Boating New Zealand - July 2018

| subscribe | magstore.nz/boatingnewzealand Boating New Zealand 113

specimen, but hooked two much larger examples that leaped

about spectacularly before eventually throwing the hooks.

Dorado have very hard jaws and a mouth full of teeth, so

setting the hooks securely is diicult: a landed-to-hooked ratio

of one in three dorado is apparently par for the course.

In addition to dorado, we caught powerful surubi catish and

scrappy piranha on baits of live catish, as well as wolf ish on

surface lures from among loating mats of vegetation. It was

exotic, interesting and exciting ishing.

Ironically, our guide Alejandro, who also guides clients

on the wonderful trout isheries of Patagonia, was full of

questions about trout ishing in New Zealand. From the stories

of international anglers he had guided, he knew all about the

rainbows of the Tongariro River and the South Island’s world-

class brown trout ishing. He was dead-keen to sample New

Zealand ishing for himself.

Talking with Alejandro made me realise how much I’d missed

the lakes and rivers of home. New Zealand’s trout ishing is

rightly world-famous, but it is often undervalued by New

Zealanders. Despite the best eforts of Fish and Game, including

the introduction of afordable ishing licenses for families,

weekend licenses and free licenses for kids under 10 years

old, license sales to Kiwis continue to decline. hat’s a shame,

because high-quality trout ishing is relatively cheap and easy

to access in this country, which is one of the reasons it draws so

many tourist ishers from overseas.

Of course, freshwater ishing is more popular with Kiwis

in some parts of New Zealand than in others. In the North

Island, the central region encompassing Taupo and its environs,

the Rotorua Lakes, and the many rivers and lakes of the

surrounding ranges attract large numbers of trout ishers.

In the South Island, the MacKenzie Country has become a

mecca for anglers, mostly from Christchurch, but also other

TOP Trolling is the most popular boat fishing method to catch trout

and salmon in New Zealand’s lakes.

ABOVE Boats can also be used for fly-fishing. These anglers were

competing in the World Fly Fishing Championships in 2008.

OPPOSITE BELOW A rainbow trout caught harling from a canoe.

Trout were

introduced in the

late 19th century.

Brown trout quickly

became established

in every suitable

river, stream

and lake in New

Zealand. Rainbow

trout have a more

limited distribution,

but are important

species in several

fisheries, including

the Rotorua lakes,

Lake Taupo and

many river systems.

TROUT IN

Anglers can use a variety of methods NEW ZEALAND

to fish for lake-dwelling trout, either

from the shore or out of a boat.