Hi,
I week ago I made it out for my first fish since returning from the year's sabbatical in Canada. I went to the Wairoa, which is a small stream just outside of Auckland city. It's the nearest moving water fishery to the city. It had been raining earlier, so the water was higher than usual, and muddy (as usual - the Wairoa never really runs clear). I had repaired the broken tip on the boo, and took that to try out. Being a 5 weight it's a bit much for the fish in this stream, a 3 weight is ideal. In my haste I forgot to put my waders in the car, which meant I couldn't get to most of the fishable areas. Still, I only had limited time and I knew enough spots to try. I saw two other people fishing as well, which is unheard of. I think I've only ever saw 1 other person fishing the Wairoa on two or three other occasions, and never 2 more!
I did manage to land one small 5 inch rainbow. It took a size 14 Greentail, which is one of Pritt's patterns and the first fish I've ever taken on that pattern. Shortly after that one of the other fellows showed up at the pool I was fishing and we got to chatting. As I had to go we shared the pool and he hooked into one about 1 to 1.25 lbs, which is the typical good sized fish. He told me he had landed a 3 pound fish earlier in the year, and last year was into one he estimated at 4 lbs, which is definately trophy sized for this fishery. The biggest I've hooked into I estimated at around 2 lbs (so it was probably, what, 0.5 :) ).
Anyway, I was very pleased that the boo wasn't skunked on it's maiden voyage in NZ, and that I wasn't skunked on my first outing after the return, and also that I've finally broken the spell on Pritt's Greentail. Hopefully this was a sign of things to come. Now, I must get out again sometime!
- Jeff
