Taranaki Reel Life Feb 2017

Cicadas offer exciting angling action

At last...after a long period of westerly conditions bringing cool winds and lots of rain, we've finally enjoyed some settled summer weather in Taranaki, not a moment too soon!

The cicada season is now in full swing and for the next few weeks trout will be concentrating on grabbing as many of them as possible.

Right: A lovely example of a March brown trout ( (Photo Curly McEwen).

A buoyant cicada imitation drifted along foam lines, through the deeper runs and pocket water, or cast to sighted fish will therefore be the way to get some exciting angling action.

The delta-winged passionvine hopper is also increasing in abundance and the use of hopper imitations, including a #14-16 coch-y-bondhu will also bring success.

Likewise, with the abundance of long grass along river banks this year, a grasshopper imitation or two will be a useful addition to your fly box.

The unsettled weather has meant most Taranaki trout fisheries have received much less angling use than usual, which means plenty of undisturbed trout firmly focussed on their food supply.

A nice March ringplain rainbow. (Photo Mike Bakker)

However, water temperatures in the lower reaches of rivers are now rising above 20 0C in mid-late afternoon and targeting these areas in the cool of the morning, or fishing the middle and upper reaches of streams, is likely to be most productive.

All in all, the prospects for the rest of the season through to the end of April are looking great!

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