NZ Fishing Seasons

Each season offers its own unique fishing experience. Spring is a great time to target hungry trout that are feeding hard and trying to regain condition after the winter. It is also a great time to catch large sea run trout that enter many coastal rivers from the sea.

In Summer epitomises, warm days and well conditioned free rising trout typify the fishing experience throughout the country. Summer is also the time that lake trout are busy feeding on smaller fish and trolling is an effective method to target them.

January, February and March also offer the best opportunities to catch large salmon in the braided rivers of the East Coast of the South Island as they enter the rivers from the Pacific Ocean to begin their epic spawning journey.

Autumn offers superb fishing. The water is cooler and the fish more active. With few people around it is easy to find a secluded spot, and mid afternoon insect hatches can encourage fish to feed actively.

Winter offers differing degrees of fishing opportunities and each region has its own winter regulations. In some areas such as the Rotorua lakes and Lake Taupo the fishing is stunning as large numbers of trout move into the rivers to spawn. In other areas there are less opportunities to fish during the winter, often the result of the cooler weather temperatures.