no 376 - irp-cdn.multiscreensite.com · miss out. library a new set of dvd’s on fly fishing for...
TRANSCRIPT
THE HUTT
VALLEY ANGLER No 376
Newsletter of the Hutt Valley Angling Club Inc March 2013
March Activities
11th Club Meeting — King Lion Hall 7:30pm
16th Line Control Workshop 9:00am
22-23 Mohaka River Trip
23rd Wairarapa Excursion — Upper Hutt Station 4:00pm
25th Copy deadline for April Newsletter
27th Fly Tying — Community House 7:30pm
Hutt Valley Angling Club Incorporated .March 2013 2
Editorial
I should say ditto this month because the expected Cicada season
is only just getting underway. Unfortunately due to this dry spell
the rivers are warming up and of course the Cyanobacteria is
proliferating in the Hutt River. We need a flush every three or four
weeks to freshen the riverbed.
It is most gratifying to see the interest and enthusiasm at our
Introduction to Fly Fishing courses. Hopefully some of the
participants will take the next step to join a fishing club where they
can expect to learn a great deal more about the sport.
It’s great to welcome back Wood’s Waffles after a short sabbatical.
Jeff always gives us articles to get the grey matter working a little
bit.
John Millar Editor
President’s Piece
Isn’t it great to have such a stunning spell of
weather, although others are not so happy
with it! No doubt many of you have been
out with those cicada patterns on local rivers
as a result.
It was very pleasing to see several new faces
at the February club meeting and others
have made contact about joining the club.
This is in no small part to the accessibility of
our website. A number have commented on the information it
provides. The updates from a number of you on your fishing trips
over the summer made for an interesting session.
By the time this goes to press, we would have held our two
Greater Wellington Regional Council sessions with over 40 people
attending. The first session went extremely well with very positive
feedback received from those attending and from our colleagues in
Hutt Valley Angling Club Incorporated—March 2013 3
Green Trout Guiding Sponsor of the Club’s Guiding Raffle
Phone Jim Rainey (06) 382-5507 Kawhatau Valley Road, RD7, Mangaweka
[email protected] www.greentroutguiding.co.nz
the Greater Wellington Council. I would like to thank the members
of the committee and those others from the club who provided
assistance on both days. Also our thanks to Fish & Game who had
input and were able to provide information on their activities.
It was good to welcome Pat van Berkel from the ‘Friends of the
Hutt River’ at the February meeting. Pat gave us some insight into
their activities and what concerns they shared with us. The health
of the Hutt River in particular and all rivers generally should be of
concern to us. A long term sustainable fishery is vital, as well as a
sign of a well-managed and healthy river environment. We will
look to have updates for on this over the year ahead.
It was very pleasing to see the support for the Wainuiomata day
and also the numbers going on the Mohaka trip. If any of you have
ideas for club trips then can you please let one of the committee
know, we are more than willing to look at new locations.
We now have confirmed dates for the sessions being run by Paul
Bell and Paul Dewar respectively. The club is very lucky to have
someone of Paul Bell’s experience in the club and I would
encourage those that are available, to attend. The same with Paul
Dewar– having a member of the Silver Flies being willing to lead an
on-river session for us is a great win for the club so we hope that
these are well supported.
We are also working on the Fly Tying Competition that we are
hosting this year and planned for October. We are looking at some
minor changes and will be progressing this over the next month or
so with the Kapiti and Wellington Clubs.
Quote of the month:
"The charm of fishing is that it is the pursuit of what is elusive but
attainable, a perpetual series of occasions for hope." –John Buchan
Fraser
Hutt Valley Angling Club Incorporated .March 2013 4
Line Control Workshop- Saturday 16 March 9:00am
This session will be run on the Hutt River (Location to be
advised) by Paul Bell who will demonstrate how to control a
floating fly line when nymphing or fishing upstream.
Paul will coach club members to improve their technique. The
workshop will end with a sausage sizzle just before midday.
Members will pay $2 for food and a drink of tea or coffee. It is
necessary to register for this workshop for catering purposes.
A clipboard will be placed beside the raffles at the March Club
meeting. Alternatively you can register on the club
website, by phone, or email to John Millar before Friday 15
March. Contact details at the back of this newsletter
Wairarapa Excursion - Saturday 23 March
This is an excursion to fish rivers in the lower Wairarapa.
This month we will be making an afternoon trip to catch the
evening rise on the Ruamahunga River (and avoid the jetboats).
Meet at the Upper Hutt Rail Station car park at 3:50pm for a 4pm
departure. It is expected that we will return around 8.30 pm.
Please register on the Website.
With a very busy monthly schedule for the club we elected to go on
a Sunday in February to take advantage of the unusually great
weather. The water levels were very low and we started
downstream from the gliding club on the Ruamahunga, it did not
look too promising with recent bulldozer work and the arrival of
several jet boats. However we, (myself, Peter Jacobson and Tim
Trengrove) gave it a good shot and the arrival of more and more
jet boats meant a move was necessary. We had the choice to go
above their furthest point or go where they had come from given
that they were no longer there. We chose the latter and headed
Club News
Club Monthly Meeting 11 March — 7:30pm King Lion Hall
Film Night — We will watch a new DVD on Fly Fishing.
The high quality of the photography which includes underwater
footage brings the viewer into the fish’s world.
There are tips on fly tying included in this movie.
Hutt Valley Angling Club Incorporated—March 2013 5
off for Morrisons Bush which was Jet boat free for some time and
while the fishing was poor, Tim managed a couple, one of which
was a nice 3½ pound brown. Tim is a new member of the club and
it was great to have him along and learn something from his
obvious experience.
Steve Doughty
Fly Tying Meeting — Wednesday 27 March, 7.30 p.m.
Upper Hutt Community Meeting House off Logan Street beside
Upper Hutt Medical Centre.
Fly of the Month — Caddis larva
Caddis larvae are a very important
part of a trout’s diet on most rivers.
There are many variations so this
month we will dress several different
types of Caddis Larvae. These
invertebrates make up quite a sizeable
proportion of the trout’s diet on most
rivers and therefore our fly box should
carry a range of artificials to represent
this important class of insect. Our fly of the month will be the free
swimming Green Caddis larva.
Most often this “fly” is overdressed and too fat. It should be a
slimmer model to look more realistic. One feature common to most
is a black or at least dark head and some legs at the head end of
the insect. A curved hook gives a more natural look to the bug.
Future Activities
The committee has been busy preparing a programme of events for
the coming months:
April Meeting — Skills Bases
May Meeting — Fishing Alaska with Strato Cotsilinis
June Meeting — AGM
April 27 — whole day excursion to Ruamahunga River includes
half-day workshop “Advanced Angling Techniques” presented
by Paul Dewar, Silver Flies team member.
A BBQ lunch will be served at this event. After lunch members can
try the techniques they have learned. Cost to members $12 for a
designer Burger and a drink.
Hutt Valley Angling Club Incorporated .March 2013 6
These workshops are aimed at our more experienced anglers but
are open to all club members. Even if you consider yourself to be a
beginner, come along, watch and listen. You will learn a great deal
from the experts.
Members will need to register for the workshops because food will
be included and there will be a charge to cover costs.
You won’t get another chance like this for quite a while so don’t
miss out.
Library
A new set of DVD’s on fly fishing for trout has been added to the
library. These feature fishing action and fly tying tips. The high
quality of the cinematography is a hallmark of this series and
includes underwater sequences showing fish feeding and taking
artificial flies as well.
There will be a limit of one DVD per member per month to ensure
that they are distributed fairly. For more information, chat to
Maureen.
If you have any suggestions or recommendations on other new
books or DVD’s for the library, Maureen would be interested to hear
from you.
Club Trips
Mohaka River Trip 22-23rd March
A booking has been made to stay
with Jenny and Bruce McCormick.
Their property is close to the river.
Cost is about $25 per person per
night, with full kitchen, toilet, and
shower facilities. Bring your own
food, sleeping bag, and pillow.
Bookings are closed but if you want to
join this group phone Robin Bound (529 8330) for details.
The club committee has discussed other possible trips for later this
year so watch this space.
Hutt Valley Angling Club Incorporated—March 2013 7
Last Month’s Meeting
The first club meeting of the year is quite a social occasion where
members get a chance to catch up and listen to some fishy tails
(some would say tall tales).
Bob Curry should have been awarded a prize for his true story
about the trout he caught and ate at Taupo. He almost broke a
tooth on some very hard object that turned out to be a miniature
signal transmitter that was lodged in the trout. It is questionable
whether the recorded data would be recoverable after this device
had been cooked and partially eaten but Bob will send it off to DOC
at Taupo nevertheless, and he will give details of where he caught
the fish, its size, etc.
Other members related their fishing experiences since our previous
meeting in December and there was a mix of freshwater and
saltwater stories.
Club President, Fraser Gibbs introduced Pat van Berkel, a
spokesman for “Friends of the Hutt River” (FRH). Pat gave the
meeting an outline of the aims of “Friends of the Hutt River”. He
pointed out to the members present that the Hutt River is far from
pristine in quality and is subject to mild pollution throughout most
of its length. Mr van Berkel explained that the Hutt River is fed by
smaller tributary rivers in five catchments. FHR consider that these
feeder streams are all part of the Hutt River.
Pat van Berkel stated that since FHR was formed it has made
submissions to Greater Wellington Regional Council when they
applied for a change to the resource consent to increase the water
take down from a minimum level flow of 600 l/sec to 400l/sec at
Kaitoke.
Editor’s Note
These and other submissions against the change to minimum flow
levels have been sidestepped by assuring the public that IF
ecological damage occurs then GWRC will rectify the matter.
Periodic testing of the health of the river will be carried out but as
we all know only too well, any test results will show these
deficiencies after the damage is done, not before it is going to
occur.
It has been noted that testing will be undertaken in the Hutt River
Hutt Valley Angling Club Incorporated .March 2013 8
Gorge where there is not going to be a problem of reduced flow,
higher water temperatures and an increase in proliferation of
cyanobacteria. These effects will all be found downstream ie from
Te Marua and down through the CBD where most recreational river
use takes place.
“Friends of the Hutt River” has a powerful lobbying voice and will
become a strong ally of HVAC in future.
Club members who would like to be placed on the FHR emailing list
can do so by emailing Pat van Berkel at [email protected]
Raffle Winners in February
Green Trout Guiding Raffle Entry — Ian Burgess
Fishing Cap with Headlight — Keith Tourell
Waterproof Fly Box — Ross Goodman
Disappointingly there were a lot of unsold numbers this month.
Fish of the Month
Details of trout caught can be entered in the club fishing diary and
will be considered for our fish of the month award. Hunting and
Fishing (Alicetown) sponsor a $10 voucher each month for heaviest
fish.
December winner was John Millar for an 8lb brown hen from a local
river.
January winner was John Millar for a 7lb 3oz brown jack from the
same river. Both fish were caught on a size 16 CDC Caddis
emerger.
Please support our Sponsors
Photo Competition
Photos need to be submitted each month by the
Friday evening proceeding the monthly meeting
At our AGM an annual winner will be selected from
the monthly winners.
Members can submit up to 2 photos per month.
Photos that have previously won a prize in any of the club’s photo
competitions are not eligible.
Entries should be forwarded by email to Steve Doughty
Hutt Valley Angling Club Incorporated—March 2013 9
Period/deadline Winner announced
Up to 9 November Wayne Butson
10 November to 7 December Ross Goodman
8 December to 8 February Damian Bengree
9 February to 8 March 11 March
9 March to 5 April 8 April
6 April to 10 May 13 May
11 May to 7 June 10 June (AGM)
Introduction to Fly Fishing Courses.
These events are hosted by GWRC as part of their Summer
Outdoors Programme and allow our club members a chance to
explain and demonstrate what fly fishing is about. Here are some
images from the latest course.
Hutt Valley Angling Club Incorporated .March 2013 10
NEW
RIO "Hover" Intermediate/Slow-sink
flyline
Perfect for windy days on the lake
Sage SPECIAL - One only 5 Weight ZXL (590-4)
ONLY $749:99
Airflo "Tactical" Combo Torque flyreel and line
Ready to go ONLY $349:99
Riverworks B3 Breathable wader and
Z Series Wader boot Combo ONLY
$299:99
The Flyfishing Experts 444 Cuba Street, Alicetown Ph 589 9500
http//www.huntingandfishing.co.nz
Hutt Valley Angling Club Incorporated—March 2013 11
Tales from the Riverbank
During the last month……………..
Club members have been doing a fair bit of fishing with most focus
being on the Hutt River and the Wainui River. Several members
have also taken advantage of the fine weather to pop over the hill
to the Wairarapa.
Our Novice Day on the Wainui was very worthwhile. Although no
trout were caught, good numbers of fair sized trout were spotted
and fished to, by the guided members. This outing gives our less
experienced members an appreciation of what is required when
fishing a small but challenging river.
From an angling point of view, the good weather brings mixed
blessings. The Hutt River becomes “the beach” for many local
families on fine days and warm evenings. This is great to see but
does clash slightly with fishermen who are taking the easy option
to fish the most accessible water. The other activity that summer
brings is much less welcome and that is an increase in the number
of cars seen driving in the river. This may be all very well from
local government and Fish and Game’s points of view (as long as
they check, clean and dry before entering the river) but there is
potential for vehicles to spread Didymo particularly if they have just
travelled north from the South Island. Our byelaws should ban
privately owned vehicles from being driven in the Hutt River.
During a night visit to the Hutt River recently, the writer saw
another two anglers within two hundred metres so the good
weather certainly brings out the fishers.
As reported at our February meeting, the night fishing on a local
river has yielded some outstanding fish. The flies that have been
doing the damage are small emergers and dry flies that incorporate
natural CDC feathers in the dressing.
When tied in size 16 and fished at dusk these small flies have
represented the Caddis hatch and been accepted by some
otherwise very fussy, large trout.
John Millar and Ian Lawson have both caught fish of eight pounds,
using these tactics. All of these large trout have been in great
condition, so although fish numbers appear to be lower than in
recent seasons these big guys are testament to the quality of
feeding available.
Hutt Valley Angling Club Incorporated .March 2013 12
Eight and a quarter pounds. Check out the condition of this 8lb beauty
Seven pounds plus! And a 5lb 8oz fish
The Rangitikei in February By John Olds
Ross Goodman decided to head to his
holiday home in Taihape for three days from
Thursday 14 February so, given the weather
and the fact I had some leave owing, I
decided it was too good an opportunity to
pass up. The Waterstriders were left at
home this time and the plan was to fish the
Kawhatau and walk as far up the Rangitikei
as we could as the flow was running at
around 12 cumecs, well down from its usual
summer level of 21.
Hutt Valley Angling Club Incorporated—March 2013 13
We got to Taihape on the Wednesday evening having enjoyed a
kebab in Bulls on the way (anyone passing through Bulls has to
have one of these!). No need to set the alarm as Ross is an early
bird so we were up at 6am and on the road to the Upper Kawhatau
at 7am. Given the lack of rain this river had a relatively good flow.
A walk of about 5 kms downstream, fishing some pools but leaving
some for the way back, resulted in a complete blank for both of us
which was most unlike our previous visits into this water (see the
December photo of the month). The fish we saw on the way down
weren’t there on the way back so we decided from then on to take
the opportunities as they arose.
That afternoon we decided to head for a farmers property where
we had been successful previously. I dropped Ross off at the top of
the track so he could fish a bit further downstream. With the river
being so low it was a breeze to wade at the top of the first pool and
get across to some good water. My favourite corner pool yielded a
fish of 1.5 lbs. I then fished a nice little drop off that has formed at
the top of the pool. This water is fairly fast and second cast the
indicator shot under and the rainbow took off for Mangaweka. The
plan was to give the fish its head down to the bottom pool and net
it from there. Good plan John – pity the fish wasn’t listening. It
took me out to the backing in about 5 seconds flat and then
proceeded to duck round a snag (we have been told there’s a
sunken jet boat in that pool). You guessed it – ping as the hook
pulled out. A couple of “river rats” were hooked upstream. Ross
managed three fish one of which he kept for the pot.
Day two and we took the opportunity to walk down further from the
quarry at the confluence of the Rangitikei and Hautapu rivers. The
tail of the pool is usually impossible to wade. The next pool is a
cracker with a nice run on the true left leading to a drop off.
Unfortunately this pool is known to everyone that has an inflatable
so it gets a bit of a work out. Ross fished the drop off for nothing
then right at the end of one drift my
indicator disappeared and a good
fight with a 3 lb rainbow was
underway. Pound for pound these
fish are scrappers and this one
certainly deserved her freedom.
Hutt Valley Angling Club Incorporated .March 2013 14
Nothing else in this pool and we moved downstream. Some of the
water downstream is better suited to spin fishing but we gave it a
crack. I had a river rat self release but apart from a foot long fish
continually attacking my indicator (but missing every time) in one
pool that was it for the morning. A guide had fished the pool I
took the 3lber from so we decided if he was going downstream
we’d pack it in. Wetting our lines further up around the quarry
was about as much use as a one legged man in an arse kicking
contest so we adjourned. Further upstream Ross managed a
1.5lber from under the bridge.
Part of the afternoon was spent with neighbour Paul laying weed
matting at Ross’s place and straightening out some of the posts on
a fence that is due to have new railings and palings.
Around 4 p.m. we decided to head for the Kawhatau and head
downstream from the quarry. This is a place that Ross fishes
regularly but I hadn’t fished it for around two years so because the
Kawhatau has a wide river bed, a lot
had changed. I spotted a nice fish in a
gut at the end of a run and after about
6 casts with a change of fly she
swallowed a Polish Nymph variant. A
spirited fight and then in the net –
3.25lbs and in tip top condition.
We saw other fish on our way down river, including Ross’ favourite
brownie, but nothing would tempt them. Those who know
“Fraser’s Point” will be interested to know that it seems to be
reforming.
Day three was back to the farm for the
day. This was the spectacular sunrise
that greeted us.
Ross headed downstream again but
nothing was co-operating. The drop off
from day one yielded another fish of
about 1.5lbs and there was also one of about a pound further up.
Due to the river level we were able to walk about 5kms upstream
something that we can’t do normally. A very narrow run against a
cliff where I have had no luck on about five previous trips finally
yielded a strong take. This fish shot all over the pool and was a
Hutt Valley Angling Club Incorporated—March 2013 15
jumper. As it was just about in the net it made one last bid for
freedom and broke me off. No less than 3lb and it was going to be
released anyway. I had retired to a shingle island in the
middle of the river when a boulder the size of a football dislodged
from the cliff and hit the water near where I had been standing.
Mental note made!! I also lost a smallish fish in the opposite pool.
There were several fish rising in the next long flat pool but nothing
of any size. The next pool had a nice riffle at the head and a drop
off at the tail. There were a couple of fish in the drop off but
nothing tempted them. Moving up to the head a number of casts
resulted in me just watching the indicator drift
downstream. Just like the next pool which had
a wide drop off but no takes. The next shallow
run resulted in my first brownie on the
Rangitikei – 2.5 lbs and a little cracker.
I fished the next pool at which stage Ross had caught up and had
hooked a nice fish in the drop off I had just fished. My excuse is it
came from water I hadn’t covered. The most fateful thing Ross
said all day was “do you want to net this for me John?” I knew it
was trouble from then on. The fish wasn’t giving in but just as we
thought we had her measure and the net was close – ping she was
off. I have this on video and the language is not fit for a family
newsletter! Further upstream Ross had a fish of 2.5lbs and I
managed to spook one. On the way back I had a nice fish of 2.25lb
from the pool where I had just watched the indicator. For its size
this one put up a real fight. Another fish of about 2lb further down
and that was it for the day.
The weather for the whole trip was absolutely perfect with a nice
breeze to cool things down unlike our usual Wellington howlers.
We fished dry/dropper all the time having to adjust the dropper
length because of the shallow water and the weed that accumulates
in summer conditions. I’d have to say this was the most enjoyable
3 days fishing I’ve had for a long time. The most successful fly was
the Polish Nymph. It’s a simple fly to tie and if you want to know
how go here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wA6_S8EJl-4
—oooOooo—
Hutt Valley Angling Club Incorporated .March 2013 16
Whirlwind 5 day Fishing Trip
Two weeks ago, club member Paul Bell joined his two fishing mates
Andrew Harding and Dan Thomas for a quick trip to some spots
where Paul hadn’t fished before. This was a North Island tour
instead of their usual visit to the mainland.
The first stop was the Makuri River in the Wairarapa. Paul found
this small river to be quite a test. Dan’s almost legendary fish
spotting skills made all the difference here because they saw a lot
of fish as they stalked the river. Paul wasn’t keeping score but
remembers that he hooked four trout without landing a single fish.
Andrew hooked six and Dan hooked two trout.
From there they travelled north to the Whakapapa in National Park.
It was here that Paul hooked and landed a fine 3kg rainbow on a
cicada dry fly.
Their next stop was the upper Whanganui River. This was a wild
river where they fished. It suited Paul because there was a lot of
pocket water to fish amongst the big boulders. Paul hooked
seventeen trout but lost ten of them in the fast, tumbling waters.
When these trout made a run downstream it was quite dangerous
to follow them around and over the large rocks. However, good
sport was enjoyed by all.
The next day they fished the TT at Taupo. Most fish were caught
above the Ladies Mile and all were taken on nymph. Paul caught
five or six and every one was a fresh fish.
If you would like to see some exciting video action from the first
three days of their trip then it is posted on Youtube. Click on this
link http://www.youtube.com/user/troutboynz?feature=mhee
Discovery Page If you are new to trout fishing this page is for you.
As a fairly recent “convert” to fly fishing you may be puzzled by
talk among the more experienced members in the club. Some
fishermen talk about “picking up a fish” or even “dropping a fish”.
When I hear this I still visualise someone physically lifting or
Hutt Valley Angling Club Incorporated—March 2013 17
allowing a trout to slip from their grasp. I know what is intended
but I must be thinking in a literal way. Of course “dropping a fish”
means that the angler had hooked a fish which subsequently came
off the hook. Some other anglers talk about “jagging” a fish and
this denotes a take by the fish, then the angler tightening or
striking to set the hook; but the hook engages then pulls out of its
hold. In both these cases the fish has felt the hook and will
immediately stop feeding if it hasn’t already scarpered to a safer
spot.
Judging by the casting difficulties we saw on our “Novice Day”
recently it may be some time before some of our less experienced
members manage to hook up (to a fish).
Casting a fly is the most important skill for the beginner to
master. An expert in entomology who cannot cast properly is
unlikely to catch any more trout than any other beginner.
Your club runs regular casting clinics to help our novices to get
over this hurdle. When the beginner has gained competence then
they are given further mentoring through our “Buddy Programme”
where they will be assigned to an experienced angler who will take
them for a couple of on-river sessions to show where and how to
catch trout. Hopefully throughout this process the novice angler
will continue to practise their casting and so they will develop as
an angler.
As Chris Kuchel puts it so well in his article, it is no accident that
the anglers who catch the fish are also the ones who spend most
time fishing.
Casting Clinics will resume in April and the co-ordinator is Ian
Lawson. A notice will be placed on our website and in next
month’s newsletter.
The Buddy Programme co-ordinator is Ross Goodman.
Contact details for Ian and Ross are given on the inside back page
of the newsletter.
For further information on member development, contact Ross or
Ian.
—oooOooo—
“It is no more difficult to cast a fly than to toss a pound of noodles
through the mail slot of the house across the street”
Hutt Valley Angling Club Incorporated .March 2013 18
Meet the Member –
My name is Brian Jones, I was brought up
in Wellington, went to Victoria University
and worked for the then Department of
Agriculture and Fisheries in the Fisheries
Research Division.
My first student job was working as a
technician for the late Dr Bob McDowall
(the authority on NZ native freshwater
fish).
I graduated as a specialist on diseases of
fishes and continued to work for the
Department but in the marine section. In
1995, when the Fisheries Research
Division became part of NIWA, I left to
take up a position as Fish Pathologist with
the Western Australian Department of Fisheries. This year I have
returned to NZ to work as an advisor on fish diseases for the
Ministry for Primary Industries, based at the Wallaceville
Laboratory.
My trout fishing skills started in my teens when my father took my
brothers and I fly fishing on the Tongariro River. I've fished the
river on an irregular basis since those days, more recently
including the odd trip "over the ditch" as a tourist! My time with
the Department of Fisheries enabled me to fish many of the rivers
around the North Island and West Coast of the South Island, and I
was a keen tyer of my own flies. However, in the 18 years spent
in Western Australia I only once took up my rod there - so my
skills are decidedly rusty.
I am married to Priscilla (for 36 years), have two daughters, a son-
in-law and three grandchildren in Western Australia. We are
currently living in Featherston while we look for a house to buy.
—oooOooo— What Style of Fly fishing should I use?
Having watched a number of good fishermen competing in a couple
of fly fishing competitions lately, I observed that the majority of
these anglers employed the Czech Nymph style for most of the
time. This has to be considered in context of course. The rivers
were both populated with a mix of Rainbow Trout and Brown Trout.
Hutt Valley Angling Club Incorporated—March 2013 19
Not only this, but both were medium to large rivers with some deep
fast flowing runs at the head of a few of the pools.
I have always considered these runs to be the best spot to use
Czech Nymph in order to reach trout that are lying deep.
It was interesting that some competitors stuck with Czech Nymph
style in slower water but usually without hooking a fish. No doubt
the fast runs and drop-offs yielded the best results.
There seemed to be as many brown trout caught as were rainbow
trout, which did surprise me. A lot of the fish took fairly colourful
flies that I would consider were chosen with rainbow trout in mind.
Hot orange beads were a fairly common feature on the flies I saw.
Gold beads up to 4mm were also common on other heavy but
sparsely dressed flies.
Clearly, Czech Nymphing gets results otherwise these guys would
be using another technique.
If there is a disadvantage with this style of fishing it has to be that
deep wading is often necessary. The casting range is fairly short
and so wading is essential to be able to cover most of the fish lies.
I intend to try this style of nymphing on a few parts of the Hutt
River to Czech (excuse the pun) if I need to add this technique to
my repertoire. Grey Dun
—oooOooo—
Observations of a Novice Fly Fisherman - by Chris Kuchel - Instalment 1
It’s interesting to reflect for a moment on why
certain pursuits or hobbies appeal to us. I’ve
always liked being outdoors, out in the elements
away from civilization and imagining that I’m
seeing things and places for the first time. As a
young lad, I remember going on a scout camp in
the Adelaide Hills one Easter. There were 4 of us
in pup tents camped by a small stream. It was
bitterly cold at night; so cold that wet tea towels
left out on the line overnight would be frozen solid in the morning,
but by the time the sun had been up for a couple of hours, you
could feel the warmth coming on and promising yet another
brilliant sunny day.
Hutt Valley Angling Club Incorporated .March 2013 20
As it happened, we were camped about a mile downstream from a
trout hatchery. I should mention that there are virtually no self-
sustaining trout rivers in South Australia, so trout fishing was a
very rare, secretive and perhaps elitist pastime. By the time I was
about 14, I was already hooked on sea fishing for the wily bream
in the Port River and I was aware of fly fishing but didn’t know
anyone who actually did it. Anyway, to get to the point of the
story, one crisp sunny morning we decided to go for a hike along
the river. We left the campsite and headed downstream and
eventually came to a bridge. When you’re a group of young lads
out for an adventure and you come to a bridge, the first thing you
do is find the biggest rocks you can then walk to the middle of the
bridge and have a contest to see whose rock can make the biggest
splash in the pools below. Well we got to the middle, boulders in
hand, and looked over the edge. There waving in the current,
larger than life were 2 trout sitting in about 6 inches of water.
Yes, actual trout! At first there was a bit of a debate. Were they
eels? No, we decided that they had to be trout and that this
particular river must be part of the trout hatchery.
Well, we stared at those trout for a couple of minutes then decided
that we needed to catch them and we all agreed that the best
method would be to drop our boulders on them and stun them,
dynamite style! It was not very pretty or sporting, but simple and
potentially very effective. Plus, the thought of sitting around the
campfire eating freshly caught trout was the icing on the cake.
Now the trout were down there but not straight below us, so a
direct drop was out of the question. We decided that a shotgun
approach was our best bet, so on the count of 3 we launched our
barrage of fire. Of course, we missed by miles and only succeeded
in giving those fish the fright of their lives, but I remember the day
clearly...the day I first saw wild trout.
Now, fast forwarding a few decades, I come to the present day.
I’ve been fly fishing for about a year now and I see a steady
stream of new club members who were in the same position that I
was a year ago. During this last year I’ve managed to catch 4
trout, hook and lose about 10 and scare off dozens as my fly line
hit the water. What I would like to do is write a few pieces with
the novice fly fisherman in mind. Not to give advice...there are
already plenty of excellent articles in the club magazine...but
rather, to share the lessons I have learnt as I have stumbled my
Hutt Valley Angling Club Incorporated—March 2013 21
way along and to offer some encouragement to other new fly
fisherman.
During the year, I’ve done most of my fishing in the Hutt River and
started seeing more and more trout. They must have always been
there, but funnily enough, it took me a long time to recognise
them in the water. And I have to say that every time I see one, I
get the same excitement that takes me straight back to seeing
those first 2 trout under that bridge. Although my first reaction is
no longer to bombard them with rocks; quite the opposite!
This brings me to the first and perhaps most important lesson I’ve
learned and that is to think positively. On the Hutt River, more
often than not, you can spend 3 or 4 hours fishing and not see a
fish or get any strikes. At these times you start wondering
whether there are any fish there at all. However, during the
summer months when the water is low and clear, you can see just
how many trout are actually there. All you need is a pair of
polaroid sunglasses and some patience. Start by going to any
bridge and having a good long look over the side. From your high
vantage point, you will be amazed at the number of fish that seem
to just materialise out of nowhere the longer you look. The fish
are there alright, they’re just not easy to catch. If they were,
everyone would be a fly fisherman and there would be no
challenge in it at all.
The next question to ask is “if the fish are there, why are they so
hard to catch?” Once you start asking yourself this question, you’re
on your way to success. There are many books and videos which
can be an excellent source of helpful information, not to mention
the wealth of invaluable information you can pick up from
experienced club members. The fish are there. The challenge is to
present your chosen fly to them in the right way to give yourself
the best chance of success.
The key is to learn as much as you can, then go fishing! You’ll
find that the best fishermen just happen to be the ones who go
fishing the most. Funny that!
So my fellow novice anglers, there ends my first observation.
Don’t give up. Think positive and go fishing.
—oooOooo—
Hutt Valley Angling Club Incorporated .March 2013 22
FURLED LEADERS
Review by John Olds
Robin Bound obtained some of these from Cutthroat Leaders
(www.cutthroatleaders.com) in the States and also got some
freebees at the same time which he handed out to committee
members to try. I have had a 76” Ultimate Camo dry fly for a few
weeks. This has a micro ring to attach a further length of nylon (3
feet). The positives of this leader have been that it turns over dry
flies really well and punches out well into our Wellington winds.
The only downside is that it needs to be treated with floatant after
a day on the river as it starts to absorb water and sink after a
while. You can buy floatant paste from the company with your
order. This leader is USD12.50 so the price may not grab
everyone. But there are packages. I know that Ian Lawson has
also tried the leaders so talk to him if you want to know more.
There are a number of nymphing leaders one of which has an
adjustable “thingamabobber” indicator. This is USD10.
Have a look at the site. If you are interested let Robin Bound know
because the company has offered to arrange a discount deal for
bulk purchases.
—oooOooo—
Woods Waffles
This being the first waffles for some time I thought I would start
with something that is good news. And that is the reports coming
out of the Taupo fishery. For some time this has been in a state of
decline, mainly I suspect because of the abundance of smaller fish
due to the lower limit bag, better river conditions etc. But because
of the actions of DoC in dropping the size limit, allowing the smaller
sweeter eating fish to be taken, this seems to have seen an
increase in the quality of fish. Some of the guides have always
talked the fishery up, but as their livelihood depended on it I am
not surprised, but it got to a stage where the thought of fishing
Taupo and environs was, well to put it bluntly, a little bit
underwhelming.
So I didn’t. And I let other pursuits take over that I have
thoroughly enjoyed ( enjoy a 42km Mountain Marathon is a bit of
an oxymoron I know, but the beer at the end tasted oh so nice –
Hutt Valley Angling Club Incorporated—March 2013 23
even for Speights).
But the latest reports have got me really interested again in fishing
the rivers and lakes of Taupo. Some of it is because of the fish,
some of it because I actually miss walking up the rivers and some
is because of new techniques and flies that I want to try.
For some years now I have been playing around with UV products,
mainly the fine flytying ones that come out of the Hareline factory,
amongst others. I really haven’t given them a fair go at fish but
some recent information on UV products has got me keen to try the
different UV chenilles, dubbing, flash material and cements out
properly.
Apparently UV products are more easily seen by fish due to a 4th
cone of vision in their eye. We humans can’t see UV properly due
to not being able to see in the spectrum required, but fish can.
Even the scales of some fish reflect UV light making them easier
prey. It is also able to be seen at depth more easily than glo
materials due to being a reflector rather than absorber. Some of
the photos of UV products have me convinced that there is
something in this, but yes, I am usually easily convinced of most
things. While there is a lot more of the scientific stuff available,
this was all my little brain could absorb.
So my heave and leave style flies, glo bugs, nymphs and lures,
even spinners are all to go under a major change that hopefully will
see a lot more leviathans landed, rod’s broken by the size of the
monsters or even just some good old trout landed.
The other change that is coming for me is that I have seen one or 2
flies that I want to try as well, and places like the Island Pool, and
bottom of the Major Jones, as well as a number up in the middle to
upper reaches.
All because I have been looking at the Rainy’s Flies catalogue, I
have seen, amongst others, is a Woolly Bugger tied with dumbbell
eyes. While this style has been around for many years overseas as
a streamer, along with others like the Comet, I haven’t tried it
much here.
I like the idea of dumbbell eyes as I believe that they turn the fly
over having the weight below the point (point riding up) and so are
more snag proof than beads. This means that they can be used in
Hutt Valley Angling Club Incorporated .March 2013 24
rockier runs, behind those boulders that have good little lies that
fish have to go through to get to the spawning grounds. While the
pools are used by fish for resting, they are also where the majority
of anglers crowd, and I don’t like crowds. The flies can be tied up
quickly and efficiently, meaning that I’m not worried about losing
them, and the colours and sizes available are only limited by my
bravery to try them
So this style starts opening up a lot more water but I also will be
using the flies on a floating line, casting 45 degrees down and
across so that I can get the flies into the lies with control and
minimal mending but can also manipulate them as well by letting
slack go, using the rod tip to change the line angle and, most
importantly, be more in touch when, not if, the fish strike.
But really, is this style of fishing only limited to Taupo. I think not,
as I can recall of a number of places where it would be useful,
especially in rivers that have lots of snags. The ability to
manipulate the flies will need some practice to perfect the
technique but will add an interesting dimension to my fishing. A
few years ago an experienced angler of my acquaintance told me of
fishing a back country stream, many miles from here, but still in
the North Island. He got into the area for a day’s fishing, set up
his usual nymphing rig and started to catch fish. When he reached
his turn around point, decided to put on a weighted streamer and
fished back down to his car. He proceeded to catch 3 times the
amount of fish in water that he had already fished.
So maybe it is a return to the time of the Streamer.
One question I have is for those that fish Lake Taupo. I read a
number of blogs on websites, magazine articles and fishing club
newsletters ( I must have too much time on my hands), but for all
those fishing from boats on the lake I never see anyone doing
much different.
You read about them trolling, jigging and harling. Anchoring up at
The Hole or one of the river mouths.
But you never hear of any of them fishing the weed beds in
Tokaanu Bay, much like they do on Lake Otomangakau. Why is
this? It isn’t too far out from the boat ramp, there are good size
Hutt Valley Angling Club Incorporated—March 2013 25
fish there and a good mix of Browns and Rainbows, it can be sight
or swirl fishing at its best and often you don’t need to cast far.
But no they go and cast as far as they can out into the lake, let the
flies sink and then slowly retrieve them in. Effective yes, much
like bait fishing yes, challenging maybe, different no, skillful no,
making them better or decent anglers not even.
John’s Fish Finder In the puzzle below there are many fish waiting to be found.
Please help me to find these lost fish.
I have given some clues to get you started.
All of the answers are fish except one.
“Never ask a fly-fisherman if he really thinks trout live in trees.”
Hutt Valley Angling Club Incorporated .March 2013 26
Hutt Valley Angling Club Incorporated—March 2013 27
CLUB CONTACTS
President Fraser Gibbs (04) 499 8606
Vice President Steve Doughty (04) 527 7799
Secretary John Olds (04) 934 4150
Treasurer Grahame Kitchen (04) 971 6696
Committee Robin Bound (04) 529 8330
Maureen Burgess (04) 238 2304
Ross Goodman (04) 233 0087
Ian Lawson (04) 563 5486
John Millar (04) 563 6491
Buddy Programme Coordinator
Ross Goodman [email protected]
(04) 233 0087
Trip Coordinator Robin Bound [email protected]
04) 529 8330
Librarian Maureen Burgess (04) 238 2304
Newsletter Editor John Millar [email protected]
(04) 563 6491
Newsletter Publisher Grahame Kitchen [email protected]
(04) 971 6696
Fishing Diary Holder John Millar [email protected]
(04) 563 6491
Club Web Site www.huttvalleyangling.org.nz
Club Web Master Steve Doughty (04) 527 7799
Club email address [email protected]
Club Mail address PO Box 40135, Upper Hutt, 5140
Any articles published in this newsletter are the opinions of the author alone and do not necessarily represent the views of the Club as a whole or other members of the Club.