RED HUT POOL

Red Hut Pool

Considering NZ Army Engineers being questioned recently over their bridge building competence, it is timely to reminisce that the Red Hut Bridge was built 50 years ago - in 1955 - by the NZ Army. It has survived two major floods since which would have swept away any normal footbridge built to Government specifications.

The 1958 flood scoured out both banks and the concrete columns at each end collapsed. What was left of the footbridge lay in the torrent acting like a huge net collecting trees and debris threatening to pull the anchors out. It took two years to replace with a new bridge in 1960.

Then again in 2004, mother nature had another assault on the Red Hut (and Major Jones) swing bridge(s) but they have survived - a credit to their design and construction. So for the bridge 50th anniversary, anglers should acknowledge where credit is due - specially to TALTAC (Tongariro & Lake Taupo Anglers Club) who were responsible in convincing the Government to build the footbridges for anglers.

The Red Hut car park is 5.3 km south of the Tongariro River Motel. Do be discouraged by the number of cars in the car park. Apart from the day trippers, mountain bikers, canoeists, and tourists using the DoC organic long drop loo, the Red Hut Bridge also provides anglers access over to other upper river pools such as the Poutu, Shag Pool, Duchess, etc. plus various other new noname pools.

Therefore the anglers may not be in the pool you are aiming at. There are many options available in the upper river. An example of one of the many new noname (yet?) pools can be seen immediately upriver on LHS from the footbridge and can be accessed from walking up the RHS under the bridge. It is too early to merit naming rights but there are many other small holding pools formed after the 2004 flood.

The second point to remember is to pause when crossing long enough to have a good hard look into the river below the bridge. Polaroids help to reduce glare and see into the depths where there are usually several biggies resting on their journey up river.

The theory is that during daylight the fish are wary of crossing under the shadow of the bridge across the river, or perhaps they are just feeding off the rapid above, before continuing upriver towards Waddells Pool.

Since the 2004 flood both Red Hut Pools have reduced in character and depth but the strong flow remains. The main pool does not appear to be holding the same numbers of fish as prior to the 2004 flood. It used to be compulsory to peep out from the high bank on the LHS (from the track to The Duchess Pool) to spot which fish you planned to aim for before crossing the bridge to nymph or wetline from the RHS beach.

The second lower pool - sometimes called the Shag-Hut pool, by virtue of being between the Shag and Red Hut - is completely different to previous and appears to now be the preferred pool.

It is easily fished from the RHS and good for both wetlining and nymphing. We have seen anglers in the lower pool casting across as far as possible towards the LHS while a small shoal has passed through about six metres in front of them. So apply the goldy oldy rules - fish your feet first.

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.