Sea runs

Went to Anderson's corner at Waipopo. There were whitebaiters and swimmers there.  Warm nor-wester breeze was blowing down to the sea and I had to cast into it. It was dreadful with 'wind knots' and poor casting.  Lost gear and ran out of tippet.  Lost a white booby, a woolly bugger and a doll fly.  Caught a very small sea-run on a Parson Glory [?]. Was about 200g!  Left after 2h 30m.  Mixed session.

Hanging Rock 12 Oct

Got out for couple of hours to Hanging Rock.  Meant to go to the confluence of the Opuha and the Opihi but took wrong turn.  Parked near true right of Hanging Rock Bridge and dropped off the dike to that backwater pool there [-44.192182, 171.042418].

Saw two fish in this pool.  One a good size.  They fed from the surface and also thrashed around in shallows after something. Some territorial disputes between them but did not seem to see me, there's good cover there. They spent a lot of time stationary on the bottom of quietly cruising it.  Couldn't see what they were eating.

Tried a wee dry at first (Dad's Favourite?) then a Collie nymph (floated too much).  Then tried a blood worm, then a heavily weighted nymph off the blood worm's hook bend, then a wicked blue terrestrial. The blood worm/weighted nymph created most stir but no real interest.  Big thunderstorm came in, it hailed like being strafed by a warplane. Exciting stuff.  No loss of gear despite all the trees. Only used bow nd arrow casts, so little room.

Other ideas would be a willow grub, a royal woolf , water boatman or weighted nymph by itself.  Good little trip despite no fish!

Catlins 2 Oct until 8 Oct

Sucesses

5 fish in total. Two released because of size, <500g. 1 Sea run 610g and two river browns 1.25kg and 670g.

All caught in the Owaka just as the Pounawea Road enters Pounawea and all Woolly Buggers, Mrs Simpson or whitebait imitations (white Woolly Bugger, Parsons Glory and a white rabbit fur job [white zonker?).

No time to get up the valley but did try Hinahina and Catlins Lake but didn't even see a fish there. Whitebait weren't running much but not surprising with so many fish around.  Saw the biggest shoal of herring ever.  All in one spot for an hour; over a thousand fish I would have thought. Craig caught a barracouta in the set net. That's a new species for down there.

Not yet successes

Tried fishing at night with things that glow.  No luck and lost too much gear too.

Fished along the edge just before Surat Bay.  Caught a Stargazer!  Lots of them there and herring but no good fish.

Derek has told me of a spot [-46.469395,169.664872] near the Hinahina bridge that a skin diver has told him as holding fish.  Too much wind and tide when I was there.

Next trip. 

Probably 10 Nov. Try and get up the valley and get over to Hinahina but put food on the table by fishing the Owaka

Opening Day

-44.304011, 170.962669

Much anticipated but oh so disappointing.  Went to O'Neills reserve and walked towards Cave.  Saw plenty of fish in one pool but no luck. Don't thin I fished that well to them either.  One was feeding energetically. Saw a black one too.  Used two nymphs then a dry fly nymph combo.