Trout fishing streams to be opened this weekend

Summer angling will soon be in full swing as popular fishing streams will be opened in the Rotorua region.

Fish & Game will allow access for fishing in the upper sections of Ngongotaha Stream, above State Highway 5, Waiteti above Hamarana Rd and Utuhina between Devon St and Pukehangi Rd.

The steams had been closed for the spawning season but will reopen on Sunday.

Fish & Game officer Matt Osborne said it was important for the natural or wild spawning during the end of June through to winter.

"Lake Rotorua has excellent natural spawning streams that are well protected so essentially unlike the other popular lakes of Tarawera, Okataina and Rotoiti, Rotorua is a wild fishery and we only release around 1000 tagged fish into it each year - for monitoring purposes only."

Mr Osborne said prospects look excellent with Lake Rotorua fish showing some significant improvements in their condition. "There will be some really nice-conditioned fish around in good numbers after the December 1 opening, as the streams have had five months of rest."

Big brown trout have already begun moving up the streams as they seek out cooler water away from Lake Rotorua's rising temperatures, Mr Osborne said.

"The browns appear to be heading upstream around two weeks earlier than normal because the lake is warmer for this time of year. The Ngongotaha fish trap run for early November has shown the brown trout averaging around 3kg with a 6kg fish being the largest weighed."

Mr Osborne says that the Ngongotaha Stream was looking good for the opening as a number of snags have disappeared to leave the waterway pretty clear of obstructions.