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.
