SWIRL POOL

Swirl Pool (& Lower River Pools Beyond) – 2006 Update

Since the removal of 50,000 m3 (?) from the island opposite and below the Swirl Pool, this area has changed dramatically. The only certainty is that by the time you read this it will have changed again. The wide braided river has provided a number of fast swirly riffly streams which have to be crossed to get down to the RHS of Honeypot and LHS of Plank Pool. As you stumble across these streams (wading poles again recommended) you cannot help but notice flashes of movement – usually heading up stream. There are oodles of spawning trout using these shallow gravel braided beds as redds. These appear to be holding more trout than the traditional sweeping lazy Swirl Pool which appears to have silted up more since last season.

So why remove all the gravel from the islands below the Swirl Pool?

Good question. I am glad you asked. If you see me after… Floods have been measured at Turangi since 1957. The largest recorded flood peak reached 1470 cumecs (cubic metres of water per second) in February 1958, with second largest being 1,440 cumecs in February 2004. Prior to 2004 the expected frequency of a flood of this size was 1 in 100 years. This has now been revised. In 19 years from 1986 to 2004 there were 13 significant floods. Major changes to the river morphology have to be expected with such frequent floods.

During construction of the Tongariro Power Development, 1964-1972, gravel extraction from this area was about 800,000 m3. This extraction left a huge trap for collecting gravel sediment swept down in intervening years, which formed the islands with natural fan aggradation below the Swirl Pool.

Therefore the Regional Council, Environment Waikato (“EW”), in 2006 removed 50,000 m3 of gravel as an attempt to maintain the original bed level and the carrying capacity of the river to reduce flooding risks. Any financial rewards from gravel extraction go to the owners – Ngati Turangitukua.

Anglers have lost many traditional Anglers’ Access tracks down below Swirl Pool on the LHS to Delatours and beyond have been blocked off and neglected since the gravel extraction started.

Swirl pool Report September 2005

There is not much swirl left in the Swirl pool? More of a long slow glide. This pool does not seem to be as good as in the past - it still holds along the LHS bank but many trout are too busy teaming up for spawning duties. During our visit there was lots of activity evident where the bottom was scrubbed clean, but they were too distracted by nature¹s call to take an artificial. An easy wading pool with a long cast towards LHS and seems to fish better at the top or the tail.

The first access option is by safe wading across the shallow tail of the Bridge Pool. Vehicle access 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. We reiterate the fishing pressure at Bridge Pool has changed remarkably with anglers wet lining on the LHS beach now regularly outnumbered by agile rock climbing roll casting nymphers (need a landing net) on RHS below Herekiekie Street - not suitable for geriatrics (like John T). So Swirl Pool introduces other options - when Bridge Pool is too crowded just keep tramping down river....

Closer parking is available on the reserve directly off Ohuanga Road on tracks leading more directly to the Swirl Pool. Do not be discouraged by several cars parked here as anglers may be tramping down the LHS to Log Pool or beyond. Various other too difficult to describe (hint, hint) pools in the lower braided area can be accessed with easy wading across below Swirl Pool and then double back (but keep casting) again below the Honeypot, for access down to the LHS of Bain Pool.

Then following the river, the next named pool - Honeypot - is traditionally recognised as a good producer but you need to know where the big snags are. The by-pass leading off to the left after this produced well before the big 2004 flood but has failed to perform since. The other braided bypass - once known as Stones - previously provided some good lies below the Lodge but is now a fast broken run - apart from some sneaky pockets at the top where it splits off from Bridge Pool.

Above the old plank pool - directly below the re-metalled Bain Pool car park - is a faster run with less spawning water now. This bypass can be waded - note some desperate anglers skid marks - but allow ample downstream drift across the fast current. The pocket beside the leaning willow tree 200m above Bain has been attracting a lot of attention recently but this could easily change with the next fresh.

Access from this braided section leads down river past Bain (good roll casting from LHS) to what was Shaw Reach, Log Pool, Jones Pool, Smallman Reach, The Bend, and Parade. These pool locations have changed since Barry Greig and Lyn Lloyd surveyed the lower river for their excellent handy pocket maps. More recently the pools and lies have changed annually so you need to use primal male hunter gatherer instincts i.e. read the water a lot more. Look for the current. But beware, take plenty of spare wet flies - big glo bugs behind olive woolly buggers or rabbits are popular - as the numerous hidden snags devour them.

If you are sharp enough to read this, you could rely on daily web reports instead?

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.