Ken and Mitchel on the Tongariro river

Guided Ken and Mitchel yesterday on the Tongariro . Neither had fished before so the morning was spent learning the skills of flyfishing. Casting, retrieving, mending the flyline and actually playing the fish all rehearsed. The Tongariro is a big river and can be quite daunting for the first time angler when you need to put out a 20m cast, quick mend, and retrieve all at once ! Some times everything comes together, the indicator plunges under the water, you lift the rod and you are not sure who gets the biggest fright, the fish or yourself !! Gold bead head PTs, Hares ear were the flies of choice but you are never going to catch fish on the ones in the fly box . The fly choice you make as a general rule has liitle bearing on the result. However there are times when the tried and true fail and I guess that is why it is called fishing.