Lower North Lowdown Weekly Fishing Report - 16 January 2025

Weather Comes Right For Weekend

A break in what has been some pretty average weather over the last couple of weeks will be welcomed by all anglers, particularly those in the Wellington Fish & Game region who have had a rough time.

Fine and settled conditions will hold for the weekend, and extend into Monday for those lucky enough to have the day off for Wellington Anniversary. 

Pictured above: Hamish Carnachan fishing a Central Plateau small stream over the break (Photo: Matt Kavermann).  

Those who have been thwarted by unseasonal southerlies and rain over the last week should make the most of the forecast and get out on the water as the rivers are in excellent shape.  

Hamish Carnachan with a lovely small stream rainbow from the Wellington-Taranaki Fish & Game boundary (Photo: Matt Kavermann).

Despite the rainfall, flows are quite low and algae is starting to build in riverbeds. This will, however, likely see a boost in insect activity and increase food abundance for the fish. 

Water temperatures have been stable and well within the tolerable range for trout so fish are still feeding actively and their condition is superb - benefits of frequent summer rainfall.     

All in all there's a great window to get out and satiate your fishing fix this weekend; make the most of it before more rain arrives mid next week. 

If you managed to get out on the water and catch some fish over the Christmas and New Year break, don't forget to keep those fishing pics rolling in - it could net you a $300 Hunting & Fishing voucher (read on for details about how to enter).

Don't Miss The Action

Jump online and get a licence the easy way - it only takes a minute and your sorted.

Click the image above to get started. 

Here's the outlook this weekend...    

Hutt Valley

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

The Hutt River is low and clear despite several moderate freshes the first week in January. Because of the flashy river flows we don't have a lot of detail from anglers about how the fishing has been. However, after a week with no significant rainfall, and a fine outlook for the weekend, the Hutt and larger tribs should be worth getting into as the trout will be well rested. Water temperatures are also low for this time of the year so the fish should be feeding happily.     

The Hutt River at Totara 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 all quite low. Water clarity is very good despite some algae build up and lower water temperatures from rain last week are good for keeping trout actively feeding. We have had reports of large numbers of 3-4lb trout in the Otaki River below SH1 - these fish will likely be holding and feasting on estuarine species like yellow-eyed mullet which can move quite some distance up into the fresh water. A great, easily accessible option for family fishing fun this long weekend.                

The Otaki River at SH1 yesterday (Credit: Phil Teal).  

 

Wairarapa

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

The Ruamahanga River and tributaries - the Waiohine, Waingawa and Tauherenikau - are all low and clear and looking very fishy at time of writing this morning. Anglers encountered during compliance checks on Tuesday reported good fish being caught, readily taking flies after rain reset the rivers last week. There are a few showers forecast for Sunday but otherwise there are plenty of good prospects for long weekend fishing adventures in Wairarapa, including the backcountry.                 

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

The Ruamahanga River at Wardells Bridge this morning (Photo: Hamish Carnachan).

Manawatu

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

The Manawatu River and all it's tributaries, including the Pohangina, Oroua and Mangatainoka are all in fantastic fishable condition. Staff flew over much of the region for annual waterfowl population monitoring yesterday and the entire catchment looked great, even those rivers affected by Cyclone Gabrielle several seasons back. We've had reports of some good fishing on the Manawatu up around Dannevirke, although one angler says quarry trucks operating at the Oringi Road access are making it tough to get into that section. Plenty of rainbows in the 1-3lb size range around Bluff Road hitting spinners with the occasional larger fish too. 

The Mangahoa River near Ballance yesterday (Photo: Matt Kavermann).

Rangitikei

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

The Rangitikei River, along with Kawhatau and other larger tributaries, were in stunning condition yesterday when staff flew over while conducting waterfowl population monitoring. It was great to see the Kawhatau running clear and the Rangitikei was fishable all the way through to the lower reaches. The Hautapu will be worth a shot as it won't be long before the willow grubs burst and hopefully cicadas will start emerging soon too.   

The Rangitikei River near Mangaohane yesterday (Photo: Horizons).           
 

Taranaki Ringplain

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

The first two weeks of January have brought with them some beautiful settled weather for Taranaki Ringplain and the Waimarino. This is forecast to continue throughout the week and into the weekend for both parts of the region thanks to a large high pressure system holding over the Tasman Sea. The lack of recent rainfall has kept the Ringplain rivers low and clear, providing excellent sight fishing opportunities for fly anglers. For those spin anglers keen to get out, targeting deeper pools on mainstem rivers like the Manganui, Lower Patea, and Manganuioteao using softbaits and small Veltecs is a solid option.

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

The Patea River at Swansea Road yesterday (Photo: Allen Stancliff).

Waimarino

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

The forecast for the Waimarino is similar to that of Taranaki with warmer, settled weather to continue throughout the week. There may be cloudy periods and the odd shower, but if rainfall does eventuate it is forecast to be short lived, with minimal effect on waterways. The Manganuioteao is flowing low and clean at the moment and offering some excellent angling in a picturesque environment. In terms of access to the river, the Ruatiti Domain is a popular point of public access. We have compiled some relevant landowner information near the Ruatiti Domain which can be found here. Please make sure to contact landowners for their consent to cross private land before you visit.

The live river flow for the Mangwhero River will give you an idea of what other nearby waterways are looking like.  

 

The Manganuioteau at Ruatiti Domain yesterday (Photo: Jack Harland).

 

Photo Competition - Win A $300 Hunting & Fishing Voucher

Ten-year-old Harry Newton with his first ever trout, caught in the Ruamahanga River before Christmas (Photo: Anton Persico).

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 Tuesday, April 2, 2025. The winner will be announced in the Lower North Lowdown report on Thursday, April 4, 2025.

Video of The Week - NZ's Brown Trout Story

Take a dive into the backcountry and the archives to explore the introduction of brown trout to New Zealand.

One hundred and fifty years since the first ova was hatched out near the Avon River, 'The Introduction' reveals the efforts that brought trout to New Zealand and the challenges faced moving forward.

 

Check, Clean Dry - Help Protect Waterways

With summer fast approaching and the days getting longer, now is the perfect time to familiarise yourselves with the NEW North Island Check Clean Dry procedures. Click here to watch. 

 

Noticeboard

• Wellington Region River Works: Don't let bulldozers in the river ruin your fishing plans. Click here to download a schedule of Greater Wellington Regional Council's latest planned river engineering works.
• Manawatu Flood and Drainage Works: Anglers can access Horizons Regional Council's latest schedule of flood and drainage river works here.   
• 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.