The Country
  • The Country home
  • Latest news
  • Audio & podcasts
  • Opinion
  • Dairy farming
  • Sheep & beef farming
  • Rural business
  • Rural technology
  • Rural life
  • Listen on iHeart radio

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • Coast & Country News
  • Opinion
  • Dairy farming
  • Sheep & beef farming
  • Horticulture
  • Animal health
  • Rural business
  • Rural technology
  • Rural life

Media

  • Podcasts
  • Video

Weather

  • Kaitaia
  • Whāngarei
  • Dargaville
  • Auckland
  • Thames
  • Tauranga
  • Hamilton
  • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Tokoroa
  • Te Kuiti
  • Taumurunui
  • Taupō
  • Gisborne
  • New Plymouth
  • Napier
  • Hastings
  • Dannevirke
  • Whanganui
  • Palmerston North
  • Levin
  • Paraparaumu
  • Masterton
  • Wellington
  • Motueka
  • Nelson
  • Blenheim
  • Westport
  • Reefton
  • Kaikōura
  • Greymouth
  • Hokitika
  • Christchurch
  • Ashburton
  • Timaru
  • Wānaka
  • Oamaru
  • Queenstown
  • Dunedin
  • Gore
  • Invercargill

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / The Country

Brown trout in top form on the Tongariro River

Rachel Canning
Taupo & Turangi Weekender·
19 Jun, 2019 10:27 PM2 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save
    Share this article
John Palmer with a nine pound brown trout he caught two weeks ago in the Stag Pool. Photo / Ross Baker

John Palmer with a nine pound brown trout he caught two weeks ago in the Stag Pool. Photo / Ross Baker

It's been a great season for brown trout anglers on the Tongariro River.

A long hot dry summer has led to more trout and the condition factor has been excellent, according to Tongariro River Motel owner Ross Baker. A keen fisherman for many years, Ross says "one or two pools in the Tongariro River are good for brown trout, it's been a long time since this many brown trout were caught."

In his opinion, gravel removal from the lower reaches of the river has pretty much destroyed the brown trout fishery on the Tongariro River.

"The regional council flood protection works are right in the brown trout breeding area. Ten years ago I caught 21 brown trout in one afternoon, it's not like that now."

Ross sends anglers to the Hydro Pool below the Mangamawhitiwhiti Stream, and to Delatours Loop, saying the brown trout gather in the lower reaches of the river. Two weeks ago angler John Palmer from Tauranga was staying at the motel and he caught a nine pound trout in one of the middle river pools, the Stag Pool, wet lining with an olive woolly bugger.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"I haven't seen the river like this for seven or eight years. The condition factor of John's trout was superb." says Ross.

Brown trout caught in Department of Conservation fish traps show that on average brown trout are one kilogram heavier this year compared to last year and that the brown trout are running a bit earlier this year.

Brown trout make up about 5 per cent of the trout population in the Tongariro River and Ross says that most anglers catch them by chance. Some anglers prefer to eat the rainbow trout because their diet is restricted to koura and smelt, whereas the brown trout will eat a more varied diet including mice, snails and slugs.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"To get a big trout over five pounds then you really need to catch a brown trout. Americans and Australians love to catch a big trout.

"It's a man thing, the bigger the better!"

Discover more

'Heartbroken': Catfish nets stolen including schools

23 May 05:00 PM

Urban liberals would back our call to farm trout

30 May 01:16 AM
New Zealand

Rotorua angler's bizzare find in trout

06 Jun 04:20 AM

Is this the biggest trout from Lake Wanaka?

12 Aug 09:31 PM
Save
    Share this article

Latest from The Country

The Country

'Payout has definitely helped': Rural spending picks up in Taranaki

16 Sep 11:46 PM
The Country

Dairy prices ease again in latest GDT auction

16 Sep 09:03 PM
The Country

Wild Wednesday: Thunderstorms, strong winds and heavy rain charge north

16 Sep 05:00 PM

Sponsored

Kiwi campaign keeps on giving

07 Sep 12:00 PM
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from The Country

'Payout has definitely helped': Rural spending picks up in Taranaki
The Country

'Payout has definitely helped': Rural spending picks up in Taranaki

Shops in Stratford report locals buying higher-end appliances once more.

16 Sep 11:46 PM
Dairy prices ease again in latest GDT auction
The Country

Dairy prices ease again in latest GDT auction

16 Sep 09:03 PM
Wild Wednesday: Thunderstorms, strong winds and heavy rain charge north
The Country

Wild Wednesday: Thunderstorms, strong winds and heavy rain charge north

16 Sep 05:00 PM


Kiwi campaign keeps on giving
Sponsored

Kiwi campaign keeps on giving

07 Sep 12:00 PM
NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP