So last Saturday we had a perfect day on Matahina. So a week later, we went again.
The night before I organised us to float down from the Matahina Dam to Te Teko. Both Blair and Dan wanted to fish that stretch as it was new to them both. Blair bailed out and Dan insisted that we go back to Matahina and have 'a 30 fish day'. I caved in and pandered to him. I had already organised the big streamers for below the dam and the Dry Dropper Pack for the rest of the river.
Dan showed up early and keen as mustard to travel right down to the lake to where we caught a lot of trout the week before. So we put in at the bridge and the water was about a metre higher than the week before. I noted things would be different today and off we went. Dan wanted to catch a lot of fish so I tied on a bead head krystal olive bugger. This was a small one in a size 12.
So much for paddling down to the hot spot from last week. Dan started fishing right away and soon landed a really nice brown. There were many fish rising right on the shore line which was high and dry last time we were there.
So I put on the short shank epoxy eye Taupo tiger jigging smelt. Yes, it is a mouthful and Dan had lots of bad things to say about it. Then a trout decided it was a good mouth full and took it away with him.
We got down to spot X where river meets lake and we had a stiff wind behind us. Oh and this spot was at least 100 m upstream from last week.
Long story short, Dan lost four more trout on the hookup so I had to change the fly for a bigger hook. A bead head olive bugger went on in a size 8. Guess what went off? The fish and we were down through all of the places where all of the action was the week before. The water was higher, there was a good breeze from the south, it was still overcast and nothing was happening. I took a turn with a green rabbit. I fished hard and covered the edges well. Nada except for one missed take on my green rabbit. The rainbow shot right out of the water after it.
We made another run through the 'hot spots' and very little happened. I said oh well we will fish our way back up and go home early. We crossed to river left and made our way back up. Dan hooked up on his bead head olive bugger. Then it was my turn and the green rabbit landed a nice brown. Things started happening. The southerly had died out and we had a mill pond like the week before.
Then we got up to the ledge where the rive hits a big, vertical wall. There is always a foam line formed and there are usually big rainbows feeding in it. Dan had a penalty for catching a tree so I was casting a size 4 epoxy eyed Taupo Tiger. There was the odd riser and I decided I would get them to leave the small bugs alone and eat my big bait fish. There was the odd fish rising but nothing serious. Then I saw a repeated rise right along the wall. I got the big streamer in there and he chased it out and launched into the air. It completely missed the fly. I tried to tempt it many times more but only got a follow.
So I quickly put on the dry dropper rig I had on earlier and made a couple of casts. I put the flies in the overhanging tree. I left it there a moment with the dry fly mid air and the nymph in the water. Then I slowly pulled both flies over the limb. By pure luck the big rainbow took the royal stimulator as soon as it hit the water. I made a slow count to three and hooked up. It was pretty lucky and I hope the video does it justice. I was a pretty happy chappy after that. Dan shortly after had a penalty so I awarded him the 'get out of jail free card'.
Soon after he had a chance at a large brown in spring creek water with a size 4 silver Dorothy. He almost took. The rapids were non existent with the higher water going back up to the bridge. The next foam line was active with risers...
I took off the big streamer and put on a rubber legged stimulator, still with the long 8 pound fluorocarbon leader. It rolled like a lead balloon. After failing for a while, I cut it back and added some four pound tippet. I changed to a big size 10 parachute Adams from the dry dropper pack. Thank you very much, I hooked and landed a large rainbow. Even though we did not bring a chilly bin, this one was coming home since we were almost back to the bridge where we put in eight hours earlier.
It was Dan's turn. I put on a size 12 elk hair caddis and he was soon into another rainbow. I put on a size 10 Goddard caddis and got the best rainbow of the day. It was a nice way to finish another day in paradise. Unfortunately, we still ran out of power after three batteries and missed the videos of the last two fish.
We are very lucky to live in the Bay of Plenty! Another perfect day; Lou Reed made a great song!
