Taupo fishing unaffected by eruptions

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 14, Issue 649, 13 August 1996, Page 11

Taupo fishing unaffected by eruptions

Trout fishing at Taupo remains good despite the Mount Ruapehu eruptions. "While ash from the eruptions last spring had caused the Tongariro River to remain dirty for longer than usual after rain, the latest cycle of volcanic activity has had no effect on fishing," said Department of Conservation manager, John Gibbs, last week.

"Predominantly northerly winds have prevented ash from falling in Lake Taupo' s tributary rivers. Even despite the recent extended rainy spell all rivers have remained fishable and some good catches have been recorded." Mr Gibbs said that many anglers appeared to be under the misapprehension that fishing had been badly

affected by ash falls, similar to the impact on local ski fields, and were deferring their fishing trips. "This is definitely not necessary," he said. "If anything, angling conditions have improved, as the rivers are much less crowded than usual at this time of the year." It is expected that fewer trout than normal will enter

the Tongariro River to spawn in two to three years time as a result of ash impacts and severe floods on the rearing habitat of young

fish over the last summer. However, this has not affected numbers of adult trout in this winter' s spawning run.