With well over 1000 trout passing through the Te Wairoa trap on Lake Tarawera so far this spawning season, Fish & Game staff are optimistic that some top notch fishing lies ahead.

At last count, 1035 fish had been measured in the trap, one of the signs pointing to "encouraging fish numbers" in Lake Tarawera this season – which should translate into some "solid catches," says Fish & Game Officer Matt Osborne.

Judy Evans with a great rainbow caught last Opening Day on Lake Tarawera.

More positive signs came from a recent drift dive at the Tarawera outlet in which a total of 757 large fish were spotted, well ahead of the count taken in August last year.

The number of trout spawning at the Tarawera outlet got off to a slower start this year but built steadily as winter progressed. This means plenty of trout should be available for anglers in coming years, says Matt.

Meanwhile, with only weeks to go before Opening Day on 1 October, Fish & Game Officer Mark Sherburn says anglers should remember that there is still good fishing to be had on lakes that don't close over winter such as Rotoma and Rotoehu.

Two to four colours of lead line and a Tassie Devil lure trolled along a drop-off at a slow speed will usually do the trick at this time of year, he says.

He says that staff will soon be starting their spring programme of releasing nearly 40,000 fish into the Rotorua lakes.

Further east, at Lake Waikaremoana, an intensive spawning and fisheries monitoring programme has also indicated positive trends, and some 'impressive fish numbers.”

Fish & Game is reminding anglers that licences for the coming season, which begins October 1, are now on sale.

There are now nine different licence options available, from the premium whole season licence covering New Zealand, to a nine day Long Break Licence and One Day licence for a single day's fishing.