So yeah, we were culling peafowl right up to Xmas. Normally we start fishing in December but demand for culling and peacock pelts was high. Jack and I spent a week at the Scout Lodge in Whakapapa after Xmas. He was working on his silver badge for the Duke of Edinburgh Awards. It rained for the first few days with close to zero visibility. Then it cleared and we had some awesome walks.
We had a day or two to recover then we went for a cruisy float down the river with Blair on our raft. Jack (aged 14) just wanted to catch a few trout so he brought his spinning rod. I put a soft bait on to target a deep pool below a rapid. As we were getting ready to launch, I just had to have a cast at the boat ramp. Second cast and I hooked a big rainbow. On the first jump, the jig came flying back at me. It was a really good start to the season.
The river was a bit high from the recent rain but it was a beautiful, sunny day. The boys picked up a few fish on spinners but it was not exactly firing. We just cruised along and Blair taught Jack how to maneuver the raft. Eventually, I spotted a feeding rainbow, so I put the fly rod together. We got in position and I presented a deer hair cicada with rubber legs. I could not see the rainbow so mostly fished blind. He did not take it.
Meanwhile, Blair's dog, Neo, jumped on shore and bailed up a possum. So we floated down to it and I knocked it on the head with a paddle. Then Neo went in for the kill. It was really funny seeing the defensive pose of the possum when it was bailed.
Then we went back to the rising trout. It was clearly eating caddis. So I put on a green humpy. I eventually got a decent cast in and he took. It was very satisfying. I am adamant that all you need to do is get the presentation right and the trout will take.
Then I put the big rubber legged olive cicada back on and had an awesome stalk on a large brown. It took so slowly... After watching the video I realized I hooked way too soon. I caught nothing but air. I thought I had timed it perfect but I was wayyyy too quick on the strike. I am sure I will be more calm next time, yeah right. My Go Pro ran out of battery just after I missed the strike.
What a cruisy day! We got a couple for the smoker and Jack learned some stuff. Oh, and, he got his first trout of the year!
