Weather: 10.8° Cloudy periods, with longer fine spells east of the lake. Westerlies.
River Flow: 22.7 Cumecs (m³/s)
The last few days have definitely felt like we are edging further into winter. Surprisingly, the rain has stayed away much more than expected, allowing the river to continue dropping and now sit at just 22 cumecs, an incredibly low flow for this time of year.
Yesterday brought a light drizzle, but that was really about it in terms of precipitation. Snow-laden clouds were clearly visible hanging over the Pihanga ranges and towards Tokaanu, providing a fitting reminder that winter is well and truly settling in. Combined with the low river levels and clear conditions, it made for some crisp, cold mornings and chilly days on the water.
Rosie and Josh headed down to the delta yesterday morning and managed to connect with a few fish, making the most of the calm conditions.
Fishing at the delta has been a little hit and miss recently. There are certainly fish around, and those putting in the effort during the early morning period are still finding success. However, we're still waiting on a decent rise in river flows to encourage larger numbers of spawning fish into the rips and begin their upstream migration in earnest.
As has been the case throughout the season, white Booby Smelt patterns and "heave and leave" egg flies continue to be the go-to options. Both are proving effective on fish holding around the river mouth, and we have a great range of proven patterns available in-store for anyone looking to stock up.
For those fishing the Tongariro river mouth, Fathom full-sinking lines in Sink 5, Sink 6, and Sink 7 densities remain excellent choices depending on the conditions. These lines quickly cut through the water column and get flies down into the strike zone, where winter-run fish are typically holding close to the bottom.
Back in the shop, we've been busy at the vice topping up flies and getting ready for the main winter run. More Slushies have been tied and the ever-popular Bomb flies are back in good supply. We've also replenished our range of streamers for those anglers preferring to swing or wet-line their way through the deeper runs and pools.
Looking ahead, we're still expecting some rain on Sunday before conditions ease off again. While it doesn't look like anything major at this stage, a few decent showers would certainly be welcomed to give the river a much-needed lift and encourage more fish to move upstream. With winter now firmly setting in, it's only a matter of time before the river starts to see the stronger runs we're all waiting for.
Until next time, stay warm, fish hard, and if you're heading out on the water, be sure to drop in and see us for the latest river conditions, fly recommendations, and a chat about where the fish have been showing up.
Tight lines everyone!
~Niamh (Bluey)