Passing of Jock McNab
It is with sadness that I record
Jock’s death on 4 July 2022, peacefully,
at Taupo Hospital.
I wrote about Jock in Advocate 21/8 last year.
Three months’ weather.
I like the updated Genesis Rivers, Lakes and Rainfall section of the Genesis Energy Website. I particularly like that both riverflow graph and rainfall figures are together. It is the key information that I check daily.
In Advocate 22/3 I wrote “Anglers want more rain”. We were having a seemingly very long dry spell and fish were not moving through the river in numbers. Since June we have had 3 significant floods – 4 June 514 m3/sec, 14 June 320 m3/sec, and 12 July 330 m3/sec and today still in flood at 80 m3/sec. In the last month and a half we have had a lot of rain. Earlier in the year it seemed that Lake Taupo would have insufficient water to create the generation required for the winter, but now the lake is filling nicely.
The rainfall information shows that we have had 80.8mm in the last 48 hours. It pays to check further up river to see what is happening there.
Fishing
Wednesday afternoon,7th July. A lovely day in between days of constant rain. The river was clear, quite a lot of debris where we fished but what we caught were great trout.
These two trout were 2.0412 kg (4.5lb) and 2,1546 kg (4.75lb). The fish were weighed and verified, but a second photo seemed to tell a different story. Neither fish nor rod were moved but the fish seemed to change size. Which is the larger fish?
Waipa fish trap reports – 2022 winter season
May 2022
https://www.doc.govt.nz/parks-and-recreation/places-to-go/central-north-island/places/taupo-trout-fishery/fishery-science/waipa-trap-monthly-reports/2022-winter-season/
The fish trap was recommissioned in May following an upgrade over summer, and initial data collection got underway. Flow rates in the Waipa Stream have been ideal and encouraged trout to enter this important spawning tributary for the Tongariro River.
The number and quality of fish recorded this May was exceptional, with figures exceeding everything recorded in May 2021. It appears that trout have begun to migrate early this year with 153 fish recorded compared to only 35 last year. The average weight for rainbows (1.9 kgs) is well above normal and the condition of these fish is excellent.
These figures reinforce what we are hearing from anglers, who say the fishing has been excellent.
This winter is shaping up to be something special, so grab your gear and make the most of this great wild trout fishery.
Such data is encouraging and most will find it verifies their experience at this time.
Some things are difficult to control.
On Wednesday 7th July my wife and I started the day getting our 2nd Covid booster shots. A painless experience. On Friday I thought I was getting a cold, but by Saturday thought things were not right. On Sunday a Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) gave the unexpected result. So the week that passed has been in isolation. My nose ran more vigorously than I have ever experienced in the past, my throat was very sore and I felt a little ‘ heady’. That lasted a couple of days but I feel quite lethargic even today.
Next Committee Meeting guest. Kathy White
Kathy represents Taupo on Waikato Regional Council (WRC). It is important for us to maintain our presence in the thinking at WRC and that institutional knowledge is not lost. It is so easy, with the changes of personnel in any organisation, to lose key understandings and maintaining contact with these people remains necessary. Waikato Regional Council get bad mouthed by some with regard to river work but many forget the experience prior to 1998 and what happened in the flood of 2004. WRC took the responsibility to manage the river and have done a good job to date though there has been a bit of a hold up over the last three years. Hopefully this is being rectified.
Finally a request from LWAG
Lakes and Waterways Action Group (LWAG), a group with whom we share a common interest, has asked that I publicise their next meeting. Taupo waters are treasured and maintaining a pristine lake has been a challenge. The effort being made is costly but well worthwhile. I have attended a number of their meetings and if you will be here next week I encourage you to attend.
