very good fishing out on the lake this last week despite some inclement weather. Harling has been the way, early in the mornings especially around the river mouth areas as fish are starting to gather to spawn up river at this time of year, top spots have been Waitahanui, Hatepe, and Whakaipo. The Hormatangi Reef has also been fishing well for the Harlers, once again it's the flies over the lures this week with the top patterns being the Taupo Tiger, Yellow Lady and Parsons Glory.

The lake front itself has once again been fishing well for the downriggers at depths between 20 metres and 35 metres. Most lures containing Orange and Black have been going well, the Traffic Light and Smaller Black Toby have also been effective. Still some very good sport jigging this week. South side of Mine Bay and Whakaipo have been going really. The Reef for those that don't mind the journey has been showing up some better quality fish.

The fly fishing is set to get another boost this week as the rain arrived again on Monday, most rivers were fishable the day after and have responded very well for the flyfishers. The Tauranga-Taupo was the one to be on as the levels receded a good solid run of silver bars went through mid week and both the wetliners and nymphers did well.

The Tongaririo went back to a normal flow very quickly and was clear by Tuesday morning , Naturals still seem to be the best way on most rivers still with just a few anglers doing well on small eggs the small size 16# Orange Flashtail has probably been the best of the eggs. Top nymphs have been the Batman, Hare and Copper, Prince Nymph and Green and White Caddis in sizes from 12# down to 16#.
For the Wetliners this week top patterns to try would be the Olive and Black Woolies, Red and Black Rabbits and Purple, Black or Brown Coneheads in the smaller sizes from 10# to 8#.

More rain is forecast for Friday so dependent on how much, the prospects for the weekend are looking good .

Some great fishing out on the lake this week, mainly on the downrigger at depths that vary from 80 to 130 feet. Top lures have been Spotty Gold and Orange and Gold Kiwis, another lure worth trying has been the King Cobra in Orange and Green. Best spots have been the Golden Mile and around Rangatira Point. Harling was also very productive early in the week especially around Waitahanui, Rotagaia Point and the White Cliffs. All fish responded to the flies as opposed to lures, top patterns used were the Yellow Lady and Taupo Tiger.

Jigging is still productive with the best depths at 25 to 45 meters deep, top flies will be Black and Brown Woolly Buggers, small Green Orbits and size 10# and 12# U.V smelt patterns. Best areas for jigging have been the South side of Mine Bay, Whakaipo Bay and the Moari Carvings, the Horomatangi Reef has also been productive on the calmer days.

Local fly fishing has had a greatly improved week after the rains, most local rivers responded well to the fresh, those that were lucky enough to be out on the receding levels had some very good fishing. Listening to the various reports as they came in last week we noted the amount of bigger fish that had been caught throughout most of the system, a very encouraging start to the winter runs this year. Top flies used this last week have been the Hare and Copper Bombs as the heavy fly and the Batman, Quasimodo, Flashback and Green Caddis nymphs in sizes ranging from 10# down to 14#. Most rivers will now be back at a normal level so treat accordingly.

We have more rain forecast for the beginning of the week my money will be on the T.T to preform well this next fresh, also the Tongariro will be worth looking at for some good winter sport. Take care out there, until next week, tightlines.

Some great back end fishing out there on the lake at the moment , change of light as usual still best though the evening seems to be the more productive time at the moment. Harling made a bit of a come back this week with some nice conditioned fish coming to a Fluo Parsons Glory fly, also the small spotty gold Cobra is worth putting on the point.

The downrigger has also been going well with top depths between 80-120 feet , chopping and changing your depth is the key to success at the moment. Top lures for the trollers this week is the King Cobra Spotty Gold, Orange / Black Barred Tazzie Devil, Red and Green and Fluo Orange and Green Kiwi lures also going well. Best areas to head for this week with the forecasted winds will be Wharewaka Point, Jerusalem Point and Acacia Point all these areas have fished well recently.

The Taupo Lake front itself has also been fishing well at the 80 foot mark well worth a go at the moment. On the whole, still fishing very well and still plenty of well conditioned fat fish to be caught. On the local fly fishing scene we are still waiting for rain to give us a real start to the winter runs. I really hope that its my day off when it fires cause when the rain comes it's gonna be awesome.

The Hinemaiaia and the Waitahanui have both has some serious south westerlies blowing up them over the last few days so I would be expecting to hear of some good reports from these rivers shortly despite the lack of rain. The Tongariro has been fishing reasonably well, still the odd good fish being caught, mostly chunky little resident rainbows being caught on nymphs. I would still be looking at small nymphs locally with the low levels , flies such as Hare and Copper, Cadillac, Tungsten Death and Da Hoova in size 16# and 14# .

The river mouths have been going quite well as we have had plenty of cloud cover this week, especially the Tauranga Taupo River mouth as the drop if is quite accessible with care. Fast sink lines and dark coloured Boobies with the glow eyes have been the go here

A week of light winds for the boaties during the middle of the week has helped sustain some good fishing on the lake this week. The forecast going into the weekend is much of the same , cloudy and sunny with light Westerlies, at the time of writing of course!
Top lure this week according to our friends at White Striker charters has to be a Yellow Tazzie / Kiwi lure with red and black spots this has been an outstanding lure this week .
King Cobra in Spotty Gold and also the standard Baby Brown have also been doing well.
Whareweka Point has been top spot fishing down at 40 mtres on the Downrigger. Dirty Duck Creek, 5 Mile Bay, Jerusalem round to Rangatira Point have all been good spots this week.

The change of light in the evening seems to be the best time to be out there at the moment. Jigging has been going really well this week with the light winds wev'e been having , some good quality fish being caught , Colin Davis of Taupo enjoyed a great day over at the Maori Carvings last week with Good Rainbows up to 2.4 kgs small UV Smelt patterns were the killing flies.

The local fly fishing continues to be a little hit and miss with the low levels. The Waitahanui has got plenty of fish in there at the moment but are very hard to tempt .
The Hinemaiaia has been having some good back end Mayfly hatches during the afternoons going into evening small CDC emergers and Parachute Adams in size 16 # and 18# will do the trick for most situations there. Some nice fish being caught on the nymph also from the Hine.

Some better reports from the rips this week, the mornings seem to be better than the evenings this last few days. Sinking lines and Black Boobies during those change of light periods seem to be a killing combination at the moment at both Hatepe and Waitahanui.

We are all now just waiting for the first good sustained downpour to give us a freshen up as quite a few fish will be starting to think about moving into the system for spawning now with winter round the corner. Talking of which , while we wait in anticipation , now is a good time to check the fly boxes and top up with your eggs and bombs. Till next week

Another good week out on the lake this week, sounds like a few anglers took our advice about getting on the water early this week thankfully it's been paying off for most. Still a great variation on the correct depth to fish, any thing from 20 meters to 45 meters deep.

Those brighter lures we spoke of last week are still going well , such as the Pink and Lemon , Lemon and White and Fluo Pink also the Baby Brown has made a comeback this week along with the Small Black Toby. Top spots the Golden Mile, Whakaipo, Mine Bay and Waitahanui to Rotongio Point onto the White Cliffs. The Horotamangi Reef has once again been producing some better quality fish, especially to the jiggers. The Harling has been a little slower again this week except for a few locals out at Waitahanui on the Kayaks very early in the morning.

The jigging is still probably top method at the moment for consistent day time sport , best depths between 20-40 meters. Top flies, small Pat Swift Green Orbits and Chartreuse Orbit on the bottom and size 10# and 12# epoxy smelt patterns on the top droppers.

Local fly fishing has been a little indifferent. The rivers are quite low for the time of year and this is making fish very shy and nervous especially with the added number of anglers on the rivers over the last week or so during the Easter break. Best performing river at the moment I would say will be the Hinemaiaia we have had some good reports of reasonable numbers of fish in the 3-4lb bracket being caught to dry fly dropper tactics.

The Tongariro has also been fishing reasonbly well with the odd good Brown showing to surprise some lucky anglers last week. Again dry fly dropper in the riffle and pockets is still producing fish. The odd fish are still coming up to look at the dry but mostly turning and taking the nymph now.

The river mouths are fishing reasonably well again after the last moon, just depends on the night. Hatepe has been producing some nice fish from a good looking rip at the moment floating line and Rabbits seem to be the go there at the moment.

Hopefully we have some rain on the horizon soon to help freshen everything up and get a few freshies in the system .

Fishing out the lake has been very good over the last week. Early mornings and change of light in the evening are very much better than the middle of the day as it really does start to go quiet during this time at the moment. The fish are starting to be found at greatly varying depths, any thing from 20metres to 40 metres deep so you really have to keep changing depths to stay in touch. Brighter coloured lures seem to in favour this week such as the Fluo Orange and Gold, Pink and Lemon, Lemon and White, also Pink and Lemon.

Top spots have been Rotagnaia, Wharewaka, Rangatira Point and the Reef has also been producing some good fishing wind permitting. Harling has started to slow down for many anglers now although the odd good fish is still turning up at Waitahanui for the early birds.

Those that have ventured over to the Western Bays have mainly bought back quite negative news in general the fishing definitely seems to be more consistent this side of the lake. Jigging is still very good, although the fish depths are varying greatly from 20 metres to 45 meters. Definitely a year of the brown trout for the fly fishing locally; it's been a long time since we have heard of so many good sized brownies in the system.

The Tongariro and Waitahanui both have good numbers of fish in them and now have some nice fresh rainbows entering the river now without the full moon. Some reasonable dry fly sport left especially on a mild evening on the Hinemaiaia. Most fish are now being caught on nymphs, small 16 # and 14# very drab and slim no flash , such as Da Hoova , black beaded Hares Ear and slimly tied PTNs. Dry fly dropper is still a good bet, although we are hearing of the odd fish getting caught in the deeper pools to eggs.

Good reports still from the Mohaka, Whanganui, and Waipunga, most rivers could actually do with a good rain now to freshen everything up. The river mouths should start to fish better as we head into April and hopefully that rain won’t be to far away.
Tight Lines everyone

A bit of a patchy week out on the lake this week, some people doing better than others, those that have been most successful seem to be working at changing depths, lures and places to stay in touch more than others. Top lures this week probably the small black and copper Toby's followed by the Kiwi Orange and Gold and the Spotty Gold Cobra.

Still some good reports from people early morning harling out over Waitahanui this week, larger Jack Spratt and Grey Ghost in patterns in size 2# have been doing the damage with some well conditioned fish being caught. Some good reports from the Reef this week in between the winds for the jiggers using mainly smelt patterns at between 35 - 45 meters. This weekend is looking quite reasonable weather wise so it might pay to give some of the Western Bays a go as the Bay is likely to be quite busy.

Fly fishing has also been a little mixed this week with the last of the dry fly action starting to fizzle out. Most rivers have reasonable numbers of fish in them but are now quite wary being so late in the season and with such low levels. Good numbers of browns are in the Tongariro and Waitahanui but are proving difficult to catch.

Top nymphs this week would be the black beaded Hare and Copper , the Da Hoova and sparsly tied PTNs in sizes 14# and 16# without any flash. Reduce the tippet size down and stay low and you can still enjoy some very good fishing.

We are all looking forward to some much needed rain to help flush and rejuvinate the rivers. The river mouth fishing should start to fire now as we get into April, mixed reports from these at the moment, you just have to be there on the right night.
Look forward to seeing you out there .
Tight Lines

Fishing out on the lake has been as good as it gets over the last week or so, certainly some of the best sport of the summer out there at the moment. Plenty of good conditioned trout in that 3-4lb bracket with a smattering of bigger fish spewing out smelt, all good news for the fishery. Top spots this week have out to Waitahanui , White Cliffs and round to Rotagnaia point, Jerusalem Bay and the Golden Mile have all been local hot spots. The Western Bays have not been firing as well as the local waters.

Top depths are between 30 and 40 meters, chopping and changing to keep in touch with the fish. Best lures this week are the Pink and Lemon Kiwis, Black Toby, Spotty Gold and Kiwi Orange and Gold. Jigging is still firing locally at Whareweka and the Moari Carvings round to Mine Bay. Best depths between 25 and 35 meters. Top lures still the Pat Swift Green Orbit on the point and small smelt patterns on the top droppers .

Local fly fishing has been quite varied with the low and clearer water conditions, good hatches of Lace Wings have been giving good sport on the Waitahanui and T.T .
Quite a few good browns being caught on the Tongariro recently, there are still fish out there willing to come to the cicada especially back country but it is getting late now for the big dries.

The Waipunga has finally come good after months of high levels with some nice fish coming to dries and small sparse nymphs. The lakes are still fishing very well in between weather patterns, Otamangakau is set to fish well now as angling pressure drops. I fished Rotoaira last week and caught some cracking rainbows in the 4-5lb bracket on intermediate lines using small nymphs and damsel patterns. Plenty of good fishing still to be had as we head to autumn so get out there and enjoy.

US visitor with a trophy back country brown

An 11 1/2 lb brown from the Waitahanui

by Gary Lyttle
of Fly & Gun Hunting & Fishing Taupo

A good steady week this week out on the lake [Lake Taupo]. Low winds have encouraged many boaties to venture out to the Western Bays this last few days where the fishing has been generally very good.

Early morning harling has been very successful this week with some nice browns and rainbows coming from Kawa Kawa and Waihora to large Ginger Mick, Parsons Glory and Taupo Tiger flies. Nearer to home the White Cliffs, Rotongaio and Waitahaanui have been producing early morning as well.

Jigging is still going great guns this week with lots of reports of good fishing from most of the favourite spots. The calmer winds have allowed quite few anglers to give the Reef a visit with some very good quality fish early morning and change of light. Once again Pat Swift smelt patterns are still proving to be the best flies to use at depths varying from 25-35 metres deep.

Local fly fishing has been hotting up with some good cicada activity down on the Hinemaiaia and Tongariro rivers.

Local fly fishing has been hotting up with some good cicada activity down on the Hinemaiaia and Tongariro rivers. The T.T has also started to fish well to the dry fly now that we have more settled weather. Good sized browns have been seen in the lower Waitahanui the lower Tongariro and are also showing up in good sizes on some of the local rips.

Good time to consider that back country trip now as many of the rivers a re-stabilizing after the rains and should respond well to the dry. Many will not have had that much pressure from anglers for the same reasons.

Fly fishing over in the Western Bays for smelting fish [see smelt patterns]should be all on now but has been indifferent for some and fantastic for others you just have to take your chance and try your luck.

Bit of everything in the weather forecast this week coming , but nothing to drastic so no excuses.

Tight lines
Gary Lyttle

Well we moaned it was too dry !!! Rain rain and more rain , light winds though , which has allowed some of the hardier(?) boaties to get out and enjoy some more fabulous fishing out on the lake this week. The western bays have been performing exceptionally well for the Harlers and jiggers. We saw photos of another double digit brown caught over at Kawa Kawa Bay harling a Parsons Glory. This fish was in magnificent condition and is being mounted by the captor.

Harling has again been all on this week with some good extended periods of success till later in the day because of the overcast conditions we are experiencing.
Taupo Tiger , Red Body Green Orbits , Ginger Mick and Grey Ghost have all been successful flies this week.

The Waitahanui will have to be a favourite spot to try for some quality fish this time of year especially with the rain putting plenty water into the rip. Jigging has been exceptional this last week especially over in the Western Bays, T.T river mouth and also the point off Motuapa has gone well.

Once again small Pat Swift smelt patterns are the go, best depths can still vary greatly from 30-50 meters deep at the moment, keep searching to find that first fish and mark that depth and the others won't be far away.

Local fly fishing was pretty much a wipe out this week as far as the rivers go the water table at the time of writing is still very high so all the showers are quickly filling the rivers back up. The rips have been going quite well with some good quality fish coming from Hatepe early morning.

The still waters have all been fishing very well with Otamangakau and Rotoaira going great guns to Damsel and Dragonfly larva patterns. With these seriously fluctuating river levels it is imperative that you check on the weather before you set out especially if your going back country, take a wading staff and use it, it may save your life. Don't take any risks with high water !!

Another very positive week for the fishery both the Great Lake and the local rivers also our back country rivers have all been fishing well.

Out on the lake most methods are working well though White Striker tell us that locally the down rigger has been doing most damage for them possibly because of lots traffic from above pushing fish down a little further. Harling is still going great guns, as usual early birds catch the fish, one or two colours of lead, Ginger Mick, Green Orbit, Taupo Tiger and Yellow Lady all doing well at both ends of the day. Iif conditions are good for harling during the day then a switch to smaller smelt patterns will be the go such as Grey Ghost and Jack Spratt.

Whakaipo Bay, Mine Bay, Waitahanui, Jerusalem and the Golden Mile have all been producing fish for the harlers. A trip over the Western Bays this time of year is always worth a go as they don't get get quite the same pressure as local spots.

Jigging has again been hot this last week with good reports of solid well conditioned Rainbows being caught at most of the local jigging spots such as Mine Bay Point, Maori Carvings, Whakaipo and Whareweka Point also Rangatira Point and the Reef once again with wind permitting has been good.

Local Fly fishing has been quite good with some nice browns being spotted along the Waitahanui odd good fresh rainbows are still being caught, the Hinemaia is still going well to the dry fly both during the day and the evening. The odd fish has even been caught on a Cicada so we're told.

The Tongariro is fishing well and and has very little pressure this time of year mainly mending fish but odd silver bullets amongst them. Dry fly dropper through riffle has been the go with small PTNS and Hare and Copper patterns in size 16# and 14# have been the sort of flies doing the damage. Good evening rises on most rivers still but that cold wind we have experienced this week holds it back a while but still worth the wait.

Back Country is all systems go with positive reports from the Mohaka, Rangitikei, and Whakapapa rivers this week. No excuses now, its all go , get out and enjoy our great outdoors.

No complaints this summer so far with lots of fish being caught round the lake [Lake Taupo]. The most consistent remark would be what good condition the fish are in this year compared to recent summers; still lots of smaller fish around but most limits taken contain some very good looking fish full of smelt.

Last week the top areas would have been Waitahanui round to Rotongaiao and around the White Cliffs. A lot of the local spots have received considerable pressure with the holidays upon us if you want to fish local you need to be out early before the armada !
Many boaties travelled a little further over to the Western Bays and found Waihora, Kawa Kawa fishing reasonably well. [See the Lake Taupo map]

Top methods will be harling Green Orbits and Ginger Micks very early at 5.00 am start.
Small Cobras have also been doing well at depths between 8-12 meters.

Jigging has finally kicked into gear with some very good fish being caught at all the usual jigging spots round the lake at around the 35-50 meter mark a little deeper than normal for this time of year.

Mini Green and Fluo Green Pat Swift Orbits on the bottom dropper and smelt patterns on the higher droppers will do the damage Mine Bay point, Moari Carvings and Whakaipo have been doing well as well as the Reef when the weather permits.

Local fly fishing has been very good over the last few weeks many rivers received a bit of a fresh this week so this should encourage a few of the big browns to move up , quite a few nice silver fish being caught on most rivers. You will need to fine right down to stay in touch once the rivers go low and clear again.

Dry fly sport has been exceptional on the Tongariro and the Hinemaiaia during the da , small Mayfly patterns, Green Beetle, and small terrestrials are doing well , in the evenings hatches of Caddis are giving good rises at change of light.

The lakes are all fishing well, Rotoaira again exceptional damsel activity here and at Otamangakau during hot bright spells. Plenty of fish are being caught at Ota but not the biggies we come to expect this time of year, not yet any way.

Cicadas are more evident now so a couple of weeks of fine weather and we should be in to it.

Tight Lines
Gary Lyttle

by Gary Lyttle
of Fly & Gun Hunting & Fishing Taupo

Fishing out on the lake [Lake Taupo] has again been good this week. Harling has been very good especially very early mornings, still the same fluo orange Cobra lure and Green Orbits doing the damage.

Other flies to try now will be the Ginger Mick, Parsons Glory and Yellow Lady, and during the day with Grey Ghosts to emulate the smelt will be good.

Top spots have been the Golden Mile, Ranagtira Point round to Whakamoenga. Whakaipo Bay and Mine Bay. On the other side of the bay, Waitahanui round to Rotagnaia, and Whareweka Point have been going well.

Jigging has started to pick up momentum with some good catches coming from Whareweka Point.

The Moari Carvings and Mine Bay, the Horotamangi Reef produced some exceptional fish for some of our customers this week with fish up to 5lbs being caught on small smelt patterns and mini Green Orbits.

Local fly fishing continues to be quite good, some good reports from the Hinemaiaia this week with good numbers of fish being caught on small nymphs, some spazmodic dry fly sport during the day also on Green Beetles.

The Tongariro is still fishing very well, reports of some very good fish being caught this week and some early browns have been showing up just to spice things up a little. Lots of recovering fish being caught but a remarkable improvement in condition compared to just a couple of weeks ago. Local lakes have been a bit hit and miss this week with rain colouring the water a little for a few days. Rotoaira is probably still pick of the bunch for consistent sport.

River mouths should be set to improve soon over the next few weeks, many of the mouths have been a little hit and miss for many anglers recently as far as numbers go but some good quality fish showing up for those that persist, Hatepe has been giving up some good sized rainbows to 5lb this week on smelt patterns , small Woolly Buggers and small Boobies.

Good evening rises on most rivers this week although the cold winds have been holding them back over the last few days.

Hearing plenty of cicadas now when its hot. Bring it on!!

Tight lines
Gary Lyttle

by Gary Lyttle of Fly & Gun Hunting & Fishing Taupo

It is always good to hear from customers that take the trouble to thank you for good advise, it also wonderful when with a beaming smile they bring in fish like the one pictured to be weighed and photographed, good not just for us but for the whole of the Taupo community to see signs that justify that we may just be seeing the evidence of an upturn in our wonderful fishery.

This fish was caught by local Keith Ensor jigging with some of our smelt specials, it was just a couple of ounces under the magic 10lb mark but could well have lost those vital two ounces during the day in the ice bucket. Not the longest fish but the condition was just outstanding for such a young maiden fish.

An hour later on Saturday morning local customer Mr Ryan came in to tell us of a 14lb Brown caught and released by his wife Theresa over in Kawa Kawa Bay, further reports today have been coming in of more large fish caught before the weather packed in on Wednesday night as I write .

Harling has made a sudden comeback this week with many locals enjoying some superb sport over the Taupo Bay itself and at Waitahanui also Mine Bay and Whakaipo Bay have been good. Orange and Gold Cobras and Green Orbits also the Ginger Micks have been top lures. Jigging has also fired up for quite a few anglers with reports that most of the local points such as Ranagtira , Moari Carvings , Mine Bay and Whareweka have been producing on smelt patterns.

Local fly fishing has been good for those that have fined down, top river will still be the Tongariro for numbers of fish but many will be returning kelts, The dry fly sport continues to improve on the right nights, you will need mayfly emerger patterns for the early part of the rise, adults and spinners for the change of light and caddis adults for the last splashy rise forms of the evening.

We have had some very good fish on our visits this week including some early browns entering the river. The Hinemaiaia opened this week but we have not had many reports but it sounds as thought there have been quite a few solid fish caught and many tales of bigger fishy lost in the infamous snags .

River mouths are starting to perform now as the smelt start to appear at the entrances.

by Gary Lyttle of Fly & Gun Hunting & Fishing Taupo

Another good week this week on the lake (Lake Taupo). Change of light at both ends of the day is still the best time to be out there. Best depths are stiil quite deep at between 30 and 40 metres, changing depth around to find the fish is still essential to stay in touch. Top lures this week standard sized Orange and Gold Kiwi lures and the Spotty Gold in Cobra, also the small Black and Gold or Black and Copper small Tobies are still going well. We have some big winds and rain forecast coming from the North this weekend so Mine Bay and the shelter of Taupo Bay itself will still produce, if you can get round to Waitahanui and Rotagnaia Point then you should do ok.

Harling is still a little mixed though some regulars that are out on the water at 5.00am at Waitahanui are still getting good results top lures for this have been the Orange and Gold Cobra and Ginger Mick flies. Fly fishing has been a little mixed this week locally as the rivers are getting a little low and clear those that are prepared to do some walking and change down in tippet size and fly size will still get results. Evening rises on most rivers are in full swing with strong caddis activity at change of light. Dec 1st backcountry sections open up soon and should all be in good shape. Keep an eye out for any signs of didymo as you may be the first on the water since last season, if you are suspiscious give DOC a ring immediately to check it out, better safe than sorry.

The lakes have all been going well. Rotoaira has been exceptional this year so far, early mornings are best on here as the wind picks up real quick towards mid morning, intermediate lines and dark woolies in size 10# through to 8# will do the job.

Any one keen on fly tying should not miss a once in a life time opportunity to see Mark Petitjean from Switzerland demonstrate his tying skills at Turangi Trout Centre. I can personally vouch that he is the world master of CDC flies and well worth a visit, the date is 10th of December and tickets are $ 20.00. Contact Nate Jarvis at freephone 0800 100 515.

Some of our local customers heard the first cicadas this week so lets hope summers round the corner.

Take care out there on the water,

Tight Lines
Gary Lyttle

by Gary Lyttle of Fly & Gun Hunting & Fishing Taupo

Good steady fishing out there on the Great Lake this week, early mornings and change of light are still the best times out there but the fishing has improved slightly for those that want to fish through the middle part of the day. In saying that, it is the downriggers that are catching the most fish at this time of the day , success has also required going deeper, down to the 36 to 40 metre mark.

Top lures are the larger King Cobras in Spotty Gold , Orange and Gold and Traffic Light, The Black Tobies are also still going well in the smaller sizes. Top spots are Rangatira Point round to Maori Carvings and along to Mine Bay. Waitahanui is still going well although the Harling has been a little slower this week. Whareweka Point, Taupo Bay and round to Jerusalem have also been going well.

Jigging has been a bit hit and miss this week as the mixed weather has kept the temperature back compared to last year and the fish still seem to be at very different depths on the favourite Points and Peninsulas.

Fly fishing has improved further afield as the water levels have now receded to a normal flow, good reports this week from the Mohaka, good numbers of fish being caught not to far from the highway bridge also the Waipunga has also been fishing a bit better as the levels have made wading a little less hazardous.

Excellent dry fly sport on the Tongariro most evenings even with inclement winds and cold the hatch still happens, a cold wind can delay the activity but you can still get a good half hour of intense activity if you hang on right to dusk. Top flies will be Mayfly emerger patterns in size 16# and 14# early evening then a switch to caddis at change of light using Klinkhamers and Elk Hair Caddis in size 14# to 12# even size 10# on dark.

The lakes have been a bit blowy this latter part of the week, but the Big “O” has escaped the worst winds and has fished quite well.

Big winds and horrendous rain as I write this so it will all be in the air again as to where to go and what waters get affected the most, good thing about living in Taupo is there is always somewhere you can get to that is fishable once the season has started .
Tight lines to all

by Mike Stent of Fly & Gun Hunting & Fishing Taupo

The past week has been a fairly good one for anglers in the Taupo district. Reports of some good harling especially during the first couple of hours of daylight are regularly coming through now and finally we are seeing a marked improvement in the fish condition which bodes well for the coming summer months. Best harling flies have been the ginger mick, green orbit and jack spratt. During the day fish are being caught as deep as 25 meter downrigging or trolling lead lines. Jigging is starting to improve now and will only get better as the Lake warms going into summer. Best trolling lures are the orange and gold, baby brown and rastafarian. Areas to have fished well have been Rotongaio Pt, White Cliffs-Hatepe, Whakaipo Bay and at times Rangatira Pt.

Fly fishers are having to work a little harder this week on the local rivers with all of the rivers being low and clear. Anglers are catching a mixed bag of fish in terms of quality with a lot of fish now having spawned and dropping their way back down river to the Lake. With the low, clear river conditions best fly patterns have been smaller naturals such as pheasant tail, hare and copper and the prince nymph. Keep your indicators small and lengthen leaders on the smaller rivers. Reports of good fishing are coming from Lakes Otamangakau and Rotoaira so it is well worth a trip to these lakes if a fine day is forecast

by Gary Lyttle of Fly & Gun Hunting & Fishing Taupo

Early mornings and change of light in the evening are the prime times to be out on the lake this week , it has got notably harder during the day. Fishing has been good with plenty of fish in very good condition still more reports of good numbers of smelt being found in the trout which is all boding well we hope for another improved season.
Top spots have been Rangatira Point , Jerusalem Bay , and Waitahanui , also whilst on that side of the lake the White Cliffs round to Rotagnaia Point have also been doing well.

Top lures have been the Traffic Light , Spotty Gold and Orange and Gold , notably the larger sized King Cobra and Tazzies are now performing better than the smaller lures .
Harling has been productive again this week and the top spot is still over towards Waitahanui around the Dirty Duck Creek area towing a small Cobra and Green Orbit , Yellow Lady and Ginger Mick flies in sizes #2 and #6 .

The Western Bays have been fishing well quite over at Waihora and Waihaha for those that have ventured over. Once again it seems that the local fishing around Taupo is still fishing better than over the Bays.

The jigging is still a little early but a few anglers have been out trying with mixed results this last week, a lot of fish are still at differing levels so jigging will improve as the water starts to stratify. In saying that Rangatira Point and the Maori Carvings and the South side of Mine Bay Point did quite well for some locals this week jigging with Ginger Micks on size 8# and 10# hooks .

The local fly fishing has been quite good this week as levels are now really quite settled , the rivers are now very clear again so small naturals such as Green Caddis , P.T. N ,s Hare and Copper and Coloburiscus nymphs sin size 16# and 14# have been going quite well , time to search out more riffled waters with a dry fly dropper rig now as fish start to actively search for for aquatic insects, we had our first dry fly session this week on the Tongaririo last Sunday and had some great sport on small dries, most rivers now will have hatches occurring at some stage of the day so make sure you have some Elk Hair Caddis and Parachute Adams dries in size 18#and 14# with you from now on.

The back county rivers are now very clear but many are still carrying a good volume of water so you need to check your levels before making a big trip, most should now be in top order and will have had very little pressure so get out there and enjoy the great outdoors in Gods Country !!

by Gary Lyttle of Fly & Gun Hunting & Fishing Taupo

Well what a stunning weekend we had for the holiday, lots of boaties turned up to fish the great lake and from the reports that came back to us most people had very little to complain about this year , we all know that the size and numbers of fish at present is not what it was compared to yesteryear for the present period so lets move on and enjoy the lake for all its natural ups and downs it still remains a world class place to visit and enjoy, and judging from the numbers and condition of the fish caught this last weekend then we still live in paradise especially for those of us lucky enough to live on it's shores.

Most of the places that we predicted last week performed really well and to a whole variety of depths lures and methods. The milder weather and more boat traffic locally encouraged some boaties to try further afield over the Western Bays and had some very good fishing with Waihaha and Waihora showing some signs of some early smelt activity.

Top lures are probably still that 7grm Black Toby closely followed by a Std Spotty Gold Cobra, Orange and Gold and also the Traffic light. Harling was very productive especially around the Waitahanui area , top patterns were the Standard and Red bodied Orbits in Size 6# and also the Parsons Glory and Ginger Mick in the smaller size 6# again.

Jigging also did quite well at the weekend with Mine Bay, Moari Carvings and Whareweka Point doing quite well. A large size 8# Woolie in Black or Olive on the point and the standard small 12# and 10# Pat Swift Patterns on the droppers at any thing between 30 and 45 meters seemed to be doing well.

The local fly fishing was also performing for many visitors and locals alike the top performer was still the Tongariro followed by the local Waitahanui, with some nice fish landed on smaller naturals.

The lakes also fished well with Rotoaira the pick of the bunch with some hard fighting Rainbows in the 2-3 1/2 lb class falling for Small Black and Olive lures stripped on Inters and Di3 lines.

Otamangakau has been quite moody since opening weekend with many anglers having mixed results with the fluctuating levels and dirty water.
Nearly time to try for an evening rise now as the weather gets better and night draw out.

by Gary Lyttle of Fly & Gun Hunting & Fishing Taupo

A mixed week this week for the boaties on the lake (Lake Taupo), some good fishing towards the latter part of the week with some settled weather approaching. The early mornings have again been the best time to be out there this week before the wind starts to pick up.

Top spots this week have been Whareweka Point, Waitahanui and along the White Cliffs to Rotongaio Point, inside of Whakaipo Bay and Taupo Bay itself again has been producing steady sport.

Top lures this week have been the Traffic Light Cobra , Baby Brown and Spotty Gold Kiwis in std sizes, the 7grm Tobies are still going well especially the Black and Gold and Copper colours.

Harling has been producing a few fish for the early risers especially round Waitahanui again. Whakaipo Bay has also been good for some local kayakers this week.
One or two colours of lead with the Small Orange Cobra or Spotty Gold Cobra have been going well also the old Mother of Pearl lure has been doing well this week Top fly this week for the harlers will be the smaller size 6# Std Green Orbit and Ginger Mick.

A few customers have been out there trying some early season jigging this week with reasonable results for the time of year. Brown and Olive Woolly buggers in size 8# and !0# were doing most damage .

The fly fishing has generally been good towards the middle of the week as river levels have subsided to more natural flows, the Tongariro will have to be the pick of the bunch of the locals this week with reports of some excellent fishing throughout the length of the river from the town up.

As predicted last week the wet liners have been enjoying some very good early morning fishing on the Olive and Black coloured woollies in size 8# and 10# .
Naturals have been doing better as the day progresses down to size 16# as more pressure hits the river and trout become wary .

Once again some welcome reports of dry fly activity starting to fire up on the warmer, calmer days. The Waikato streams are pretty much in full swing with healthy spring mayfly activity and some good caddis hatches in the evenings as well , so lets hope its all just round the corner for us now.

Tight Lines
Gary

by Gary Lyttle of Fly & Gun Hunting & Fishing Taupo

Another steady week this week for the boaties out on the lake [Lake Taupo]. Early morning, and I mean early, has definitely been the time to be out there this week.

Top depths still at 30-35 meters. You will need to continually chop and change depth to stay in touch as the fish are still at very mixed levels.

Top lures this week according to our friends over at White Striker have been the small 7grm Tobies in Black and Gold Stripe , Copper and Green and Gold , also the smaller std Cobras in Spotty Gold and Traffic light have been going well.

White Striker say that some of the best fishing has been just in the Taupo Bay itself, Whakaipo Bay, Mine Bay and the Maori Carvings round to Rangatira Point have all been producing good numbers this week.

Although a lot of fish are still on the small side the condition factor on those slightly better fish inside the takeable limit have been excellent with large amounts of smelt showing up in the stomachs.

Harling is now a very viable option to try early mornings especially round the Waitahanui area. Top flies are the Std Green Orbits, Ginger Mick and Parsons Glory.

Another good area for harling locally has been the Booths Farm area between Acacia Bay and the main Taupo boat harbour.

Local fly fishing has been quite good this week with good amounts of fish now throughout most of our local river systems. The Tongariro has probably been the pick of the bunch this week with reports from many of our visitors of some very good fishing throughout the length of the river.

Small naturals such as the new Batman nymph and Caddilacs and Hare and Copper in 14# and 16# have been the best method for most anglers although the wet liners have probably been catching better quality fish early in the mornings on Small black and olive coloured Woollies.

Back country fishing has still been very mixed with the weather although some anglers have done well on the Mohaka but the water levels are still quite high and powerful.

The first reports of Caddis and Mayfly activity have been warmly received although the hatches are small and sparse it is a very welcome sight after a long winter.

Big rain forecast for the weekend so every thing will change again so you'll need to adapt to the conditions in the mean time Tight Lines everyone.

by Gary Lyttle of Fly & Gun Hunting & Fishing Taupo

Weather has been more than a little restrictive over the last few days out on the lake, very strong cold winds have restricted most local boaties to the bay itself. Despite this the fishing has been very good with reports of reasonable numbers of fish encouraging reports again of good quality strong silver fish being caught. Best times are without doubt around that 6.30 -8.30am mark for the early birds and change of light the other end of the day.

Best depths will require lots of chop and change to stay in touch with fish but that 30-35 mtr is still the zone to be in. Best lures this week have again been the smaller 7grm Black and Gold stripe and the all Copper Toby. Various brighter coloured Cobra and Kiwi lures but all in the smaller standard sizes notably the larger King sizes have not had the same effect this week.

If the weather allows you to get out of the Bay this weekend then you could try Whakaipo Bay, Waitahanui, White Cliffs, Rotagnaia Point and also give the Horomatangi Reef a go as there have been a few better quality fish caught over there recently.

Harling has been a little slow this week again due to the weather but it is definitely worth a try early in the morning before first light using one colour of lead over the 4 metre mark, Ginger Mick and standard Green Orbits in 2#s also Fluo Orange std Cobras are worth trying as well for a harl.

The fly fishing season got off to a very mixed start last week with many back country rivers made unfishable with the rain. The lakes however were a different story and Kuratau and Otamangakau fished very well despite the cold wind and rain, I fished Otamangakau and saw plenty of fish being caught I think the fly fishers were doing better than the harlers as most fish were feeding quite shallow. The fish were in notably better condition than this time last year some of the hens were superb, once again intermediate and DI 3 lines did the job with Black, Brown and Purple woollies doing the damage .

The forecast for this weekend is for more of the same wintery weather so wrap up and check your river levels before travelling any distance. Good luck to all those entered in the Kinloch Competition this weekend hope you all have a great few days.
Tight Lines

by Gary Lyttle of Fly & Gun Hunting & Fishing Taupo

What a great week its been out there on the lake this last week, you can really feel summer round the corner, the fishing has been really good for many people out there this last few days. Top lures this week are still the Toby's in black and gold stripe also the Copper Toby both in the smaller sizes, also worth trying will be the standard Cobras in Spotty Gold, Fluo Orange and Black and Baby Brown. Top spots have been Whareweka Point and Three Mile Bay this week down at the 80 to 100 feet mark also Rangatira Point and Whakaipo Bay are still producing good numbers of fish. Good reports also from Waitahanui and the White Cliffs and Rotagnaia Point.

Harling has started and is worth trying early mornings round the Waitahanui area. Flies to try for this time of year will be the Yellow Lady , Green Orbit and Ginger Mick, you can ring the changes and run a small sized Cobra in Spotty Gold on the point and your fly up front.

Local fly fishing has been steady this week, successful for those that are prepared to scale right down and put some walking in to find fresh fish in the pools, the Tongariro has been steady this last week and fish can be seen throughout the length in the clear water. The smaller rivers have had a bit of pressure over the last few weeks and fish are getting pretty wired. The river mouths at Waitahanui and Hatepe have been mixed with the changing winds but have been producing reasonably consistantly.

New season is nearly upon us once again so don't forget to renew your licences and check the rules about start times on the places you intend to fish opening weekend as not all rivers open Oct 1st. Good time to check all you gear thoroughly and clean or replace tired lines and old tippet etc. Check your flies for sharpness and for rust or signs of damage and wear and tear.

Have a great new season and tight lines to all !!

I write this report after just coming off the phone with our friends from White Striker Charters who were having a blast out on the lake (Lake Taupo) about 9.00 this morning, plenty of fish coming to the boat including a very good brown of around five and a half pounds. Richard Staines was also commenting on the amount of smelt being spewed up by the trout over the last week or so. We all very much hope that this continues to be the news we hear over the coming months.

Top lure this week is without doubt the smaller sized Black Toby this has been doing the damage all week. Other lures to consider would be the Std Cobras in Spotty Gold , Yellow Leopard, and Traffic Light.

On Lake Taupo Rangatira Point has been the hotspot this week with good numbers showing up on most days. With the very early signs of smelting activity at the moment it might be worth a go at some early morning harling, give Waiatahanui and Rangatira a go, also consider Whakaipo and Mine Bay even the Reef given some nice calm weather will be worth a visit for a Harl, you don't know until you try.

The local fly fishing has been very up and down as the river levels continue to recede from the last fresh we had. The Tongaririo has plenty of fish throughout the length , we had some good reports of bigger rainbows being caught with the fresh but most fish being caught this week have an average size. Remember to fine everything right down for success as the rivers get low and clear.

The Hinemaiaia still has fish through the length but are now mainly on the small side and getting very dark in colour.

Top performer this week would have to be the T.T with some exceptional catches of silver bullets from this stunning little river.

Once again success was more eveident for anglers that are getting those flies down hard on the bottom quickly . To prove the point our own intrepid James Clarke was on the river last Friday. Turning up late as usual, to a full car park was still able to extract a good number of fish from just two pools close by after a number of anglers had gone upstream empty handed.

Not much in the way of real rain over the next few days so you will need to adapt to the conditions. Till next week tight lines to everyone.

Gary Lyttle

Quite a tough week out on the lake this week. Mornings have been very much more productive than the afternoons. Best depths have been 80-100 feet , top lures this week are the Yellow and Black Spotted Leopard Cobra lure, followed by the Black Toby and Orange and Gold Kiwi lure.

Best areas have been Waitahanui again , Booths Farm , Acacia and Lake front areas have also been producing quite well.

Whakaipo Reef was reported as doing very well later in the week before the storms came. Reports still suggest that fish quality is still very good although size is still on the small side.

Local fly fishing has been going really well , as I write this the rivers are receding nicely from the last fresh we had and reports from the fishermen through the shop were all very positive.

The Tongaririo had a very good few days with reports of fish all through the river , the wet liners did very well on Tuesday and Wednesday catching on Red Rabbits , Purple Woollies and Black Marabou lures.

The T.T is still running very high as I write but should be dead on for Friday perhaps even into the weekend.

The Lower Hinemaiai has still been producing fresh fish this week after the rain but lots of darker Kelts will now have been washed downstream so you can expect more darker fish to show up here from now on.

The weekend ahead is forecasting a high with settled weather as I write this so take advantage of an early taste of Spring and get out and enjoy some fishing the rivers will have plenty of water and fish will have ran over the last few day.  Rotoaira Lake will also be worth a look if the weather is as good as promised over the weekend.

Until next time tight lines

Gart Lyttle

A steadier week this week out on the lake. Some good reports from boaties that took advantage of some settled weather and ventured over the western bays last week. Waihora Bay fished quite well with reasonable numbers of fish caught once again mainly on the small side. Whakaipo Bay was also going quite well. The Reef seemed to be the place to be for the better quality fish last week.

This weekend looks hard as the weather closes in for some very strong winds. Top lures this week have again been the Black Toby, King Cobra in Orange and Gold also Baby Brown and Traffic light in the Kiwi lures.

Fly fishing locally has also been a little mixed. Rain over the last few days has spiked some of the rivers again so this weekend should be good on most local rivers. The Tongaririo still continues to do quite well with reports of fish throughout most pools . Naturals have been producing the best results during the day with eggs doing well early and late.

The T.T will be worth looking at, but you'll need to be early. The Waitahanui has been very patchy , but is still producing odd good fish with some better sized rainbows showing up around the middle pools.

The lower Hinemaiai is producing fish still but many are now darker in colour , this weekend should see some fresh fish through this section.

Countdown now as the new season gets closer. Rotoaira Lake opens Sept Ist , not looking good for the start of its season with such strong winds forecast but as soon as we get some settled weather, that's where I'll be heading!!

Until next week. Tight Lines all.

Gary Lyttle

Fishing out on the lake has been good this week for those that have braved the cold early starts. Top depths are still around the 20-30 meter mark. Top lures again this week will have to be the Black Toby , closely followed by the Spotty Gold and Traffic light. Best spots have been the local Golden Mile, Whareweka, Waitahanui, Whakaipo and Mine Bay. The reef has been producing some nice fish for those that have taken advantage of the calmer days.

The local fly fishing has once again had another fresh through the system. At last the T.T has started to fire for quite a few anglers that have reported some excellent fishing from the bridge all the way up. The fish are going through in big pockets when they are running at the moment. Tungsten Beaded Nymphs with 4 to5 mm heads are what you need to get down there with small glo bugs doing the damage.

The Waitahanui is still producing fish this week with some good reports of fish from the mouth and lower to middle pools , some good browns still being reported from the middle pools.

The Tongariro had a good week in general with reports of some good sized fresh fish through the system . The town pools were very busy and catching plenty of fish, you don't have to travel much further up stream though to find some solitude and equally good fishing.

The pick of the bunch this week is still the Hinemaiai with good numbers of fish and plenty of stories of big fish encounters and snags.

All very positive news on the whole and most would agree an improvement on last years winter runs already.

Tight Lines all

Gary Lyttle

Good fishing out on the lake this week, in between the weather patterns, mornings once again the best time out there at the moment. Top depths are any where between 20 – 30 metres deep , you still need to change depth regularly to stay in touch with the trout .
Top lures this week will be the Fuo Orange and Gold Tazzie , the Black Toby , Black Tobies with red and green lightning strikes have also been doing well . When all else fails the good old Spotty Gold is still as good a bet as ever. Top spots will be Rotagnaia, Waitahanui , Whareweka Point and the Point at Jerusalem Bay .

The local fly fishing had another big boost with the rain last week the Tongarairo fired again with lots of fish being reported mainly through the lower and town pools, reports of more big browns caught during the mayhem.

The Waitahanui had a good fresh through and coloured up quite quickly last Friday but reports suggest that numbers were not as high as the last fresh we had, still reports of fairly consistant fishing through the middle pools. I have seen some photos of some more good Browns caught from the middle pools again this week.

The T.T had mixed reports with some people doing really well and many others struggling to find a fish despite perfect colour and conditions.

The Hinemaia is still the pick of the bunch with good numbers of fish throughout the length of the lower reaches, this river has also attracted most attention from anglers so you need to be on it early to get decent decent water to fish.
In general most anglers have been pleased with the runs, quite apparent that your timing in regard to the freshes has to be good, as the fish are running through very quickly.

Very encouraging to see and hear of so many good sized Browns showing up throughout the system at the moment. More rain forecast for the end of the week, so get out there and enjoy the runs as they happen .
Till next week
Tight Lines Gary Lyttle

What a difference the rain makes!! Last week saw a bonanza run of fish through most of the local rivers. Reports came flooding in even a day before the rain arrived. The Tongariro was already firing up with reports of good numbers from the bridge pool through to the middle reaches, a very good brown caught by local guide Andrew Christmas can be seen on his website other reports of good sized rainbows caught last week on the big river most anglers we spoke to have caught fish over the last few days.

The Waitahanui also fired with the rain good catches coming from the road straight through to the lower pools, some very good browns have also been caught on this river last week from the middle and lower pools with tales of huge fish hooked and lost in the snags.

The lower Hinemaiaia was probably the pick of the bunch with fish being caught throughout the length of the river probabaly because this river held its colour just a little longer than the others.

Egg patterns in size 12# and 14# , a whole mixture of combinations have worked although it seems that you need to use smaller eggs as the rivers recede and clear, also make sure you have enough weight to get down to the fish in the faster and deeper currents.

We have reports of more rain forecast for the end of this week so don't miss out as we can hopefully expect the same again.

Make sure you are up early as it will be very busy as the news spreads. I would be again heading for the T.T once it starts to recede and also the lower Hinemaiaia.

Till next week tight lines,

Gary Lyttle

Fishing out on the lake this last week has been quite good for those that have been brave enough for the cold and wet weather that we have had , top spots have again been Waitahanui , Rotagnaia and the White Cliffs areas , Whakaipo Bay and the Taupo Golden Mile are still producing fish but a little slower in general this week .
The depth you fish at seems to be a very critical factor at the moment you really do have to take the trouble to chop and change your depths , any where between 20-35 meters seems to be the key.

Early mornings are still the best time out there at the moment the fishing definitely starts to slow as the day progresses.

Top lures are again the King Cobra in Spotty Gold and Orange and Gold , Kiwi lures in Baby Brown and Orange and Gold.

The local fly fishing continues to have its spikes and falls due to the unsettled weather in general if you can get out and about on the ebb of one of the spikes then you stand a reasonable chance of success . The runs of fish continue to be quite small as we wait for the lake levels to rise but none the less the fish have been running, I took a look over the highway bridge on the Waitahanui last Friday at lunch time and saw one huge Brown and a pod of five or six Rainbows that were all good five pound plus fish sat by the pillars, so they are there and running.

The rips have been quite good early mornings that have had cloud cover but the moon has been very bright on the clear nights and made the fishing quite hard .
Probably the most consistant river locally is still the Waitahanui with reports of some nice Browns still being caught and sightings of reasonable of fish through the middle reaches.

The Tongariro has had some small runs through again , there seems to be reports of reasonable numbers throughout the river but you do need to out early before the crowds spook the pools.   The river is still very clear and demands a back country summer type approach with fine tippets and small naturals.

The river mouth of the T.T is still producing fish at the changes of light as you can still just wade out to the lip , once again fast sink shooting heads and black or white small Boobies are the killing patterns.

Until next week tight lines everyone

Gary Lyttle

Not to many reports from the boaties out on the lake (Lake Taupo) this week, those that have braved the weather have found the fishing quite good.

Most important factor has been finding the correct depth to fish at , you really do have to take the trouble to chop and change through the day to find that critical depth any where between 20-35 meters seems to be the key.

Top lures last week were the King Cobras in Spotty Gold and Orange and Gold, Kiwi lures in Baby Brown and Orange and Gold, also the fluo Yellow and White lure has done well.

We have Northerlies forecast for this weekend so head for Mine Bay, Whakaipo Bay and Wharewaka, if the weather permits you should try to get round to Waitahanui, Rotagnaio and the White Cliffs.

The local fly fishing had a bit of a lift this last week but nothing really to set us on fire .
Similar to the last fresh we had small numbers of fish through most local rivers but were fairly well spread through the system.

The T.T once again was very average for most , but we had reports of some people doing quite well not to far from the car park wetlining, Black-bodied Rabbits were the pattern used on this occasion.

Tongaririo again was good for the early birds but got harder as the days went on .

One good report was from the lower Hinemaiaia with a couple of visitors doing well on the receding fresh early mornings last week.

Probably the most consistant river locally for numbers and quality is still the Waitahanui, Unreal eggs, Champagne and Fire Orange Glowies in 12# and 14# seem to be the top patterns here.

The river mouths have been equally indifferent , in saying that a group of Australians fished the mouth at Hatepe the other evening just through the change of light period and reported some very good fishing.

The T.T mouth is still the number one for the rip fishing as you can still wade out and fish the lip quite easily.

Once again med to fast sink shooting heads with various white, glow or black Boobies seem to be the key here.

Tight lines all till next week
Gary Lyttle

The White Cliffs, Rotongaio Point, and Wharewaka Point were some of the better spots for the boaties on Lake Taupo this last week, once again early mornings were definitely the time to be out on the lake to get the best results , 80-100 feet deep , top lures this week Spotty Gold Kiwi, Baby Brown Kiwi and Orange and Gold and Traffic lights were the top performing lures.

Quite a few small fish caught this week but a reasonable number of fish in the 3-4lb bracket were also caught ...

We have fronts coming from both sides of the lake over the next few days so you will need to check the weather reports closely before making definite plans ...

If in doubt the Taupo Bay will offer some shelter and is still fishing quite well ...

The local fly fishing has been quite difficult for most as the rivers have continued to stay low and clear ...

The Tauranga Taupo has been quite good for those that have stayed on the move and prepared to put the yards in to find fish.

The Tongariro has not had many people venturing beyond the town pools this week, those that have, have had mixed results.

We are in need of some rain and as I write our prayers may have been answered as the forecast is rain over the next few days.

The Waitahanui , T.T and Tongaririo will all have fish waiting to run so get the big gear out, dust off the big indicators and get some fresh glow bugs on some new tippet and get out early to make the most of the conditions as they arrive , if we have a repeat of the last rain we had a few weeks ago it should be all on!!

Don’t forget the wetline as this can be deadly with some Black, Brown or Purple woolley buggers swung round in the current.

Take care with your wading if the water is coloured and tight lines till next week .

Gary Lyttle

Fishing out on the lake has been a little more settled this last week with reports of reasonable numbers of fish, and once again some better fish being caught .

Top spots this week have been the Golden Mile and Waitahanui , with Whakaipo Bay once again doing quite well.

Top depth around the 35 meter mark top lures are Orange and Gold Kiwi lure, Traffic Light, Baby Brown Cobra, and a Black Cobra.

Harling has been good but you really do have to be up and out on the lake at the turn of light for some good fishing , Waitahanui ,Rotangaio and Hatepe have been the top spots this week , top flies have been Ginger Mick and STD Green Orbit a small Cobra on the point has also been doing well.

Jigging has been slower this last week with smaller fish showing up spasmodically.

Fly fishing has been mixed this week as the rain last week did not really make any impression on the levels , this week has seen more rain and as we speak rivers are rising so we should expect a few freshies to run.

The Hinemaiai and Waitahanui would be my bets locally as reports of some good sized fish from both these rivers have been coming in over the last few days.

The Tongariro will also be worth a visit for some wetlining after the rain has stopped and the rivers start to go down.

The local river mouths should start to fire up soon we have mixed reports at the moment though , you just have to be out on the right night.

Tight Lines

Gary Lyttle

Still a bit patchy out there on the lake this last week. Those that braved the cold front we had did reasonably well but quite a few of the trollers found the going quite tough .
Top lures are still the Spotty Gold and Traffic Light Kiwi lures and Baby Brown Cobra.
Best depths are still the 100 feet or so mark.

Golden Mile , Otutere Banks and Horotamangi Reef and Whakaipo Bay have all fished reasonably well this week.

Harling has produced some good fish this week for those that were up at first light , Waitahanui produced some good fish also White Cliffs, Rangatira Point and Whakaipo Bay have done well.

Top flies have been Darker Flies such as STD Green Orbits and Ginger Mick in the larger sizes.

Jigging continues to do very well for those that know the spots. Western Bays produced some good jigging last week over at Kawa Kawa and Waihora, locally Mine Bay and Whakaipo Point have done well.

Small flies still at around the 25 – 30 meter mark is the best depth at the moment .
Fly fishing saw a small improvement last week as a few freshies ran with that patch of rain that went through quickly

Waitahanui and Hinemaiaia had a few fresh through but not in any numbers. Reports of fish being caught now on small glowies from the deeper pools despite the low levels worth noting if fish are not responding to the nymphs.

Tongaririo has improved slightly again with an increased flow , the T.T had mixed results last week but a few nice fish came to some early risers wet lining small wooly buggers in the middle reaches last week.

The lakes continue to fish well. Rotoaira had an algae bloom last week but should clear soon. Big O has still been difficult for many with hardly any flow, but some decent fishing can still be had with for those that persist .

Tight lines, Gary Lytle

Patchy is the word that best describes the fishing out on the great lake this last week. The moon has had a lot to do with this, but people have been catching still and some very good fish have been caught both of quality and size despite the conditions. Best spots last week have been Waitahanui, Rotonaia and Whakaipo.

The Golden Mile and Whareweka Point have also been producing for boaties that want to stay local , but these areas have been very patchy , early mornings seem to be the best times to get out it seems to get harder as the day progresses. Top lures Orange and Gold Kiwi Lure , Traffic Light , and the small sized Spotty Gold have been doing well.

Harling has started to produce some reasonable numbers for those that are prepared to get up very early. Jigging of the local points and peninsulas has also been a bit hit and miss this week either “all on” right away or nothing at all. The local fly fishing has also been quite hard, the rivers are very low and ultra clear and with the added pressure of lots of holiday anglers the fish can be spotted quite easily but are extremely wary, most of the dry fly action is now over but reports still come in of the odd hatches locally of the passion hoppers still bringing fish to the surface also reports of the odd Mayfly hatches on the Tongariro during the heat of the day.

The lakes have continued to fish well with Kuratau and Rotoaira producing good numbers to stripped woollies on Intermediates. Otamangakau has been hard with no flow and low levels although some very good rainbows are still coming out for those that persist and are prepared to fine down for the conditions.

The river mouths should now start to fish better as we go into next week, given a favourable wind they are going to be a good prospect.

Tight lines, Gary Lyttle

Fishing on Lake Taupo has been fairly restrictive this last week due to the weather so most of the reports have come from the Taupo Bay area, in saying that the fishing has still been very active though a lot of small fish are making up the catches.

Top depths, still the 30-35 metre marks. Top lures this week:Orange and Green Tazzie, Orange and Gold Kiwi, Orange and Gold King Cobra.

Harling has started to do well again as the water temperature starts to cool the fish bare hanging around the margins for longer, early and late are the times to be out for both of these activities.

The jigging has been mixed this week with most of the favourite spots being blown out.

This weekend we have a reasonable forecast so time to get out of the bay and get out to those favourite spots such as Rotanaia, Waitahanui, Horotamangi Reef. For the jigging give Whareweka Point, Mine Bay, Maori Carvings and Whakaipo and the Reef a visit.

The fly fishing has been mixed this week with reports that the Tongariro has been difficult for many people with the wind although reports that good browns can still be seen throughout the river.

The Tauranga-Taupo (TT) has had a few earlies through it and has still been showing the odd rising fish throughout the squalls , most fish now will start to respond to the nymph better than dries now if the weather continues to cool down at such a fast rate .

The pick of the bunch locally this week will have to the Waitahanui with fish continuing to rise through out the day regardless of the weather to very small dries .

Good browns and rainbows are getting caught on the dries to anglers that are prepared to go down 18# even 20# to match the hatch, small pale coloured slimly tied CDCs are what seems to be doing the trick you will also need to fine down tippet size to at least 4lb to get interest from these hatch-driven trout.

Rotoaira lake has fished well again this week for those prepared to brave the winds , intermediate lines with small 10# and 12# sizes, brown and dirty olive coloured lures will do the trick, fishing in between the weed beds around 2-3 meters deep.

A good forecast for this weekend. If it gets warm enough we might just see the tail end of some cicada activity , either way it’s the first weekend for some time of good weather so get there and enjoy the outdoors.

Tight lines Gary Lyttle

by Gary Lyttle of Fly & Gun Hunting & Fishing Taupo

A bit of a rough weekend last week with plenty of rain to fill the rivers and top up the lake. Most of the local fishing was wiped out for a few days, however once the winds abated and the boaties were out in force the fishing proved to be very good once again.

Top spots have been Whareweka Point, Mine Bay, Whakamoenga Point. The Western Bays have been producing very good numbers of fish but the general size over there seems to be smaller than we get locally. Top depth for the downriggers is 30-35 metres still with Lemon and White, Pink, Orange and Lime Kiwis doing the damage this week.

Jigging is still firing for most people that are on the right spots, although some have suggested they are finding fish just a bit deeper again this week down to 50 metres. All the local spots are going well, out from Acacia Bay harbour at 45 metres has been good with Rangatira Point and the Maori Carvings doing well. The drop offs at Mine Bay have also been very good and some better reports of bigger fish being caught out at Horomatangi reef this week for the jiggers.

Local fly fishing was all good until the rain arrived last weekend with the Tongariro being the pick of the bunch again. Otamangakau fired up last weekend as the channel filled with water and the locals enjoyed a bonanza of big trout at the inlet. Lakes Kuratau and Rotoaira both fished very well despite the wind and rain and managed to stay relatively clean. Expect to see some late cicada action over the next couple of weeks as the rivers come back into condition, hopefully.

The river mouths have been steady this week with Waitahanui rip doing well very early in the morning also Hatepe has been giving up some very good rainbows last week. Best flies seem to small smelt patterns such as Mallard Smelt and small green orbits on intermediate or slow sink lines.

Have fun out there,

Tight lines, Gary Lyttle

by Gary Lyttle of Fly & Gun Hunting & Fishing Taupo

Fishing out there on there on the great lake has been good again this week with the downriggers doing quite well around the Golden Mile, Whareweka, Mine Bay and Rotagnaia areas.

30-35 meters is still the key depth to be at. Spotty Gold , Lemon and White and Traffic Lights are the top lures from this week.

Jigging is still the top method at the moment , most of the known points and peninsulas are producing fish at any thing between 30-45 meters deep . Same flies working well , Mini Green Orbits on the Bottom droppers and small smelt patterns on the top droppers.

The local fly fishing this week has been very good, we had a bit of a fresh through last week that has livened every thing up , the cicadas have responded to the humid weather and are everywhere.

Good numbers of big browns can be spotted all the way up the Waitahanui at the moment and are coming up for cicadas on a regular basis there are also reports of good numbers of nicely conditioned Rainbows from the same river.

The Tongariro has been having some exceptional dry fly sport on the cicada; some will say as good as if not better than some of the back country rivers.

Big Browns are being reported all the way from the lower reaches and throughout the length of the river, reports suggest that the rainbows are putting on condition and weight very quickly and are gorging on the cicadas .

The Waipunga has also been fishing well to big dries with some nice conditioned fish reported this week.

We really do seem to enjoying a cicada bonanza this year and the fishing really is quite exceptional out there so you need to get out now and enjoy it while we have it there is nothing quite like watching big trout come from the depths to engulf a big dry .

The rip fishing at Waitahanui has also been very good this week with reports best from early morning and change of light , Some good Browns from Hatepe have been reported last week .

Tight lines, Gary Lyttle

by Gary Lyttle of Fly & Gun Hunting & Fishing Taupo

Fishing out on the lake this week has continued to be very good with the best fishing now coming to trolling and jigging. The best spots locally this week have been Whareweka Point, Mine Bay, Rotangaio Point, and Waitahanui also the Golden Mile out to Acacia Bay. Top lures have the Kiwi Pink lure, Lemon and Lime, Orange and Green, and the Spotty Gold. Best depths are between 30-35 metres deep.

Jigging is now really firing on all cylinders with top spots locally being, Whareweka Point, both sides of Mine Bay, Rangatira Point, and Horomatangi Reef. Best depths are between 30-45 metres deep. Top lures are Mini Jack Spratts, Black and Olive Woolly Buggers for the bottom droppers. Best top droppers are the small Jack Spratt, Mini Grey Ghost and Mini Mallard Smelt in size 10# and 12#. Good numbers of fish this last week, and once again good to hear reports from customers on better size and conditioned trout included in the catches.

Local fly fishing has been very good this last week with the advent of a very strong cicada year that seems to be gaining momentum. The Tongariro has been producing some very good Browns during the day on the cicadas along with lots of recovering Rainbows. Night fishing the river has also been producing some big Browns swinging wets down and across. The Waikato River locally has been having a dry fly bonanaza throughout the day and evening both to Mayflies and cicadas. Lots of fish in the 1-2lb bracket a great place to try if you are a beginner or want to introduce someone to fly fishing, any of the places where streams enter the river with cooler water will produce good numbers of fish.

The upper T-T has been good on the dries during the day as has the Hinemaiaia but the fish size on the Hine is usually quite small this time of year. The lakes are all on fire to the cicada with the Big “O” producing some whoppers to the big Dry. This lake has been very busy over the last few weeks so be prepared to see plenty of boats about.

A timely reminder for those planning a trip to the lakes that this weekend is the annual special licence Goose Shoot on lakes Otamangakau and Kuratau, taking place from early Saturday morning through to Sunday night.

Tight lines and screaming reels!