This year’s Creel Survey conducted on the Tongariro River, Tauranga-Taupō River and Hinemaiaia River reveals 2022 was an exceptional winter fishing season. Data confirms anglers enjoyed record breaking catch rates, and the size and quality of trout captured was also very high.
The winter was exceptionally wet with frequent flood events. Consistent rain and elevated flow rates encouraged fresh fish to migrate up rivers throughout the season.
Tongariro River
The Tongariro River has been surveyed since 1957. The catch rate this season was 1 legal sized trout every 1 hour and 28 minutes, which is the highest ever recorded here.
Trout had an average length of 524 mm, weight 1.8 kg and a condition factor 43.9. Rainbow trout were the longest and heaviest since 2006 and were in excellent condition, especially during the early part of the season. It is encouraging to see the average size rise above 500 mm over the last 5 years and the average weight exceed 1.5 kg.
The heaviest trout harvested was a jack measuring 630 mm and weighing an impressive 3.25 kg, with a condition factor of 47. It was caught at the Boulder Reach, in the upper section of the river.
Unsurprisingly the most popular fishing spot was the Bridge Pool below SH1, where 64 interviews were conducted.
Tauranga-Taupō River
The Tauranga-Taupō River has been surveyed intermittently since 1958 and routinely since 1992. This year the river produced an excellent catch rate of 1 legal sized fish every 54 minutes. This is the highest catch rate we have recorded over 22 seasons on this river and significantly better than the Tongariro.
Rainbow trout averaged 516 mm and 1.7 kg with an overall condition factor of 45.1. The heaviest rainbow was a jack measuring 650 mm and weighing 3.15 kg caught nymphing between Maniapoto’s and Kereru Lodge.
The section of river from the main car park to Maniapoto’s was the most popular with anglers, accounting for over 40% of interviews.
Hinemaiaia River
The overall estimated catch rate for the Hinemaiaia River was 1 legal sized fish every 54 minutes. This is very impressive and equals the rate encountered on the Tauranga-Taupō. It is the highest we have measured since 2017 and the second highest ever recorded here.
Harvested rainbows averaged 520 mm in length, weighed 1.7 kg and had a condition factor of 43.2. The heaviest trout caught was a rainbow jack measuring 560mm and weighing 2.4 kg caught euro-nymphing downstream of the SH1 bridge in July.
80% of interviews were conducted in the section of river between the SH1 road bridge and the Cliff Pool.
Future sustainability
As part of the survey, we ask anglers how many trout they caught and how many they kept. Results reveal the harvest rate is now very low in all three rivers. An increase in the number of anglers adopting catch-and-release has resulted in high release rates for legally takeable fish:
- Tongariro River – 81.6%
- Tauranga- Taupo River – 89%
- Hinemaiaia River – 83.3%
These figures raise management concerns about the ability of Lake Taupō to sustain increasingly large numbers of good quality trout.
We know the relationship between trout and their primary food source (smelt) is critical. Harvesting trout plays an important role maintaining a balance. History demonstrates if the smelt population collapses due to over predation, the trout population will follow.