A good day out back-country fishing despite some patchy weather for the Johns from USA. The guys managed to land around half of the 14 decent sized trout caught. The guys I think were both shocked by the power of our trout that had the bust off on 6 and 8 pound flourocarbon on several occassions. There were several over 4 pounds and this is the biggest caught by John Stahl of 5 and a half pounds.

Tongariro Report

Barometer:

Cloud/Wind:

Water Temperature:

River Conditions: Low and clear

Recommended Flies:

Went fly fishing myself yesterday again and had a great day though the fishing was a little slow. It actually took me until the end of the day before my timing was starting to feel smooth again with my casting. Hooked 12 and landed most of them although one rainbow trout did me in a big one nearly busting my knuckle with the spinning reel handle has took off dowstream down the rapids and at a blistering pace never to be seen again.

Tongariro Report

Barometer:

Cloud/Wind:

Water Temperature:

River Conditions: Low and clear

Recommended Flies:

Have a couple of days before my next guiding job so finally getting a chance to catch up on a bit of fly tying and a bit of fly fishing. Went out back country and managed around 15 – 20 hookups in about 4 or 5 hours and caught some great fish – 3 or 4 over 6 pounds and would estimate one brown at 7 or 8 pounds. Within the first 100 meters hooked 3 and then saw a group of 5 in one lye. Hooked every single one of them and landed 4 including this big brownie.

Tongariro Report

Barometer:

Cloud/Wind:

Water Temperature:

River Conditions: Low and clear

Recommended Flies:

It was a pleasure to guide Dan Ennis from Salt Lake City again yesterday. This time he was joined by his friend Ross McConnon from Taupo and the pair had a great time – probably even bettering Dan’s last day fishing with me last year. Dan managed this superb rainbow of 7 and a half pounds. The guys also managed to sight fish 3 browns and hooked over 20 fish between them of which around a dozen or more would have been over 3 pounds.

Tongariro Report

Barometer: Rising

Cloud/Wind: Very little

Water Temperature:

River Conditions: Clearing

Recommended Flies: Black bead hare and copper and Sawyers Pheasant Tail

Went fishing briefly this afternoon with my mate Blair and landed one small trout, lost one a missed a couple of others – Blair finished much similar. The weather has been bad so I have just being sitting at home for the past few days tying flies ready for the year ahead.

Tongariro Report

Barometer:

Cloud/Wind:

Water Temperature:

River Conditions: Low and clear

Recommended Flies:

Just got back from Game fishing on my new Boat accross with Steven Rowe in New Plymouth. Looks like I missed the peak of the marlin but we still had one strike on a skip bait and Isy lost a small tuna to something big that could have been a marlin or a shark. I did manage this mahi mahi which have been getting caught in good numbers in New Plymouth this year and which are extremely unusual in New Zealand waters

Tongariro Report

Barometer:

Cloud/Wind:

Water Temperature:

River Conditions: Low and clear

Recommended Flies:

Went fishing with my mate Carl Sawyer again today and he landed his second wild wilderness river rainbow for the summer at just over 10 pounds. I lost my chance on another trophy and had a consilation prize of an 8 pounder. We landed a few others a litlle smaller and lost a few as well including the one I lost which was another probable 10 pounder.

Tongariro Report

Barometer:

Cloud/Wind: Windy as could be and freezeing cold!

Water Temperature:

River Conditions: Low and clear

Recommended Flies:

After arriving at the first farm yesterday morning to find the race that I drive though blocked by cattle I switched beats and went to another farm nearby which unfortunately is closer to a public access point. The day was slowest for the Wartons who still had a great time with Marge landing a cracker 5 and a half pound rainbow and a 4 pound brown. Bruce unfortunately lost his one chance for the day on a powerful rainbow. After lunch we were going to head back to the first spot to get Bruce a fish but the farmer needed a hand to carry out a stag from nearby bush that he had roared up and shot the night before in a small patch of bush on the other side of river. The farmer couldn’t carry the stag because of his bad knee. Being a few years younger and considering myself quite fit I vounteered to carry the animal which was just a couple of hundred metres inside the bush and around 100kg. I managed to carry it for around 30m and after falling over twice, carried the beast which felt as big as a cow on my back. We then had to drag the carcass for what seemed like 2km to the river where we floated it across and Bruce gave us a hand pulling it out. This completed the day and the trip for the Wartons who were most happy to enjoy a beer with the farmer and look at his hunting trophies.

I have come to the conclusion that in New Zealand the measure of a man is how far and how heavier stag you can carry. I think I may need to join a Gym before I test my manliness again!

Tongariro Report

Barometer:

Cloud/Wind:

Water Temperature:

River Conditions: Low and clear

Recommended Flies:

A terrific day for the Wartons today with 8 out of 11 trout hooked landed. Bruce kicked off with 3 nice browns ranging from 4 and quarter to 5 and a half pounds and then Marge followed up with 2 nice rainbows and a brown. In the end a couple of spectacularly hard fighting rainbows busted Marj off and Bruce also, but the pair did manage to land one more nice rainbow each.

Tongariro Report

Barometer:

Cloud/Wind:

Water Temperature:

River Conditions: Low and clear

Recommended Flies:

Guided Bruce and Marj Warton today from Australia and didn’t have to go far from Spot X to catch a few nice trout. Bruce and Marj class themselves as novices but did well today landing 5 out of 9 good trout hooked plus a few little ones that I don’t count. In all a pleasant day and if the good weather continues then hopefully a few more will take their flies tomorrow.

Tongariro Report

Barometer:

Cloud/Wind:

Water Temperature:

River Conditions: Low and clear

Recommended Flies: