New Zealand Trip Report & Pictures

[Langenbeck]

Was in the North Island of N.Z. from 20 June until 5 July. Lots and lots of very cold nights with frost on the windshield almost every night. Only had light rain on one day.

Early on visited the smart guys at Eastern Fish & Game to get a lay of the land. Mark Sherburn took me to the trap on the Ngongtatha Stream where they trap 10 days out of the month to monitor brown trout. Below is Mark with about an 11 pound brown from the trap.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/1003/gordonl/NZ06-Mark11PoundBrown.jpg

The average size brown through the trap last year was 3.98 kilos/8 pounds 12 ounces. I believe the largest trapped was 7.5 kilos/16 pounds 8 ounces.

Here is a brown ready to be stripped in the hatchery. Would guess this fish at about 6 kilos/13 pounds 3 ounces.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/1003/gordonl/NZ06-Browntwoinhatchery.jpg

Would describe fishing as hard this year as you had to put in your hours but some nice fish. Last year was my best year ever where on 18 occasions I hooked at least three fish in a session. This year I only did that same feat on three different occasions.

In addition to fishing for big fish in Lake Okitiana, Lake Rotoiti and Lake Tarawera I sometimes fish a couple streams that run into Lake Rotorua. Here is a typical rainbow taken out of one of these streams.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/1003/gordonl/NZ06-3RainbowNgongtatha.jpg

Here are some other fish from the trip. Took three fish of ten pounds or more and all from the Dump at Lake Rotoiti. You may ask if you release them then how do you know the weight. Using a condition factor of 52 I cube the length in centimeters time the condition factor divided by 3612.8 and the answer equals the weight of the fish in kilograms.
A 7 pound rainbow from the Dump
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/1003/gordonl/NZ06-7RainbowatDump.jpg

A 9 pound rainbow from the jetty at Lake Okitiana
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/1003/gordonl/NZ06-9RainbowOkitiana.jpg

A 7 pound rainbow from Lake Tarawera
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/1003/gordonl/NZ06-7RainbowTarawera.jpg

A ten pound 4 oz/4.55 kilo rainbow from the Dump
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/1003/gordonl/NZ06-10RainbowatDumpTwo.jpg

Another 10 pound 4 oz/4.55 kilo rainbow from the Dump
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/1003/gordonl/NZ06-10RainbowatDump.jpg

Saved the best for last as I caught and released my largest resident trout ever a 5.75 kilo/ 12 pound 10 ounce rainbow from the Dump on Lake Rotoiti.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/1003/gordonl/NZ06-1210ozRainbowTwo.jpg

All lake fishing is done at night with a floating line and the lumo smelt fly while wading. In New Zealand it is legal to fish until mid-night and then start again at 5 AM. Since it is the dead of winter you can start night fishing about 5:15 PM and go until midnight and in the AM it doesn't get light until about 7:15 AM.

[David Lee]

:shock: :shock: :shock: :shock:

Good fishes you got there Gordon . How do they fight , compaired to our Yankee Rainbows ? Did you hook any Brownies ?? Are Lumo-Smelt the only flies used during dark hours (I would think something that moves water , like a Muddler , would do well ....)???

Again , great stuff !!

David :D

[Langenbeck]

These fish are very strong. Fight very much like a steelhead of similar size.
There are very, very few browns in the three lakes that produce ten pound rainbows. Use the lumo smelt fly before it becomes dark like I am fishing a regular minnow pattern. Some of the locals at night use a two fly set up with the first being a lumo smelt fly and then a trailer fly that is black and has some bulk. I stay away from the two fly set up because when there is wind you spend more time unraveling the two flies than fishing.

[Hairstacker]

Wow Gordon, the average size of the fish there is just amazing! I can see why you head over there every year. By the way, that's a very interesting grip on that custom fly rod, must take some getting used to. Anyway, really appreciate the excellent report and pictures! 8)

[Adam Grace]

Very nice Gordon, those NZ trout are fat and large. I'm glad that you had a great trip.