Anglers fill Rotorua streams for trout season's second opening

An angler holds up his catch in a local stream. Photo / Eastern Fish and Game

Anglers have filled the city's streams for the trout season's second opening.

The upstream portion of several streams at Rotorua and Waikaremaona opened to trout fishing yesterday, an event much anticipated by anglers preferring to fish small streams.

The upper section of the Ngongotaha, Waiteti and Utuhina streams at Rotorua and the Mokau and Hopuruahine Streams at Waikaremoana have a later than normal opening to protect trout engaged in spawning.

"Rainbow trout at some locations tend to reproduce during spring, rather than the more traditional winter period so it's important to let them do so undisturbed," Fish and Game's Matt Osborne said.

"Many of the streams are busy with spawning right through November and we need to protect that natural process"

Fish and Game rangers were out checking licenses and talking with anglers for the morning.

Most were successful with one local landing seven nice rainbows in the first two hours of fishing.

Brown trout were less common on the day, however, their upstream migration was very much triggered by warming lake temperatures which would happen within the next couple of weeks.

"The surface temperature on Lake Rotorua was currently 18C and brown trout would move upstream from the lake once it hit 19C. The browns we have seen this season are looking really good, averaging almost 3kg," Osborne said.

Anglers must carry fishing licenses with them, and check their fishing equipment as they move between waterways.

This was important to prevent the spread of invasive pest species such as weeds and alien fish species like catfish.