CICADA POOL >- Located
extreme right of above Googled aerial. Access road off SH1 is clearly
seen. Anglers access sign is for “Admirals Pool”, then take right
track to Stag Pool carpark.
(Note 2009 changes to Google image – LHS of river below Admirals car park is now dry – but this report is about Cicada Pool)
2009 RATING: 16 >(out of 20) Previous score was 15 – increased as it is so reliable but may be subject to change – see following…
Cicada Pool is a beautiful long
enchanting natural easily wadeable very “therapeutic” pool (? Well,
that is how one inmate described it) which has developed as a
consistent producer and known for the relatively higher number of
browns which hold in the tail. The pool is located under the high
pumice cliffs which dominate the landscape below the run from Stag Pool
and above the fast run leading into Admirals Pool. It is a natural
resting place for the trout on their spawning migrations. As this is
not one of the commonly fished “named” pools or listed on the older
maps or 2004 DoC map we elaborate more than usual.. It can be fished
from both sides:
- Access to Cicada Pool on the RHS is via the anglers access to Kamahi,
1 km up river from the Koura Street swing bridge, taking the last side
track before Kamahi Pool down to the river bed and then across the
stones past Admirals Pool. An old backwater extends along the base of
the cliffs where the river previously flowed as recently as the
1990′s. Anglers should skirt around this or the shallow tail is
wadeable. This will bring them out under the cliffs on a wide ledge
with the main flow at their feet.
Whilst
good views into the Cicada Pool are available from the elevated RHS
track extending between the swing bridges, TRM cannot encourage anglers
to climb over the fence to the edge of the cliff to try to spot trout
as the cliff is undermined in too many places. This section of track
is fenced off for your protection. So you will appreciate TRM had to
risk life and limb to bring you the aerial photos of the pool. From
the elevated cliffs one can identify exactly where the lie is so it is
worth going the extra distance before attacking the pool.
Thistrip is worthwhile just for the natural varied scenery and enjoyable
stroll through exotic – mainly larch and douglas fir – and native trees
including tall black beech, kowhai, totara, kanuka, red matipo, and
five finger. Many of the larger trees are now maturing and reaching
the height of the kanuka forest canopy. These will eventually shade
out the kanuka and other weedy ground cover such as the broom, dreaded
blackberry and native bracken. Native bird life is also spectacular. Keep a look out for fantail,
tui, bellbird, grey warbler, silver eyes, wood pigeon, and on occasion
tomtit, shining cuckoo and morepork can be seen or heard. On the river
are the hated trout killers – (silent) black shags, plus an assortment
of ducks – from (honk honk) paradise ducks to (quack quack) grey and
mallard ducks and numerous (squawk squawk)) graceful white faced
heron. If you are lucky you may find the rarer (whistle whistle) blue
ducks (whio).
For anglers, when they arrive at the base of the Cicada cliff, there
are three options. One is to walk along the base of the cliff around
past the backwater and cast directly up river into the main flow or wet
line across and down is deadly… Second option is to cast from the
point below the backwater at the top of the rapid leading down to
Admirals. You can wade a little way up river from this point. Third
option, and not as uncommon as you may imagine, find a restful place in
the afternoon sun and recover from the walk….
Access is by taking the anglers access road with the Admirals Pool sign
about 3 km south of TRM on SH1. For those with more time it is also
still within pleasant walking distance along the LHS track which leads
from the Hydro Pool up river to the Trout Centre. TRM anglers bike
there in about 15 minutes! From the Admirals access road take the
right turn to the Stag Pool car park. Then there is a 3 minute walk
across the river stones to the base of the cliff.
of the pool is wadeable. Nymphers should start at the end of the
bubble line and work their way up through the centre of the pool. It
deepens towards the head of the pool where you can fish off the bank on
the corner. We know guides who regularly target this pool (Hi AC) as
it so reliable. They advise that clients usually pick up fish all
along the RHS, both in the shallows and along the edge of the current
under the high cliffs along the length of the pool. By “polaroiding”
from the elevated lookout positions above (Reminder – TRM do not
encourage anyone to cross over the safety fence!) one can usually
easily locate exactly where trout are resting and then target those
spots – but some might suggest that is cheating. We call it fishing.
Looking along the crumbling cliff from the river bed you can clearly
define several layers of recent geological history. The most prominent
top icing layer is the band of whiter Taupo pumice.
When Taupo erupted in 186AD the region was covered with up to 100 km3 (cubic kilometres?) of tephra several metres thick.
In the sedimentary layers exposed in
the cliffs of the Cicada Pool, underneath the tephra you can easily
identify successive layers of huge ancient lahars from previous Mt.
Ruapehu eruptions which predate the Taupo eruptions. Closer to the
river level, alluvium can be seen, which indicates the Tongariro River
ran a similar course over 2000 years ago.
2009 Changes:
Now here is the hot tip for 2009. Most of the trout previously lay
just off the drop off at the tail of the pool. Now that deep tail has
largely silted up but this keeps changing and could be gone after the
next fresh or may silt up more – who knows? Brown trout are often
seen rising in the tail of the current under the bank close to the
RHS. The rainbows usually lie hugging the bottom out beyond the large
stone that is obvious about two thirds of the way down the pool -
located more towards the base of the cliff but inside the main flow -
along the seam. Trout are also often hooked at the head of the pool.
AC is going to hate me for telling you this… During late 2007 &
2008 the Cicada Pool easily out-fished the famous Admirals Pool – but
as it is not on DoC’s 2004 river map it is often overlooked. So keep
it to yourself!
2009 Hint:
Before you trek across the stones always have a flick or three into the
tail of Stag just where the short access track emerges from the bush.
Wade out knee deep up the LHS – an ideal casting position for lefties.
This sweet spot should be part of the Stag Pool report but at TRM we
are allowed to depart from the script. Also have another flick there
on your return after it has had a rest. You will notice guides with
clients in there far too often.
Now another warm fuzzies story – why
you must not go past the tail of Stag. TRM had a challenging guest,
even more difficult than the usual inmate, a complete novice who was
physically unable to walk far due to a medical condition but who was
very keen to catch a trout. The challenging question was where to take
him? The usual “drive to pool A” – Bridge pool – was over crowded and
thrashed to a foam on a Saturday. So this tail of Stag LHS was where
we went instead. This is where he hooked up on his third cast. Less
than 1 minute walk from the car. What a fantastic result. That’s what
you really call job satisfaction. I don’t know who got the most out of
it.
History:
This name “Cicada Pool” was taken from the 1928 map in the booklet
prepared by Allan & Barbara Cooper “Pools of the Tongariro” in
1975.
(Photo left – Stuart Nicol, another Aussie Pom inmate, releasing a rainbow at thear of pool on 18 February 2009)
maintenance programme postponed until 2009. Canal re-opened and
Tongariro River now back to the managed level of a minimum of 16 cumecs
below the dam which, after additional flows from various tributaries
such as Waipa, Whitikau, Poutu, Mangamawhitwhiti, etc. results in
approximately 23 cumecs at Major Jones Pool.
Note:
The Genesis Energy proposal to close the Poutu Canal for the first four
months of 2008 (which was cancelled after January) is now back on
track. The Poutu Canal is closed as it is subject to Genesis’
maintenance programme for the next few months. This means that for the
first time in over 40 years the Tongariro River is running at natural
levels – with no water being drawn off for hydro power purposes.
flood on 15 April rose to over 500 cumecs and
will have affected many of the pools and river crossings. So
take care!
located under the high pumice cliffs which dominate the landscape
between the Stag Pool and Admirals Pool. As this is not one of the
commonly fished “named” pools we elaborate more than usual.. It can be
fished from both sides – i.e.
RHS – Access to Cicada Pool onthe RHS is via the anglers access to Kamahi, 1 km up river from the
Koura Street swing bridge, taking the last side track before Kamahi
Pool down to the river bed and then across the stones past Admirals
Pool.
available from the elevated RHS track extending between the swing
bridges, TRM cannot encourage anglers to climb over the fence to the edge of the cliff to try
to spot trout as the cliff is undermined in too many places. This
section of track is fenced off for your protection.
This trip is worthwhile just for the natural varied scenery and
enjoyable stroll through exotic – larch and douglas fir – and native
trees including tall black beech, kowhai, totara, kanuka, red matipo,
and five finger. Many of the larger trees are now maturing and
reaching the height of the kanuka forest canopy. These will eventually
shade out the kanuka and other weedy ground cover such as the broom,
dreaded blackberry and native bracken.
(Photo left – Alan Davison – second cast with an olive woolly bugger in Cicada Pool, March 2008)
LHS Access is by taking the Admirals Pool side road about 3 km
south of TRM on SH1. For those with more time it is also still within
pleasant walking distance along the LHS track which leads from the
Hydro Pool up river to the Trout Centre. From the Admirals access road
take the right turn to the Stag Pool car park. From here there is a
3-5 minute walk across the river stones to the base of the cliff. Most
of the pool is wadeable. Nymphers should start at the end of the
bubble line and work their way up through the centre of the pool. It
deepens towards the head of the pool where you can fish off the bank on
the corner. We know guides who regularly target this pool (Hi AC) as
it so reliable. They advise that clients usually pick up fish all
along the RHS under the high cliffs along the length of the pool. By
“polaroiding” from the elevated lookout positions above (Reminder -
TRM do not encourage anyone to cross the fence!) we usually locate a
“bunch” of trout resting just off the drop-off at the head of the pool
before the corner.
During late 2007 – early 2008 the Cicada Pool has been out-fishing the traditional Admirals Pool – but keep it to yourself!booklet prepared by Allan & Barbara Cooper “Pools of the Tongariro”
in 1975. The river changed course after the 2004 flood and foot access
is now possible to stand under the pumice cliffs directly above the
main current – ideal for either wet lining or nymphing without waders.
guest/anglers experiences. As such, Tongariro River Motel do not
accept any responsibility for the opinions of other anglers who are
traditionally acknowledged liars about their best fishing pools.
