When we were crossing the bridge we noticed a hook up so that was a good start.

Then as we reached the lower bridge pool there was a [...]]]> Fishing Report

Yesterday afternoon, in perfect overcast still mild conditions, river flowing about 40 m3/s after the rain, Boof took me walkies around the Braids.

When we were crossing the bridge we noticed a hook up so that was a good start.

Then as we reached the lower bridge pool there was a hook up off the rocks on RHS.

When we got to the Braids we found Barbara Watson from Hobart who had already landed her limit.

We took this photo of another angler hooked up at the tail of the riffles.

There were about ten anglers scattered all around the braids and everyone else were carrying fish.

Then around the corner we took this photo.

In the short time we were there we saw three caught & released…

I dare not name the anglers who recognised Boof, so asked us to report the fishing was hopeless, there were no trout in the Tongariro,  and everyone should be redirected to the TT…

(We agreed.  At TRM the customer is always right…)

Then further down the Plank Pool this hook up fight went on for several minutes – not a good photo as the trout kept pulling him further down river…

There were many reports of these fresh silver bullets exploding and taking all the tackle back to the lake too.

On our return the popular bypass above the Honeypot, known as Spot X, continued to produce fresh trout for other TRM inmates.  You can see the queue lined up waiting for their turn.

We already had great reports from other inmates that this pool had been producing fresh run rainbows all morning.  Some even complained they were too small…  Sometimes we cannot win.

On our way home we asked James, a local school boy, (I did not realise it was school holidays?) to show us one of his fresh run brown trout, one of many landed from the Trolls Pool under the bridge.

TRM received similar reports from up river too – all the way up to the Blue Pool – where Paul bright reported some monsters breaking their gear.

So where are you?

TRM’s recommendation:

Get to the TT as soon as you can…

LOST –

A plastic fly box full of Tongariro Bombs – lost somewhere below the Braids – a fine bottle of best red wine awaits the finder at TRM

Share/Bookmark

Yesterday – A black wallet lost between the Bain Pool car park and Reed Pool. Found thank you.

TRM are booked out for Friday but still have a couple of vacancies for Saturday.  After the rain the fishing should be [...]]]> LOST:

A plastic fly box of “bombs” below the Braids.

Yesterday – A black wallet lost between the Bain Pool car park and Reed Pool. Found thank you.

Contact TRM.

TRM are booked out for Friday but still have a couple of vacancies for Saturday.  After the rain the fishing should be superb.  So – Murphy’s Law – TRM are booked out by skiers!

At the risk of revealing commercially sensitive tourist information, we reveal one of the main advantages of staying at TRM, that many aspiring anglers are unaware of.

The following is a breakdown of TRM’s fisho inmates last night.  This is a typical pot pourri for this time of the year of where they – anglers – come from, and you may be surprised at their length of stay:

Unit 1    1 x Christchurch – 12 days
Unit 2    1 x Ballarat – 18 days
Unit 3    1 x New Plymouth – 3 days
Unit 4    2 x Sydney – 5 days
Unit 5     2 x Adelaide – 17 days
Unit 6    3 x Melbourne – 10 days
Unit 7    2 x Wellington – 4 days
Unit 8    1 x Auckland – 3 days
Units 9, 10, 11 vacant.

Now what is revealing is the much longer than usual average length of stay compared to a standard motel.

Just as important, all of them are regular TRM visitors.

These mid-week visitors are here for one reason.

They stay at TRM to fish the Tongariro river.

So TRM has more like a fly fishing club atmosphere than the usual tourist motel.

Most anglers are only too willing to swop stories on where, when, how, why, etc.  Sometimes they may be a bit shy at first which usually indicates they are not catching much but they soon open up when they are more successful, and they are the fishos you want to talk to.  Generally fly fishos on the Tongariro River are very generous with their time and advice.  With all these anglers there is so much local knowledge and wider experience on many other fly fishing rivers both in NZ and overseas.

So one of the main advantages at TRM, apart from having Boof to guide you, is the inmates.  At the end of the day when they have all checked in, even SWMBO has a good idea of which rivers or pools or parts of the river are producing and which are not.  Often TRM have been known to team up individuals.  We have some wonderful very experienced angler guests who do not mind taking another novice with them to show them their secret (?) lies and walking access points and river crossings etc. to get them off to a positive start.

Anglers tell us that in the end the most important memory of a successful holiday is not the size of the bed or the accommodation or the location, OR EVEN THE FISH, but the people.

And that really sums up what TRM are all about… wonderful, wonderful people.

Correspondence:

Reply to the question re access on Waihaha as follows – many thanks to fishing guide Shane French – more reasons on why you should get a guide:

Thanks for the exposure on your site the other day, that is much appreciated. The clients that you seem to attract into your excellent accommodation are smart enough to get that help from a guide and it certainly pays off for them.

I noticed at the bottom of that report one of your readers asked about the Waihaha, so I thought I might shed some light on it for you.

The Waihaha Rises in the Pureora Forest park and I can tell you from experience this type of bush is not for the faint hearted. However if you are sensible, (cough cough) then you will stay on the main river itself and not wander up any of the small tributaries flowing into the Waihaha. There is an excellent track leading up the true left and from there you can get access to the river and wade up from there. The river bed is slotted Papa rock and so Polaroid’s are a MUST, as is a good peaked hat to help take the glare off the surface. If you have not fished a slotted Papa rock river, I can assure you it is dangerous and you need your wits about you at ALL times. The river has many characteristics. Fast flowing water, slow flowing water and VERY deep pools. You can not wade the entire river as some pools are too deep and edge access is impossible. This means going back downstream and then walking up to the next access point.

(Shane on right with the smallest trout we could find…)

Trout range from 1 pound up to……….. Bloody huge! and can be taken on cicadas in summer, Glo Bugs late in the season, or early in the season and standard nymphs at any other time. Long leaders are essential at times in those deep slow moving pools but that is where the big Browns hang out and if you hook one of those, hang on! There is an excellent hut about two hours straight walking up the river on the true Left and so a days fishing can be had and then a few quiet drams at the end of the day. In my opinion this river should come with a warning, it is for experienced anglers and should not be fished alone.

Hope that helps you out Ross.

Tight Lines

Regards Shane

Share/Bookmark

A black wallet lost between the Bain Pool car park and Reed Pool.  Contact TRM.

The Tongariro should be fishable later today.  It rose to over 240 m3/s overnight and was falling to about 60 m3/s by 10 am.  So the following is the “wet day” [...]]]> 5 pm Update:

LOST: FOUND THANK YOU!

A black wallet lost between the Bain Pool car park and Reed Pool.  Contact TRM.

The Tongariro should be fishable later today.  It rose to over 240 m3/s overnight and was falling to about 60 m3/s by 10 am.  So the following is the “wet day” emergency fill in last resort style of fishing report…

As soon as we posted the images on the TRM front page we received several requests asking for more information about the earthworks – fortifications – in the top photo.  These are well worth a visit on the way to Whakapapa on SH47.  These earth works are over 140 years old and are NZ’s version of “Little Big Horn” – the last battle between the colonial troops and Maori. (If this is of interest TRM have the fascinating full record of Te Kooti and the historical events that led up to the Te Porere battle under the above heading “Tongariro Crossing”, click on “Other Walks” – scroll down to “Te Kooti”.  This Maori leader had a far more adventurous life than other famous outlaws like Ned Kelly in Australia or Billy the Kid in USA) The origins of the settlement of the Taupo region are often overlooked.  It was established as a military outpost to capture Te Kooti.  This is still evident in street names in Taupo like Roberts – the military commander, or the Council AC (“Armed Constabulary”) baths.

The images were also taken by TRM guest photographer – Doug Davison, a tourist/angler from Melbourne. Doug also advises that unfortunately the panels – with explained the significance of this last major engagement of NZ Maori wars – on the site have been destroyed.  Accordingly, TRM have provided more information of the historic events below.  On the walk to the Te Porere Redoubt from the car park the footbridge crosses the upper Whanganui River (so this might still qualify as a fishing report?).

Summary:

The redoubts at Te Porere contain the earthworks of a Maori fortification built by the prophet and warrior Te Kooti and is the site of the last major engagement of the New Zealand Wars in October 1869. The redoubts are an example of the Māori adaptation of classic British military construction techniques.

The government forces attacked the rifle pit and lower redoubt before proceeding towards the upper redoubt. The upper redoubt was taken relatively quickly but Te Kooti managed to avoid capture or death by escaping into the nearby bush. The battle of Te Porere resulted in 41 casualties – 37 of Te Kooti’s supporters were killed, whilst the government forces only suffered four losses.

Just beyond the northern boundary of Tongariro National Park, the site is both a Maori and a historic reserve and has been administered by the New Zealand Historic Places Trust since 1959.

Location  State Highway 47.  26 km southwest of Turangi, near Tongariro National Park  Look for signpost, carpark is off main highway

.A more detailed historical explanation of the battle follows:

THE FIGHT AT TE PORERE

A few days were spent in scouting the enemy’s position by Captain Northcroft, Lieutenant Preece with some natives, and Sergeant C. Maling with the Corps of Guides. It was ascertained that the Hauhaus occupied the settlement Papakai, under the western slopes of Tongariro. Seventy Wanganui natives arrived under Major Kepa and Captain William McDonnell, and the whole force moved up to Roto-a-Ira. On the 3rd October McDonnell advanced with combined columns, only to find that the enemy had retired from Papakai and was holding two hills and a strong earthwork redoubt at Te Porere, on the tableland at the edge of the bush north-west of Tongariro. It was arranged that Major Kepa was to move to the left under cover of a low ridge, and that after he had had two hours’ start he, with the Constabulary in the centre and Ngati-Kahungunu on the right flank, was to make a swift attack on the three positions. The two advanced positions were soon taken; one of these, Roipara, was on the right bank of the Wanganui River, here a small stream issuing from the west side of the Tongariro volcanic range. Just as the force was fording the river Captain St. George ordered Lieutenant Preece to take the Arawa to the right flank. This was done, and the Hauhau redoubt was determinedly assailed on three sides. The forest extended to within a short distance of the pa on the west and north-west sides, and McDonnell was not able to extend his force completely round the position in time, otherwise Te Kooti would have been cut off from the refuge of the forest, and his career would have ended on the battlefield of Te Porere.

A party of the Hauhaus took post in the edge of the bush and opened fire on the left flank of No. 2 Division as they were advancing to the assault. McDonnell detached a party to deal with them and launched the rest against the pa. Captain St. George and a force of Constabulary and friendly Maoris came at the double up the easily sloping hill on the east and rushed at the front of the work. St. George was leading on his men gallantly, charging through the short fern, when a bullet fired by Peita Kotuku, pierced his brain and he fell dead. But a very few moments later the walls were stormed and the Armed Constabulary and Kupapas, with bullet and bayonet, took abundant revenge for their slain. Just before the final assault the chief and most of his men escaped to the bush in the rear; Te Kooti himself was wounded, for a bullet had cut off one of his fingers and passed through his side.

Peita Kotuku, describing the defence of the pa, said:—

“Our redoubt was a massive earthwork—it is standing there to-day—but it had one defect, which resulted in our defeat. In making the loopholes (huarahi-pu) in the sod and pumice walls, interlaid with fern, we made them straight (horizontal), and could not depress the muzzles of our guns to fire into the ditch. The Government troops, pakeha and Maori, got up under the parapets, and many of them snatched up lumps of pumice (pungapunga) and stuffed up the firing-apertures with them. We therefore could not see our nearest attackers unless we exposed ourselves over the top of the parapet.

“It was I,” continued Peita, “who shot a pakeha officer as he was leading his men in a charge up to the front of the pa.” [This was Captain St. George.] “I was just behind the short parapet (parepare) covering the gateway immediately inside the entrance. My weapon was a breech-loading carbine. When the officer, rushing ahead of his men, was about twenty paces from the entrance I fired and shot him dead. It was not Te Kooti who shot him, as some have said. At that stage of the fighting Te Kooti was in a rifle-pit in an angle on the left flank of the pa, some little distance from the kuwaha (gateway). He was sitting there surrounded by a bodyguard of women.”*

Sergeant W. Wallace, No. 2 Division, narrating the incidents of the attack, said:—

“The first shots fired in the Porere fight were from the top of a hill just to the Roto-a-Ira side of the Wanganui. I saw the flash of a gun-barrel there, and called out, ‘We’ll get a volley directly,’ and so we did, but none of us was hit. We crossed the river and skirmished up to the pa. The redoubt held by the Maoris was built of pumice, earth, and ferns, and their bullets sent the pumice from the ground around flying into our eyes. I had some good shooting there as they were retreating, running out of their gateway, into the trench, and then making for the bush. Pompey, of Wanganui, was with us; he ran around the east angle of the pa to get a better shot, and was killed between that point and the gateway. I was trying to get one fellow who wore a smoking-cap. Lying flat on the ground I got a splendid shot, and he disappeared. I don’t know whether it was I or some one else who got him, but I don’t think I missed; our Terry carbines were very good up to 400 yards. This man at whom I was shooting was armed with a spear consisting of a bayonet fastened on a long pole.”

All the Hauhaus found in the pa when the attackers at last succeeded in rushing it were shot or bayoneted. Thirty-seven Hauhaus were buried within the walls after the fight. The Government loss was four killed and four wounded. One of the killed was Komene, an Arawa sub-chief. The two Wanganui natives who fell, Winiata Pakoro and Pape (Pompey), belonged to the Ngati-Hau Tribe, and were fighters of exceptional activity and bravery. Winiata was shot dead while firing down into the Hauhaus from the top of their own parapet. Colonel McDonnell had ordered him to come down, but Winiata, who had been firing shot after shot into the crowded pa, said, “Only one more shot,” and fired; the next moment he fell from the earthwork, shot through the heart. His brother, Tonihi, had him buried in a running stream; the watercourse was diverted, a grave was dug in the gravel, and the stream was then allowed to return to its channel. This was done lest the Taupo Hauhaus should disturb the remains of Ngati-Hau’s hero. Renata Kawepo, the old warrior chief from Hawke’s Bay, was severely handled by a young Taupo woman, the wife of Paurini, a chief who had been shot in the attack. In the tussle she gouged out one of his eyes. This occurred in the edge of the bush where Renata was pursuing some of the Hauhaus who had left the pa.

The death of Captain St. George, killed while charging up to the pa front, was a source of deep sorrow to all his friends. Major Gascoyne wrote of him, “He was brave to rashness, and the finest horseman I ever knew.” St. George and Gascoyne had both joined the Hawke’s Bay squadron of the Colonial Defence Force in 1863. The gallant soldier was laid to rest on the shore of Roto-a-Ira; two years afterwards Gascoyne brought his remains out to Napier, to be interred there with military honours.

Te Heuheu Horonuku, who had been compelled by Te Kooti to join him in Porere pa and who had escaped to the bush, came in a few days later and surrendered to Colonel McDonnell. The Colonel had sent him a message by one of the women prisoners warning him to leave Te Kooti and come in with his people. With him was his little son Tureiti te Heuheu, then a boy of between four and five, who became the head chief of Ngati-Tuwharetoa on Horonuku’s death in 1888. Tureiti was well known in late years as Te Heuheu Tukino; he was a man of great personal charm, very proud of his ancestral traditions, and deeply schooled in the ancient lore and poetry of his race. He was a member of the Legislative Council of New Zealand when he page 379

Captain J. St. George
(Killed at Te Porere, 1869.)

In Mr. Alfred Domett’s epic poem “Ranolf and Amohia” (1872) there are some lines on Captain St. George, who was the statesman-poet’s stepson. “For kinship’s sake” Domett wrote in memory of the young soldier:—
“Who sleeps the sleep no more to wake
On earth, ‘mid loveliest scenes afar,
Where Tongariro’s snows disgorge
Their flames by blue Te Aira’s lake—
Young, kindly, chivalrous St. George!
Whose honour-fired aspiring brain,
Before that instant-blighting ball,
Flashed into darkness without pain.

So swiftly his bold course was run,
That ardent spirit’s duties done.”

Although so young at the date of the battle, Tureiti had a vivid recollection of the attack on the pa and of his escape, carried off to the bush by his elders.
The pa at Te Porere, the last redoubt constructed by Te Kooti, is in a very fair state of preservation to-day. Diverging from the Waimarino—Tokaanu Road near the foot of Tongariro volcano we follow a horse-trail parallel with the Wanganui—here a little brawling brook—in the direction of the great forests which stretch far away to the west. A short distance from the road we come to the scene of the conflict on the edge of the tableland, close to a thick belt of bush. This pa is locally known as Mahaukura; Te Porere is the general name of the district. Its earth walls and rectangular flanking-works at the angles are in nearly as good order, except that their straight lines have been softened by bushes of flax and thick growth of fern, as when the rebel leader and his musketeers built the pa in 1869. The redoubt measures about 25 yards in length by 20 in width. The flanking bastions, devised to enfilade the outer side of the high parapet, would each have held about twenty men. The walls were built of sods and pumice, interlaid with fern, and square loopholes for rifle-fire were made in the parapets and kept open with pieces of timber. These loopholes, however, had been constructed without allowing for depression, so that when the Government men lined the outer ditch the Maoris within could not hit them without exposing themselves over the top of the parapet. The parapets are 8 to 10 feet high and 5 to 6 feet thick. The gateway on the eastern side of the redoubt is cleverly covered by earth parapets or traverses just within. In the interior of the work a long grassy mound marks the grave of nearly forty of Te Kooti’s warriors.

Share/Bookmark

We discovered he was up to 11 landed from the Braids before lunch.

And he only works office hours…

Garth is one delightful Aussie fisho who is always reluctant to reveal his superb catch [...]]]> Fishing Report – Update

Garth James from Adelaide just popped in for a pit stop to refuel.

We discovered he was up to 11 landed from the Braids before lunch.

And he only works office hours…

Garth is one delightful Aussie fisho who is always reluctant to reveal his superb catch rate here but SWMBO has had Her spies out.

He is at TRM for two weeks and now, mid way through his holiday, his average daily catch rate is remarkable.

But it is no use asking Garth.  The nearest he came to admitting it was to reluctantly suggest the fishing is “bloody marvelous”…

Steady rain has arrived.  Tongariro is now rising and up from about 30 to 40 m3/s this morning. I’m outta here…

TRM inmates are in for some great fishing for the rest of this week.

Why you should use a fishing guide…

1 From the fishing guide/inmate:

I asked fishing guide, Paul McDonald, for a brief report from his visit here last week – it is always interesting to see how anglers’ skills and results improve when they get good tuition…

Just a quick thanks to Ross and Pip once again your hospitality was outstanding the perfect lodgings after a day spent on the water, I had a day guiding  Mark from the States on Wednesday we started early on the Hine and by around midday Mark had landed around 15 fish mostly dark body fish but boy did they put up a scrap.

The river has a lot of fish holding in there at the moment – like I said lots of darker fish some spent with a few fresh ones in the mix – the key was lots of weight (heavy bomb or split shot) orange or red glow bugs and when the sun gets up over head the fishing seemed to slow down. We switched to Pheasant tail nymphs and started to hammer them again.  It was great been up there mid week, saw only 2 other anglers, one of them Josh also from the USA witnessed our luck and booked me for the following day.

Once again we started early and headed up the TT.  We arrived a couple of pools below the cliff pool at about 6.30am, it was overcast and quite mild, or maybe it was the fact we had just walked for 30 mins to get to my favorite pool – everybody has one, right.  Anyway I got Josh rigged up, first cast wham the indicator disappeared as soon as it hit the water and six more times after that six fish before 7am.  This was going to be a good day.

The rig I had Josh set up on was 9ft 7lb leader down to two split shot pinched on above a blood knot then a foot down to a size 14 orange glow bug with a PT hanging only 4” below the glow bug, We fished a half day and Josh had caught 19 for the morning and was done, he was complaining of a sore shoulder.

The condition of the fish are great on this water, lots of fresh ones still, between 2-6lb.

My tip is get up early get your flies down deep and fast and stay at the TRM.

Paul McDonald
Waikato flyfishers
027 6060106
07 8381946
paul@waikatoflyfishers.co.nz
waikatoflyfishers.co.nz(almost ready)

2  From another TRM inmate/client:

David Helliwell from Mt. Roskill pictured with two fine trout which I believe came out of the Hinemaiaia.  These were just two of many he hooked and landed with Shane French for the morning trip last week.  His half day trip finished late in the afternoon… He was similarly so impressed with his guides’ local knowledge and assistance.  I understand they were originally heading for the Waimarino but the guide immediately recognised it as too full and dirty and difficult so they carried on up to the Hine instead.  In no time he was directed onto Spot X and hooked up.  What a brilliant way to start a fishing trip to check on your technique and gear and get some fresh trout into the smokehouse from day 1.  David was the second inmate who used Shane last week and both reported enthusiastically – they both had a very successful and memorable day and it was such a wise investment.

Correspondence:

Hi Ross,   … Just woundering if you have fished the Waihaha river up from the falls? and if so what is it like and is it worth fishing?  Regards  BJ

Can any readers help BJ?

Share/Bookmark

As at 10 am several anglers had returned with mixed results with the best being four landed (2 fresh, 2 recovering), the worst being two landed, so it cannot be too hard.  The gusty wind drove them back early so plan your fishing to use the wind direction to keep the flying [...]]]> Fishing Report

As at 10 am several anglers had returned with mixed results with the best being four landed (2 fresh, 2 recovering), the worst being two landed, so it cannot be too hard.  The gusty wind drove them back early so plan your fishing to use the wind direction to keep the flying bombs well away from your ears.

Further to the featured angler yesterday, the following is a photo essay for you to enjoy of Doug’s visit to TRM.

Tomorrow – Why you should use a fishing guide – don’t miss it…

Share/Bookmark

It is a beautiful clear day in Turangi with some ice left on the peaks of surrounding hills [...]]]> First report in this morning was from Andrew Brown who landed six rainbows within half an hour in the Braids – all caught nymphing on small naturals.  What a great way to start the day…

It is a beautiful clear day in Turangi with some ice left on the peaks of surrounding hills from the overnight southerly blast.

Images are of the pine tree that fell into the run below the island Pool and above Judges Pool.

This used to be known as Doctor’s Pool.  Parts of the mature pine tree are scattered throughout Judges Pool and the top section is now wedged below the traffic bridge – in the Trolls Pool.

This is a good example of why DoC and the Advocates have been arranging for contractors to poison the wilding pines further up river to prevent this from happening more often.

If this pine got swept down river in the next flood it would end up straddled across the piers of the traffic bridge and act as a dam collecting more debris and create a real hazard.

Further to TRM’s invitation to inmates to display your favourite images on the Daily report, Doug Davison – a retired builder from Melbourne – was the first who has been persuaded under duress to show us his camera memory card.  Doug is a regular visitor to TRM several times each year.

We first met when I was walking over the road bridge in my waders and carrying a rod, as you do, several years ago.

Doug – photo on left hooked up in the willows last week – approached me to have a cast at a big trophy sized brown trout hog that he spied lurking around amongst the snags above the bridge.  I was silly enough to give it a go – it was a very different flow in those days.  I cast out too far and the line spooked it and it sunk away to sulk until we had gone.

I then met Doug again down at the Plank Pool (which was also quite different then) where he wanted to spot the wild migrating trout.  We had a good old chat about the fishing and somehow got on to what we had planned for TRM for the future – including an anglers retreat – or meeting room etc.

He kindly offered to donate a wall feature being an ancient valuable 1920′s Hardy’s two handed cane rod which he delivered on his next visit, together with other angling paraphernalia to start off our exhibition.  Now, five years later, he returns several times a year to visit Boof and check to see if we have built the Anglers retreat to display his family heirlooms.  The cane rod is now mounted across SWMBO’s living room.  It just goes to show you cannot trust anyone these days.

We will feature Doug’s photos tomorrow Sunday as today he is flying back home.

Share/Bookmark

The fishing is just getting better and better as the season progresses.  While the last week has been patchy for some, others have cleaned up.  This morning one TRM inmate was hammering on the office door at 7 am wanting more fish bags – having already caught his limit.

Shane [...]]]> Fishing Report (?)

The fishing is just getting better and better as the season progresses.  While the last week has been patchy for some, others have cleaned up.  This morning one TRM inmate was hammering on the office door at 7 am wanting more fish bags – having already caught his limit.

Shane What’s-his-name & Bob South need to be warned – despite their criticism the eco-terrorist wilding pine devastating Advocates are at it again, destroying more bush and creating environmental havoc along the banks of the Tongariro River.

Yet TRM have received so many calls and emails recently by visitors commenting favourably on the remedial landscaping being completed by the Advocates for the Tongariro River.

For those (like Shane?) wanting to join the Advocates, go to LINKS.

Images illustrate some of the Advocates’ clearing work (devastation?) along the river bank recently.

The riverside between the Te Aho Reserve and the Taupahi Domain has been cleared and completely replanted by the “Advocates”.

Now they have moved their (eco-terrorists?) clearing operations further up river to do it all again all the way from Major Jones Pool up to the Hydro Pool.

From the top the images show the cleared bank beside the Major Jones Pool LHS, then above the Breakfast Pool, and then below the Birches swing bridge.

The elevated walkway extending along the stop bank now has good views over the river and has improved this popular walk considerably.  This access track had been planted previously but most of the new shrubs and trees got buried under the stop bank.

This walkway is Turangi’s version of Tamaki Drive or Oriental Parade – only better (no cars).  There are always some hardy anglers to be seen wading and casting into the Major Jones Pool and Breakfast Pool.

The numbers of large mature kowhai trees along this walkway between Judges Pool and the swing bridge will soon attract gangs of Tuis swooping from tree to tree feeding on the nectar.  Their noisy yodeling and frantic feeding antics are worth the visit alone.

Share/Bookmark

Thanks to TRM inmates – Mike Ritchie – for wonderful images of Dave McKee taking his son Max fishing on the lower Tongariro.  Even for mature anglers it is a fair old tramp down the LHS to Smallmans Reach.  [...]]]> Let the images tell the story – following the theme of “take a kid fishing”…

Thanks to TRM inmates – Mike Ritchie – for wonderful images of Dave McKee taking his son Max fishing on the lower Tongariro.  Even for mature anglers it is a fair old tramp down the LHS to Smallmans Reach.  This 4 year old thrived on it and was ready for more.  Great to see…

Share/Bookmark

Doug was horrified at my response that I was convinced he could be wasting his time.

Doug is organising his version of a BDO (Big Day Out) on 20 November [...]]]> Recently when Doug Stevens (nzfishing.com) was at TRM we discussed the unrewarding impossible challenge of trying to encourage more youth into fly fishing.

Doug was horrified at my response that I was convinced he could be wasting his time.

Doug is organising his version of a BDO (Big Day Out) on 20 November to introduce kids to the delights of fly fishing for wild trout at a remote wilderness lake not too far from here.

My argument was that young people never have enough money or patience and are always far too fit and able and keen and successful to allow into our sport.  Their unbridled youthful enthusiasm is always so exhausting.  Usually they can walk on water to get to the best spots.  They break all the rules on what to use where and how.  Their ignorance is unbelievable.  They never sleep.

Their instant success rate and endurance makes more “experienced” (read “old”) fishos green with envy – frustrated and even angry with our limitations.  After teaching them all you know the inconsiderate little buggers never apologise for catching more than us.

This is another example to illustrate how the traditional education system has failed us.  Modern permissive society is supposed to provide oodles of other mindless distractions out there, to keep youth away from the Tongariro, such as nubile young girls?  cultivating electric puha?  under-age binge drinking?  youth gangs?  porno computer sites?  graffiti tagging?  hard drugs?  gambling?  street racing?

Why would youth ever consider anything as tame as fishing?

Fly fishing anglers are programmed to be a far more intelligent noble breed, more socially selective, restricted to us gentlemen only, unnecessarily complicated, 100% purist, excessively wet and so slow and boring designed to be too expensive for anyone under forty.

To kids, it should be perceived as stuffy, very 19th century obsolete, selfish and elitist to discourage all members of the much smarter younger generation.

For any foolish mothers’ considering encouraging their sons, remember it is also very dangerous – anglers can easily drown.

If you want a fish for dinner, just buy one – if you can’t afford one, put it on his plastic.

But as usual in fly fishing there is an exception to every rule.  With all fly fishing this is too true.  One of the attractions in our sport is that I have never found any “golden rules” that have not been broken.

An exception is featured on left – he departed TRM today so now we can tell you.  We will not name him as we do not want to embarrass him or encourage him.  It probably doesn’t matter as we couldn’t even get a good photo image of him either.  You will notice how he was deliberately ignoring the photographer’s sneaky efforts to capture him in action.  All of his Dad’s other images were views of his back.

(Another example of a responsible father babysitting…)

We are not going to tell you how many he caught and released, except to say we were disgusted.  We are not going to tell you where he found one of my favourite secret possies as it has never featured on TRM reports.

This young aspiring TRM fisho should not be allowed anywhere near the Tongariro.  Or Hinemaiaia or TT or Waitahanui or Waimarino or Wiaotaka or Lake O for that matter.  It is not fair on the fish.

His Dad (disguised as the Camp Bitch from Taranaki) wisely banished him to Canterbury, supposedly to complete an Engineering Degree but really to keep him as far as possible away from the Tongariro, to concentrate his energies in a more acceptable, responsible and worthwhile respectable occupation.

But Dad also whispered to me feverishly that his son’s real undeclared unspoken underlying secret ambition is to become a professional trout fishing guide…  How ridiculous…

So look out Shane – TRM have been cultivating another young prodigy in the wings…

Mind you, I have to admit I often took my son, JimTim, fishing but that was different.  (see images above & below)

I realised he was far too young to appreciate my wide experience and unique skills.

I even had to bribe him.  All he cared about was what I had in the pack for lunch.

In those good old days in my previous wasted life last century, taking him, tutoring him, showing him around NZ, teaching him to drive, helping him, bonding with him, was very worthwhile as it was the only way I could get a leave pass for a week or two from SWMBO.

So occasionally youth may have their place on rivers, but only in special circumstances.

Share/Bookmark