Sporting Life - Turangi

25/08/2026

Tuesday 25th August 2026

Weather: 12.4° Fine apart from areas of morning and evening cloud. Westerlies.

River Flow: 20.8 Cumecs (m³/s)

We were greeted by sunshine this morning following a reasonably gusty night. Colder temperatures and light winds, accompanied by a few stronger gusts, have put a dampener on the enthusiasm of some anglers. Those keen enough to brave the conditions have been out and about and have had reasonably good success getting into some fish.

The river has dropped back down to the low 20s after rising by roughly 25 cumecs following the small amount of rain we received. This brought a smidgen of colour into some of the rivers, although not a significant amount.

The Hinemaiaia has been strangely quieter in terms of angler traffic, while the Tongariro has seen an increase in activity.

Neil and the crew who headed over to the islands for a bit of a saltwater fly-fishing mission are now back in the country. Neil has been back on the river and has managed to get into some nice fresh fish on his two-hander. Despite the river being low and clear, he had good success using the ever-reliable Green Woolly Bu**er.

I hit the Hinemaiaia on Monday morning with Rosie and my friend Luke for a little morning mission before needing to run some errands in Taupō. The Hine was incredibly low and clear, which made things a little tougher, but after donating a few rigs to the bush, I managed to convince two nice, fresh hens to eat a Pink Slushy. This was a little different from what we’ve been seeing on the sunny, clear-water days, but regardless, it seemed to be what they were keen on that morning.

Towards lunchtime, the wind started to pick up, which was good timing for us as we needed to head into Taupō.

Looking ahead to the rest of the week, we’re seeing the possibility of some rain, with showers expected for the most part and potentially some heavier periods on Saturday and Sunday. Hopefully, this builds a little as the week develops and we get some decent rain into the rivers. Wind will also be something to keep an eye on as the week progresses.

With the cooler conditions and the possibility of a bit of fresh water on the way, we’ve been tying gel eggs and slushies like mad in-store. The Slushy King himself, Tim, has been at the vise tying up another batch as we speak, so we’ll be well stocked for the coming week.

If you’re heading out in the wetter and colder conditions, we’ve also got you covered in-store with a great range of Patagonia rain jackets and a solid line-up of XTM thermals. Both are available online or in-store and should help keep you warm and dry while you’re out on the water.

Tight lines everyone!

~Niamh (Bluey)

23/08/2026

Sunday 23rd August 2026

Weather: 10.1° Cloudy periods with isolated showers, clearing to fine early evening. Gusty westerlies.

River Flow: 25.9 Cumecs (m³/s)

Finally, we’ve had a bit of rain! It wasn’t quite enough to really move things along, but it’s certainly better than nothing.

It’s been a blustery day, with a few welcome periods of calm. We had a little rain this morning, followed by a decent downpour around lunchtime, which saw the river creep up by a few cumecs. There was also a slight tinge of colour coming into the water.

Those who braved the weather were rewarded with a fairly successful day on the river.

Reports through the shop have been very positive, especially considering how low and clear the conditions have been. We’ve also seen plenty of people out and about, with reports of good numbers of anglers on many of the rivers, which has been great to see.

I took Sombra the cat for a wander down to one of the smaller rivers and bumped into a few anglers along the way. They said it had been a bit of a slow day, but they were still managing to get into some fish. I also spotted quite a few fish myself and was wishing I’d brought the rod along!

Egg patterns have been consistently effective over the last few weeks, with the best results generally coming first thing in the morning and towards the evening. With the bit of rain we’ve had and the river colouring up ever so slightly, we’d expect them to fish well throughout the day too. Natural patterns are still producing consistently well.

Looking ahead to the coming week, we’re expecting some fine weather with plenty of sunshine through to at least Thursday. From there, we may see some scattered showers developing into more persistent rain by Friday and continuing through the weekend. Hopefully, this will be enough to give the river levels a bit of a lift.

Wet-lining during the rain and in the days afterwards should start to pick up again, and it’ll also be a good option when there’s a bit of wind around.

I’ll be heading out for a morning fish with Rosie tomorrow, so hopefully we’ll get into a few fish! I’ll report back on how we get on when I’m back at work.

Tight lines, everyone!

~ Niamh (Bluey)

20/08/2026

We had some tech issues and weren't able to post Wednesdays report on Facebook, but it has been live on our website.

Here is Wednesday's report for those who still like reading them regardless of the day.

Wednesday 19th July 2026

Tongariro River Flow: 20.9(m3/sec)

Weather: Mainly fine with some evening cloud. Southerlies.

The past two days have been Icey cold and some strong winds pushing through resulting in the fishing to be tough going. The river is currently really low sitting at 20.9 (m3/sec).

Egg flies have been producing fish in the Tongariro but as soon as the sun comes out or it reaches mid-day the natural flies seem to be working a lot better. There hasn't been a spike in the river for a long time so the fish in the system have been moving further up the river.

The upper section of the Tongariro have been more productive than the lower sections. Reports have been saying there is a good number of fish in the shallow riffles and can produce some good fishing if fished carefully.

People are seeking more sheltered areas for fishing like the Hinemaiaia which are producing good numbers of fish the further you trek up the river. Natural nymphs working the best on a euro nymphing set up. Nymphs like the hair and copper, green cadis and pheasant tails with pink beads.

Luke from the shop got this beautiful brown on the Waitahanui There isn't huge numbers of fish there but can produce some lovely browns. The fish here are Trickey, very spooky and hesitant to take a fly. But is rewarding when you convince one to take.

Slushies are selling really quickly lately, getting a good restock today by the slushie king, good idea to pair with a bomb to get down quickly due to the slushy material has a lot of resistance in the water so needs some help to get down deep.

We look forward to hearing about how the fishing goes during the week. Send us through your photos.

Tight Lines everyone,

Sportinglife Turangi.

13/08/2026

Thursday 13th August 2026

Weather: 10.1° Periods of rain, possibly heavy. Northeasterlies, dying out late afternoon.

River Flow: 22 Cumecs (m³/s)

It’s a beautiful drizzly morning here in Tūrangi, and we’re certainly not complaining about a bit of wet weather! Hopefully this drizzle keeps coming throughout the day, as the river has already come up ever so slightly. It’s still sitting fairly low at the moment, but a little more rain could be just what we need to add some colour and get the fish moving a bit more. It’s always nice to see a bit of water coming into the system, and we’ll be keeping a close eye on it as the day unfolds.

The reports coming through the shop over the last few days have been very positive, with good numbers of fish being landed and, importantly, plenty of fish in really good condition. It’s great to see things picking up, and there has been a noticeable increase in angler traffic both through the town pools and further upriver, with a pretty constant presence of anglers out and about.

Slushies and egg patterns have been doing plenty of damage, with natural patterns also proving their worth. A touch more flow and a bit of colour from this drizzle would be a welcome bonus and should only help keep the fishing ticking along nicely and the fish on the move.

Josh and Rosie also headed out to the Delta on Monday, and it certainly paid off, with both of them landing five great-condition fish each. From what they were telling me, the fish were showing a real interest in bright orange egg patterns, with both the main rip and the side rip holding fish.

It sounds like there were plenty of fish spread throughout the area, and with the river hopefully getting a touch more water and colour, it’ll be interesting to see if that gets a few more fish moving around and looking for a feed.

We’d also like to give a big welcome to the newest member of the Sporting Life team, Luke! Originally from Ireland, Luke has been in New Zealand for around six months now, spending most of his time down South, and has finally made his way up to the Central Plateau.

Luke has been fishing since he was around seven years old and has always had New Zealand firmly on his list of places he wanted to fish. He’ll be with us until at least December, giving him plenty of time to explore the region, get to know the local rivers and, of course, put plenty of time in on the water.

He’s really looking forward to getting stuck into the Central Plateau and learning the ins and outs of how we fish the area. With a wealth of fly-fishing knowledge and just as much enthusiasm for the sport as the rest of us, we’re stoked to have him on the team and are sure he’ll fit right in!

The photo above is a beautiful brown he landed on the Waitahanui on Monday. What a cracker of a fish.

Looking ahead, the next few days are shaping up nicely, with cloud cover and scattered showers forecast right through to Sunday night. We’re certainly happy to see a bit of wet weather hanging around, and if it delivers some extra water to the river, it could be just what we need to keep the fish moving into the system.

Temperatures are also set to drop away overnight as we head into the weekend, so things will definitely continue much the same as we’ve been experiencing lately, with those consistently cold winter conditions we’re already well used to out there. If this weather pattern sticks around, we should hopefully see more fish making their way through the system.

Looking into next week, the weather is expected to turn colder but drier, much like we’ve seen over the past month. That will most likely see the frosts return, so make the most of the softer, wetter conditions while they’re here. For now, we’re pretty happy to see a bit of rain on the forecast!

Tight lines everyone and stay warm!

~Niamh (Bluey)

11/08/2026

07/08/2026

Friday 7th August 2026

Weather: 8.4° Severe morning frosts. A fine day apart from patchy low cloud this morning. Light winds, then westerlies developing in the afternoon. Low of -2° overnight.

River Flow: 21.4 Cumecs (m³/s)

Another freezing morning greeted us here in the Central Plateau, with a thick layer of frost covering the ground. Thankfully, the wind has stayed away for most of the day, and the sunshine has provided some welcome relief for those who have been out braving the cold.

The reports coming through the shop have continued much the same as we've been hearing recently. Fishing has been challenging, but anglers are still managing to hook into fish. Natural fly patterns have been noticeably more productive than egg patterns, particularly during the sunny parts of the day. However, egg patterns are still proving effective in the early mornings and again towards the evening.

The forecast is looking promising, with showers and rain expected on Sunday before another spell of wet weather arrives from Tuesday through to Friday. At this stage, Thursday is shaping up to receive the heaviest rainfall.

With the increased cloud cover and, hopefully, a decent amount of fresh water entering the river systems, we're expecting to see larger pods of fish moving through. It should also bring some much-needed colour back into the rivers, creating more favourable conditions for anglers.

I headed down to the Lower Bridge Pool today with Sombra the cat to gather a bit more intel from anglers. Traffic on the river was fairly quiet, and I only managed to catch up with one fisherman.

He had landed four fish for the day but said it had been fairly hard work in the low, clear conditions. All of the fish he hooked into were on the darker side, with none being fresh-run. Despite the challenging fishing, he was more than happy to stick it out, especially with such a beautiful winter's day and the chance to make the most of a day off.

Looking ahead to the weekend, the forecast is certainly encouraging. With rain on the way, I'm hoping we'll see conditions improve, more fish on the move, and the rivers come to life over the coming days.

Back in-store, we've been busy shuffling things around and restocking the shelves to make sure you have everything you need before heading out. We've also just reduced the price of three fantastic Guideline fly rods by 30% to make room for new models arriving soon. The Guideline Stoked, LPX Predator, and LPX Chrome are all exceptional rods, and with limited stock available, now's a great time to grab a bargain before they're gone.

We've also topped up our range of XTM Thermals and Magnum 5mm Neoprene Waders, with plenty of sizes available. If you've been feeling the bite of these frosty mornings, the 5mm neoprene waders are a fantastic option for staying warm and comfortable while you're out on the river.

Ollie also sent through this great photo of a fresh hen he landed on an egg pattern. It's always fantastic to receive photos like these to share in the report, so a big thanks to everyone who sends them in.

I'll be keeping a close eye on the weather over the coming days and, with a bit of luck, I'll be able to sneak out for a fish on my next days off. Until then, I'll see you all in the shop! If you have any photos of yourself or your mates out on the water, or even just a great fish photo, I'd love to see them. They're always appreciated and help make these reports even better.

Tight lines, everyone. Stay warm, and here's hoping the forecast rain arrives and gets those fish moving properly!

~ Niamh (Bluey)

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04/08/2026

Tuesday 4th August 2026

Weather: 5.3° Showers, with snow flurries to 300 metres, becoming isolated in the evening. Elsewhere, partly cloudy becoming fine in the evening. Frost developing at night. Southerlies.

River Flow: 22.2 Cumecs (m³/s)

We are now a few days into August, and it looks like we're in for a spell of very cold weather before more rainfall arrives. Hopefully, the extra rain will give the rivers a welcome lift. It's been very quiet around the shop this morning, which is hopefully a good sign that everyone is out making the most of the overcast conditions and the light drizzle we're currently enjoying. Snow has been falling across many parts of the country, a clear reminder that winter has well and truly arrived. We've also had a few sleety showers today, with temperatures dropping steadily as the day has progressed.

Over the weekend, plenty of anglers put in the hard yards and were rewarded with a good number of fish in excellent condition. Success came to those who stayed patient, fished smaller indicators, and switched to more natural fly patterns when the sun was out.

I've also managed to get out on a few trips with Hamish in the hope of learning a bit of Euro nymphing. It was definitely a learning curve, but I feel like I'm starting to get the hang of it.

On Monday afternoon, I headed out for a fish with Rosie. Despite a strong breeze, we both managed to land two fish each in a relatively short space of time, with all four fish in excellent condition for the dinner table. The fish showed a clear preference for the more natural patterns over the egg flies. As the sun began to dip, the wind steadily picked up and eventually drove us off the river. Even so, with both of us getting on the board and taking home some quality fish, we headed home happy.

Looking ahead, overnight temperatures are set to plummet well into the negatives, with a little rain forecast for the weekend. There are currently road snowfall warnings in place for both the Napier–Taupō Road and the Desert Road. As I mentioned earlier, snow has been falling across many parts of the country, and hopefully we'll get to see a few snowflakes here as well. We're also looking forward to some more rain next week, which should give the rivers another welcome lift.

We've recently topped up our range of thermals and warm neck gaiters, which will make a big difference for anyone looking to stay comfortable and warm while out on the water.

Overall, this week is shaping up nicely, with a mix of sunshine and, hopefully, the occasional rain. Ideal conditions for getting out on the river all be it a tad on the cold side.

Tight lines, everyone!

~ Niamh (Bluey)

31/07/2026

There was some good banter via anglers who had been on the Tongariro early coming through Sporting Life - Turangi this morning.

While there wasn't a big change to the flow levels there was enough rain overnight and through the morning to appear to have got fish on the move and most anglers were happy with numbers and an increase in size from winter runs so far.

It was overwhelmingly a day for the slushie fly with I reckon 90% plus of the happy morning anglers combining a heavy fly with a slushie on an indicator rig or euro setup and working the lower to mid sections of the river.

It rained late afternoon and into the early evening with a brief lull where this rainbow popped out over the Red Hut Bridge while I was taking a walk.

The temperature dropped significantly as dark approached and shes looking like being crisp tomorrow with fresh snow falling now on Ruapehu so throw some warm kit on and if you've been out all day today put your boots by the fireplace before they turn into ice blocks.

29/07/2026

Thursday 30th July 2026

Morning report from Timmy on this beautiful overcast morning.

29/07/2026

Wednesday 29th July 2026

Weather: 9.0° Fine with areas of severe morning frost or fog. Some late evening cloud. Light winds.

River Flow: 22.7 Cumecs (m³/s)

We've certainly been feeling the cold over the past few days as the southerlies have swept through.

Late last week, a spell of rain saw the river rise to around 40 cumecs before quickly dropping back into the mid-20s. The fresh initially brought a welcome run of fish into the river, with many anglers enjoying success before numbers tapered off again as the weather cleared and the sun returned. Despite conditions becoming more challenging, reports through the shop have remained positive, with plenty of anglers still hooking fish and bringing them to the net.

The extra colour in the river lingered for a couple of days, providing some welcome relief for those hoping for more typical winter fishing conditions.

Rosie and I headed back to the Delta on Sunday morning, fully expecting to be greeted by a hard frost. Armed with a flask of hot tea, towels to sit on, plenty of extra layers, and a healthy dose of enthusiasm, we were well prepared for the chilly start. As always, Tokaanu didn't disappoint, treating us to a stunning sunrise that made the early start well worthwhile.

Our tactics from the previous week proved just as effective, although we made a slight change to the fly pattern. The adjustment paid off, and over the course of the morning we enjoyed some excellent fishing.

Later in the morning, another boat joined us after harling around the area. The angler mentioned he'd marked several large pods of fish on the sounder not far off the river mouth. It's an encouraging sign that plenty of fish are stacked up just offshore, waiting for the next fresh to push them into the river.

Looking ahead to the next few days, there's a chance of a few showers and a slight lift in temperatures, both of which should make for more comfortable conditions on the river. Thursday and Friday are currently looking like they'll only bring isolated showers, while Saturday has the potential for a more widespread spell of rain. If that eventuates, it could provide another welcome fresh and encourage more fish to move into the river.

The Brown Trout Fly Fishing Club is back in town for their annual competition over the next few days. I caught up with the group over dinner and a few drinks last night to see how everyone was getting on and to hear about their plans for the competition. It's always great to have this fantastic bunch back each year, and I'm looking forward to seeing how the event unfolds. Best of luck to everyone taking part!

I'll be keeping a close eye on the conditions over the coming days and will report back with any updates.

Tight lines, everyone!

~ Niamh (Bluey)