Reel Life October 2025 - Taranaki

The 2025 fishing season has kicked off with promising reports from around the Ringplain in terms of fish abundance and size, yet some consistently poor weather. 

Image above: Michael Bakker with a beaty opening season ringplain brown

Despite the stretch of unsettled weather and frequent rain early in the month, those who braved the elements likely benefited from reduced angling pressure with some excellent trout caught, with a few larger specimens reaching up to 3.5kg.

Throughout October, water levels have fluctuated considerably, meaning more angling days spent fishing raised and discoloured flows. In these variable situations, fishing with creeper imitations, streamers, or soft baits in the eddies and along flooded riverbanks has proven effective. Rivers seem to have now returned to typical October flows, and fishing conditions will hopefully continue to improve as we head into November.

Anglers across the Waimarino have experienced a variety of river conditions through October, with regular small freshes and changeable weather keeping things interesting. Despite occasional high flows, river levels have generally dropped back quickly after each fresh, providing windows to get out for a spin or soft bait. The Mangawhero River remains the best gauge for regional flow conditions.

Rotomanu Fish Release & Kids Fishing Day

We’re pleased to confirm that this year’s Lake Rotomanu Kids Fishing Event will take place on Saturday, 8^th November, 8am to 1pm.

To keep anglers busy in the meantime, 120 healthy rainbows were released into Lake Rotomanu on Tuesday the 14^th October, with many of these fish exceeding the 2lb mark. Anglers are encouraged to make the most of this latest release by grabbing a licence and heading out for a fish before the next scheduled stocking in the first week of November.

Hatchery rainbow about to be released into Lake Rotomanu, 14^th October.

For further information and to register for this year’s event, please see the details below:

The 6^th annual Lake Rotomanu Family Trout fishing day scheduled for Saturday the 8th November, 8am – 1pm.

Taranaki Fish and Game is funding the release of 500 good-sized rainbow trout into the lake for the event and Lake Rotomanu also supports a healthy population of perch, a white-fleshed good-eating species that are fun to catch.

The event will again be run in conjunction with the Inglewood Rod, Hunting and Clay Target Club and Taranaki Hunting & Fishing. We also appreciate the sponsorship of New Plymouth’s PaknSave and CD Rods. The Vibe coffee van will also be on-site.

2024 Rotomanu Kids fishing event

This year, to save on paperwork, if your child is aged under 12 on the 1st of October 2025 we’re encouraging you to head to the Fish & Game website here to obtain their free fishing licence. Click on “buy a new licence”, then “Fishing 2025/26”, then “resident licences” and scroll down to “Child Fishing Licence Whole Season - Resident ($0)”. Enter your child’s details and once you put in the birth date it will come up that the licence is free, and you can either print out the receipt or keep it on your phone.

If your child is 12 or older on 1st of October 2025 you can register via this link.

Parents and caregivers can assist their children to fish even if they do not hold a license, but please just one rod per licence holder.

Families need to bring their own fishing gear to this event and are encouraged to bring what fishing gear they have to the Rod & Hunting Club’s marquee tent set up on the grass by the boat ramp prior to fishing and volunteers will assist with gear set-up, lures, bait etc if need be. Families can then distribute themselves at suitable fishing sites around the lake. Volunteers will also circulate to provide advice and assistance where needed. If you have a supply of garden worms, they are a great bait for trout and perch. Fish & Game will have 100 spinners and soft baits to give away to get you going. Taranaki Hunting & Fishing will also have ready-to-go fishing sets available for purchase from $40.

The objective of the day is to create an angling opportunity for families by providing them with the knowledge, skills and support to successfully fish Lake Rotomanu as well as providing parents and caregivers with the skills to be able to bring their children or grandchildren back fishing in the future.

We look forward to seeing you at this year’s event!