MAJOR JONES POOL

Major Jones Pool Report 2006

The major improvement for anglers wasting good fishing time in their offices wishing they were here (so do we!) is the installation of the Tongariro River web cam at River Birches Lodge. This displays either the Hydro Pool or Major Jones Pool with vital information so you can assess angler pressure to see how many are fishing without you. It is updated every 30 minutes with a weather station providing wind speed and direction, barometer reading and outside temperature. Go to: tongarirorivermotel.co.nz – home page.

Major Jones Pool Report 2005

You have not fly fished the Tongariro until you have fished the Major Jones. To describe each Tongariro Pool in one word, Judges might be termed accessible, whilst Major Jones would have to be majestic! (read awesome for generation X - this pool is a must do) Major Jones drums up more nostalgia and probably has the biggest reputation on the Tongariro River.

The reasons are apparent on inspection - it is just so reliable and productive, so pleasant and so fishy - a splendid big classic pool. The natural setting provides elevated viewing from the end of Poto Street and from the Taupahi Reserve walkway. Seating for the family gallery photo shoot opposite the pool adds to the magic.

To fully absorb all the charm of this pool, anglers should park at the old Island Pool car park and walk south along the Taupahi Reserve Walkway past the pool to the swing bridge. Spawning trout can usually be seen in the wide slower flow below the Major Jones - up river of the flying fox wire. This grandstand view of trout waiting to decide whether to continue their spawning migration through the deeper pool will quicken the pulse to tease the expectations of any tired angler.

Understandably however, most anglers prefer to park closer to the Birches foot bridge at the end of Koura Street hoping to be first in the pool.

This requires a 3-4 minute level stroll across the swing bridge and 300m down river to the top of the pool.

(Note the two old self seeded apple trees - proof that DoCıs possum eradication programme works on public walkways - note the apples are not ripe until May - limit is one organically grown apple per angler per day)

If you are first in, ensure the shallower RHS is trawled as well - out of the main current where the trout rest over night. This golden rule applies to all pools.

Similarly after a fresh, when the river is still coloured, the shallows are always worth a flick.

Anglers who are more intimately familiar with the flows have advised of minor changes to the faster head water - from the breakfast pool - but essentially this pool is the same, if not easier, as before the 2004 flood. Compared to Judges where anglers only need thigh waders, the Major Jones pool requires chest waders to cover all the water.

The pool is about 500 metres long and 50-60 metres width. Wet-liners need to have a decent cast (or be about 2 metres tall). Technically, most of the lower pool favours fast sinking shooting heads to reach the deep strongly flowing channel under the higher left bank. Most strikes occur on the swing. Traditionally red setters or woolly buggers or glo bugs predominate on the main menu.

The top 100-150 metres into the faster water on the left side is ideal for nymphing. There is no need to wade too deep - knee depth is adequate as it can be slippery in the more boisterous top end flow. In the lower section wading is easier. This is an excellent holding pool throughout the entire length. The pool can support 10-12 or more rods and often anglers have to queue for the often photo’d angling procession moving down river during peak spawning runs. But do not be intimidated by the rod numbers - more trout will be holding in the channel than arguably any other Tongariro pool.

For this report TRMıs intrepid reporter wet lined the pool on May 5 in the middle of a fine mild autumn afternoon and watched a fat fighting fresh run hen landed on a wet line from mid pool, a release towards the top off a nymph, whilst we lost our only hook-up at the bottom RHS of the pool where the current swaps sides - all in less than 30 minutes.

Summary: A majestic big fishy pool which will always hold trout.

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.