New License required for the 2023-24 seson
A new License is required on 1st July each year.
Renew on line www.doc.govt.nz or just google Taupo Fishing License. Licenses are on sale from Saturday 24 June, a week before the new season starts. Prior to that, the on line license is for the year ending 30 June 2023.
The prediction is that it will be a good season but fish will be a bit smaller.
AGM – 2023.
The AGM has caused us to revisit the Rules of The Advocates For The Tongariro River Society Inc. The rules, as in the 2004 Annual Report, were not consistent with practice. We altered the rules in Committee and expanded the size of the Committee starting 2017 but failed to have the rule change approved at an AGM. This meant we were embarrassed, and we apologise to our Committee members who had to come off the Committee as the Committee was larger than stated in the Rules.
Gary Brown remains as President. Carl Bergstrom was elected Vice President .Both Richard Kemp and Warren Butterworth stepped down as Vice Presidents as we could have only one. Richard will continue as a Committee member. The rules state a Committee of 11 which meant 7 Committee members plus President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer. We were off guard in the circumstance and this meant that Warren Butterworth and Tim Castle stepped down. Subsequent checking showed that we had amended the rules to have 2 Vice Presidents and a committee of 9 but failed to take to the AGM held in 2017. We have apologised to Warren and Tim and look forward to regaining them on the Committee in the near future.
At the conclusion of the meeting the video of the Tongariro River helicopter flight was shown followed by a normal Committee meeting. We were pleased to have Sarah Tunnicliffe, DoC, at the meeting and her input was valuable for issues we are concerned with.
Biosecurity
Golden Clams. These shellfish are now in the Waikato River.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/waikato/300888463/invasive-clam-found-in-waikato-river-could-decimate-native-species-infest-lake-taup-and-clog-hydro-dams
This adds to a significant list of unwanted species threatening NZ water. This includes Catfish, Didymo, Hornwort, Blue Green Algae, Myrtle Rust among many others.
NIWA photo
Fishing Report
The river through May was influenced by significant floods which made fishing difficult as the Genesis flow graph shows.. In June the river flow is slowly returning to a normal flow of 23m/3. Anglers have found fishing patchy with many putting in long hours for little return. Runs of fish have been moving upstream and if you strike it lucky you will have good fishing,
Fish thaat are being caught are either excellent or juvenile. The excellent are as good as last year.
My efforts at the delta have been disappointing but again some have caught good fish.
Forty Years Young. Warwick Keys 2002.
T
his book Forty Years Young by Warwick Keys was commissioned by Taupo District Council.
Copy was borrowed from the Turangi Library.
I found the record fascinating as in 1960 neighbours of my parents were wanting to sell their Taupo section for 50 pounds and as a young person I could have paid that amount from my paper run earnings. How things have changed.
I have chosen some quotes of interest from the book.
1958 The big flood P 107-8
The first major event of 1958 was the big flood. Continual rain throughout the weekend of 22 and 23 February caused considerable flood damage in the Taupo district.
Heavy flooding which came in the wake of continual rain throughout the weekend in the Taupo area tore an 80 foot gap in theapproach to the bridge across the Tongariro River in Turangi, invaded the generating statiom at the Hinemaia, snarled telephone and telegraph systems, isolated Turangi and Tokaanu on Monday. It may be at least a week before the Southern Highway is open for traffic,,. said the Taupo Times of 27 February,
Taupo Borough was relatively unaffected physically, however floodwater had surged through the Taupo MED generating station on the Hinemaia River putting it out of action. Taupo was without power for about three hours. Supply was restored via the new NZED temporary link, without which, much of the Taupo district would have been without power for at least three weeks.
Taupo County was badly affected, however. Roads in the northwestern corner were seriously damaged by floodwater, some having to be closed to heavy traffic altogether. At Motuoapa in the south, there was a gap of about 30 meters or so in State Highway 1 and the water was too deep to wade through. Motuoapa was completely isolated for several days. Fresh food supplies were taken to the motor camp in both places by launch organised by theCounty Commissioners. In addition the flood water had torn a 25 meter gap in the Tongariro river bridge approaches on State Highway One at Turangi as per the Taupo Times report above.
Mr O’Keefe reported to the advisory Committee in March that all told the damage totalled between 8000 pounds and 10,000 pounds. The flooding was the most severe in living memory and was to live on as the Big Flood.
1964 p 120
Green Light for Tongariro Hydro Project.
The Government announced on Monday 21 September 1964 that work on the massive Tongariro hydro scheme would start immediately. The Minister of Works, Mr Allen, said that the new Turangi township would have every possible amenity, and was to start at once… When the Government said immediately start, it meant literally. The first earthmoving machines were working on the township site on the same day that the announcement was made…The first family to move into a Ministry house did so in June 1965.
Town Planning P31
Gary Brown, Advocates President, told me of Mr A.L.(Al) Gabites who was one of his early bosses at Gabites Arlington and Beard and I mention it here simply as it is the first written reference of him that I have found. He had input into the town plan for Turangi and the then new SH1 road dividing “Old Turangi and New Turangi”
On March 21, 1951 a meeting had resolved to prepare a town plan for the borough… The Town Planning scheme No 1 came into effect on 2 September 1956. .. Mr Gabites was the town planning consultant.
New Seat overlooking the River
I take an occasional walk around the Tongariro River Trail. I walk from my home to the SH1 bridge to the Major Jones bridge and home. I have met the gang that clears the river trail and had mentioned that we wanted river views. There are places where views are now available. But the surprise for me was to find this wonderfully built seat hidden just off the TRT. How it got there and who managed to get it there is a mystery to me. To whoever was responsible I say Thankyou.
I can’t resist including this photo.
I managed this photo while passenger in a moving car and thought it a fascinating scene of cloud-covered Mt Ngauruhoe with the rays of a setting sun showing under the cloud.
Just a fascinating scene in the catchment.
Eric Wilson
Secretary
Fishing Report and TFAC