A home-grown fishing initiative – a women’s trout fly fishing tournament on the Tongariro River – proved such a success in 2019 it’s being repeated this year.

The Tongariro River Motel Annual Ladies’ Fly Fishing Tournament will be held in Tūrangi from June 25 to 27 and this year is expected to attract over 30 anglers, a jump on the 22 or so who attended in 2019.

Interest in the tournament has been so high that Tongariro River Motel owner Ross Baker, who is offering accommodation at cost to the participants, said he could have filled the rooms twice over.

“It just shows there’s a big gap in the market.”