New Zealand's Best Fishing Destinations

New Zealand is an angler’s paradise and people travel from across the globe to fish in our waters. Our diverse landscape and pristine waters make it the perfect destination for a fishing holiday. From lake hatcheries to fly-fishing to open-ocean fishing, we have it all! In today’s post, I’m going to share some of the top spots for fishing in New Zealand. If you’re coming for a fishing adventure here, you won’t want to miss these incredible locations.

Lake Taupo

Lake Taupo is a top destination for trout fishing on the North Island. The town of Turangi, at the south end of Lake Taupo, is referred to as the ‘Trout Fishing Capital of New Zealand.’ Many visitors to the region base themselves in Turangi, which is the ideal base for exploring the waters of Lake Tuapo and the rivers surrounding it. The Tongariro River, an important spawning river teaming with rainbow and brown trout, passes right through Turangi. If you get tired of fishing from the shore, it’s easy to hire a charter for open water fishing on Lake Taupo.

Where to stay: Turangi Kiwi Holiday Park is a top choice for anglers in the region. It’s set up to accommodate fisherman and provides ample space to clean your catch and relax after a day on the water.

Coromandel Peninsula

The Coromandel is the perfect place to base yourself for a beach holiday and open-sea fishing trip. It’s a favourite for family holidays because there’s enough to keep everyone busy here – beach lovers can relax on the white sandy beaches, while the fishermen (or women) in the group get out on the water. The area is known for its game fish, including snapper, kingfish, marlin and tuna. Charter boats depart daily from Whitianga and overnight fishing charters are also on offer.

Where to stay: Seabreeze Holiday Park is just a 25-minute drive from Whitianga. It’s located in one of the most popular areas of The Cormandel, with Hot Water Beach, Hahei and Cathedral Cove just a stone’s throw away. That means you won’t have any complaints from those who decide to stay on terra firma while you’re off fishing for the day!

West Coast

For something uniquely Kiwi, try your hand at catching whitebait between September and mid-November on the South Island’s West Coast. Caught with a net, these tiny fish are considered a delicacy, so whitebait season is highly anticipated each year. Before you head out, make sure you understand the whitebait regulations, which are strictly enforced in New Zealand. There are also guides in the area who can take you to the best spots and provide you with the gear needed to catch whitebait. If you aren’t lucky with your haul, there are plenty of restaurants and cafes in the area that will be happy to serve you a world-famous whitebait fritter.

Where to stay: The estuaries around Greymouth are great place to catch whitebait, making our Greymouth Kiwi Holiday Park and Motels the perfect base for a whitebait adventure.

Otago

You’d have no problem spending several weeks fishing in the Otago region. The area is home to three alpine lakes that hold ample supplies of salmon, brown and rainbow trout. If fly-fishing is your preference, you’ll be spoilt for choice with the large number of rivers and tributaries traversing the region. There are so many spots to choose from, that you’re guaranteed to find a quiet place of your own on any given day. NZFishing.com provides a Otago Fishing Waters map and guide on their website – I recommend checking out this useful resource if you’re planning a trip to Otago.

Where to stay: If you’re planning to fish the waters of Lake Wanaka, Hawea or Waktipu, then Kurow Holiday Park is the perfect place to stay. We have 4 holiday parks in Otago, so you’ll be able to find a friendly place to stay no matter where you decide to go fishing.

Don’t forget to send pictures!

I hope you have a great time on your New Zealand fishing trip. I don’t expect you to share you’re your top-secret location with me, but I’d love to see what you catch! Feel free to share photos with us via Facebook or a short trip report in the comments area below. If you need any help finding the best Kiwi Holiday Park for your trip, don’t hesitate to contact us.

Photos

Tekapo Trout, South Island NZ by Rexness, CC BY-SA 2.0

A triple strike by Andym5855, CC BY-SA 2.0