How to Catch Trout in the Tongariro River in Winter (for New Anglers)

When I'm fishing the Tongariro in winter, I often bump into new anglers who are having a tough time catching trout. The Tongariro can be an intimidating prospect for beginner anglers or even seasoned anglers who haven’t experienced such a large river before. Winter also adds a different dimension to the fishing. Delicate summer tactics are not working, and the trout behave differently. Some of these anglers have seen my videos before, so we’ll have a chat, and if they ask for some advice, this is roughly what I’ll tell them.

The sheer size of the Tongariro River can be intimidating to new anglers

The first thing I do is check their rig, especially when they are nymphing with an indicator. Often, new angler's leaders are thick, tapered leaders with 2x tippet and maybe 9 feet or less with a budgie-sized indicator clipped to the flyline or a super light summer setup with tiny beaded nymphs that will never reach the trout in anything more than a couple of feet of water. My advice to them is to try my simple leader setup for winter.

In winter, the trout on the Tongariro aren't like your typical summer fish. They're running up from the lake to spawn, so they tend to group up in schools and hang out in pools, hugging the bottom while not actively feeding. What you need to catch these trout is to get your flies right in front of them. They won’t come up and won’t move a long way for flies.

This means long, thin level leaders are required if you're nymphing. Ideally, 12-15 feet with a movable yarn indicator that you can slide up and down your leader to adjust for the depth you are fishing. 

My Simple Winter Nymphing Leader

6 feet of 3x from the flyline, then another 6 feet of 4x to your flies. The 6-foot of 3x is where your indicator can slide around while the 4x sinks a bit faster, allowing you to fish slightly lighter flies that make casting easier with the longer setup.

Fly choice is crucial. You need to get down to the trout, which usually requires at least a 4mm tungsten beadhead fly coupled with an egg pattern. Double tungsten is often better on the Tongariro. Something like a Simon’s ugly paired with a globug, soft egg or slushie is a great combo that will get down and catch trout. Alternatively, splitshot is another option. A simple splitshot and egg or double egg and splitshot can be deadly, as you can easily change weight depending on the depth of the water you are fishing.

If the anglers are Euro nymphing and not catching, it’s generally just a weight issue; they are simply fishing too light, and the same applies for wetlining or swinging. Either not using a fast enough sinking line or sink tip. Getting to the right depth is essential.

There is also a point where your rig can be too heavy, and your flies are dragging on the bottom and snagging constantly. The trout aren’t bottom feeders either. While you’ll still catch fish, it’s not ideal. It's about trying to get that fly just off the bottom in the trout’s face.

A typical fresh run Tongariro River rainbow trout

Once their rig is dialled in, it's time to address the second problem that often occurs early season. Early in the season, like May and June, the trout aren't everywhere in the river yet. You've got to move around. The key is that trout respond differently in winter. After good rain, the trout move upriver after having congregated at the delta, waiting to run up. As the river drops, they concentrate in the lower sections, then move up through the town and into the upper sections. As the season progresses, the entire river eventually fills up with trout moving through. During the early season, it pays to start in the lower sections after good rain and move up as the water level drops over the days following the rain. That's what the trout will be doing.

Timing is also key. Early morning, in clear water, you'll spot trout in the back of pools, and they'll take your flies more easily. Later in the day, if they've been fished hard, they'll move deeper and be harder to see and convince to eat a fly. At midday, target deeper spots with more cover. In the morning, start further down in the back of the pool and work your way up.

If you're not catching trout, don't linger in one spot. Cover the water until you find trout. Once you start catching, work that area thoroughly until you stop catching before moving on. This is especially true in the early season. 

Some Tongariro River pools are stunning and always hold trout but can be busy

Another problem new anglers face is the sheer size of the river. I tell them to break it down into “little rivers” and fish those parts that they would normally fish while ignoring the stuff that’s out of reach. While the big pools are great for holding trout, especially the stable pools that hold trout each year, they also get a lot of pressure. It's worth exploring the small sections in between big pools. These sections often have “mini pools and runs” that are overlooked by most anglers but regularly hold good numbers of trout that are more eager to take flies. The smaller water is also easier to fish.  Look for areas where the river splits or forms side channels. These can be very good.

Something else that is important to know about the Tongariro is understanding the etiquette of winter trout fishing. It's often a foreign concept to any angler who hasn't spent time in Taupo in winter. These anglers are often used to having their fishing spots to themselves. This is not the case in winter in Taupo. You'll see a lot of other anglers, and it's important to fish the pools with them in mind. It's unavoidable. If there's another angler fishing a pool and you would like to fish there too, it's always good to go up and chat with them briefly about what method they're using and how they're fishing and if they are happy for you to join them. It's normal to do this.

The Tongariro river can get busy in winter, it's normal to fish with other anglers

For example, if they're nymphing, they'll be moving upstream, so you should never jump in above them. Instead, ask if it's okay to jump in below them and work your way up together, giving them enough space to fish. If they are swinging streamers or wet lining, they’ll be working their way down the pool or run. In this case, you can’t jump in below them. Ask if you can jump in above them where they've already fished. If you are sharing a pool, keep moving – don't get stuck in one spot. And don't jump into another angler's spot after they've caught a fish. They're allowed to go back in and continue fishing that spot. If you follow these simple rules, it will avoid a lot of anger and disappointment. Still, you will often encounter anglers who either don't know or don't care. If this happens and things get heated, simply find another spot; there are plenty.

Winter trout fishing in the Taupo rivers can be really fun, social and incredibly good once you work it out.

If you want to learn more about how to be successful, check out my online course, "The Guide to Taupo Rivers in Winter."

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