Hawke’s Bay Fish & Game open day: Cunning trout evade anglers

Hawke’s Bay trout anglers of all ages were delighted by cunning fish at the Hawke’s Bay Fish & Game open day.

Over 50 people attended the event held at the game farm in Jervoistown, Napier on Thursday.

Denny Trow trying his luck in one of the game farm's ponds. Photo / Paul Taylor

Hawke’s Bay Fish & Game events and education co-ordinator Kerry Meehan said the day was about encouraging people into the sport through a safe environment.

“It’s one of those things where you can come and start to learn the basics and then we open up to have a day just practising.”

The day was open to anyone who had a fishing licence and was interested in fly fishing and spin fishing for trout.

She said the facility offered a chance to learn the basics of the sport and doubled as an education facility for school groups and farmers to learn about wetland environments.

“Only half of it is about catching fish, there are so many other things to it.”

The farm consists of two ponds, the smaller pond is home to the larger trophy fish while the bigger pond contains 400 to 500 fish.

Anglers can catch and keep one fish, however, the fish had come to learn to evade the fishing rods.

Ajay Groube with a rainbow trout. Photo / Paul Taylor

“They are not dumb fish, they are used to people going after them now.”

She said there was a “fair bit of talent involved when trying to land one” and there would be courses for students and women to learn to cast.

Meehan, who had been learning to fish, said there were many positive benefits and she enjoyed getting out in the environment.

“It makes you switch off from everything else because you get focused on the art of trying to find and catch the fish.”

The open day is set to run monthly and more “uneducated fish” were expected to be added to the ponds.

Michaela Gower joined Hawke’s Bay Today in 2023 and is based out of the Hastings and Central Hawke’s Bay newsrooms. She covers Dannevirke and Hawke’s Bay news and has a love for sharing stories about farming and rural communities.