High Hopes for New Trout Season on East Coast

There are high hopes for East Coast lakes at the start of the new trout season on Saturday, October 1st - with Lake Waikaremoana on a path to recovery.

Eastern Region Fish & Game says the fishery has been below its usual quality for the last few years after some heavy flooding hit the catchment during the 2005 and 2006 years.

Eastern Councillor Murray Ferris says the fishery has had several seasons of small-sized fish, and at certain times of the year, low catch rates.

But Lake Waikaremoana has seen a major improvement over recent months.

“I’m prepared to go on record saying that in my experience, it’s as good as it’s ever been,” he says. “Fish are in great condition and in good numbers.”

Other anglers appear to share this view, he says, which is a complete turnaround on two years ago when Fish & Game were being asked to stock the lake to try and help the fishery recover.

With the problems in the lake being put down to changes in water quality lowering food supplies for trout, stocking more trout was seen as a way of making the fishery worse rather than better, so a natural recovery was waited for. “Recent angling reports suggest the wait is now over,” Murray says.

Fish & Game along with Genesis and the Hawke’s Bay Regional Council have installed a water quality monitoring buoy in the lake, transmitting data which can be accessed by the public. Murray Ferris says that with this information it is now easier to investigate the impact that storms and other natural events can have on the fishery.

Kent’s Lake at Tiniroto has been returning some nice fish but in smaller numbers, with fairly low angling pressure, he says.

The rivers are in great nick, all low and “gin clear” with weather prospects looking pretty good, although the weather gods are known to be unpredictable.

“Anglers on the East Coast are excited over prospects for the new season, and as both a committed angler and Fish & Game Councillor, I hope they’re not disappointed and can hook some good fish.”

Eastern Region Manager Rob Pitkethley says there’s no doubt that Waikaremoana is improving, and rivers throughout the region should be moving into a productive spring with fish recovering quickly from winter spawning.

Reports from the lake indicate the fishery is trending up, with some rainbow trout in excellent condition caught over recent months, he says. And some nice browns can also be stalked from the shoreline during the late spring.

“More good fishing is on offer at Lake Waikareti, and Fish & Game has released some supplementary stock into lakes Kaitawa and Whakamarino to add to the range of angling options, and there are now some very large trout there.”

It will also be the first opportunity for anglers to fish the upper reaches of the Ruakituri, Hangaroa and Waiau Rivers after they closed to protect spawning trout on June 30th. These rivers are particularly popular early in the season before water temperatures get too warm and trout tend to become harder to catch.

ENDS

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