Harvey Clark: Trophy trout on tap at Rotorua

Superb trophy fish were landed this week at Rotorua; spawning runs are building on the Tongariro; and out on the Hauraki Gulf the fishing has been mainly quiet except at dawn and dusk.

At Rotorua, early-morning shore-based flyfishers at Mission Bay, near the entrance to the Ohau Channel, landed a 4.5kg (10lb) rainbow and a 5.9kg (13lb) brown "in excellent condition", reports O'Keefe's tackle shop.

The fish were packed with smelt, which are now building up in shoals before their migration into the channel, which opens for fishing on October 1. Until then, shore and boat-fishers concentrating on the area outside the channel should do very well and more trophy fish can be expected. Boats must remain 200m outside the channel entrance, shore fishers 300m from the landmark poles.

A few good trout are also being caught at the mouths of the Ngongotaha and Waiteti Streams, and Steve Smith from Bay of Plenty Fish and Game says bags of spring spawners are still being taken from the Ngongotaha where it remains open for fishing from the main road bridge down to the lake, and should continue fishing well for spawning rainbows through to November.

He also recommends harling from the Ohau Channel entrance round to the airport and along the lip off the west coast streams; and a family picnic outing to Lake Okaro, "which is fishing well at the moment" and where you can flyfish or take the kids spin-fishing from the shoreline at the picnic area.

Some excellent trout are also being caught on the Tongariro River, particularly during and after a spot of dirty weather which triggers spawning runs up from the lake.

The highest catch rates so far this season have been in the lower river down as far as Delatours Pool, accessible from Graces Rd. Farther up the river, the Kamahi and Admirals Pools have been favourites this year, but at the ever-popular Boulder Reach you couldn't swing a dead cat without clouting half a dozen anglers.

Glenn Maclean from DoC in Turangi says fishers need to move around more. Aerial surveys have shown anglers concentrating in a few places while other stretches of river remain empty. "There are fish all through the river."

As in the past few years, big spawning runs can be expected from now on as spring dumps its inclement weather and angling pressure eases, most fishers still preferring the winter action.

At the moment the river is low and clear and nymph-fishers need to use fluorocarbon trace and their smallest natural flies with lead shot.

"Often we see people using too little weight in their nymphs to reach the bottom where the fish are, and too much length of trace for shallower areas," says Maclean. "Also, most still use a weighted bomb rather than the new trend of fastening split-shot to the trace with small nymphs."

Around the Hauraki Gulf, the pickings have not been rich except for dawn and dusk, when good catches have been boated. Chilly weather and a full moon haven't helped the fishing.

Skippers have been successful off the Noises, especially late in the day in shallow water; from Oneroa to Thumb Pt at Waiheke; Billy Goat Pt at Motutapu; in the Rangitoto shallows (5m deep, and use lots of berley); the Waipu-Langs Beach area where snapper up to 9kg have been taken in 10m-15m; and in deep and shallow water off the top of Coromandel.