Weather: 18.4°C, partly cloudy with a few showers. Strong southeasterlies turning northeast this afternoon
River Flow: 25.1 cumecs
We hope everyone had a fantastic Christmas and is now looking ahead to the New Year. We all took Christmas Day off, and from what I’ve been hearing, it sounds like everyone enjoyed a well-earned rest. Whether that was eating way too much food, catching up with family and friends, or just enjoying a quiet day at home.
We were treated to some great, hot weather on Christmas Day, although it’s definitely taken a turn since then. The conditions have shifted to a more gloomy feel, with plenty of wind around, but that hasn’t stopped people from getting out and enjoying themselves on the water. With a little reprieve now, that we hope goes into to tomorrow night!
Despite the change in weather, anglers have still been keen to make the most of it. On Saturday, my friend Han, Tim, and I headed out to the big lake for a jig session and were incredibly successful. There were plenty of people around, with other anglers, swimmers, and boaties all out enjoying the day. While the weather wasn’t ideal, it certainly didn’t seem to bother the fish.
This trip was also Han’s first time targeting trout, and he did extremely well, getting onto quite a few fish throughout the session, a great first outing and a solid introduction to lake fishing.
Rosie also managed to rally a good crew from the shop, along with a few friends, and we headed out to brave a river mouth for a night session. Even with strong winds threatening to make things difficult, we decided to give it a crack anyway.
To say we battled the wind would be an understatement. It was blowing straight in on us, making casting and line control a real challenge. Despite that, we pushed on, gathered a solid group, and made the most of it. There were plenty of laughs, a fair few tangled lines thanks to the wind, and overall a great night shared on the water, proving once again that good company can make any conditions enjoyable.
Hamish and his dad also got out for a fish in Rotorua, putting some serious faith in Hamish’s homemade 4wt rod. It turned out to be a great decision, as he managed to land an absolute beast, an 11lb brown trout. A special moment on the water and a huge achievement, especially on a rod he built himself.
We hope everyone has a fantastic New Year and that the fishing only continues to improve as summer rolls on. We’ll be open right through, so if you’re planning to hit the water and get onto some fish, we’ve got you covered. Pop in, have a chat, and stock up on anything you need before your next mission.
We’d also love to see what everyone’s been getting up to this summer. Flick through your photos and a short blurb about your adventures to sport.life@xtra.co.nz We always enjoy seeing where everyone’s been and what they’ve been catching.
Tight lines everyone, and here’s to a great season ahead!
~ Niamh (Bluey) 🎣