Weather: 7.6° A few showers, clearing this afternoon but remaining partly cloudy. Gusty southerlies, easing at night.
River Flow: 23.4 Cumecs (m³/s)
It’s certainly feeling a lot more like winter again! With snow falling on Ruapehu and yesterday’s rain giving way to a gnarly south-easterly sweeping through today, it’s easy to see why the rivers have been a little quieter. The wind has had anglers either seeking shelter on some of the smaller rivers, making it a day at the vise, or taking the opportunity to stock up on supplies.
We received a welcome dump of rain yesterday, spread nicely throughout the day. The river began to rise in the late afternoon, peaking at 63 cumecs at around 9 pm last night. This fresh flush, combined with the drop in temperature, should give the fish a great reason to start heading upriver. Things are certainly looking promising!
The wind is expected to ease as the day progresses, although it looks like we’ll still have a bit of a breeze hanging around into Saturday morning before things settle down for the rest of the weekend. Temperatures are then forecast to climb as we head into next week. We’ll still have some chilly nights to contend with, but the outlook is looking good, with clear, fine days on the cards.
Reports coming through the shop over the past few days have been fantastic! Anglers have been getting into some quality fish, with plenty coming in on the heavier side, and a few have even reported having their best days on the water all season. It’s great to hear the fishing is firing!
With the recent fresh flush, we expect insect activity to ease off a little for now. However, with warmer temperatures on the way, we’re hopeful things will pick up again and the bugs will be back in good numbers by next week.
Natural patterns have been the clear winners this week, with the trusty Hare and Copper leading the charge. Sometimes you just can’t beat the old favourites!
The long-awaited Major Jones Bridge has finally been completed, officially opening this morning! There was plenty of excitement among locals, with many keen to be among the first to cross and check out the new bridge after all the hard work put in by everyone involved. It’s great to see the project come to fruition, and a big thanks goes to all those who helped make it happen.
It’s been a long time coming, and we can now gladly let the old bridge rest as we look forward to having the new crossing in action. A great milestone for the local community!
With the long weekend just around the corner, we’ve been busy stocking up the shop and getting ready for what we hope will be a fantastic few days on the water! We’re expecting a decent top-up of Tassie Devils, Tobies, sawdust for the smoker, and plenty more goodies to keep everyone well equipped for their long-weekend adventures.
We’ve also been busy behind the scenes, spooling up a good number of jigging rods and getting them all rigged and ready to go. Whether you’re planning a trip out on the lake or getting your gear sorted for a few days of fishing, we’re doing our best to make sure you’re all set for the weekend ahead.
It’s shaping up to be a great time to get out and enjoy everything the region has to offer, and we’re looking forward to seeing plenty of familiar faces, as well as welcoming some new ones, throughout the long weekend and into next week.
Thanks to everyone who has been popping in and sharing their fishing stories with us. We love hearing how you’re getting on out there!
Tight lines everyone!
~ Niamh (Bluey)