Puniu River N.Z.

[Mike Thomas]

Went for a fish on the Puniu river on Saturday, used my Sage XP 5# for the first time and had a good time, very impressed with the rod.
The fishing was no better than poor, only 4 fish all day, 3 browns and 1 rainbow all small (12 to 15 inches).
The wind blew hard all day, I would estimate it was at least 15 to 20 knots and gusting to 25 knots+, it was enougth to blow the leaves off lots of the willow trees and remember it is the middle of summer down here! The wind has hardly stopped since early november.
All the best.
Mike.

[JeffHamm]

Hi Mike,

I hear the Ngongataha has been producing some good sized browns. My parents were in from Canada, and we took them down that way. I picked up one rainbow of 3.25 lbs in the Waiteti Stream. We checked out the Waihou and saw some good sized ones amongst all the smalls. I made it out to the Wairoa as well when I had a few unexpected hours and found it was running clear for a change! I hooked into 3 though only landed one (a fat little 1/2 lbs guy that fought like he was twice that size; which, I guess still isn't that big! ha!). Unfortunately, I checked the Wairoa after the last rains we had, and it was muddy again. Might have cleared again by now though.

- Jeff

[CrystalNZ]

Waipawa and Tuki Rivers running clear but very low in water.

Went out every evening for the past week. Feeding around 7:30pm, early mornings have been reported as good also.
Hundreds of 1-2 lb and smaller rainbows and brownies. Most rapids hold a few over 3lbs but no luck getting it to take a nymph or fly.

One 8lb was caught and released in a morning fish a few days ago.

I caught (2) 1 1/2 lb rainbows 2 weeks back on a spinner, and only a few small ones on flies so far.

Only began fly fishing a week ago and haven't picked up the spinner since. Love It!

Hopefully the rains coming tomarrow will freshen up the water and wash away the weed found in really low areas.

[Mike Thomas]

Hi guys, thanks for the feed back, my mate has just got back from a week in the hawke bay and reports the fishing to be very good at the moment, lots of Browns and Rainbows on the the dry fly up to 7lb.
Not fly fishing but I went out on the Kaipara Harbour on Friday and we got heaps of Snapper up to 13lb and lots of rat Kingfish about 65 to 70cms plus one really good Kingie at 22lb 10oz. Not to mention loads of sharks up to about 4ft (all released).
Would have liked to try out the fly rod on the smaller Kingfish but the current out there rips through at about 5knots, and the depths fished are about 70ft so there is no way a fly will get down to them.
All the best.
Mike.

[JeffHamm]

Hi Mike,
Sounds like some great salt water action. My Dad and I had some luck up on one of the charters in Bay of Islands pre-Christmas. We both picked up some 8-10 lbs snapper, and a lot of smallies. In fact, all 5 of us fishing were catching fish in the 8-10 lbs range. One fellow on the boat even pulled in a 20 lbs and a 16lbs!

Anyway, I had a peak at the Wairoa out in Clevedon this weekend while my wife was at work. Picked up two very small ones in the riffles. The water was quite warm, but it had cleared up some. Could hear the cicada's singing, so large drys should be working about now too. We've had a lot of things to do around a house we look after, so fishing has been limited to unexpected dashes to the Wairoa these days.

- Jeff