Lower North Lowdown Weekly Fishing Report - 28 December 2023

To help you prepare for your summer trout fishing break, we thought we'd highlight a few fishing tips and useful info to help you catch more fish. 

• Explore Our Larger Rivers    

The prominent rivers in the Wellington region - namely the Hutt, Ruamahanga, Manawatu and Rangitikei are currently offering some exceptional trout fishing opportunities. These rivers boast abundant trout populations and offer convenient access points for anglers. To enhance your angling success in these rivers, we recommend you check out our instructional spin fishing video. This short video provides seven crucial tips that will boost your catch rate this summer.

• Use Our Online Access Map

Need some ideas on new fishing spots to try this season? Check out our new online access map. This snazzy new map shows the location of hundreds of fishing access points in Wellington and Taranaki, complete with access instructions and maps that you can download and store on your phone.

• Try Soft Bait Fishing  

Soft baits have transformed the world of fishing for trout. If you haven't given them a try, we highly recommend doing so this season. Mastering the fundamentals of soft bait fishing can unlock some fantastic trout fishing opportunities. Explore our instructional video on soft bait techniques for valuable tips and guidance.

• Get the Kids or Grandkids Out Fishing

The summer holidays offer an excellent opportunity to steer kids or grandkids away from electronic devices and into the world of trout fishing. Bait fishing serves as a fantastic option for youngsters - it's straightforward, involves minimal casting, and often leads to success. For some bait fishing tips, check out our short instructional video which breaks down the basics of bait fishing for trout.

• Harvest Some Healthy Fish This Season

The rivers and lakes in Wellington and Taranaki boast abundant populations of trout and perch. With the ongoing rise in food prices, catching fresh fish from your local river or lake is a great option. While fishing over your summer break, and throughout the season, we suggest you bring home a few fish for dinner. Not only are they healthy and delicious, but they can also help reduce your grocery expenses.

Put some fish on the table and save some money in the process. 

Summer Holiday Reading  

If you missed it in the mail at the start of this season, you can click on the cover of Fish & Game NZ magazine above to download a copy.

There you'll also find issues going all the way back to 2016. So, there's heaps of summer fishing and hunting reading just waiting for you.      

Also packed full of news, tips and prospects for the season ahead is the Wellington-Taranaki Angling Newsletter which is out now. 

Didn't receive a copy in the post? You can download a copy here or get in touch and we'll send one out to you.    

Have Your Say on Waterways In The Horizons Catchment 

Please help us to help protect the waterways and fisheries in the Horizons Regional Council area.    

We've put together a very short tick-box survey here, which takes less than one minute to complete. 

Make sure you have your say if you value trout fishing in the catchment and want to see healthy waterways and sustainable fisheries into the future.

GWRC Weekly River Bulldozing Schedule 

Don't get an unwelcome surprise by Greater Wellington Regional Council's river bulldozing impacting your day on the river.

For information on the weekly activity schedule, please contact GWRC.

Notice Board

• Moawhango River Flushing Flow dates for 2024 have been confirmed:

  • 23-24 Jan, 21:00-02:00
  • 13-14 Feb, 21:00-02:00
  • 12-13 Mar, 21:00-02:00
  • 30-01 Apr, 21:00-02:00
• The algal bloom at Lake Ngangana, near Waitara, has now subsided and open to fishing for trout and perch.
   
• Lake Namunamu will be closed to public access from early November 2023 for logging operations. Access to the lake is likely to be restricted for at least three years, however, Earnslaw-One has promised to let us know if there are opportunities to access the lake during breaks in harvest.

If you have any information you'd like to have considered for addition to the notice board, please get in touch with us.