Ocean fishing fell through due to the wind forecast so I gave Blair a ring and decided to go for a fish the next morning. We were going to float below Matahina Dam until he invited Alex and his Dad, Pete. Pete is here visiting from the UK and had never caught a fish in his life. So we changed plans to the raft and since we were using it, we may as well run the rapids below Aniwhenua.
My goal was to use a sink tip line and cast big streamers into the heavy water as we floated down. Water conditions were good and water levels were lowish so away we went. Blair brought a spinner and fly rod and Alex brought a spinner.
It was not long before Alex broke his rod tip. It just broke for no apparent reason. I would say it was due to travelling in the boot of Blair's truck.
I picked up a few fish on big streamers but it was nothing like the action I had hoped for. Then we had some risers in a foam line. I set up Blair's rod with a Goddard Caddis. Believe it or not, after a few casts, he caught a good rainbow after missing the strike (too quickly) on another. He actually did a really good job of casting a dry fly. There is hope for him yet!
Alex lost one on a spinner then his Dad, Peter, hooked and landed a nice rainbow. At age 61, it was the first fish he had caught in his life! That made the day right there. The video show a few of the highlights but as per usual, I missed recording the best bits.
