Bad weather keeps some anglers away at start of trout fishing season

Carmel Veitch, from Fish and Game NZ, shows off a beautiful rainbow trout fresh from the waters of Lake Tarawera. Photo / Alan Gibson

Wet weather and choppy water didn't stop about 140 boats from heading out to Lake Tarawera on Tuesday morning to mark the start of the trout fishing season.

Fish and Game president Lindsay Lyons took his boat on to Lake Tarawera with colleague Carmel Veitch where she reeled in a few wild rainbow trout including the one pictured weighing 1.6kg.

They then returned the trout to the water hoping for a larger catch.

The season opened for most of the country today with the exception of some streams, and some South Island lakes.

Lyons said the bad weather may have affected the number of strikes they had and had kept a few anglers away, but felt there had still been a good turnout considering.

"It's been a little bit slow in Tarawera, but Rotoiti and the other lakes have been apparently been a bit better.

"The weather could have affected, a number of things could have affected it and then all of a sudden it comes on."

Trout season runs from October 1 to June 30.