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Great to be back.
Fri 20th May, 2011
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No its not a new pool this is where I’ve been stranded for two weeks while you lucky lot have been filling your boots with trout.
 
What a difference that couple of weeks has made. The river is currently flowing at 28 cumecs and looks awesome with just a slight tinge of milky green. After last week’s small flood most of any remaining summer slime has gone and there's some ideal looking gravel in the river which I'm sure the fish will make good use of. The whole place has a totally different feel that fills you with confidence and an expectation of landing a few fish.
I hadn’t had a chance to get out myself before I was straight back into it with an afternoon half day on the river with Ben Smithson who was in Turangi enjoying a few days R&R with his wife and baby son. Ben is a keen boat angler and had only tried fly-fishing once some twenty years ago. He must have a good memory because it didn’t take him long to pick up the casting even though he had a tricky wind to contend with. Within half an hour he was into his first ever Tongariro rainbow and although it was only a couple of pounds Ben was surprised how hard it fought. As we moved up the pool I think he mis-heard me when I suggested putting one into the head. After a bit of bush surgery Ben went on to land another three during the afternoon in this well known secret town pool. We headed back as the light began to fade but after crossing the river above the Lonely Pool couldn’t resist a couple of chucks back across to the TRB. Half a dozen casts later he had landed a couple more but by now it was pretty dark and our day was done. Most of Ben’s fish took globugs but the last two walloped the Olive emerger fished three feet under the indicator fly so this one is still working. Ben who is a builder by trade was more than wrapped when he returned to the lodge with a limit bag. Since his time on the Tongariro he has also been offered a lucrative deal with a leading tooth-paste manufacturer. Well done Bud.
The next day a combination of Corona’s and red wine ensured I didn’t wake up until 7.45 am. By the time I got through my morning routine of toast and toilet it was late, instead of wasting more time driving upriver I walked across the road to the Braids. Even though it was getting on for nine the whole place was empty but this will change as the spawning runs increase. There’s still a lot of loose stuff being moved but personally I like the look of this part of the river now that it’s beginning to sort itself out. I spent an hour or so there and caught some great looking fish before moving on. Ok we’ve lost a couple of the old favorites since the flood earlier in the year but these have been replaced with some interesting new water and I bet this winter it will again be one of the “hot spots”.
I fished the middle reaches in the afternoon with similar results and speaking with guiding friends later in the day it’s the same story right through to the Fence Pool.
Angling pressure is still light during the week but there are definitely more fish about however you'll have to work for them. If you’re prepared to forget “concrete feet syndrome” and keep on the move they are there to be caught.
Tight lines guys
Mike
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