TROUT FISHING

New Zealand Herald, Volume 78, Issue 24106, 27 October 1941, Page 9

TROUT FISHING

TAUPO AREA PROSPECTS EFFECT OF RIVER WORKS GOOD GROUNDS DESTROYED (0.C.) TAUPO, Sunday With the opening of the fishing season less than a week off, it is difficult to express any opinion of the prospects. Certainly the last two seasons were progressively better than previous years because of the increasing amount of feed in the lake, particularly smelt. The spawning season of smelt, bulli and various other feed has been a late one. The trout spawning season has been a normal one and the fish are now returning to the lake in large numbers. The fly life generally appears to be good. Tho new cut at Waitahanui will undoubtedly be poor for some time, as the fish are always shy of a new mouth, a-s shown by results in the past when the mouth has been shifted. The general effect of the new works on the Waikato River between the wharf and the Huka Falls is disastrous. A tremendous area of good feeding grounds and feed life has been destroyed by both the dragging and blasting and will take years to replace. Most of this area was in the past good dry-fly fishing. The water has been muddy and discoloured for months past. A great number of fish have been killed by the blasting. The raising of the lake level by closing the dam gates will increase the feeding grounds around the shores, but it also reduces the areas, such as beaches and rocky points, from which good fishing could be enjoyed without wading. Very few bookings have so far been received by the various fishing lodges and hotels" in this district, and it is expected that the number of rods operating on the opening day will be less than in previous years.