500 over-fed trout to be released

A tanker load of 500 over-fed trout to be released into Lake Pupuke

Lake Pupuke becomes home to 500 over-fed trout tomorrow (Wednesday 2 May) as Fish & Game release them ready for a fishing competition being held on the lake this weekend.

Ben Wilson Auckland Waikato Fish & Game officer says the trout would usually come from their Ngongotaha hatchery in Rotorua and be between 0.6 to 1kg in size.

“ But because most of our Ngongotaha facilities were taken out with a landslide in January we are releasing trout raised for the last few months in the Turangi hatchery where they have been overfed and are actually going to be 1 to 2kg!”

The fishing competition being held at Lake Pupuke on Sunday 6 May from 6.00am to 3.30pm is to celebrate the lake’s improved water quality as well as get information about fish numbers, size and condition in the lake.

Lake Pupuke’s water quality has improved dramatically over the last decade because of the Auckland Regional Council environmental work in the lake’s catchment area. Lake Pupuke was first stocked with rainbow trout in the 1880s, making it the first lake in New Zealand to be stocked with trout. The fishing competition being held next Sunday celebrates that heritage and demonstrates to Aucklanders the fantastic opportunity they once again have to trout fish, only now it is in a highly urbanized environment.

The competition is being run by the North Shore Fly Fishers Club Inc and Trout Unlimited NZ with prizes valued at a total of $700 donated by Hunts Sports Store, North Shore Flyfishers Club and Trout Unlimited NZ.

ENDS