Hundreds of large brown trout are heading into Lake Rotorua, making for what Fish and Game describes as a phenomenal fishing season.
Senior fisheries officer Rob Pitkethley said many large browns were entering Lake Rotorua from the Ngongotaha Stream, creating great fishing.
A trap set by Fish and Game in the stream
had caught 250 large fish over five consecutive nights.
The results surpassed anything previously recorded in trap records dating back to the 1960s, Mr Pitkethley said.
"It seems that this is an exceptional season for Lake Rotorua with both brown and rainbow trout in superb condition."
Brown trout weighing up to 7kg had been caught in the trap, with rainbow trout reaching 5kg, he said.
The boom is being attributed to environmental conditions.
"Temperature and wind have the biggest influence on the fishery with most lakes going through a cycle of good and not-so-good fishing.
"We are very fortunate in this area to have a range of lakes which respond differently because of their physical characteristics," Mr Pitkethley said.
The stream was popular with anglers using flies to target the large fish, while boat anglers on the lake should target the stream mouths, he said.
Local fishing expert Bert Robinson said the fish were tending to run around 11pm, providing good night fishing.
- NZPA
Herald Feature: Conservation and Environment
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