Weather: 9.1° Mainly fine, some cloud developing evening. Southwesterlies.
River Flow: 21.9 Cumecs (m³/s)
A relatively mild start to the day, with the sun making an early appearance and sticking around for most of it. There was still a chilly breeze throughout the day, though, reminding us that despite the sunshine, we're very much still in winter. The rest of the weekend is looking like it will follow a similar pattern.
Reports coming through the shop have been fairly positive considering the less-than-ideal winter conditions. Fishing has definitely been on the tougher side, but anglers are still managing to land fish.
Natural patterns have been producing well while the sun is out, with egg patterns such as Glo-Bugs, Slushies, and Gel Eggs working best early in the morning and again in the evening. Wet lining has also been successful, although smaller, more natural profiles have been the way to go. There are a few patches of rain forecast over the coming weeks, but at this stage I doubt they'll be enough to make a noticeable difference.
With the conditions we've been seeing, we're expecting the main runs to arrive a little later than usual unless we get some decent rain. Fish will still make their way up the rivers without it, but numbers are likely to be smaller, and they won't hold in the rivers for as long as they typically would.
I wanted to touch on a few of the updated regulations, as we've seen an influx of questions and requests for clarification around some of the recent changes.
The main updates I'll be covering are the bag limit, leader length, soft baits, and the February closure for Lake Ōtamangakau.
Bag Limit -
The daily bag limit has increased from 6 to 8 trout in the areas where the previous limit was six fish per day. Once you have kept 8 legal-sized trout (measuring more than 35 cm from the tip of the snout to the fork of the tail), you must stop fishing for the remainder of the day, even if you intend to release any further fish. Please note that the bag limit has not changed for areas such as Lake Ōtamangakau.
Leader Length -
This change has caused a bit of confusion, as the maximum leader length was previously 6 metres. The regulation now states that your leader may be no longer than twice the length of the fly rod being used.
For example:
- A 9 ft fly rod may have a leader up to 18 ft long.
- An 11 ft fly rod may have a leader up to 22 ft long.
This measurement applies to the leader attached between your fly line and your flies.
Soft Baits -
Last season there was some uncertainty around the use of scented soft baits within the Taupō Fishery. This season, scented soft baits are now permitted wherever spin fishing is allowed.
The hook size regulation remains unchanged, with no hook permitted to exceed 14 mm between the point and the shank.
Lake Ōtamangakau – February Closure
This season introduces a new approach to the February closure at Lake Ōtamangakau. Rather than automatically closing for the entire month, the decision will now be based on water temperatures.
The Department of Conservation (DOC) will monitor lake conditions and determine whether the lake remains open or closes during February. This change has been introduced because February has traditionally been the hottest month of the year, with elevated surface water temperatures that can place excessive stress on trout and increase the risk to their survival.
For a more in depth read of these we highly recommended you go to the official DOC website and have a read of the full regulations, which I will link below.
This is also a good reminder to regularly check the regulations as there are changes every now and then and being up to date on these is a requirement for holding a Taupo district Fishing License. If you have any questions, call the fisheries team at DOC.
Rules and regulations - what you need to know: Taupo Trout Fishery
Tight Lines Everyone!
~Niamh(Bluey)