Rotorua Lakes Coastguard happy with first week of trout fishing season

Rotorua Lakes Coastguard president Barry Grouby said there had been just one rescue in a week on Rotorua's lakes. Photo / File

Rotorua Lakes Coastguard says safe boating messages are getting across to lake users despite a "hair-raising weekend" off the coast.

Trout season opened last Monday and coastguard president Barry Grouby said there had been one rescue on opening day, and none since.

"On opening day we had one breakdown and that was it.

"The weekend just gone I was out on the lake in my personal boat and the weather was pretty good so there were no dramas. The sea was a different story. It was a bit of a hair-raising weekend."

Within 24 hours at the weekend, two boats capsized on the Kaituna Bar. The two incidents resulted in five people needing to be rescued.

On Friday a small boat with two people on board capsized on the Kaituna Bar. On Saturday at 8am another boat capsized on the bar with three people on board.

Maketu Coastguard was also called to Pukehina on Friday night where four people on a small boat were reportedly in distress.

Grouby said when it came to enjoying Rotorua's lakes, "the message is getting out".

"It's getting across and people are taking precautions and making sure they are carrying the right equipment."

He said the coastguard usually expected more issues to arise once the weather warmed up, bringing westerly winds and more users.

"That mix of warm weather and wind, that's when it can be dicey," he said.

"That's when paddle boarders and kayakers, and boats that breakdown, they have no control when it starts to drift."

Grouby wanted to encourage people to log a trip report on the VHF 02 channel saying they were going out, which boat ramp they were leaving from and what time they were expected back.

Over the course of the first week of the season the Coastguard was also spreading awareness of catfish.

The nationwide Coastguard Annual Appeal starts next Monday and runs for two weeks.

The appeal theme is Coastguard volunteers don't just save lives, they save families.

To donate go to www.coastguard.nz.

Water safety tips
- Always wear a life jacket.
- Be prepared and check the weather before you go out.
- Enter a trip report on VHF 02 stating which boat ramp you've left from and what time you will be back.
- If you are carrying a cellphone as a means of communication keep it in a snap-lock bag to keep it dry.