Lower North Lowdown Weekly Fishing Report - 4 December 2025

Rain Has Passed, Rivers Falling  

The short sharp burst of rain and wild weather is now behind us as we head into a generally fine weekend. 

Obviously some of the larger rivers are flowing quite high but across the two regions they are falling fast  

Pictured - Great to see some good fish showing up in the Pohangina River again after Cyclone Gabrielle - this nice rainbow is one of several caught by Damien Parker recently.   

There might still be some colour in the bigger rivers as we head into Saturday but there's plenty of time for these and the smaller waterways to have cleared most of their extra flow. 

Ben Ellison hiding from the heat with a great Manawatu River brown caught on a stunning day last weekend.  

While the river images in our report don't look particularly flattering, there will be improvements in conditions and certainly plenty of angling options!

And don't forget there are great stillwater opportunities too, particularly in the Taranaki Fish & Game region (find some spots here) while lower North Island anglers can find enjoyable fishing at Kourarau Dam, which has recently reopened to the public.  

With only a few weeks until Christmas, now's the time to get out on the water and decompress ahead of the rush to the finish line at the end of the year. 

Hope to see you on the water this weekend!

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To keep up to date with all the news and events from the two regions, be sure to check out our page and follow us.  

Here's the outlook this weekend...    

Hutt Valley

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

The Hutt River has plenty of water in the river but it is not dirty, there's just a good tinge of colour. Best bet today is to fish down the edges or find some 'soft water'. Spinning could also be an excellent option. Look for conditions to improve a lot as we head into the weekend. The Pakarutahi, Whakatikei and Akatarawa are holding a bit of colour but should be fishing well for fly anglers come Saturday.            

Please note that Greater Wellington Regional Council has advised that toxic algae levels in some areas of the Hutt River have reached alert levels. It is recommended to avoid swimming and keep dogs away from the river at this time. The best thing you can do to stay safe is to know what toxic algae looks like and avoid it. Search ‘Is it safe to Swim’ for the latest toxic algae updates here.

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 holding moderately high flows. While there's some colour present, as the image below illustrates they are currently fishable and improving as water levels quickly recede. Showers are forecast for Saturday and these could keep flows elevated, however, there will be opportunities to target fish with plenty of drift food (invertebrates) in the system.  

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

 

Wairarapa

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

The Ruamahanga River was looking pretty 'thick' with sediment this morning but it is falling quickly and already has a clear edge. The Waiohine, Waingawa and Tauherenikau are in a similar state but these will flush faster and will be excellent options for the fly angler by the time the weekend rolls around. The mainstem might still have colour so softbait and spin anglers should find some good sport, and the blustery winds could mean these are the most practical methods.                                       

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 high and dirty in the middle reaches around Palmerston North but upstream of the gorge, around Weber, the webcams are showing a clear edge. The Pohangina and Oroua are spilling a bit of colour into the mainstem Manawatu and, despite falling, they might be marginal for sight fishing this weekend - pack the spinning rod in case. The Mangatainoka had a big spike last night but is dropping quickly and will be fishable this weekend unless more rain comes through, though that isn't forecast to happen.      

The Turitea Stream near Massey Uni this morning (Photo: Matt Kavermann).

Rangitikei

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

The Rangitikei River was looking stunning earlier in the week but sadly it is running dirty today after heavy rain yesterday morning. The good news is that it isn't too high in terms of flow so will likely clear in time for Saturday, at least higher up in the catchment. We've also heard from a friendly helicopter operator that most of the colour following rain is coming in from the Whakareakau River. This means if you can get above the confluence, or poke you nose up the Kawhatau, you could find clear water. The Hautapu is dropping back from a small fresh and will hopefully be fishable for those anglers who like the challenge of smaller streams.      

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

Taranaki Ringplain

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

A mix of thunder and fast-moving rain squalls pushed in on strong northerly yesterday, giving our rivers a short, sharp spike across the region. The weekend forecast is pointing toward more settled and sunny conditions, and there’s plenty of time for flows to drop back and water clarity to return for the weekend angler. Rivers on the western side of the mountain appear to have caught less of the recent rain and therefore may be worth some attention as they recover quicker. As always, keep an eye on the latest flow data to help find the best places to fish (such as this flow meter for the Patea at Stratford).

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

The Upper Patea at Swansea Road last night (Photo: Jack Harland).

Waimarino

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

On and off showers have discoloured regional waterways mid-week in Waimarino, although a shift to westerly winds on Friday should bring clearer skies and a run of settled, sunny weather into the weekend. If the larger rivers such as the Mangawhero are still running high and dirty come the weekend, consider targeting the smaller streams closer to the National Park, which often discolour less during freshes, and bounce back quicker after rainfall passes through. 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

Memphis Graham with an exceptional Manawatu River brownie he caught on a soft bait.     

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. 

 

Tip Of The Week - Seek And Ye Shall Find

A cracker brown from a small, unnamed stream (Photo: Matt Kavermann). 

There's nothing quite like discovering a 'new' fishery. 

It doesn't matter whether other anglers have been there before, but if it's new to you there's something exciting about the prospect.

I've always advised anglers to 'seek, and they'll find' some incredible fisheries, often in places they least expect, and often in plain sight. 

Yes, I work for Fish & Game so I'm fortunate to explore fisheries as a profession (even though it's a small part of the job).

However, if you do some research by interrogating satellite imagery and Google Earth, then a little leg work to follow up and ground-truth any hunches your online searching has turned up, you'll open the door to some wonderful angling. 

While I'd normally advise looking for waterways with 'holding water' - pools, runs and riffles which trout love - in the course of my work we've often discovered fish in all manner of unlikely places. 

We find trout in the most unlikely places, such as this tiny stream (Photo: Hamish Carnachan).

Most recently, while electric fishing in the Taranaki Fish & Game region, we discovered some beautiful browns in a creek no wider than a stride. They weren't huge, but they were certainly fishable. 

By contrast, we also discovered a lovely 5lb specimen in a tiny waterway that was barely a rod-length across. It sure would be exciting having a tussle with that fish in such close confines... 

So, if you find yourself at a loose end these Christmas holidays, scout around and find some 'new' fisheries. There may be the odd dead end, but more often than not you'll uncover a real gem!               

 

Video Of The Week - Backcountry Bliss

The execllent run of weather we had over November provided ample opportunity for some backcountry angling exploration!

This video highlights the amazing resource we have in the lower North Island - you just need to be prepared to do some research and a little leg work to find these spots.    

Click the screenshot above to check it out. 

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.  

 

Stratford Kids' Fishing Day! 

There are still time slot allocations available for the 28th Annual Stratford Kids’ Trout Fishing Day, which is to be held this weekend on Saturday, December 6.

As part of this event, more than 300 large rainbow trout will be released into the Scout Den Pool on the Pātea River within King Edward Park, right in the heart of Stratford.

Parents and caregivers can now book a 15-minute time slot for their children by visiting the Stratford i-SITE on Miranda Street or calling 0800 765 6708.

All fishing equipment will be provided, and children of all ages and experience levels are warmly welcomed to take part.

 

Wellington and Taranaki Access Maps  

There's no better resource to help you plan your fishing missions this season than our new online interactive access maps.

Click the map below to start planning your weekend angling outing!

 

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:

December 09/10, 2025
January 20/21, 2026
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.