Anglers Notice for Taupō District 2024
Pursuant to sections 26R(3) and 53(4) of the Conservation Act 1987 and the Taupō Fishery Regulations 2004, the Minister for Hunting and Fishing approves the following Anglers Notice for the Taupō Fishery.
This notice shall come into force on 1 July 2024.
(1) Words and expressions in this notice which are defined in the Conservation Act 1987, the Taupō Fishery Regulations 2004, or the Taupō District Trout Fishery Licences Fees and Forms Notice 2011 shall be so defined.
(2) In this notice, unless the context otherwise requires,
anchored means to use any anchor, or other weight, to secure a boat to the bed of a lake or river.
artificial fly includes any lure of feather, fur, wool, or other material used in the making of artificial flies.
bait means natural bait, including any insect or spider, worm, crustacean, shellfish, fish or fish ova, bread or cheese, or any scented lure, soft bait or other artificial lure with chemical attractant properties.
boat means any manned floatation device.
fly fishing means to fish for trout with a fly rod, fly reel, fly line, leader, and artificial fly or flies.
fly line means any floating or sinking line used to facilitate casting that is at least three metres in length.
fly rod means a light, extremely flexible fishing rod specially designed for use in fly-fishing to cast an artificial fly.
foul hook means to hook a trout otherwise than through the mouth.
landmark post means a white, black, and yellow ringed post.
leader means the nylon, fluorocarbon or other material attached directly to the end of the fly line. It must not exceed six metres in length including tippet.
length, in relation to a trout, means the total length from the tip of the snout to the fork of the tail of the fish.
lure means any artificial fly or spinner.
spin fishing means to fish for trout with a spinning rod, spinning reel, and lure, and includes tackle customarily used for harling, trolling, and jigging for trout;
spinner means any artificial lure other than an artificial fly.
strike indicator—
Taupō Boat Harbour means that part of the Waikato River lying between a straight line between the two landmark posts on either side of the outlet of Lake Taupō, and the control gates bridge over the Waikato River at Taupō.
trout includes:
(1) The only authorised methods for fishing for trout in the Taupō District are:
(2) No person fishing for trout shall use in any water specified in the Schedule any fishing method other than a method specified in the Schedule for that water.
(3) No person shall attempt to foul hook any trout.
(4) Any person who foul hooks a trout shall return it immediately to the water with as little injury as possible.
(5) No person shall fish for trout when wearing or using felt-soled waders or footwear incorporating or having attached a sole of felted, matted or woven fibrous material.
(6) No person shall fish for trout from:
(1) No person may use bait when fishing for trout in the Taupō District.
(2) When playing a trout, a person may use a landing net to secure or land that fish.
(3) No person when fishing for trout shall:
(4) No person fishing for trout in waters reserved for fly fishing (as set out in the Schedule), shall add to or attach to any fly line, leader, or fly—
but may attach a strike indicator and may add weight to the leader to facilitate sinking. Weight added to the leader may only be in the form of split shot or putty made from lead, bismuth or tungsten.
(1) The maximum number of trout that may be taken from waters in the Taupō District by one person in a single day (the daily bag limit) is as set out in the Schedule.
(2) No person shall on any one day take and keep more than the daily bag limit for trout; and no person shall continue to fish on any day on which he or she has already taken and kept the daily bag limit for trout.
(1) The minimum or maximum length of trout that may be taken from waters in the Taupō District is set out in the Schedule.
(2) A person taking a trout of a length less than the minimum or more than the maximum set out in the Schedule must, whether it is alive or dead, immediately return it into the water from which it was taken.
(3) For the purpose of clauses 2(4) or 4(2) or 5(2), any person who takes a trout and fails to return that trout immediately to the water from which it is taken is deemed to have taken and kept that trout.
(1) No person shall fish for trout between 12.00am midnight and 5.00am on any day.
(1) No person shall fish for trout in any waters in the Taupō District except during an open season for those waters.
(2) The open season for waters in the Taupō District is as set out in the Schedule, except where a closed season is specified in clause 8.
(3) If any waters are included in both the Schedule and clause 8, clause 8 takes priority and a closed season will be in place for those waters as set out in that clause.
(1) A closed season is in place for the following waters, and no person shall fish for trout in any of these waters at any time of the year:
(2) A closed season is in place, and no person shall fish for trout at any time of the year within—
(3) Subclause (2) of this clause does not apply to authorised fishing activities held in the children’s fishing pond at the Tongariro National Trout Centre.
(1) No person shall fish for trout from a boat in those portions of Lake Taupō within 200 metres of a landmark post or posts situated at the mouth or mouths of any river or stream listed in Part A of the Schedule.
(2) Despite subclause (1) of this clause, a person may fish for trout from a boat in those portions of Lake Taupō within 200m of a landmark post or posts situated at the mouth or mouths of the following rivers, if the boat is securely anchored parallel to the flow with not more than two anchors:
(3) In waters other than Lake Taupō, no person shall fish for trout from a boat in waters where only fly fishing is permitted unless the boat is securely anchored parallel to the flow with not more than two anchors.
(4) No person shall fish for trout from a boat in the following places:
(5) No person shall fish for trout from a boat in the Tokaanu Tailrace Canal unless the boat is securely anchored parallel to the flow with not more than two anchors.
(1) The Corrigendum—Anglers Notice for Taupō District 2022, published in the New Zealand Gazette, 30 June 2022, Notice No. 2022-gs2586, is revoked.
Part A: Lake Taupō |
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Waters |
Open season |
Authorised fishing methods |
Daily bag limit |
Minimum length |
Lake Taupō (except those locations specified below) |
All year |
fly fishing; spin fishing |
6 |
35cm |
Lake Taupō within 200m of a landmark post or posts situated at the centre of the mouth or mouths of the following rivers or streams: Tongariro River (excludes Blind Mouth and First Mouth) |
All year |
fly fishing only |
6 |
35cm |
Part B: Waters flowing into or from Lake Taupō |
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Waters |
Open season |
Authorised fishing methods |
Daily bag limit |
Minimum length |
Tongariro River from Lake Taupō to the site approximately 500m upstream of the Whitikau Stream confluence (normally marked by a sign) |
All year |
fly fishing only |
6 |
35cm |
Tongariro River from the site approximately 500m upstream of the Whitikau Stream confluence (normally marked by a sign) to the Waikato Falls |
1 Nov – 31 May |
fly fishing only |
6 |
35cm |
Tongariro River from the Waikato Falls to Rangipo Dam |
1 Oct – 30 Jun |
fly fishing; spin fishing |
6 |
35cm |
Tongariro River from Rangipo Dam to the junction of Upper Waikato Stream and Waipakihi River |
1 Oct – 30 Jun |
fly fishing; spin fishing |
No limit |
No minimum length |
Waipakihi River |
1 Oct – 30 Jun |
fly fishing; spin fishing |
No limit |
No minimum length |
Poutu Stream |
All year |
fly fishing only |
6 |
35cm |
Tokaanu Tailrace Canal |
All year |
fly fishing; spin fishing |
6 |
35cm |
Lake Kuratau and Kuratau River upstream from the Kuratau hydro-electric dam |
1 Oct – 30 Jun |
fly fishing; spin fishing |
No limit |
30 cm |
Kuratau River from Lake Taupō to Kuratau hydro-electric dam |
1 Dec – 31 May |
fly fishing only |
6 |
35cm |
Whanganui Stream |
1 Dec – 31 May |
fly fishing only |
6 |
35cm |
Waikino Stream and Oruapuraho Stream |
1 Dec – 31 May |
fly fishing only |
6 |
35cm |
Waihaha River between Tieke Falls and Lake Taupō |
1 Dec – 31 May |
fly fishing only |
6 |
35cm |
Mangatu Stream and Waihaha River upstream of Tieke Falls |
1 Oct – 30 Jun |
fly fishing only |
6 |
35cm |
Otupoto Stream and Piaranui Stream |
1 Dec – 31 May |
fly fishing only |
6 |
35cm |
Waihora Stream |
1 Dec – 31 May |
fly fishing only |
6 |
35cm |
Waikato River from Lake Taupō outlet to the control gates bridge |
All year |
fly fishing; spin fishing |
6 |
35cm |
Waikato River from the control gates bridge to Huka Falls |
All year |
fly fishing; spin fishing |
6 |
35cm |
Mangamutu Stream (upper) |
1 Dec – 31 May |
fly fishing only |
6 |
35cm |
Waitahanui River from Lake Taupō to the Te Arero Stream confluence |
All year |
fly fishing only |
6 |
35cm |
Waitahanui River upstream of the Te Arero Stream confluence |
1 Dec – 31 May |
fly fishing only |
6 |
35cm |
Te Arero Stream |
1 Dec – 31 May |
fly fishing only |
6 |
35cm |
Hinemaiaia Stream (or River) from Lake Taupō to the normal site of a sign situated approximately halfway between the State Highway 1 bridge and the lower hydro-electric dam (known as the HB dam). |
All year |
fly fishing only |
6 |
35cm |
Hinemaiaia Stream (or River) from the normal site of a sign situated approximately halfway between the State Highway 1 bridge and the lower hydro-electric dam (known as the HB dam) to the normal site of a sign situated approximately 300m downstream from the powerhouse of the lower hydro-electric dam. |
1 Dec – 31 May |
fly fishing only |
6 |
35cm |
Hinemaiaia Stream (or River) upstream of the lower hydro-electric dam (known as the HB dam) |
1 Dec – 31 May |
fly fishing; spin fishing |
6 |
35cm |
Waiharuru Stream and Tiraki Stream (which flow into Hinemaiaia Stream) |
1 Dec – 31 May |
fly fishing; spin fishing |
6 |
35cm |
Tauranga Taupō River from Lake Taupō to the Mangakowhitiwhiti Stream confluence (known as the Rangers’ Pool) |
All year |
fly fishing only |
6 |
35cm |
Tauranga Taupō River upstream of the Mangakowhitiwhiti Stream confluence (known as the Rangers’ Pool) |
1 Dec – 31 May |
fly fishing only |
6 |
35cm |
Waimarino River from Lake Taupō to the normal site of a sign (at the point known as the Korohe Crossing) approximately 3.1km in a straight line from the State Highway 1 bridge |
All year |
fly fishing only |
6 |
35cm |
Waimarino River upstream of the normal site of a sign (at the point known as the Korohe Crossing) approximately 3.1kms in a straight line from the State Highway 1 bridge |
1 Dec – 31 May |
fly fishing only |
6 |
35cm |
Waiotaka River from Lake Taupō to the north-western boundary of Kaimanawa Forest Park |
All year |
fly fishing only |
6 |
35cm |
Waiotaka River upstream of the north-western boundary of Kaimanawa Forest Park |
1 Dec – 31 May |
fly fishing only |
6 |
35cm |
Part C: Waters flowing into Lake Rotoaira |
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Waters |
Open season |
Authorised fishing methods |
Daily bag limit |
Maximum length |
Lake Te Whaiau |
1 Sep – 31 Jan |
fly fishing; spin fishing |
2 |
55cm |
Ōtamangakau Canal (also known as Te Whaiau Canal) (which flows from Lake Te Whaiau to Lake Ōtamangakau) |
1 Sep – 31 Jan |
fly fishing; spin fishing |
2 |
55cm |
Lake Ōtamangakau |
1 Sep – 31 Jan |
fly fishing; spin fishing |
2 |
55cm |
Wairehu Canal (which flows from Lake Ōtamangakau to Lake Rotoaira) upstream of the lowest weir |
1 Sep – 31 Jan |
fly fishing; spin fishing |
2 |
55cm |
Part D: Other waters |
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Waters |
Open season |
Authorised fishing methods |
Daily bag limit |
Minimum length |
Whanganui River (which flows to the sea at Whanganui) and those portions of the upper tributaries of that river that lie within the Taupō District and flow to the Whanganui River |
1 Oct – 30 Jun |
fly fishing only |
6 |
35cm |
Lake Moawhango, Moawhango River upstream and downstream of Lake Moawhango, and Awapatu Stream |
All year |
fly fishing; spin fishing |
No limit |
No minimum length |
Tongariro National Trout Centre children’s fishing pond |
All year |
fly fishing only |
No limit |
No minimum length |
(For Lake Rotoaira, the open season, permitted methods, daily bag limit and minimum length are set out in the Rotoaira Trout Fishing Regulations 1979) |
Dated this 24th day of June 2024.
Hon TODD McCLAY, Minister for Hunting and Fishing.