NTFC Newsletter_October 2021

CLUB CONTACTS Executive Don Clementson 027 437 6019 [email protected] Barry Howell 544 3069 [email protected] President: Jean Willis 547 6432 [email protected] Past President Secretary Chris Clenshaw 544 5276 [email protected] Treasurer Committee Richard Breakspear 541 9050 [email protected] Kevin Nansett 545 2007 [email protected] Peter Lawler 548 9753 [email protected] Tony Entwistle 544 4565 [email protected] James Macdonald 540 3520 [email protected] Neil Anderson 539 4941 [email protected] Allan Ballard 544 1735 [email protected] Web Master Peter Lawler 548 9753 [email protected] 547 1197 [email protected] Club Librarian Cameron Reid 545 2007 [email protected] 027 437 6019 [email protected] Trophy Master Kevin Nansett Club Sponsorship Don Clementson Club Speakers Committee Members Club Night Tea/Coffee Committee Members Newsletter Editor James Macdonald 540 3520 [email protected] Life Members 1982 Chappie Chapman 2007 Jean Willis 2018 Richard Boyden 2021 Tony Entwistle Past Presidents 06-08 Lester Higgins 08-09 Ross Walker 09-11 Dennis Ealam 03-06 Richard Boyden 13-15 Tony Entwistle 15-17 Maree Peter 17-18 Michael Stevenson 11-13 Ray Day 19-20 Barry Howell The Nelson Trout Fishing Club Meets once a month at: Fish and Game Offices, 66 Champion Road, Richmond Normally the 3rd Wednesday of the month at 7:00pm Please phone (Don’s phone #) if unsure Any views expressed in this newsletter are not necessarily those of the committee, club or editor Webpage: www.nelsontroutfishingclub.com Follow us on Facebook Cover Photo: Lester Higgins (NTFC Past President 2006-2008) with two of his favourite lures, Twizel, October 2015

Presidents Flyline October 2021 Before the season started we were predicting a doom and gloom fisheries because of the devastation of our rivers due to the floods but it hasn’t been as bad as we thought. Most rivers have been quite full for almost the entire month which makes it hard to fish up a river properly. Its great to see a lack of other fishermen and guides on our rivers so far. I haven’t hardly seen another fisherman on my travels - just like the good old days. May it continue. I have had some great fishing already this season. There seems to be some good fish out even with the high water so hopefully once the levels drop it will be even better. Great turnout for the auction at the last meeting. This is always a fun night and good for the Club coffers. Good to see some keen young blood coming through, especially Hugh. At our auction night he pulled his own name out of the hat for a free licence. At the next Club night the Bug Lady will be talking to us about entomology (insects) - not to be missed. Our Club trip to the Motueka River is on 14 November. This is for novices or members that haven’t been out much to come along and give it a go. You can either team up with someone you know and just go fishing or contact me and I can arrange for an experienced member for you to go fishing with. At the end of the day turn up to the Moutere Pub (Club Field Base) at 4pm for debriefing. Don’t forget the Christmas BBQ on Sunday 5th December at the new fish out pond at Challis Island. If it is wet it will be held the following weekend on Saturday 11 December. If you don’t know where that is give me a call. There are plenty of rainbows and a few browns to be caught if you want to bring your gear along. The Club will be providing the meat and drink so bring along your greens and cutlery. It has come to my attention that a Club member that was recently made a life member (not mentioning any names) was seen recently going past the Wakefield Bakery without stopping!! He has broken Club rule 42, section 4, paragraph 3 which states:- Every Club member when going past the Wakefield Bakery, fishing, must stop and consume a pie, or the equivalent of in other goods! His punishment will be decided at the next committee meeting. Here are a couple of lures that you might try next time you go out.

CRAFT BEER SECTION drunks with a fishing problem Tip of the Month:- This is what you do if the fishing is hard and nothing is happening - you retire to the deck chair for the rest of the day ‘til it’s time to go home. You don’t want to get home too early because the lawns need mowing and you have had a big day. Tight lines for next month Motueka Trout Trout caught in the Motueka River 25th October, note the Michael Stevenson tied nymph in right side of mouth. Fish released. Submitted by Jean Willis

In the Press: From the Waimea Weekly & Photos by Jean Willis

From The Rural News

Amalgamation of regional Fish and Game councils One of the recommendations from the recent ministerial review of Fish and Game was to reduce the number of Fish and Game regions from twelve to six. It was proposed that the West Coast and Nelson amalgamate, North Canterbury and Central South Island amalgamate, and Southland and Otago amalgamate similar proposals were made for the North Island regions. The advice from Fish & Game in its submission on the Review to the Minister, was that any changes to Fish & Game's regional structure should require further study. The Minister has supported this approach. As a result, the National Council of Fish and Game have now commissioned an in-depth study of the issues (efficiencies, costs, benefits, risks) around regional mergers, and this is getting underway right now. Overall goal: To recommend a future regional structure for Fish and Game Councils (i.e. number and boundaries) that is fit for purpose for the next 20 years. Process: A Project Team will be formed to prepare a report on the recommended future regional structure of Fish and Game Councils. The Project Team will comprise an independent chair, two individuals drawn from existing Fish and Game Councils based on their expertise and knowledge, and a member of the NZ Fish and Game Council. These individuals will provide information and advice on a neutral basis and will not be representatives of any Council. Considerations: • Effective governance – ensuring each new region has common agreed structures and policies to support and promote good governance practices • Effective management – Empowering and supporting Regional managers to deliver on the strategic outcomes based on resources, including adhering to legislative requirements • Structural Efficiency – ensuring boundaries are placed between regions to promote efficient use of resources • Alignment issues – ensuring regional boundaries take account of any relevant physical, social and other factors • Critical mass – ensuring each new region is large enough to support the required critical mass of Council personnel and other relevant resources. Submitted by Jean Willis

Excerpts from the Minutes of Committee Meeting, 12th October 2021 Attendance: Richard Breakspear, Don Clementson, Tony Entwistle, James Macdonald, Neil Anderson, Jean Willis, Chris Clenshaw, Kevin Nansett Apologies: Peter Lawler, Allan Ballard Correspondence • Letter from Nelson Coast Guard thanking us for the donation to their funds. • Letter from the Youth Sports Fishing Trust thanking the club for its members contribution to fish out events, praised their contribution Club Nights Auction Cameron managing October Chris Clenshaw auctioneer Fishing license draw Membership cards to be issued Change website password November Karen Shearer Cawthron bug lady Back up show and tell evening December BBQ Sunday 5th December, new fishing pond From 4pm, BBQ from 6pm Reserve day 12th Dec BBQ trailer to be booked January Informal night bring you photos show and tell February: Dean Phibbs March 2022 Tom Kroos Life in our local stream talk and practical Club program Club trip Motueka River 14th November Same format as last march, meet at Moutere Inn at 4pm Opportunity to mentor new anglers Don to co -ordinate Canterbury Fly Fishers interclub trip(s) (Waiting reply to August email) Club trip Lake Brunner early Feb 2022 Re the Nov 14th trip, Are you new to Fly Fishing or are you a relatively inexperienced Fly Fisher? If so, take this opportunity to spend a day fishing alongside an expert. Send your contact details (email, phone) to Club President, Don Clementson ([email protected]) and he will pair you up with one of the Club’s top Anglers.

Buy & Sell 1. Auto Shotgun for sale : Beretta A391 Xtrema 2 • Mint condition Only fired 25 cartridges • Takes 3.5inch magnums • Multi choke 5 shot • Matt black synthetic stock • Carrying/storage case and shoulder case • Lots of pictures on line • Cost over $3000 • Bargain at $1875 • Contact Chris on 0274377630 2. Tony Entwistle has a Sage rod for sale: Sage Accel 690-4 (Used). The Accel 9ft, 4-piece #6 weight, is a medium action rod, created using Sage's Generation 5 technology. It was first released in 2014. This particular rod has been a backup rod and has been seldom used. It is in very good condition and comes in a black rod bag inside a leaf green ballistic nylon rod tube with a divided liner. This is an excellent rod for an angler looking to move up from cheaper entry level rods. Price: $550.00

NTFC Auction Night – 20 October 2021 Kevin, Richard and Chris hard at work Photos by Gebhard Krewitt



Reproduced from New Zealand Outdoor March 1952

My Fishing Life – Lester Higgins Hi to all N.T.Club members: I have been asked if I would write some background of my involvement with the trout club. I joined about a year after the club was reformed by Richard Boyden after it had been in recess for some years. Fast forward, I was new to fly fishing but could spin fish successfully having done salmon fishing at the Rakaia river for four seasons. The skilled fishers at the club took me under their wing, namely Tony E, Don C, Cameron R, Henry S, and John W, and showed me how to cast a fly and where fish preferred to live in the river and spotting skills. Moving on their tuition was thorough and I can catch my share any time now. Lester hooked up Lester & fish Over the years I have taken part in club fishing trips to Brunner, Turangi, Twizel, and day trips fishing our local rivers also. Some of the photographs included here are of a trip to Twizel about three years ago prior to the devastating fire. Lester fishes the Judges Pool Lester with Salmon

I have my own boat which I take on these trips and am able to fish lakes and edges while others fish rivers. Lester received an award (see below) for a fish caught from his boat in Lake Middleton an area of about a hundred ha, with rainbow and brown trout present, right by Lake Ohau, very close to Ohau village which was destroyed by the fire. Lester receives the “Fish of the Trip” (5lbs 14 oz) Lester and NTFC crew trying other sports award in Twizel, October2015 I use all methods of fishing from my boat trolling, spin and fly, but my preference is dry fly fishing, where I anchor the boat where fish are rising and drift a fly down wind feeding more line out as it drifts away; it can be a whole fly line and some backing before a strike, and total concentration on watching the fly for a strike brings success. Now taking a look back down memory lane. I was born before the second world war, so I have seen a lot of changes in the country side in that time. A year after the war ended, my Father who was already farming at Foxhill, decided to buy a back country farm at the head of the Rainy River valley. The year was 1946. He wanted to develop it from felled native bush to a productive farm. The Rainy River was, and still is, a major spawning tributary for the Motueka system but in those days the fish stayed in the river all year round. Pigs and deer were plentiful and Dad always had a .303 rifle handy while we were working as the dogs would regularly bail a pig up and we had to control the numbers. With a rifle always present while we mustered stock and walked the river bank Dad would vary our menu of pork, mutton and venison with trout caught with a lead spinner. The method would only work if the fish was under 500 mm deep and best over a stony bottom. The bullet was aimed beside the fish about 100 mm and the concussion stuns it and it floats belly up, my job was to wait downstream a few yards and scoop the fish out, dinner acquired. Although this method was not written in the rule book, there never a hunter or deer culler that did not use the method. As moral compensation we shot every shag we could; Acclimatisation Society paid a bounty of 2 shillings a head for shags. I sold many.

Moving on to 1964. my cousin and his son suggested that as I had a boat they would show me how to trout fish by trolling. I bought a license and fibreglass spin rod and some tobies and a small jointed minnow on the second Sunday of October we planned to go to Lake Rotoroa to fish, come Saturday it rained steadily all day and Sunday morning at dawn he phoned to ask if I still wanted to fish as it was still steady rain. I said yes we will, thinking the rain would ease later, at the lake the rain continued, putting the boat in we started trolling, my cousins used black and gold tobies, I used the articulated trout, my motor was a 4hp seagull. Every creek was flowing beer and birch leaves into the lake and as we passed each one another fish hooked up. Fast forward the rain stayed steady and calm all day. Bag limits were large then and we caught 32 fish for the day, kept 10 and released the rest. That was easy we thought so another go next Sunday was planned, the day arrived same place same time same lures but a fine clear sunny day, same circuit and only 1 fish before the sun was on the water and 1 after sunset. I have never forgotten that lesson, and about ten years ago with weather conditions the same as ‘64 I took my boat back to the lake on my own, fished the same circuit and 1 rod and black and gold Tazzie devil lure I hooked 9 fish, kept one proved a point, right conditions they can be caught. Another hookup Club trip to the Motueka River, April 2005 For some years now about six of us make a trip to Bowscale Tarn in Molesworth station, a dry fly fishers paradise, at over 2700 ft. alt. a 4km walk from your vehicle up and over a 3000 ft. alt. pass it is quite a physical walk to get there. After a heart attack I decide to take my Honda 4 wheeler to ride there, however on arrival at the carpark with a bike on the trailer two DOC staff working at Sedgemere hut saw me and followed us up. I had just unloaded my bike off the trailer when they arrived and ordered me to reload my bike and would not allow me to ride to the lake even after explaining I had had a heart attack; however, me being bloody minded decided I would walk there as I was already at the car park, so I walked but was not able to fish much as I was stressed. However when I got home - with help of Jean Willis - an approach to the manager of DOC in Blenheim was made and my health explained the Manager understood my problem and I now have a lifetime exemption in writing which I carry in my fishing jacket. Thank you, Jean, I can now enjoy my fishing in the future.

Opening Day tales in the time of COVID 1. Emmanuel Shchukin Awesome opener for me and good mate Rob. We fished 6 rivers in 3 days. Finding good fish in all of them. And the fish have lost some weight especially in heavy rainfall areas.

2. Michael Stevenson The opening of the small streams meant I should find some fishable water. I headed for a tributary of the Motueka where I have had a fair bit of success over the years. There was a vehicle at my first choice so I drove a couple of kilometres upstream to the next access point. No one there so I quickly kitted out and headed for the water without stringing up my rod. When I got the to the river, I found I hadn’t swapped my sunglasses for my fishing ones with the magnifier bifocals so I can tie a fly to my tippet….back to the car (sigh).

Back at the river I approached the first bit of water that might hold a fish. This slot was halfway between the bridge and where the river turned last year. The big floods had altered the course to where the river had cut off the corner by 30- 50 feet. The old corner was completely filled in and there was a small backwater about half the distance from the old corner to the new course. Just above the new turn there is what I would call a “Fish at your own risk” hole. A build-up of debris has cut a depression but the trash hangs halfway across the hole directly over the deepest part. Hook a fish in the shallower area and it’s a guarantee it will head directly under the debris. Didn’t see any fish there which may have been a good thing. I crossed over to the small backwater and soon spotted a good fish cruising the left-hand shallows. You can see a small log in the photo and the fish is a smudge to the left below the point of sand and gravel. I changed to a lighter nymph below a parachute Adams and waited for the fish to turn away. As it eased forward, I began my false casts trying to compensate for the light but gusty left to right breeze. Just as I cast the breeze died and my leader went over the top of the fish. Because the water was so shallow, the fish didn’t like the disturbance above its head and spooked turning back to the deeper slot. I continued off upstream only to find the river radically altered. The next corner was gone, filled in and the water now cutting below it by 30 feet. My morning continued like that, not finding a decent corner pool and facing a lot of gravel where they used to be. There were a few deeper runs but the lack of cover (torn out by the flood waters) means the river will get too warm for fish this summer. To top things off, after only 200 yards, I came on boot tracks. I would not be all that surprised if they were from a day or two earlier because there were no cars parked nearby when I finally gave up and headed back to my car. I decided to head to a spot on the Motueka 20 miles downstream. I had fished this last season and knew it would be fishable even in higher flows. I was lucky no one was parked there and pulled in to have lunch. A sandwich and some fruit later and I wound my way through some small blackberry vines, old man’s beard (a noxious weed clematis) and thin willows to the wide riffle/run. I waded out

about 15 feet and fished the area carefully fanning my drifts from directly upstream to 40 feet across. There are plenty of good-sized rocks to provide feeding lies but I got no joy.

As I worked my way upstream, I could see a bit of greener water along my side that evidenced itself with a slick of much calmer water. When I arrived it was indeed 3-4 feet deeper than the rest of the vicinity and about the size of a living room. Starting in the quiet water, I gradually fished across the hole. TAKE! FISH! Finally some action for the new season. It was soon apparent that the fish wasn’t big but the one pounder was in good condition and bright. Moving up, I soon hooked its twin and had my second fish. A third take didn’t turn out well and the hook came out and the disturbance had put anything else off the bite. I decided to quit (actually, forced to quit for lack of fish-holding water) and call it a day. Not my best result for an opening but at least I did get out and didn’t get skunked. 3. Jacob Lucas We had a great Opening Day on the Wangapeka. These photo’s weren’t taken on Opening Day, however I thought you might be interested in pictures of your esteemed President (and gun angler) shamelessly fishing at the educational ponds on Friday. He even committed a fisheries offence while I was there but was let off with a warning in this instance

4. James Macdonald Firstly I have to apologise to Felix Borenstein regarding an error I made in the last Newsletter (September); in the first two pictures of Felix’ two >10 pounders, I indicated that he caught these two fish in 1961 (when he was only 1 year old!). In fact it was in 2001. I initially asked Felix to put pen to paper in early September. I asked him how the coming season was shaping up for the Owen River Lodge (ORL); Felix responded by saying he had no bookings with the country still not letting foreigners in freely. I thought about this for a short while and let Felix know that I was thinking about a booking for the beginning of the month, which happens to coincide with my birthday (any excuse!). Felix pointed out the ORL is offering a 25-35% discount for Kiwi residents (see https://www.owenriverlodge.co.nz/prices/ ). Fortunately I was able to persuade Richard Boyden to accompany me. We rocked up on September 30 and enjoyed the first of several gourmet meals served up by Chef Ryan. The next day Felix allocated guide Stefano Bonazza (of Pizza fame at the State Cinema in Nelson) to Richard and I; he had been scoping out the various streams and rivers in the area during the previous week and had selected a small stream south of Murchison for our start to the season. I was first up and within two casts had a 4.5 pounder on the bank. Second Cast! Another 4.5lb fish on opening day An Owen 5 pounder Stefano & James on the Owen Richard also was soon into a fish of similar size. I later caught another 4.5 lb fish on a dry fly; first time this has happened to me on Opening Day.

On the second day we fished a tributary of the Owen and the Owen itself. Stefano put me onto a thick, healthy 5 pounder. On the third day we tried the Wairau and Richard landed a couple of six pounders. Richard’s first 6 pounder from the Wairau The 2nd 6 pounder All in all a great trip; Richard and I can thoroughly recommend the Owen River Lodge; Kylie and Felix are excellent hosts!