Ohinemuri on News Years Day

Took the 5 weight bamboo rod and the car, and headed out on the 1st to the Ohinemuri river, which is about 125 km from Auckland. Fairly easy driving. The weather was calling for rain in the afternoon, but the morning was quite sunny. Anyway, there's a reserve area, with parking and public toilets, etc. The view of the river below shows the water directly in front of the parking lot. I usually stop at a spot before the reserve, but someone had beat me to it and was setting up when I arrived. Everytime I've come here, the water has either been too high or too low to fish this section, but today it was great. Lots of pocket water, and short deep pools, etc. I got two around 25 cm in this section with a size 10 Hare and Copper nymph (a photo of the first included - not the most elegant release I'm afraid, but the fish swam off more indignant than wounded). I later went up stream a bit, crossed over, and there was the confluence of two rivers with a lovely large pool. I took one on a Bluenose Squirrel Tail (it's in the fly of the week archives) in this pool (also around 25 cm; or 8 inches). However, the river started getting crowded and people were swimming, or playing with their dogs, etc, and the sky started looking threatening so I packed up at noon and headed back home. Still, it was a great way to try out the new year.

Happy New Year everyone!

- Jeff

Attachment 12517Attachment 12518

Jeff, You know how to make a guy who doesn't like cold weather jealous. Great photos of beautiful country and fish. Have a great 2014.

Nice Jeff, good to see you are getting out. I drove down to the Ohinimuri just before new year and it was high and brown! So I drove on the Waitatheta and it was high but clear, it is a lovely river, very slippery rocks and spooky fish, but I managed to hook 4, only landing one, Just one of those days!
All the best.
Mike

Nice Mike. The Ohinemuri is quite slimy cobble stone under foot. I do not like the rubber soles with cleats anywhere near as much as I liked my felt soles on this kind of underfooting. I was, however, as graceful as a swan on ice as I waded through the waters! :) I think I was lucky in catching the water in a good state.

- Jeff