Bert Robinson: Equipment important when fish are scarce

The equipment you use is important when fish are few and far between. Photo/file

Overall the fishing around the Rotorua Lakes has been a bit challenging for anglers this winter because there seems to have been fewer fish coming into spawn.

Even the traditional spawning area above and below the control gates at Okere Falls has had fewer fish than expected.

The area above the control gates is now closed to fishing and is usually a significant spawning area.

The more fish that come into spawn, the more likely even a novice angler will be able to catch fish.

This reduction in fish numbers is when the equipment that you use to catch them comes into play.

The better the gear the more likely you are to catch fish and this is particularly true for those into fly fishing.

The match between a fly rod and its fly line is very important because they work together to make casting easier, with some combinations giving far better presentation of your fly, other combinations giving great distance and others giving you depths at various speeds.

When I first started fly fishing the number of combinations were limited but these days we are somewhat blessed with a huge range of lines and rods, making it a challenge to get the best rig, one that is best suited to your style of casting for where you are fishing.

A trial and error method is an expensive way to get the right gear and few retail shops have the ability to allow you to try various combinations in order to suit you.

That is about to change on September 16, 10am to 2pm at Blue Lake Reserve when you will be able to take your rod along to an event and try it with various fly lines.

All you need to do is bring your fly rod along and try a few of the 80 or so, pre-loaded reels to find out which line best suits you and your rod.

While you are in the area a flick of your line into either Blue Lake or Lake Okareka could result in a few very good conditioned rainbows.

The stream mouth at the left-hand end of Boyes Beach has produced some nice rainbows and other good fish have been caught from the main part of the beach at times as well. Another area of this lake that has produced fish is between the end of the wetland boardwalk and the outlet of this lake.

A floating line is best and coupled with an egg pattern or two, one of which is lightly weighted, and allowed to drift over the weed bed can be a very successful method here.

The use of wet flies such as a green orbit, grey ghost or ginger mick can also be productive for those who prefer a less static form of fishing.

For those wanting to learn a bit more about the last of the winter fishing around Rotorua I will be speaking at the Tauranga Anglers Club on Monday, July 17.