Okataina leads in the new trout season stakes

Opening day Rotorua lakes - Okataina leads in the new trout season stakes

Okataina ‘impressive lead’ leads in the new trout season stakes

Lake Okataina has been rated “top performer” of Rotorua’s three lakes that re-opened last week – with anglers’ catch rate up an impressive 30% on last year’s opening.

However an angler on Lake Rotoiti produced the biggest fish measured on the day with a hefty 3.4kg (over 7.5lb) rainbow weighed in.

Fish & Game interviewed nearly 700 anglers on the day, at boat ramps and on the water, to piece together a picture of who caught what, and where.

Fish & Game Officer Matt Osborne says that the findings were extremely pleasing, with harvest rates up on all three lakes compared with the previous year.

“Okataina was certainly the standout, our top performer, up by about a third with 116 fish caught, which meant that each angler kept more than two fish on average. Tarawera was up around 17 per cent on the previous season and Rotoiti 5.5 per cent.

“Okataina’s lead can be put down to several factors, including less angler pressure due to accessibility, and lake levels which at times impact on launching. In a strong southerly, it’s very difficult to launch on the lake.”

Mr Osborne says the condition of fish caught across the three lakes was pleasing, “all three looked very good.”

The popular Ohau Channel unfortunately didn’t fish well, the disappointingly low catch likely caused by a lack of smelt present in the lead up to opening.

But in general, in spite of the rough conditions they had to contend with, most anglers had a very enjoyable opening day with hundreds of fish in top condition taken home for the table.

Opening Day (October 1) angler survey results

Lake Tarawera

Catch rates looked pretty good with a rough harvest calculation showing they had improved from last opening. Boat-based interviews removed from analysis as the fishing trips were incomplete (may have been fishing only minutes).

334 anglers caught 415 fish - with about 1.24 fish kept per angler.

Growth conditions in Tarawera have not been very good over the past couple of seasons. Most of the catch were younger fish and these trout will continue to grow through the summer. Hopefully growing conditions also improve.

Angling was excellent early on the day, with shallow trolling/harling producing good numbers. Largest fish was a 3.17kg three-year-old hatchery-raised fish.

Lake Okataina

The catch rate much improved from the 2013 opening day. Two-year-old fish size (spring liberated) improved by 7mm and 50g.

52 anglers caught 116 fish – with 2.2 fish kept per angler.

The largest fish was 3.35kg.

Lake Rotoiti

The catch rate improved on the 2013 opening.

282 anglers caught 202 fish with just under one fish kept per angler interviewed. Boat based interviews removed from analysis as the fishing trips were incomplete (may have been fishing only minutes).

Fish growth in the lake looks to have been slow over the winter period much like Tarawera.

The largest fish was 3.48kg.

The Fish & Game video shows some of the action on Lake Tarawera.

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