Tale of the Trout

New Zealand is famous for its trout. Many fishermen say that some of the finest fly fishing in the world can be experienced here. Recently, when Pink Floyd’s Roger Waters performed his series of sold-out Wall concerts in Auckland, he was whisked off by helicopter between shows to try his luck landing some of our trout in secretive, out-of-the way places. Interestingly, it is illegal to sell trout commercially in New Zealand, though the number you take home to pan fry with almonds after a successful day’s angling is up to you. This is done to protect what has been described as a “world famous recreational resource”. New Zealand’s trout fishery is not native as, with so many creatures that inhabit Aotearoa, it was introduced. Rainbow trout, for instance, are believed to have been come from California in 1883. This photo was taken at  Paradise Valley Springs Wildlife Park near Rotorua in the central North Island. The  Ngongotaha Stream which runs through the park is the major trout spawning stream for Lake Rotorua and Lake Rotoiti and about 20,000 fish spawn in it annually. I was impressed by the walkway that wound around pools of crystal clear water and at the size of some of the trout. Kiwis will tell you that whether it’s Californian introduced rainbow, or the brown trout from Europe, our trout grow much bigger here than they ever do in their original habitat. Way bigger, and that’s no fisherman’s tale.