BRIDGE POOL

August 2006 – Bridge Pool Update

The Bridge Pool is practically unchanged for 2006. Still has the most reliable production, week in week out, in the Tongariro River. Unfortunately it is too popular for most fly fishing purists as the usual river ethics and etiquette for wading - i.e. anglers moving through the pool - are often sadly neglected. Anglers looking for more solitude and natural beauty and traditional anglers' camaraderie would be wise to proceed much further up-river.

During the last flood in July it was noticeable that during the higher volume – over 200 cumecs (Cubic metres per second - as recorded on Superfly.co.nz flow chart from Genesis) - the increased river flow began excavating a more direct route from the lower Bridge Pool straight through the Honeypot to Bain Pool. In future years this route could erode further and also bypass the Swirl and Plank Pools.

The Bridge Pool is the most popular pool due to the combination of convenient vehicle access, close parking, easy wading, reliable producer, plenty of back cast room, no snags, plenty of scope for all anglers with wet lines from the LHS beach and nymphing off the elevated RHS rocks. Novices learning how to roll cast should spend time studying the variety of casting skills displayed along the rocks at the end of Herekiekie Street.

Look carefully and you will notice every stone under the road bridge has a tail.

Apart from the popular main beach, the area immediately below the bridge should not be overlooked when both sides of the lower bridge pool are too crowded. Trout can usually be polaroided from the bridge. On the LHS the deep gut is easily within novices casting distance immediately and is a reliable producer, particularly popular first up in the morning. Ditto on the RHS, by wading using a woolly bugger or nymph.

There is also a lie below the bridge towards the central flow which is often targeted, but wading poles needed.

Above the bridge, the RHS is often neglected by most bridge pool anglers where trout have been resting undisturbed during the early morning rush.

Regular Tasmanian anglers, Geoff & Babs Watson, prefer this location for fishing evening rises during the Summer months. Also further up-river from the bridge often provides good fishing after all the other more popular named pools have been thrashed.

We have a few regular devotees who target these out of the way pools and eddies, who have good local knowledge and fish with remarkable success.

2006 Naming History

The naming history of this area above the bridge is as controversial as the river history. Remember that the river has changed its course over the years and the bridge location has moved up-river.

Starting at the Lonely Pool, this name was coined after 1955 when the Birches swing bridge was built and it was necessary to make a long walk down-river to fish the Lonely. This was when the pool was located against the stop bank, below the walkway, where the river is now a flood by-pass.

Then there was the Groin Pool located immediately up-river and fished from the LHS, named on Barry Greig’s 1983 map and Lyn Lloyd’s maps, confirmed in notable books like Tony Jensen’s Trout of the Tongariro and Hicklings classic Freshwater Admiral. \

Prior to this it was known as the Weir Pool, named by R. L. Begg in the NZ fishing and Shooting Gazette, in June, 1936, and prior to that it was named as the Daisy Pool on the 1928 map in Barbara Cooper’s booklet – Pools of the Tongariro. However, as the bridge was then further down-river from the present location, the Daisy Pool was where the Bridge pool is now.

(Tourists admiring the spawning runs passing under the bridge)

The existing Lower Bridge pool location was previously known as Vera’s Pool, named after Vera Blair who fished here frequently. This pool disappeared after the big flood in 1958.

Bridge Lodge was originally built in 1931 and has gone through many changes since.

September 2005 - Bridge Pool Update.

Vehicle access to park on the sandy beach is from Te Rewha Street. i.e. proceed north from Turangi shopping centre on Ohuanga Road, past BP, turn right after the college into Waipapa Road, then left into Te Rewha Street, then drive across the domain. The access track is usually indicated by a paper rubbish trail - isn¹t it sad - and discarded lengths of nylon leader. It is still a bit bumpy but OK for the firm¹s car, so take it slow. Do not park too close to the river for fear of finding tungsten tip patterns tattooed on the company car bonnet.

Since our original report, fishing pressure on the Bridge Pool has changed significantly with mainly traditional wet lining on the LHS now outnumbered by roll casting nymphers off the rock wall on the RHS. Interesting...

June 2005 - Bridge Pool Report

The conveniently located Bridge Pool remains a really great holding pool after the 2004 flood. It¹s the favourite of TRM inmates - John, George, & Horty, regulars here for over forty years This report was postponed awaiting completion of the new stop bank, with 50,000 m3 of gravel excavated. To prevent further erosion, more dumping of quarried rubble to reinforce the high bank on the RHS is still being completed (as at 25 June) down river from the end of Herekiekie Street. This Pool was previously referred to as the Hut Pool - wiped out in the 1958 flood and renamed Lower Bridge Pool, to differentiate from the Bridge Pool immediately under the bridge - hopefully we all know where the daily scrum of anglers are seen from the bridge. This big pool continues to be arguably the most reliable producer over the last decade. Usually 5 to 10 or more anglers confirm that every morning. Recent site works appear to have mainly changed vehicle access routes but more determined anglers still find a track through - confined to 4WD or Hertz vehicles.

This pool appears to have its own fishing etiquette (?) rules. Usually anglers proceed to their favoured spot and anchor there until their arms get too tired from pulling in trout or until the breakfast bell tolls. Do not expect any procession of anglers to shuffle along to give up their spot - they probably have a mortgage on it. The Pool is usually dominated most mornings by regular wet liners, each with their preferred bait - start before sparrows with Black Dogs, once the sun sparkles on the water change to large Olive Woolly Buggers, if they don¹t work, switch to traditional standby Red Setters, if the strong green flow is too clear, substitute Yellow Mallards, if too milky try Fuzzy Wuzzys or Rabbits, etc. If still no action, add a large muppet behind whatever.

Sometimes all are effective to suit changing climatic conditions. Just experiment to see what the trout have on their menu each visit. Some regulars will bet the ranch on their home made special custom designed lures which defy written description. There are not many days when this pool does not produce - but get there early! By my breakfast time many anglers have been there, done that, with their catch already cleaned in the freezer.

Jared (x Sporting Life) has the solution for beating the crowd, although surprisingly few appear to take advantage?

Constant pressure from fast sinking deep trawling wet lures appear to push the shoals over to the RHS so smart nymphers should prepare with a hearty breakfast first, read the morning paper, then amble on down in office hours to the end of Herekiekie Street armed with long leaders and heavy bombs to run a nymph along below the bank . You need to be agile and might need a landing net.

Check it out first with polaroids - trout can often be seen sulking along this RHS just out of reach of the deep lures.

Or on balmy summer evenings, try a small dry fly through the shallows on the LHS as trout are seen moving back to wait for the hatch as soon as wet liners depart. The pool immediately down river from the bridge is often fished with a deep nymph from below, off the bridge pier, where again longer traces and heavier bombs do the most business. This spot is not recommended in summer when local kids have reserved this pool for jumping & diving practice from the bridge above for the amusement of SH1 traffic. If all the fishy excitement is too much strain on the nerves, some relief is available in the form of the unisex loo in the main road car park - for a memorable melodious musical moment in waders it deserves a highly recommended classification.

NOTE: Pool Reports for the Tongariro River are prepared from guest/anglers experiences. As such, Tongariro River Motel do not accept any responsibility for the opinions of other anglers who are traditionally acknowledged liars about their best fishing pools.