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Press, 12 April 1978, Page 15

A sprightly 70-year-old and his 67-year-old wife tell of the “good old days” of trout fishing in Lake Taupo in a Medisea Films production, “Now That We’re Here,” tonight on South Pacific Television. Tom and Joyce Russell have been fishing in the isolated Waihaha Valley in the western bays of Taupo for almost 30 years. They make trips from their home in South Auckland to a tiny hut in the valley, where they live simply, fish, and smoke trout to carry back up the hill to give to their friends. Despite their years, they come alive in the beautiful countryside. They recall the early days of Maori settlement and the good times fishing in the past. Nowadays Tom blames the increasing number of “fizz” boats for the small catches. “In days gone by,” he says, “you could do three months fishing and you wouldn’t get your feet wet, just from the beach. But today, with all the boat activity, the fish have been driven out into the deep water.” The music for “Now That We’re Here” was composed by David Calder, and played by him and his friends. The commentary is by Kingi Ihaka, sound by Craig McLeod, and film editing by lan John.