We found these growing on the banks of the Tongariro river in Turangi just had to take a pic as they dont last many days. The Tongariro river and Tauranga Taupo river have dropped in the last couple of days after all the heavy rain with still the odd shower the suns back again and snows on the way, with good fishing reports coming from the Tongariro river this morning from the wet fly fisherman that fished the lower reaches of the Tongariro river with some nice fresh trout landed. Tauranga Taupo river has a nice colour for fishing some nice rainbows trout being caught as the river slowly clears.
The fires on the temperature is dropping and winter in Turangi is certainly on its way. And it’s a great time for me to get stuck into the fly tying. As I take a sip of tea I can hear the rain really settling in here at Tauranga-Taupo and it’s got me very excited. It’s been a rather unusual autumn this year in Turangi and most of the Central North Island, with above normal temperatures right up till early May and with very little rainfall.
Most local lakes in the Turangi region have shut up shop for the season and the rivers are getting a good cleanse with all that heavy rain. The fish have been feeding up in the recent months and now as those temperatures drop they are preparing to spawn, so us fisherman tend to get pretty excited as some of the bigger fish head up the Turangi and Taupo rivers from the Lakes. June will really see the weather temperatures drop, with snow falling on the Kaimanawas, Tongariro, and Ruapehu etc. Hopefully this means the fish are right on track for the spawning season. Some people don’t tend to think the winter is any good for Trout Fishing; alas this is not true in Tauranga.
All rivers in the area are getting their fare share of fresh fish heading up to spawn and the anglers are waiting patiently to greet them. So batten down the hatches and tights lines for the winter to come. Some nice Browns have been caught at the smaller stream mouths over the last few mounths , early morning and late evening make for some nice peacfull fly fishing.
Newly weds from New York very much enjoyed their kiwi fly fishing honeymoon while in Turangi and … Trout fishing Turangi was allways a dream for them both and managing to land some top eating Rainbow Trout from the Tongariro River .
January 2016: Turangi fishing reports
it have been great with some good fishing on Lake Taupo and the Tongariro river, starting to produce some nice Brown trout.
It’s been a wonderful season for fly fishing for trout in the Turangi region – and it keeps on getting better. Here are recent images of clients and their catches that capture some of the most exhilarating moments.
It began with the winter spawning runs. As the burnished golds of autumn yielded to frosty mornings and eddying mists along the streams the feed the lake, the winter rains held back – and so did the fish in Lake Taupo. Then, quite unexpectedly, soft rain began to fall, sending an almost electric signal to the waiting rainbows. Pulses of fish began their run up the Tongariro, Tauranga-Taupo, Hinemaiaia and other rivers, larger on average than we’ve seen in many a year. Many were taken on a tiny nymph, well presented at the head of a deep pool or under the fringing vegetation of the bank. These fish were deep, clean and bright with colour, a sure sign the fishery is in splendid health.
This was followed by a wonderful southern spring, a swirling blend of wind, rain and sunshine that triggers the trout into a hungry, feisty mood. All the rivers around Taupo were firing, while Lake Otamangakau and Lake Rotoaira both delivered brown and rainbow trout in numbers consistently to both experienced and novice anglers drift-fishing the weed beds and deep pools between them.
Lake O, especially, lived up to its reputation as one of the world’s premier fly-fishing waters. Its pristine beauty is flanked by the mighty volcanoes of the North Island and fringed by beds of waving toitoi and flax. Never easy to fish, it harbours a large population of super-fit rainbows up to double figures that can strip your line well into the backing and perform breathless aerobatics time and time again. Along the shallows and mud banks the resident browns lurk, many displayingthat superbgolden sheen that makes them so sought after by anglers. This year saw many trophy fish of both types taken and released.
Summer is cicada season, when the lake and river banks come alive to the deafening song of these handsome insects with their lacy wings. Gusts of wind periodically sweep them onto the water, where ravenous trout, both browns and rainbows,smash them in spectacular style. This is the finest and most exciting dry fly work of all in both the Taupo rivers and lakes. We have had highly rewarding dry fly fishing on the Tongariro and back country streams where you patrol stealthily upstream, spot your quarry cruising his lie and present your cicada a meter or so above his snout. Whether it is a huge splosh as he turns on the fly, or a gentle sip as he pulls it down, it is always a heart-stopping moment. Then the fight is on. Plenty of specimen and not a few trophy fish were landed and safely returned this year, as the pictures tell.
In short it’s been a splendid year for one of the world’s top fishing destinations, with every sign it will get better still. The fish are here in numbers and at better average size. This has been increasing year by year as the feed supply in Lake Taupo continues to improve under the current management regime.We look forward to seeing you here soon.