Fly Fishing the Taupo Area | Andrew Harding
You've spent countless winter days on the Tongariro and other Taupo tribs. What keeps you coming back year after year and what do you think makes this fishery so special?
In a nutshell… the camaraderie. To me fishing the Central North Island through the winter months isn’t about the trout at all – they’re not exactly that big anymore! It’s more about catching up with good friends and the social bonding that comes from this unique fishery, you just don’t get this on smaller summer fisheries. It’s the riverside chats, helping new anglers, the pub after a day’s fishing and 'chew’n the fat' about life in general with other like-minded guys ‘n gals.
Winter fishing in Taupo can be both rewarding and tough. What are some key patterns or approaches you rely on when the fish aren’t cooperating?
Green caddis, green caddis and on occasion… green caddis… common theme emerging here? EASILY the most prevalent food source on every Taupo tributary! The fish just gorge themselves on ‘em! My approach to fly fishing has always been keep-it-simple, so my Taupo nymph box basically contains only three patterns… Death Metal Pheasant Tail, unscented Death Roe Eggs and the Hotspot Czech Caddis in Olive! That’s it. If I can’t get the eat from either of these combinations I’ll just move on to easier fish, after I biff a rock at them! I prefer to target winter-run fish by sight fishing, it’s a more rewarding and personal experience that helps hone your skills on the not-as-dumb brownies of high summer!
Another tip? Learn to roll cast and master it well! It allows you to fish water others can’t. A roll cast would make up 75% of my casting on the Tongariro. It also keeps heavy flies well away from your body, and if done right, means even the strongest wind won’t phase you.
For someone new to the Taupo winter run, what’s one common mistake you see and what would you suggest instead?
Fish LIGHT! Anglers go waaaayyyy too heavy on the Taupo tribs, gone are the days of 8 and 9 weight gear, a decent stiff 6 weight is about as perfect as it gets, the fish are not big in reality, and your hookup rate will increase 10-fold by scaling down your rod/line combo, indicator size and tippet, not to mention lighter gear is far less taxing on the body.
Another common mistake is anglers throwing a mend half way through a drift, right when your flies are in the strike zone. Try and land those flies as CLOSE to the indicator as possible and throw your mend EARLY! Throwing a mend half-way through a drift and moving your flies/indicator will send them scurrying. I’ve studied this behaviour this countless times on the drone and it’s the number one common mistake I see from anglers, especially on the Tongariro. Pretend that indicator is a trigger on a bomb and if you move it….. BOOM!
You have a real gift for capturing the atmosphere of winter fishing. What are you looking for when photographing these cold, often moody days on the river?
I’m not really sure, I just whack the camera into auto and press click! Jokes! I try to capture interesting light and snippets of the sport that focus on water movement, spray coming from casting, fish jumping, backlit scenes of nature and wildlife, indicators, flies and the people shots where everyone is happy… of course they are… they’re not working! The Central North Island really is one of the most amazing natural landscapes on the planet, no two days are the same, its hard not to take a good photo in this playground.
Do you find that your photography helps you slow down and see the fishery differently, or does it sometimes compete with your urge to just fish hard?
100%! I’ve always been the kind of person who fishes dawn till dusk and seldom takes a break, but I find with camera (and cause I’m now over 50!) in hand I have an overwhelming desire to share my experiences on the river and places I go with others. Some people aren’t as fortunate and/or as mobile, so if I can bring a smile to someone’s face who can put themselves in-the-picture through my images then I’ve done ok. It can be very rewarding.
Interview by Ben Munro
ABOUT ANDREW HARDING
Andrew Harding is a die hard fly fisherman that spends more time on the water than most of us do at work. Check out some of his amazing fly fishing film work over on his Youtube channel.