Summer Trout Fishing

Summer Trout Fishing

If you are out and about around the Rotorua lakes over the summer you may well bump into Mr. Bach, either fishing from his orange kayak or fly fishing along a stream bank. On the left is a nice 4lb brown trout Mr. Bach caught after school one day about 2 weeks ago just below the Devon Road bridge. This trout was returned to the water soon afterwards to continue its journey upstream to sanctuary. Summer is a great time to take kids out fishing, with the weather warm, and the trout seeking cold water to shelter from the warm lake water that they hate. The Utuhina stream has trout in it over the summer slowly moving upstream, as it is a cold, spring fed stream. It is easily accessed as it wanders through the city. Summer also provides streamside vegetation that hides the wary trout from walkers and wanderers, who may disturb them. There are fewer trout than in autumn and winter but also fewer anglers.

 

Tips to help kids start catching fish - 

1. Find out the pools, overhangs and other places fish generally lie in a stream and begin fishing into these places without looking in the water first.

2. Use streamside vegetation to hide yourself from the fish and wear camouflage or dull coloured clothing.

3. Use strong fluorocarbon nylon - fluorocarbon may be more expensive but trout just cannot seem to see it at all - unlike normal nylon. Trout can be hard enough to hook, as it is for a child, without the frustration of constantly losing them because of snapped nylon-  and what if a really big fish is hooked? You need to give a kid a chance - leave the sporting, light line fishing for experienced adults. I use 15lb Maxima fluorocarbon.

4. Be patient and move slowly and carefully near the water - sudden movements scare fish.

5. Try early morning - the early bird catches the worm - and beats other anglers to the pools with freshly arrived, gullible fish in them.

6. Try in the evening or at night when fish are usually more active and feel safe feeding.

7. Teach children to catch and release - children will obviously want to keep all of their fish when they first start consistently catching trout, but encourage them, at some stage (especially if the freezer is full), to start putting some trout back for others to catch, or to help sustain the fishery by allowing some fish to return to the water to spawn upstream, and produce the next generation.

New Adventure Playground

 Adventure Playground

The new children's adventure playground, built this year, has been a real hit with the children. They absolutely love this swing in particular and will head straight for it, and queue up, to be able to use it at lunchtime and during golden time.

Sometimes taking your turn fairly by not queue jumping, and spending a fair amount of time on the swing, are issues that need to be dealt with by senior students looking after the swing.

Athletics Day 2014

Our school athletics day went off with a blast last Friday. Tyler shows proudly his 1st place card from the house relays.

Dress up Day - St Mary's 2014

 Dress up Day

Last Thursday St Mary's staff and students came dressed up as their favourite book character. We had all sorts of characters in room 6 as you can see from our photos. Children had to bring a gold coin donation, which will go towards relief efforts for the typhoon ravaged Philippines.

Some of the children put a lot of effort into their costume selection.

A group photo shows the wide range of characters we had in room 6.

Poppy vainly attempts to scare Mr. Bach with her costume.

  Charis

 Veronica

 Koby

 Jasmin

 Naina

 Ria

 Lucille

 Tyler

 Willem

Misty

Andrew Chinn

 Andrew Chinn -  2013

St Mary's was privilèged last week to welcome Australian Catholic Christian singer Andrew Chinn to our school for the day. Children are familiar with Andrew Chinn songs that we use regularly at St Mary's for class prayers, liturgies and masses. Some of the older children will remember Andrew from his last visit in 2010. Andrew spends the day working with the children to include as many as possible for the evening concert. He first works seperately with the junior, middle and senior schools in the morning and then the whole school together in the afternoon. Andrew is an 

ex-primary school teacher and is very patient and encouraging while working with the children.

 Joseph, Edward and Koby made great gophers during the Noah's Ark song.

Andrew performs with the children rather than performing to them.

 There were some great movers and shakers amongst the children during the songs.

 Willem poses with Andrew Chinn. Willem loves Andrew Chinn songs and is always asking for them for prayers during the year.

 Being cool during one of the performances.

Beautiful voices.

Willem boogies down the church aisle.

 Willem and Ryleah thank Andrew for coming and Willem presents him with the gift of a pen (but not in the case though!!!!)

Picture Prompts - writing

 Picture Prompts - Motivating to Write and stimulating thinking

A good way of getting children to write is by using picture (usually photo) prompts. Big pictures are best and they can be electronic or in paper form, as long as the children are able to look at them closely from the place from where they are writing.

Children can be guided to describe the setting or a character in the setting by using looks like, feels like, smells like and sounds like, or they can use the scene to begin a story using who, what where and when.

 The children may have to be encouraged to choose a prompt as procrastination in making a choice is common.

 Room 6 children have chosen their prompts in this picture and are now orgainising their books and other writing equipment.

Some children are very happy and motivated writers - others may need support and encouragement to write.

 Enterprise Flytying Class Trip to Utuhina Stream

On the second to last week of term 3 Mr Bach took his enterprise flytying class to the Utuhina Stream for a field trip. The aim was to try and identify likely spots to find trout and talk about the times and places that are best for catching trout in small streams. We were hoping to test out a couple of the flies we designed, but unfortunately although we saw trout we were unable to catch any. Maybe having 30 children bounding around on the bank didn't help. 

Tom's mum came along as a parent helper. We were lucky to have many parents who were willing to lend a hand.

The children look towards the stream, where we managed to see a number of trout, a couple of them big. We scared them unfortunately - and trout are very hard to catch once disturbed.

Mr Bach explains a few of his secrets about how to catch trout in the Utuhina Stream.

    Mr Bach tries to catch a trout by some miracle under an overhanging tree.

 Mr Bach shows some of the different flies he has tied over the years.

In deep pools, under banks and behind or under snags are some of the favourite places that trout like to rest and hide.

  Hemi enjoying himself by the stream.

  Mr Bach negotiating two hazards - streamside vegetation and excited children.

Hili was proud to carry the first aid kit for our class.