Fishing Report
Bugger! You guessed it. The moment TRM BOF’s suggested it was cicada time the temperature plummeted, the wind arrived, and we have not even heard, let alone seen another cicada since. The last two days (and nights) have been more like Autumn than summer.
Featured novice angler today is Simon Spargo of Herne Bay Auckland with his limit bag – indeed his first trout. In one weekend he has at last realised how futile his existence has been – he has now seen the light and managed a life style change having found his new lifelong recreational pursuit in the great outdoors, has discovered paradise and started his exciting new career as a fresh water angler – trout fishing – but so unfortunately started with a limit bag. We do not understand what took him so long? But didn’t he do well for his very first effort! As you experienced fishos realise, it will all be downhill from here. That is like a hole in one on your first tee off. They were landed at the Delta – the mouth of the Tongariro River – on Saturday morning. On Sunday morning he returned again with another rainbow, hooked and landed without any assistance from his guide. So he is hooked for life…
He was fortunate in his selection of expert guide on the Delta. The next few photos are of his "guide" (Robbie Cadogan) to cheer up the many overseas guests who are counting down the days before they make their annual pilgrimage (you know who you are – Hi John P & Doug & Garth & Vic & Mike & John O & Ron & Bill & George & Herbert & Takumi & Wayne & Stu & John T). From now until the end of November there is hardly a week without an overseas fisho "in residence". As the tourists ease off the fishos arrive. So they will be relieved to know all these trout and many many others not photographed have all been released as they did not pass Robbie’s standards – too skinny, too ugly, too small, too tired, too scarred, etc.. So they are all still there waiting for you…
Robbie & Maggie Cadogan (aka "762X0") usually stay at TRM several times a year with their regular fortnight in February aimed particularly at Lake O. Over the last ten years or so they have made Lake O their own special place and now know every trout by name… well almost. They also relax on Lake Rotoaira and the Delta for a bit of variety when the weather does not suit Lake O. The images have been pinched off Robbie’s "memory card" (Pip was supposed to be copying pics of their new family of pet rabbits!) so I hope they will not be too surprised. They are still here fishing for the next week as well so will not know until they return to Auckland…
The Photos indicate the nature of some of their catch&release "rejects". For them they are too small – I kid you not.. Too skinny? – see Maggie’s big brown. We remind you that anywhere else these would be trophies?
TRM’s Daily Reports deliberately do not mention Lake O very often out of concern that the level of fishing pressure could become more than the lake can endure. On some days last week there were 12 boats cruising Lake O plus float tubes and lake edge anglers. There was no flow through the canal so the fish were not moving about as much as usual.
At the same time there might have been only two or three boats at the hole and the delta at the southern end of Lake Taupo. As a result the Lake O trout get spooked far too often. This has to affect their feeding habits which affects their condition, etc…
We also emphasise that Lake O is technically VERY difficult to fish – like 3 pound traces etc. – it is often referred to as Lake O as that is what you usually catch – "O".
To qualify for Lake O you really need to earn a PHD (no – not Doctor of Philosophy but Pip’s Honorary Deed?) by catching trout on every type of fly in every pool on the Tongariro River first. This usually takes about a lifetime but at TRM guests can reduce their apprenticeship to a mere 30-40 years or so. (I haven’t qualified for Lake O yet. I can get into enough trouble on the Tongariro…)
Meanwhile, to promote the benefits of fishing on the great lake – where it will easily stand the pressure - Robbie’s competing sibling – Eddie Cadogan also had a double hook up on the Delta on Saturday morning. He is also one of those delightfully quiet shy fishos who is reluctant to talk much about his catch rate. After trying the main mouth – no luck, he cruised around to the first mouth – no luck, tried jigging the hole – no luck, then returned to the more sheltered main mouth before he struck gold. That is what it is all about – perseverence! (plus a little bit of luck) He did not lend Pip his memory card so I can’t provide his fishy photos… but that is his boat above instead.