Winter fishing in the Waimarino?

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 1, Issue 37, 6 March 1984, Page 6

Winter fishing in the Waimarino?

At last month's meeting of the Ohakune Borough Council, Cr. Brannigan proposed that the Mangawhero River be opened up for winter fishing. Under present regulations winter fishing in the Waimarino conservancy is restricted to the two small lakes north of Karioi — Lake Rotokuru and a more recently formed man-made lake as yet un-named. The rivers in the Waimarino conservancy can, under existing restrictions, only be fished from 1 October to 30 June. But if Ohakune and the Waimarino are to be promoted as an all-year-round sport and recreation resort, said Snow Brannigan last week, it must give winter visitors to the area th^^ option of fishing when tl^B mountain is closed for skiing. After all, the rivers and lakes around Turangi and Taupo a're open all year round . . . but why should our Waimarino visitors have to go round there when there's plenty of good fishing locally, he said. To allow for winter spawning however, Snow Brannigan suggests the upper reaches of the Mangawhero River above Makaranui be protected. But he would like to see winter fishing from 1 Julyto 30 September allowed below the Makaranui Bridge near the Waimarino Golf course. At it's meeting Ohakune Borough Coui^Pf decided to write to Harry Brown, secretary of the Waimarino Ward of the Rotorua Conservancy which controls fishing in this area, to lend it's support for a winter fishing application.