Reel Life December 2025

10 more sleeps till Fishmas!

Merry Fishmas to all the readers of Reel Life from the team here at Fish & Game.

The countdown to Fishmas is on for many of our anglers, with many looking to use the upcoming holiday break to try out new gear or fishing locations.

The weather seems to be settling, and the rain expected for this week will top up our rivers and cool down some temperatures, perfect timing for that holiday season fishing expedition.

If you can get out early and score yourself a nice trout for the Christmas day feast, we’ve got some great recipes in the Fish & Game cookbook.

If you can’t find your copy, we’ve copied some in the Fish & Game magazine, which you can access online here.

If you haven’t got your licence, grab one quickly online here or visit your local fishing shop and get one in person.

Fishing workshops over the summer

Each year, over the summer break, our Fish & Game staff are out there working, doing compliance checks, but also running many workshops on things like tips & tricks for soft baiting, or on boat fishing, for instance.

Our skilled staff are always keen to share their knowledge, so we run these workshops in order to help you have the best fishing experience possible.

Check out the regional links to see what’s on in your region or nearby over the summer break.

New book celebrates New Zealand's backcountry fishing adventures

A new guidebook for anglers exploring New Zealand's wilderness has just been published, with contributions from Kiwi anglers and guides Tony Entwistle, Chris Bell, Rob Vaz and Samuel Harrison.

My Dream Fish - New Zealand: Trout, Wilderness, and Adventure in the Backcountry,  by Steve Rebellton is a guide to fly fishing and spin fishing for trout in New Zealand's remote regions.

The book covers everything you need to know about backcountry fishing across 30 chapters. Topics include safety, packrafting, fishing & trekking equipment, dangers & safety measures, nutrition, trekking information, guiding services, regulations, stories and information about rivers and lakes from across the country.

Over 300 photos capture the diverse appeal of New Zealand trout fishing, from accessible lakes to wilderness rivers in the most remote locations.

Check the book out here: mydreamfish.com/book.pdf

Available as paperback and ebook/PDF at: mydreamfish.com/

Sockeye Salmon

A spread of smoked sockeye salmon, caught in the Central South Island this December.

For those anglers travelling through the centre of the South Island, the window to catch sockeye salmon is now open.

These fish are delicious, but they can be challenging to catch. However, the team at Central South Island Fish & Game has some great tips and tricks to help catch one. They’ve even done a video to help you here.

Licence Photo Competition

Send in your best fishing picture to go in the monthly draw for our annual Fishing Licence photo competition.

Enter here, and you could win one of the monthly $250 Kilwell vouchers and then be eligible for the $1000 prize for the overall winner, plus get your image on next year’s fishing licence.

Licence photo competition winner November

Lucie is the first monthly winner of a $250 Kilwell voucher. December entries are open and get your entry in now here.

Once again Merry Fishmas and Happy New Year from the team here at Fish & Game NZ.