FISHING AT TAUPO.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19508, 11 December 1926, Page 14

FISHING AT TAUPO.

THE WAITAHANUI STREAM. ANGLING YEARS AGO. SPORTSMAN'S RECOLLECTIONS. Br A. WOODHEAD. 'Now that tho fishing season at Lake Taupo has come round once more, it may bo interesting to give some account of the fishing, there as I remember it some 16 years and more since. At that timo I had tho good fortune to bo stationed at Waitahanui, and knew that stream and the fishing as few then knew it. The Waitahanui Stream runs out of a deep gorge in the Kaingaroa Plains into a beautiful bay, with a perfect beach, on the eastern shore of Lake Taupo, .and eight miles from the township of Taupo —now probably the greatest trout-fishing centre in the world.

The stream itself is of fair size, but nowhere too wide to prevent every inch of tha water being cast over. The water is, except when thero is a fresh, beautifully clear. The current is fairly strong, quite rapid in places, with the bottom here pebbly and there sandy, with here and there deep sluggish pools. Indeed, although tho length of fishable stream is little more than a mile, in that short distance, every variety .of water is to bo met with.

In tho early days of the fishing snags were plentiful, and loss of fish and tackle were frequent, Tho banks, too, were overgrown with high manuka (miscalled ti-tree), and casting was a matter to test the skill of the most proficient angler. Many a fly was lost, or a rod-top broken, through catching in the scrub at one's back. Some of us set to work, however, and in time the worst of the snags were removed, and the bank cleared for a few yards back from the water. The Deadly Jlpoon. At that time (about 1908) there were no restrictions as to the method of fishing, and the deadly spoon accounted for most of the fish caught. There were some, again, who were expert with the spear—trident spears were to be had in the township—and it was not uncommon at night to seo a canoe bearing a torch floating slowly down the stream. The torch was not entirely for the purpose of seeing the way, nor was the'crew engaged merely in travelling from one point to another. But there would be an excellent breakfast on tho. morrow, and who that has tasted a well-cooked Taupo'trout, red through and through, will -ever wish for a (sweeter or more tasty dish 1

At last the necessary steps were taken to have the stream reserved for fly-fishing only, and great was the heart-burning among those who had, ,had such success with the less-sporting methods of the spoon aud the spear. But ©yen many of these, impelled by necessity to fish legitimately, became in time as ardent flyfishermen as any of the rest of us, such is fcho fascination o)S this glorious . sport. They even expressed their contempt for those who still (in the lake) used the spoon—it was hot "sporting!", "Trailing the Fly."

The department, on representations made, forbade the use of spoon and minnow within a radius of 300 yds. from the mouth of the stream, and fly-fishermen were then able, from a boat or by using waders, to cast out into the river-curront where it ran out into the lake. And this is where the fish congregate before ascending the river. The trailers, however, were not done yet, and introduced a new method called "trailing the fly." The method is to ahchor a boat in or on the edge of the current, to let out a fly with 50yds. or 60yds. of line, and then to reel in with a } series of jerks, and pauses. This proved almost as deadly as spoon-trolling, but what could be said ? It was undoubtedly fly-fishing, but it certainly wasn't siport as the true fly-casting fisherman understood it. To the true fly-fisherman there is nothing strange in the fact that men come year after year from the other side of the world to spend a month or two at the marvellous fishing to be had round about Lake Taupo, and to put up with discomfort, as many of thepj had to in the early days. In fly-fishing it ist a fair fight between a.good fish and the fisherman—the fish has at least a sporting chGnce. One's tackle must in good order, and one's wits alert and nerves steady, to beat some of these big fellows. Just one little error of judgment, and he is gone—but not always a "sadder and wiser" fish, for some of them will come to the bait again and yet again., And when a fish gets away with one's fly, and probably the cast as well, it becomes a serious matter to one whose pockets are not too well lined. The Sportsmen's Moment. But to hook a real game fish in good water, and then to settle down for a fight that may last anything tip to an hour; to foliow him and watch him as ho rushes, nbw up, now down the stream, sometimes leaping a clear 3ft. or 4ft. out of the water in his efforts to get rid of the hook; or again lying sulking alt. the bottom, refusing to respond to your endeavours to get him moving again—this is the time when one requires to u;?,e all one's skill, and more than skill, patience. Ma,ny such fights have I had with victory sometimes to me, sometimes to the fish—but always there was the joy of the struggle. It was interesting, too, to be an o:alooker. Often I have been on the river with a keen angler just out from the Old Country who had heard, but scarcely credited, tales of our marvellous fishing, and had come to see for himself. Probably his best catch alt Home had been a one or one-and-a-half-pciunder—big trout indeed! At his first essay at Taupo we will suppose he lands at three or fourpounder. He will likely enough spend au hour admiring its beauty, its colouring, its shape, its size; in describing evev> moment of the fight, and in expressing his delight that such a sport should bo possible. See him a week or two later (when he has been catching fish anything from 101b. to 151b.), at the moment when he has caught another three-pounder, and note now the difference. No admiration her© now, but moat bitter reviling expressed. in language to suit the occasion. For this wretched fish, you see, will bring down his average, and one's average is a most important affair. It is the average that tells the tale of the season's work. The point of view makes a world of difference. :