TAKING BIG RAINBOW

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21763, 31 March 1934, Page 8

TAKING BIG RAINBOW

BY F. E. THORNTON

SPORT WITH DPJY PLY THRILLS FOR ANGLERS NOTABLE DISCOVERY MADE x •

One of the opinions very frequently expressed, not only in New Zealand, but all over the. world, is that the rainbow trout is not such a sporting fish as ' the brown trout. An examination of the main arguments in tho controversy shows that the idea is based upon two main points:— First, the rainbow tends to leave a river if it is open to the sea,, and thus gets away from the angler. Second, her tends to become a bottom feeder, and will not give classical sport with the floating fly after he has attained a heavy, weight. Undoubtedly there%svas much truth in these contentions, ahd in America they- are doubtless true. But New. Zealand has ever been unique in the manner in which acclimatised creatures have responded to their new environment. Their phenomenon has startled naturalists all the world over, and the behaviour of our rainbow trout is radically different from that in its own habitat (America) and in other countries that have acclimatised it. . On Surface at Sundown It is not so long since , that it was discovered in the Waikato River, at various places nfter it leaves . Lake Taupo, that these large rainbow trout for which New Zealand is famous had adopted the habit of coming to the surface at sundown to take floating flies from the surface of the river, there being a phenomenal "rise" of sedges, , caddis, and other of the ephemeridae, possibly due to the fact'that the river never floods near Lake Taupo. This' rise to floating flies at night is, of course, quite usual with brown trout, but not so with rainbow after they have reached the heavy-weights. This fact has now been'exploited, and reduced to a scientific method of taking them from the Waikato; by casting an imitation of the live fly over, the rising fish. Enormous baskets of beautiful large fish are so taken regularly through the season, and an increasing number of overseas anglers are being attracted by this very cream of all fishing, which lasts all through the season. Lure of the.Sport The Tongariro River (the main inflow to Lake Taupo, the Waikato being the outflow) is known as the world's greatest trout river, and it undoubtedly deserves that name. This reputation has been built up over many years upon the quality of the fishing by means of the large fly fished underwater and downstream, as in salmon fishing. For years no success was obtainable with l the floating fly fished upstream. 4 Whether the trout have changed their habits no one can say, but the fact remains that during the latter half of last season and for practically all of this, a band of expert dry fly anglers have demonstrated quite clearly that these fish may be taken by the dry fiv fished upstream, not only* at night, but during the brilliant sunshine, on days when not a fish could be'taken by the usual salmon :&shing methods! Such a discovery is of the utmost importance, and enhancesthe value of the fishing immensely to those who do not care for any other method than the floating fly. To use the floating fly requires fine tackle, light rods and a fair amount of skilL To kill a big trout of from 51b. to 81b. on such tackle is a highly skilful proceeding. Herein lies the lure of the game, and it is this pitting of fine tackle and skill against a heavyweight fish in heavy water that will bring a man from one side of the world to the other to try it. Large Fish Taken It must'not be imagined that it is. the small "rainbow trout which have been found to rise to the fiy. Large fish have been taken by the writer himself, or by those who" fished in his company during January, 1934, in the Tongariro River, from Taylor's Lodge at Tokaanu upwards. All were taken on medium to small dry flies, the rods not exceeding 9ft. 6ui. in length and not over 6oz. in weight. It is no exaggeration to say that it marks the most momentous angling. discovery of recent years. It opens up the question as to how many of the other famous rainbow streams can be so "fished. Undoubtedly the Tauranga-Taupo and Waitahanui (tributaries .to Lake Taupo) can be fished by this method, for the writer has seen several exceptional baskets from them, and also from the Whirinaki in the Urewera Country. It is safe to prophesy that many other rivers will be tried by the same method and with the same results.