A Wellington-based angling identity has described the lower Ruamāhanga River as a “world-class” fishing spot for locals and outsiders and reckons more should be done to promote it as a regional drawcard.
Andrew Harding – who has one of the largest social media followings in New Zealand, thanks to his posts about his trout fishing adventures around the country – said he can’t recall the lower Ruamāhanga ever fishing so well.
“I’ve fished for trout pretty much everywhere in New Zealand, and last week on the lower Ruamāhanga was as good as it gets. There are just heaps of quality fish everywhere at the moment,” Harding said.
“It’s a highly modified waterway more akin to a lake in places, and so trout abundance is much higher than in a normal river environment.”
Harding said the posts showing his recent Wairarapa angling triumphs have resulted in him being contacted by anglers from around the world, including one man from Montana in the United States who is planning on flying over this season specifically to fish the lower Ruamāhanga.
“For a country that is internationally renowned for having the best trout fishing in the world, there’s a phenomenal resource right here on Wairarapa’s doorstep,” he said.
“It’s crazy to think that each year anglers from Wellington and Wairarapa trek all the way to fish at Taupō, and yet here we have a fishery just as good, if not better.”
Harding hopes Wairarapa councils and businesses will promote trout fishing in the region and “tap into a cash cow” for the local economy.
“Trout fishing tourism is big bucks for regional and local economies.
“Anglers, particularly from overseas, are big-spenders – they stay at the top accommodation, visit wineries and eat out at the best restaurants. Towns like Martinborough and Greytown are ideally set up to cater to the market and could easily cash in.
“It would be great to see Wairarapa community and its community leaders embrace the opportunity.”
In order to fish for trout in New Zealand, you must have a freshwater fishing licence, available at local outdoor stores or via the Fish and Game website: fishandgame.org.nz
