Trout season opens

A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.

The district's keen anglers headed to their favourite fishing spots yesterday as the annual trout fishing season opened.

The trout season runs through until June 30 next year.

“It's great to have the season under way and there were heaps of people fishing the Waioeka Gorge yesterday when I went through,” said Eastern Fish and Game councillor Murray Ferris.

“Fly fishing is an itch you've got to scratch, and now it's under way all the keen anglers will be out there.”

Places like Lake Waikaremoana and the Waioeka River downstream of the Tauranga Bridge can be fished year round.

“But the season from October 1 to June 30 opens up a range of other fishing spots people can go to, that are closed for the rest of the year,” Mr Ferris said.

For example, lakes Rotoiti, Okataina and Tarawera in the Bay of Plenty open today.

“The conditions were absolutely stunning in the Waioeka and around Rotorua yesterday.”

Mr Ferris was on his way to take part in the annual opening day survey by Fish and Game.

He spent his day chatting to anglers about their catches as Fish and Game get a gauge on trout growth, quality and numbers this season.

“It's a bit hard to tell what sort of season we're going to have at this stage.

“But the preliminary expectations are that the trout will be in good nick,” Murray said.

“They've had a good winter.

“It's looking like a promising season.”