Fishing News index > October 2008

TARANAKI RINGPLAIN TROUT FISHING

Spring freshes continued in ringplain streams during October (Figure 1), providing a mix of conditions that favoured fly fishing during stable flows in the middle of the month and spin and bait fishing at other times.  Experienced anglers have been reasonably happy with the season so far, with moderate numbers of good fish up to 2kg landed.  However, one lucky fly angler landed 14 fish in his first two trips of the season, which is an indication of just how productive the fishery can be, given the right conditions.  While some trout are still recovering from spawning, the overall impression is that fish are in pretty good condition considering the frequent freshes experienced in the July to September period.  Fish killed for the table have often contained a mix of creeper, cased-caddis and an abundance of mayfly nymphs, which is why fly anglers have had good success on #12-16 gold or tungsten bead-head hare and copper type nymphs, particularly in fast or deep water where some weight is needed to get down to fish.  While some rivers, such as the upper Manganui River, Maketawa and Waiwhakaiho contain more sand than usual as a result of erosion on Mt. Taranaki, most waters are in great condition, as four months of higher flows have kept streambed algal growth in check.

 
FIGURE 1. Continuing spring freshes in ringplain streams meant conditions were not always great for angling in October, but the increased flows helped maintain the habitat in great condition for trout and their invertebrate food supplies.
 

Outlook for November

Spin & Bait fishing
These methods will continue to be productive in the larger rivers during clearing conditions on the tails of freshes or during periods of higher base-flow.  With its abundance of rainbow, as well as brown trout, the Waingongoro River between Eltham and Ohawe Beach will be well worth a visit this month.  Lake Ratapiko, located 9km down Tariki Road from SH3, Lake Ngangana (Joll Street off Princess Street, Waitara) and Lake Rotomanu will also produce some nice fish.  Lake Ngangana was the location of the north Taranaki kids’ fishing day in early October and there are still good numbers of 2-year-old rainbows available, as well as perch.  A release of 2-year rainbows was also made into New Plymouth’s Lake Rotomanu, but there has been little angling pressure and the lake remains an untapped resource.

Fly Fishing
As water temperatures warm up in the middle and lower reaches of ringplain streams, there will be good hatches of mayfly and caddis that have colonised these reaches during the cooler winter period, making November an ideal time to target the evening rise in the larger pools in rivers such as the lower Waiwhakaiho, Manganui, Patea downstream of Stratford, Waingongoro and Kaupokonui.  Brown trout lose much of their natural wariness at dusk and it can be surprising just how many trout are active during the evening rise.

November is also a great time to fish the beetle, with brown beetle usually becoming abundant by mid-November and green beetle making an appearance towards the end of the month.  Walking the rivers and streams, trout should be able to be spotted sipping beetles from the foam lines.  Windy days may make casting difficult but they can be great for beetle fishing, as the insects are blown off riverside vegetation.  The middle reaches of the Waingongoro River in south Taranaki is one place where it’s common to find trout feeding under foam lines and where a #14-16 brown and green beetle imitation will often be well received.  Small (#14-16) tungsten bead head nymphs fished on their own or under a dry fly indicator will also be a good bet in the riffles and faster runs and in the Waingongoro and Kaupokonui rivers there is always the possibility of picking up a nice rainbow trout in addition to the resident browns.

Trout are also cruising the shallows of Lakes Mangamahoe and Ratapiko feeding on water-boatmen, snails and midges.  They often cruise a beat and return to the same area time and time again.  Using a small un-weighted fly and fine (preferably de-greased) leader, cast out when the trout is some distance away and watch carefully for a take when it returns.  Sometimes a gentle movement of the fly may induce a take.  A similar technique can be used for trout cruising in slow-flowing river pools, runs and back-eddies.

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