Covid 19 coronavirus Delta outbreak: Ngongotahā woman hooked on fishing, lockdown no snag

A Ngongotahā local says lockdown is not all bad especially when she's spending plenty of time at her favourite fishing spot.

Marua Kahu, 69, is looking forward to alert level 2 as the level 3 restrictions would not make a big difference to her.

The mother of two said at level 3 she was not able to work as a volunteer at the St Barnabas Opportunity Shop, where she helps four days a week.

When she's not there or volunteering elsewhere, Kahu spends her time fishing for brown and rainbow trout at the Ngongotahā Stream.

And she's clearly got a knack for it, bagging seven trout on Monday.

Prior to the lockdown, Kahu was giving some of her catch away to family and friends or trading it for anything she might need.

Ngongotahā fisherwoman Marua Kahu at her favourite fishing spot. Photo / Andrew Warner

"I don't eat my catch. Instead, I smoke it, fillet and boned the fish," she said.

"My friend tells me when I'm fishing that I'm in heaven, I have to agree. And once the lockdown restrictions I intend to do a lot."

Kahu said she hadn't found this lockdown as bad as the first which was a real shock, as this one was not unexpected.

However, her local Four Square owner was "brilliant" and always kept the shelves stocked with essentials and most other things needed, Kahu said.

"I would rather pay a little extra to him than have to drive to a supermarket across town where you have to queue up in a long line of people waiting outside the store.

"I have a small vegetable patch which also helps when it comes to preparing meals."

This lockdown she was "surprised and impressed" how many more people had got on board with wearing face masks and complying with the social distancing rules, even the youngsters who were also fishing at Ngongotahā Stream.

"That's great, as it's very important we all do the right thing to safeguard each other.

"The only thing I find a wee bit difficult wearing a face mask is when my glasses fog up and I can't see a bloody thing. But that is a minor annoyance in the scheme of things."