MOHUKA RIVER TRIP REPORT2004 Only expecting twelve or so to be interested, it was a bit of a shock to get twenty four names. This was whittled down due to work commitment, weddings and injury to eighteen. Most arranged to go down to Riverlands on the Friday, many arriving before lunch, giving a chance to check out the river and have a fish. There was a good number of first timers to the river on the trip but also a spread of experienced fishermen. The weather had been good for quite a while and the river was low and clear. Brian and I tried upstream of Riverlands in the afternoon, finding Kent already there. Either I was a bit slow, or my indicator was two high up the line, as I managed to land three or four foul hooked fish in a row, before landing one legally hooked. Typical Mohaka Rainbows, solid little fighters. Than evening everyone got together to discus the fishing, have a meal, a few drinks and sort out what was happening on Saturday. I was a bit worried as Lance Knighton hadn't turned up and he had told me he was gong to leave Hamilton around lunchtime. He finally arrived around nine o'clock. He had lost track of time and suddenly realised he needed to get going around five thirty. His excuse was he was getting the video review ready for the newsletter. Saturday was another great day with Brian and I introduced the newbie's to the river along the front of Riverlands and giving a bit of instruction. We spotted a few fish one big glide/run but they were very spooky. I reached the top of the fishing with June and Alison and decided to give the crossing a go and flick a line in the top swimming pool. Usually you can't cross due to huge water but as it was so low, I decided to give it a go. We had crossed here last year in low water. After two steps I was fairly sure I was going for swim due to the struggle across. Walked up the head of the pool, took two casts and hooked a nice rainbow which I decided to keep. Brian needed a fish to show at a local school (dissect to see what fish eat). I then faced the crossing again, and once again only just managed to get across without going for a swim. After lunch Brian and I headed off with Ross to fish the "Organs". It was a bit of a struggle finding the access through the blackberry at the bottom of the hill as it had changed since last year, but we managed in the end. We spread out up the pool. I walked up above the other two, heading to a favourite spot only to get stymied by a couple of spin fishermen coming down stream. I managed to land a reasonable brown in a small side chute and Brian landed about three good rainbows in his pool. Ross was unlucky though. Stopped at Glenfalls reserve on the way back. Brian and Ross turned desperately to hook some of the rising fish in the top pool, but to no avail. Found out that the ladies had spent most of the afternoon there doing the same thing. Good get together that night, sang Happy Birthday to Derek and had a good sing along thanks to Kent and his guitar. The best fish of the day went to Dave Fritton, one of the newbies on the river. After a bit of instruction in the morning, not that he needed much, he quietly walked down stream and fished the corner by the Riverlands bridge and landed a 5lb rainbow. So much for all the rest, who drove off further downstream. The sweep went till one o'clock on Sunday, so everyone was out again in the morning. The weather was again super and the fishing was still on. Over the Saturday and Sunday morning sixty three fish were landed with at least thirty four more lost. Derek Burtenshaw won the sweep with a 5.25 lb fish on the Sunday with Dave Fritton taking second with his 5 lb'er on the Saturday. Rick Bradley caught the most fish over the time with a bag of eleven. The greater majority of the fish were returned to the river to give other anglers the chance to tackle them in the future. Once again, despite the low, clear water the Mohaka had shown why it is one of my favourite rivers. Stephen