Lower North Lowdown Weekly Fishing Report - 12 February 2026

More Great Weekend Angling On The Cards   

It's forecast to be a mainly fine weekend for most of the Wellington and Taranaki Fish & Game regions, allowing anglers to get out and enjoy the superb run of fishing. 

Wairarapa-based anglers may need to get their angling fix in on Saturday though, as a southwesterly comes in and brings some rain. 

Elsewhere it's a mix of sunny skies and only occasional showers which aren't expected to affect river flows. 

Pictured - A stunning Wairarapa brown caught by Camlo Carter in a Ruamahanga River tributary.     

The dry fly fishing is still excellent, with cicadas continuing their raucous chorus in most parts. Some anglers are, however,  reporting trout being finicky on cicadas, we've found that when this is the case they are happy to take a passion vine hopper imitation.       

Staff drift diving the Ruamahanga River yesterday.

Lightly-weighted nymphs fished just below the surface are also getting results.

Meanwhile, Wellington Fish & Game's summer drift dive programme is well underway. Each summer we drift dive around 80km of river transects across the region, from the Kaimanawa Range down to the Hutt Valley.

Tight lines and we'll see you on the water!

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Here's the outlook this weekend...    

Hutt Valley

Click here for live updates and forecasts for the Hutt Valley.

The Hutt River is flowing clear all the way through and looking very fishy on a lovely Wellington day. It still has really good flow for this time of year and the fish are clearly enjoying it, they're feeding actively throughout the day. Staff were drift diving the upper reaches earlier this week and the cicadas were deafening; seems to be a number of different species on the wing - from the large black specimens to smaller (around 25mm) bright green ones. The Pakarutahi, Whakatikei and Akatarawa are still holding good numbers of fish given good summer flows.    

The Hutt River at Memorial Park this morning (Photo: Al Markham) 

Kapiti Coast

Click here for live updates and forecasts for the Kapiti Coast. 

The Otaki, Waikanae and Ohau are running clear with good flows. You can see from the image below that river maintenance works below the State Highway One bridge is underway but it is currently in the dry so there's no sediment affecting water clarity. Still excellent fishing opportunities above the bridge at Crystall’s Lagoon bend and upstream towards Otaki Forks.

The Otaki River at SH1 this morning (Photo: Phil Teal)

Wairarapa

Click here for live updates and forecasts for the Wairarapa region.

Early morning cloud is slowly burning off in Wairarapa on what promises to be another hot day. The Ruamahanga River is still holding good flow, as are the Waiohine, Waingawa and Tauherenikau for mid-summer, and trout are busy throughout the day. There is prolific insect life around for the fish and yesterday's drift dives revealed trout in stunning condition. Anglers will want to get in ahead of small front on Sunday; otherwise the fishing will be red hot through to late Saturday.   

Check out the latest conditions for the lower Ruamahanga by calling this free-phone number - 083229069.             

The Ruamahanga River at 'The Cliffs' this morning (Photo: Hamish Carnachan).

Manawatu

Click here for live updates and forecasts for the Manawatu region.

The Manawatu River is back to being clear all the way through the system, along with all the other waterways in the catchment. Just a few showers in the forecast for the region over the weekend; these shouldn't affect the rivers sourced in the Ruahines and the east. Do keep an eye on the mainstem below the gorge if heading out on Sunday though. The band of rain affecting Wairarapa could spill over into the Mangatainoka and Mangahao rivers, which will dirty up the Manawatu below the confluences.                    

The Manawatu River at Weber Road this morning (Photo: Horizons).

Rangitikei

Click here for live updates and forecasts for the Rangitikei region.

The Rangitikei River is at perfect fishable flow all the way through the system. The river has been fishing superbly over the past week and really turned it on for anglers who got out over Waitangi weekend. There are showers forecast today, but the rain radar doesn't look sinister so it should be good to go for Saturday and Sunday. Don't overlook the rivers feeding the Rangitkei - the Whakaurekau, Kawhatau and Hautapu have plenty of angling on offer for those willing to explore and conditions should be good this weekend.                 

The Rangitikei River at Mangaweka this morning (Photo: Horizons).           
 

Taranaki Ringplain

Click here for live updates and forecasts for the Taranaki Ringplain region.

Expect mostly sunny to partly cloudy conditions, with the chance of a small system passing through Friday evening into Saturday morning. At this stage it doesn’t look overly disruptive. Water temperatures have been slowly trending upwards throughout the Ringplain, so angling early morning when water temperatures are sitting at their lowest may increase chances of encountering feeding fish. Light northeasterlies are forecast to gradually swing around to the southwest over the weekend, remaining generally gentle but picking up on Sunday. Rivers are in great condition, with low, clear flows providing ideal fishing opportunities. 

Check out the up-to-date data on rainfall and river flows. 

The Waiwhakaiho River at Audrey Gale Reserve this morning (Photo: Jack Harland)

Waimarino

Click here for live updates and forecasts for the Waimarino region.

Northerly to north-westerly winds are forecast for Friday, shifting to light southerlies on Saturday and strengthening somewhat on Sunday. Occasional showers may pass through between sunny spells. Water temperatures are sitting in an optimal range for trout activity. Local reports indicate both the Mangawhero and the Manganui-o-te-Ao are flowing low and clean. There should be plenty of options for fishing this weekend in the Waimarino region.  

To keep an eye on regional river flows, check here.

The Mangawhero River at SH4 this morning (Photo: Horizons).

Photo Competition - Win A $300 Hunting & Fishing Voucher

It's been a stellar season for fishing on the Manawatu River, as this fine rainbow caught by Errol Marker in the middle reaches attests.          

Send in your favourite fishing photos from this season and you could be in to win a $300 voucher to spend in store at Wairarapa Hunting & Fishing.

We won't blow your secret spot, just include the name of the angler(s), photographer's details, and general location in the Wellington-Taranaki Fish & Game region.

• Click here to submit your entry.

You can send us as many fishing photos as you like. By submitting images to enter the competition you acknowledge that Wellington Fish & Game can publish and use the photos for publicity material.

Entries must be in by 5pm Sunday, March 29, 2026. The winner will be announced in the Lower North Lowdown report on Thursday, April 2, 2026. 

Sattlers Dam Fish Release

Sattlers Dam is a scenic spot to take the family fishing (Photo: Hamish Carnachan)

About 70 lively rainbow trout were released into Sattlers Dam this week, with fish ranging in size from 1lb to a few specimens that would have tipped the scales at over 6lbs.

The dam was looking good on the day of release, with great water clarity, small established weed beds, and plenty of bank margin for casting and retrieving.

An excellent option for targeting trout at Sattlers is to fish a worm or nymph suspended under a bubble float – cast towards the middle and let the breeze push your float around, just make sure to stay in contact with it.

Softbaiting or spinning is another great option, just be mindful of how long lures are left to sink to avoid potential snags on the bottom.

The surrounding vegetation will mean lots of insects will end up on the water’s surface, and fish will become accustomed to targeting these – terrestrial dries, morning and evening, could make for some exciting angling.

Women On The Fly Events In Wellington

Summer Sunday Fly Fishing Sessions for 2026 - open to all female anglers.

Save the dates for the next three sessions:
* Sunday, March 8 - Introduction to Fly Fishing Gear: Rods, reels, lines, leaders, flies, rigs, and knots.
* Sunday April 12 - Onstream Day, Ōtaki River: Presentation, setting up a drift, mending, line management.
* Sunday May 10 - More Advanced Casting : Achieving distance, double haul casting.

Join the 'Women on the Fly NZ' private Facebook group for more information and to register for each event. Or contact Cheryl 021 040 2211 or Gordon 027 494 6487. 

Important Reminder 

Unwanted pests can have a serious impact on our amazing freshwater fisheries.

Please do your bit to prevent their spread. Check, clean and dry all your equipment!

For a refresher on how to properly clean your gear, click here.  

Noticeboard

• Check out Greater Wellington Regional Council's latest schedule of flood protection operations here.
• Access to Otaki Forks in Tararua Forest Park is now open.  
• Moawhango Flushing Flows - Confirmed dates are as follows:

February 17/18, 2026
March 17/18, 2026

• Access to Lake Namunamu, near Hunterville, is closed as the access road is upgraded in preparation for the logging of Ngaruru Forest over the next three to five years.

If you have any angling-related information you'd like posted to this noticeboard, including upcoming angling club meetings and outings, please get in touch with us.  

*This report was accurate at time of writing. For your safety, please ensure you check the latest weather and river flow information before you head out on the water.