Notice Title

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.

Notice

This notice shall come into force on 1 July 2024.

1. Interpretation

(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—

    1. means any synthetic or natural yarn, and its means of attachment to the line or cast, used by the person fishing as an aid to detect a strike; and includes coloured nylon sighter material used by euro nymphing anglers but
    2. does not include—
      1. any other material or any object attached to the line or cast; or
      2. any synthetic or natural yarn to which has been added any material or chemical (other than a colour dye or surfactant line floatant preparation).

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. any trout, whether alive or dead, and any part of a trout;
  2. char of any species; and
  3. any hybrid of any trout or char.

2. Authorised Methods

(1) The only authorised methods for fishing for trout in the Taupō District are:

  1. fly fishing; and
  2. spin fishing.

(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. the Taupō Boat Harbour wharf or Taupō Boat Harbour jetties;
  2. the control gates bridge over the Waikato River at Taupō; or
  3. any state highway bridge within the Taupō Fishing District including the bridge over the Tokaanu Tailrace Canal which is part of State Highway 41.

3. Authorised Tackle

(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:

  1. take trout by any means other than with one rod and running line;
  2. use a gaff to secure or land a trout;
  3. use any net, trap, wire netting, or similar device, except as provided for in subclause (2) of this clause;
  4. use any spear or similar implement, or spear gun;
  5. use any hook which has a distance greater than 14mm between the point and the shank;
  6. use any lure having attached to it more than one hook or a hook that is not a single-pointed or single-barbed hook;
  7. use more than three lures;
  8. use any fish-attracting electronic device;
  9. use any lure treated with any fish attractant or chemical preparation other than that used solely to control the buoyancy of an artificial fly; or
  10. use any preparation not attached to a lure to attract fish.

(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—

  1. any bare hook, spinner or bait;
  2. anything made from lead, glass, plastic, or other material to facilitate casting or to increase the buoyancy of the line (excludes tippet rings and swivels); or
  3. any sinker or other weight;

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.

4. Daily Bag Limits

(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.

5. Minimum or Maximum Fish Length to be Taken

(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.

6. Hours of Fishing

(1) No person shall fish for trout between 12.00am midnight and 5.00am on any day.

7. Open Season

(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.

8. Closed Season

(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:

  1. all rivers and streams (including their tributaries) flowing into Lake Taupō other than the rivers and streams listed in Part B of the Schedule;
  2. all tributaries of the rivers and streams listed in Part B of the Schedule;
  3. Tokaanu Tailrace Canal for a distance of 110 metres downstream from the powerhouse;
  4. that portion of the Waiotaka River (Stream) that lies wholly within the boundaries of the Tongariro/Rangipo Prison (from approximately 2 kilometres upstream of the Hautu Ford on Waiotaka Road to the north-western boundary of Kaimanawa Forest Park);
  5. the segment of the Hinemaiaia River bypass channel from the Hinemaiaia HB dam downstream to the HB powerhouse and that segment of Hinemaiaia River between the lower Hinemaiaia HB powerhouse and a sign situated approximately 300m downstream;
  6. Te Whaiau Stream and its tributaries (including the Whanganui River diversion culvert outfall) and all other streams (including their tributaries) flowing into Lake Te Whaiau;
  7. all rivers and streams (including their tributaries) flowing into Lake Ōtamangakau other than the Ōtamangakau Canal; and
  8. all rivers and streams (including their tributaries and including Poutu Aqueduct) flowing into Lake Rotoaira except the Wairehu Canal.

(2) A closed season is in place, and no person shall fish for trout at any time of the year within—

  1. any waters in which trout are held in captivity for display, hatching, monitoring or other purposes; or
  2. a distance of 80m from those waters.

(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.

9. Use of Boats

(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:

  1. Tongariro River; and
  2. Tauranga Taupō River.

(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:

  1. the Taupō Boat Harbour;
  2. that portion of the Hinemaiaia Stream (or River) which lies between Lake Taupō and the lower hydro-electric dam (known as the HB Dam);
  3. that portion of the Tongariro River upstream of a point at the head of that stretch of water known as Downs Pool (situated downstream approximately 3.1km in a straight line from the bridge carrying State Highway 1 over the Tongariro River at Turangi) which is normally marked by a landmark post;
  4. Lake Te Whaiau;
  5. that portion of the Ōtamangakau Canal, also known as Te Whaiau Canal, which flows from Lake Te Whaiau to Lake Ōtamangakau, upstream of the site normally marked by a landmark post; and
  6. that portion of the Wairehu Canal, which flows from Lake Ōtamangakau to Lake Rotoaira, downstream of the site normally marked by a landmark post.

(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.

10. Revocation

(1) The Corrigendum—Anglers Notice for Taupō District 2022, published in the New Zealand Gazette, 30 June 2022, Notice No. 2022-gs2586, is revoked.

Schedule

Open season, authorised methods, daily bag limit and minimum and maximum lengths

Part A: Lake Taupō

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)
Omoho Stream (enters Lake Taupō at Waihi Bay)
Waihi Stream
Pukawa Stream
Omori stream
Kuratau River
Whareroa Stream
Whanganui Stream
Waihaha River
Waihora Stream
Otaketake Stream
Whangamata Stream
Mapara Stream
The stream known as Dirty Duck Creek (located in the Awaroa Recreation Reserve approximately 1.6km north of the State Highway 1 Waitahanui River Bridge)
Waitahanui River
Hinemaiaia River
Waipehi Stream
Waitetoko Stream
Tauranga Taupo River
Waimarino River
Waiotaka Stream

All year

fly fishing only

6

35cm

 

Part B: Waters flowing into or from Lake Taupō

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

Waters

Open season

Authorised fishing methods

Daily bag limit

Maximum length

Lake Te Whaiau

1 Sep – 31 Jan
1 Mar – 31 May

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
1 Mar – 31 May

fly fishing; spin fishing

2

55cm

Lake Ōtamangakau

1 Sep – 31 Jan
1 Mar – 31 May

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
1 Mar – 31 May

fly fishing; spin fishing

2

55cm

 

Part D: Other waters

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
(See clause 8(3) – authorised fishing events only)

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.