Weather: 9.0° Fine with areas of severe morning frost or fog. Some late evening cloud. Light winds.
River Flow: 22.7 Cumecs (m³/s)
We've certainly been feeling the cold over the past few days as the southerlies have swept through.
Late last week, a spell of rain saw the river rise to around 40 cumecs before quickly dropping back into the mid-20s. The fresh initially brought a welcome run of fish into the river, with many anglers enjoying success before numbers tapered off again as the weather cleared and the sun returned. Despite conditions becoming more challenging, reports through the shop have remained positive, with plenty of anglers still hooking fish and bringing them to the net.
The extra colour in the river lingered for a couple of days, providing some welcome relief for those hoping for more typical winter fishing conditions.
Rosie and I headed back to the Delta on Sunday morning, fully expecting to be greeted by a hard frost. Armed with a flask of hot tea, towels to sit on, plenty of extra layers, and a healthy dose of enthusiasm, we were well prepared for the chilly start. As always, Tokaanu didn't disappoint, treating us to a stunning sunrise that made the early start well worthwhile.
Our tactics from the previous week proved just as effective, although we made a slight change to the fly pattern. The adjustment paid off, and over the course of the morning we enjoyed some excellent fishing.
Later in the morning, another boat joined us after harling around the area. The angler mentioned he'd marked several large pods of fish on the sounder not far off the river mouth. It's an encouraging sign that plenty of fish are stacked up just offshore, waiting for the next fresh to push them into the river.
Looking ahead to the next few days, there's a chance of a few showers and a slight lift in temperatures, both of which should make for more comfortable conditions on the river. Thursday and Friday are currently looking like they'll only bring isolated showers, while Saturday has the potential for a more widespread spell of rain. If that eventuates, it could provide another welcome fresh and encourage more fish to move into the river.
The Brown Trout Fly Fishing Club is back in town for their annual competition over the next few days. I caught up with the group over dinner and a few drinks last night to see how everyone was getting on and to hear about their plans for the competition. It's always great to have this fantastic bunch back each year, and I'm looking forward to seeing how the event unfolds. Best of luck to everyone taking part!
I'll be keeping a close eye on the conditions over the coming days and will report back with any updates.
Tight lines, everyone!
~ Niamh (Bluey)