Reel Life October 2024 - Eastern

The season has kicked off with a bang in the Eastern Fish & Game region. Hundreds of anglers flocked to the Rotorua lakes to fish, relax and meet up with friends and family on what has become a popular tradition in the region.

And the fish didn’t disappoint either! Lake Tarawera in particular, produced the best opening day fish we’ve seen in over 20 years with hatchery fish released during autumn 2023 coming in at 583mm and 2.45kg. This is a whopping 600g heavier than the last opening day. Lakes Rotoiti and Okataina also excelled with both producing fish that exceeded the previous year's catch.

With settled spring weather warming local waters we are beginning to see good browns cruising the flat shallow water on Lake Rotorua. Some excellent fish are being caught at the stream mouths between Ngongotaha and Hamurana and this is a trend that will continue to develop as the water warms. The trigger water temperature for these impressive fish to begin running into the streams is normally about 19 degrees Celsius – so keep a close eye on lake temps through November. Here’s a link to the Bay of Plenty Regional Council monitoring which includes water temperatures.

Spring is also the time when the smaller, and lesser-known lakes fish well. Locations such as Okaro, Ngapouri, Rerewhakaaitu can provide excellent sport either from the shore or by boat. Insect activity is on a rapid rise as we come out of winter. Damsel and dragon fly larvae and chironomid buzzers are all useful ways of targeting hungry fish around the margins.

Don’t forget too that smelt are a key food source at all times so keep the box topped up with a few Grey Ghost type flies, silvery Toby’s and lighter coloured Tassies.

Insect activity is also on the rise in all of the streams and rivers of the region and having been blessed with settled weather the rivers are running low and clear.

Do the trout keep fooling you?!

Come along to our Boat Fishing How-to Talk and Demonstration, Saturday 4^th of January 2025 at the hatchery at 1130 Paradise Valley Rd, Ngongotaha. It’s free to attend and covers off all the basics of catching trout from boats on our lakes. Keep an eye on our Facebook page for details.  

Datawatch tagged Trout

Tagged trout can now be entered online. Entries go into the draw to win one of 10 free whole-season fishing licences: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/QCH5ZR6

Eastern Region Fishing Diaries – All lakes and streams

Fill in your fishing diaries here to help us manage the Eastern Fish & Game region. Participants go in the draw to win a $100 voucher from Kilwell: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/QRSD7D3