Reel Life December 2024 - Auckland Waikato

The anglers have spoken!  

Submissions on the proposed changes to the Auckland/Waikato fishing regulations have closed, and there has been a strong response from fly anglers. In our 2018 angler survey, over 1000 respondents indicated they collectively spent 54% of their time fly fishing, and our 2024 regulation change survey had 168 respondents with 74% of their collective time spent fly fishing. Not surprisingly, fly anglers were more likely to make a submission or respond and generally disliked the idea of opening fly-only areas to other users. The non-fly anglers generally supported opening fly-only waters to spin fishing.  

Responses from licence holders are very important to our council’s decision-making process, and all responses will be considered. Staff are in the process of sorting through the email responses that will be combined with survey results in the report to council. The Auckland/Waikato Fish & Game Council will decide on the rule changes during the February 2025 council meeting. The meeting will be held on the 15th of February at the New Zealand Deerstalkers Association Hall in Hamilton starting at 11 am. Anglers are welcome to attend.   

Summer is here, and it is time to enjoy this amazing country! 

The hot weather is going to push fish into our higher-elevation streams for the holidays. Staff have received some amazing fish returns over the last month with most Lake Arapuni rainbows in great condition.  The growth rates are some of the highest reported for the lake with one fish putting on 2 kg in a year.  Fish have started to move into thermal refuges like the mouth of the Little Waipa and Pokaiwhenua in Lake Karapiro, so if trolling is not working, look for cold water. If you need help finding a spot to fish, please check out our Travel Guide and the Outdoor Access Map (over 100 fishing spots), or contact our Fisheries Manager for suggestions [email protected]. We will be shutting our office for the holiday season, so if you need suggestions on where or how to fish, don’t wait until Christmas Eve.