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More browns move up.
Mon 10th April, 2017
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With the scheduled tunnel inspection still underway flows remain higher than normal on the Tongariro. After a fresh, things are usually back to "normal" by now but with no intervention possible from Genesis Energy the river is "sticking" and dropping back much more slowly.
The fresh encouraged more fish to move up and there have been some superb browns landed ... and lost. I fished with Mike and Andrew both days and all of us had a few mid-water releases.
Dave pictured right, got on the river early Saturday morning and was rewarded with this cracking seven and a half pound hen.
And I have to say some of the jacks landed were magnificent looking fish.
 
I always start deliberately targeting browns in November. So when you think about it those early fish have been around for months by now.
From here on in some of the jacks in particular will begin to look a little rough around the edges with split fins and other spawning battle scars.
But in saying that the next month or so regularly throws up some of the best browns of the year on the Tongariro.
 
The river supports a healthy population of aquatic bugs and prior to last weeks downpours there were plenty of green caddis larvae on the riverbed.
In a flood a lot more of these get knocked out of the relative safety of the rocks and stones and end up at the mercy of feeding fish.
There are so many at times you'll snag them off the bottom as you drift your nymphs downstream.
At this time of year most of them will be a dark olive color and this pattern has proved to be a winner the last couple of days.
Although those pictured look too light, they get considerably darker once they're wet. But if you're not happy color the back with a brown Sharpie pen or similar marker.
Almost all of the browns came on a caddis imitation fished under the dry.
 
A beautiful Autumn day in Turangi today. The river is carrying that very fishy looking milky green color and I'm looking forward to getting out again tomorrow.
The fishing has been excellent the last couple of days and I see no reason why that shouldn't continue.
More rain and showers forecast from midweek on but if that inspection is completed on or before Tuesday we should see levels fall back quickly.
See you out there
Mike |
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