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"Hi Greg, We fished together on 23rd Jan 2004 on the Tongariro.
Caught 2 - a rainbow on the nymph and a magnificent brown on the dry.
Not a day passes when i don't think about that day - thanks again for such treasured memories.
I had my best ever season in England in 2004 and can't wait for the off on April 1st.
Hope things have been good for you.
Rest assured I shall return.
Say hello to Katie Bean.
Best regards and tight lines
Tiger"
THE
ONE THAT GOT AWAY
"With an
outside temperature of -2 C, I struggled out of a warm bed in time
for Greg to pick me up in his 4X4 truck for the short drive to
Turangi.
Greg
decided to fish the Tongariro river, just below the main bridge on
SH1. It's not
uncommon for this mighty river to flood, and so there were fallen
trees and debris to clamber over in pursuit of a new pool.
Greg climbed up a tree branch, as he often does, and with a
rather large grin told me that if I couldn't catch a trout here I
should give up fly fishing!
A short
first cast found the edge of the swirl - the indicator swung past
and then promptly disappeared. "Strike!" Greg yelled and so I did, playing an 8lb trout
which proceeded to break my line like it was made of cotton.
That was
the start of one of the best day's fly fishing I have ever
experienced. I believe
I hooked and landed about 50 fish that day - all from a very small
pool that many other anglers had walked past.
There
were plenty of excellent trophy fish to be caught from that pool
(later named The Honey Pot), one in particular being an estimated 10
+ lbs which I played for close to 45 minutes before the hook slipped
at the net. Well,
that's fishing.
The
Tongariro certainly lived up to its reputation for being an
excellent trout fishery, but I would have to say without a local
guide you may never get to tell a story like mine!
So give Greg a call, and tell him Mark sent you....but leave
some fish for me!"
Mark
Hampton
Canberra, AUSTRALIA
Footnote...
" I returned to Taupo this last
summer to try my hand at some sight fishing. Amongst the
many fish caught was one magnificent 11 pound Rainbow jack
measuring 28 inches long and 17 inches around the girth.
This more than made up for the one that got away! "
- Mark Hampton
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