November 2023 Blog

No flash title, no flash stories to tell, November has felt like ugh , is it really November?

Traditionally I have a spring in my step with warmer days, higher flows and enthusiasm to hit the water.
November has been a real mixed bag with weather conditions with some beautiful hot days that had low uninviting river flows with drastic cold southerly changes and dreary cloudy nights but there's one big elephant in the room that has made November feel less traditional which brings me questioning that word, traditional, what does it even mean?

Lets do a quick Google search

"based on a way of thinking, behaving, or doing something that has been used by the people in a particular group, family, society, etc., for a long time"





Hmmmm “Based on doing something for a longtime” I find this rather fascinating

“Traditionally” in November the river mouths were full of keen “river users” but when I checked the cameras in November there wasn’t a lineup of people along the river bank

“Traditionally” in November the campgrounds near river mouths are full, but this year each time I visit it's just empty grassland which almost looks abandoned

“Traditionally” many friends reunite once a year in November and reminisce over a cuppa in between tides

This is all a “Tradition” that I have done, and I know you have done along with hundreds of other friends and families around New Zealand

Firstly we ask “why” and yes we do have compassion and understand “some” of the logic but the question to ask is “how have we let this happen”

I'm not talking about the “how did the population so called collapse” , this is not the argument, it's “How did hundreds of Kiwis subject to the unimportance of Tradition”

We all know from our lifetimes spent on rivers that November is important to us.
The weather warms up, the Spring flows are great, the birds are busy feeding, the campgrounds are full and the lifelong friends laugh at stories they remember from the time they caught up 12 months ago.

If it was a choice, Im sure we would all rather give up September to keep November which is “the month” we all have our success

I don't mind one bit having species management, we all have to do our part.
I can accept this, but where is the Kiwi can do attitude with enhancing vital spawning areas and restoration -
Why is the only focus on reduced season?

You have been told “Population collapse” , the population sure has collapsed in the month of November and its the fellow Kiwi……
Maybe the powers at be should jump on their local Facebook Market Place to study the population of “Fresh November Whitebait for sale”…….



At least we got to carry on one longstanding “Tradition” and that was the opening of the High County Lakes

I wish I was more upbeat to tell you more about this
For now heres some snapshots of Lake Heron on opening day to show how lucky we are