Techy Thursday - Avoiding the holiday hustle
Merry Xmas folks and have a great New Year. Chances are you’ll get a well-earned break away at some point and will search out that hallowed quiet water, however so too will everyone else.
As kiwis flock to their favourite holiday getaway the rivers and lakes can become rather busy, however it never takes too much to get away from the crowds.
Chris’ tips for beating those holiday crowds:
- get up earlier
- get up earlier
- get up earlier
Rolling up at the road end late morning will probably see you following in others footsteps, however when on the family clock, day breakers aren’t always possible. Here are a few other thoughts to make the most of your Xmas holiday angling.
- Plan and prepare for encounters. Choose an access maybe where you know there is a bit of ground upstream between access points, or, or maybe fish a little more local, water that others may drive past.
- Choose water with a reasonable head of fish to give yourself more shots and to make the most of your often shorter, holiday session.
- Fish slow. There are more fish about than you think, so fish the water thoroughly and make the most of the river in front of you.
- Fish rested water if following others upstream. If the access allows, maybe wander a little downstream and fish back up and through. By the time you pass the access point the water will have been rested a few hours, and new fish will be out and feeding, unaware of the earlier angling intrusion. If walking a few pools down, especially if you’re a late arrival, be mindful of any anglers who may be working upstream from the access below.
- fish where others aren’t. Chances are that previous angling parties will have followed the well worn path along that grassy bank. Try crossing over and fishing that far edge, or poking up into that overgrown backwater. Fish the water that others may overlook.
- Respect others. Leave them space. Be prepared to share the water.
And do not overlook our larger lakes and stillwater’s. Most hold a high population and by now damsels, Manuka beetle and possibly a few early cicada should be drawing fish to the edges.