Reel Life April 2021

The season is not over yet, trout are back in Hamilton!

There is still plenty of time to go fishing this season and many of our lowland rivers have cooled down enough for trout to return.

Now that the Waikato River temperature is below 19°C trout are back on the bite in Hamilton.

Although the weather is unsettled it is a great time of year to fish our rivers.

Flooded rivers can be difficult to fish but a little collar in rivers can make fish easier to approach and hook.

Our wild fish tagging team have been busy tagging fish this summer and it is time to collect some data.

Staff are asking anglers heading up the Mangatutu to carry a measuring tape so the length of tagged fish can be recorded along with tag numbers.

If you cannot be bothered carrying a measuring tape just keep a tab of electrical tape on your rod to mark the fish length so you can measure it when you get home.

To report tag data please phone 07 849 1666 or send the details to aucklandwaikato@fishandgame.org.nz.

School holiday fish releases at Pupuke, Parkinson and Moana-nui!

We will not be running a big public release this year at Lake Pupuke.

Staff will be releasing fish into the Quarry Lake section of the Lake Pupuke on Northcote Road before May and we would like to see how it goes before setting up an event.

We hope the smaller area of the Quarry Lake will make it far more likely for anglers to catch trout.

We will need your feedback to determine if the new Pupuke release site improves fishing at the lake.

So, if you catch a fish in the Quarry Lake please send a photo to aucklandwaikato@fishandgame.org.nz.

Staff will also be changing how we release fish in Parkinson Lake and Moana-nui.

Both lakes were previously stocked with one-year-old rainbow trout and will now be stocked with catchable-sized two-year-old rainbow trout due to the huge success of the releases last year.

As a result, fishing in all three lakes should be great by the 1^st of May.

Tight Lines,

Adam Daniel, Auckland/Waikato Fisheries Manager.