Into Spring

Looking back a year and its remarkable both the parallels and differences on a week-to-week prior corresponding period basis. This time last year the North Island was wet, the trout were running hard and we'd been snowed on. This year, the South Island has had the snow event. Farmers have reported Major lamb losses due to the wet. The big difference seems to be that the trout runs in the Tongariro have seemed very sporadic. Rather than hitting chrome fresh minted fish regularly, those specimens have been harder to come by.

We've fished some different water this year, no doubt about that but the explorations have often been fruitless or the rewards minimal. As a rule, the fishing above the township's main bridge has been difficult whilst in the uglier waters below the bridge, fish have been regularly found. For sanity's sake, a good amount of time has to be spent in the peaceful beauty of the upper river once the need to hook a fish has been sated. The hope that the runs will appear in force keep driving us on, but last weekend a change was needed.  We wanted to swing up some resident fish that equally wanted to smash passing bullies and leeches. We needed a change of location. A plan was hatched.

We'd left at the gentlemanly hour of 5.15am, a little later than I'd normally set off. The weather was stunning, a still day lay ahead of us and fog blanketed the land. As such the drive was a little slower but we still made good time and on arrival fell into our routine for setting up. I had along the Sage One 4116 Trout Spey and Jase had packed his #3 Spey - whilst other methods draw more fish we both prefer to swing up our trout. The hits are super addictive. The river looked in smashing condition as Jase and I walked up to our chosen water. In the backwaters we spied browns cruising - they could wait until we returned armed with single handers later in the season. Layla frolicked around until suddenly from behind a bank a lamb charged at, and hit her. I'd never seen the like! My first chosen water comprised shallow shingle rapids with individual inflows contributing to a stronger current under the far bank that flowed into a gut before shallowing into a really nice tail. The confused currents made a simple swing impossible so I chose a cast and jerky retrieve approach. Soon enough, the fly stopped with a thump. Lifted into a largish fish that fought dourly, rolling in the current. When extracted he proved to be a very old fish with large teeth, past his prime but still ready to chomp on a passing bully.

Dinotrout

After that I struggled a bit. Nothing moved at the fish imitation. Plan b needed - off with the skagit head, on with the scandi, a med sink tip and a team of small wet flies. Having not really done much of this type of fishing I needed to hit fish to get some confidence. And the first hit wasn't long in coming. The fish throbbed under water and the fight was protracted, so I was quite surprised at the long skinny fish that I landed. At that stage I noticed 3 anglers walking upstream.... our plan for solitude was scuppered. I wandered down to meet Jase and he said the other guys had fished up, so any water from here down had been covered. It was now pretty hot - Jase was having a nap on the bank and Layla was stretched out on the sun. The run I probed was long and had always coughed a fish, Jase told me that the 3 guys had extracted half a dozen fish already, so I wasn't all that confident. When the fish hit, I was bringing the wee wets back with a jerky retrieve. The small brown fought gamely and when brought to hand had taken the darker wet (name unknown) loaded with a small bead for weight. 

Jase woke up and moved downstream while I swung the tail out hoping for a larger brownie.  Overhead the sun beat down. Layla chased a pheasant out of the undergrowth and got excited by quail scent as we moved down to find Jase. Rounding a corner we came upon 2 other anglers working upstream - maybe the beautiful day forecast had brought a rush of other anglers to the river? 

While Jase worked downstream I covered a favoured run but the lack of action told me that the other blokes had already been through. Layla and I lay on the bank, she flicking at flies with her tail while I caught some shut eye. Then it was time to go.