Monday, March 4, 1996

Waitongataona River

Up and at’em on this gorgeous, big spring creek-like river south of Hari-Hari. The Hari-Hari Motor Inn is OK place, by the way. Big difference from the freestone rivers. Up river from a bridge (1st ?) down from the highway, about an hour or so up, we get into some fun action with some rising fish in a backwater around an island. The usual sit-can casting (take lessons) but one unlucky customer eats the #16 nymph on 5x, pretty 5 lb’er “meets the mesh” (!) Aquarium-like visibility in the late a.m., but it doesn’t last; clouds from the mountains take over, with some misty rain later on. I lose one more, pick up one more further up; bad spotting light hampers us. Note ‘some chafing in inner thigh from elastic around mish insert in wading pants. Boots are starting to fail! (atleast need new felts). The usually 9-5 day on the river, back for some beer and the smorg.