New Zealand Fishing
Frequently Asked Questions
 Why Should I hire a fishing guide?
What do fishing guides supply?
What should I bring?
What about tackle?
Where is Rotorua?
What is fishing like in the Rotorua area?
Are there other places to fish nearby?
What's the weather like?
Can I go boat fishing?
Can I go fly fishing?
Where can I find maps of New Zealand and Rotorua?
Where is a list of all of your guides?
Still have questions?
Why hire a guide?
 Our guides are professionals. Fishing is their life. They'll be happy to provide a list of references, including clients who have fished with them recently.
A guide who's on the water every day keeps up with productive fishing patterns better than a "weekender".
Our guides do fish and know how and where the fish are biting during any season. Their experience not only shows you where the fish are but also allows for the opportunity to educate you further in techniques.
Our guides are happy to provide as little or as much instruction as needed. They are not simply a charter service.
You can bring your own equipment or our guides will provide everything you need (see below) for a great fishing experience.
Our guides will give you details of what to expect including how many hours you'll be fishing, the kind of fishing offered (river, lake, boat, etc.), what kind of boat they operate and what kind of equipment they use. Remember, there are "guides" out there that have inadequate equipment for both safety and comfort!
Our guides will tell you how much their services and accommodations will be - no hidden charges!
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What we supply
- Round trip transportation to and from the Rotorua airport
- All transport for your fishing trip
- All fishing licences, permits, etc
- All tackle as required e.g. waders, boots, rods, flies, etc.
- Comfortable, safe, fully surveyed cabin boats
- Fishing tuition
- Lunches/refreshments
- Fish smoking service
- Accommodation provided or arranged
- Taxidermy service
- Digital photos of your trip
- All equipment required for a camp out
- Sunscreen/insect repellent
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What to bring
GENERAL CLOTHING – ALL SEASONS. Bring clothing suitable for layering so that you can add warm clothes if a warm day turns cold, or you can peel off the layers as a cool morning develops into a hot day. Thermal/polyprop undergarments are ideal. Certainly not your prized, white, unlined, nylon golf jacket….not for back country fly fishing anyway! Maybe Ok for boat fishing!
- A couple of lightweight (quick dry) shirts and a couple of warmer weight shirts
- Lightweight and heavier/warmer trousers(not jeans) and a warm sweater (the outdoor polar fleece fabrics are ideal)
- A windproof/waterproof jacket and pants
- Lightweight as well as heavier warm socks
- A wide brimmed hat (baseball caps offer no protection to the neck and ears)
- If you are intending to fly fish, ensure that the clothing you bring is earthy colours so that the fish don’t see you before you see them! Comfortable boots/shoes suitable for rough terrain
- Polarized sun-glasses
- A good sense of humour and a desire to catch trout.
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Tackle
 Guides provide all the required tackle and waders for the fly fishing enthusiast. However, if you prefer to bring your own gear please do so. Generally the favoured rod weight on the streams is 6wt, which is usually matched up with a drab coloured, weight forward, floating line. 8-9wt is the preferred rod on the larger rivers. The guides will also provide all the flies/nymphs etc. Again, bring your own, but don’t be disappointed if the guide rejects them in favour of his own! He/she is looking after your best interests. The flies we see from overseas are often beautifully tied and suitable for use on our waters, but the nymphs are generally too light in weight to get down into the depths of our fast running rivers. Waders/boots are now so light and compact you can bring them easily if you wish. This is often wise as you know they fit! If boots have been used outside New Zealand remember to disinfect the felt soles before you leave home. This will save you quite some time (and money) at customs on your arrival into New Zealand. Just remember…try to keep all your fishing vests, sweaters, parkas, hats etc drab, or neutral, in colour.
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Rotorua, New Zealand
Rotorua, a city with a population of 67,000, is situated in the central North Island on a volcanic plateau 1000 ft above sea level. It is within an easy 3 hour scenic drive south from the Auckland International Airport. There are several scheduled buses and airline flights to and from Rotorua daily.
Rotorua has a host of other attractions besides the excellent trout fishing and is frequently described as being the centre of New Zealand’s North Island “tourist diamond”. Boiling mud, hot water streams, volcanic tours, Maori cultural attractions, farm shows, Lord of the Rings tours, scenic flights, beautiful bush walks plus adrenaline thrill rides all contribute to establishing Rotorua as a top tourist destination in New Zealand. There are many good restaurants, cafes and bars in Rotorua, each offering visitors a wide range of culinary choices. Many of these places are within a short stroll from the numerous top quality motels and hotels.
Within a 40 minute drive to the east of Rotorua there are vast, unspoilt white sandy surf beaches, dotted with seaside towns touting big game charter fishing fleets. There are also regular off shore tours to an active volcano. The Bay of Plenty kiwi fruit growing region is just 35 minutes east near the coastal city of Tauranga. Winter ski fields are a 2 hour drive to the South West and internationally renown “Hobbiton” from the Lord of the Rings Trilogy of movies is a 40 minute drive to the North.
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Fishing in the Rotorua area
 Rotorua has long been described as having the ultimate and most diverse trout fishery in New Zealand. It offers year round lake and fly fishing in virtually any weather condition…there is always somewhere sheltered to fish.
Anglers from all around the world look to New Zealand as the Mecca of trout fishing, and nowhere in New Zealand compares to Rotorua.
Formed by huge volcanic eruptions and upheavals thousands of years ago, our lakes and streams are rich in volcanic trace elements, providing a tremendous food source for the Rainbow and Brown trout. This, combined with our cooler climate, allows the trout grow to trophy proportions.
Whether you are a fly or boat fisherman, or a novice just wanting to experience
the best of New Zealand’s trout fishing, come and enjoy our unpolluted paradise where crystal clear back country streams and secluded bush lined lakes abound with the largest and healthiest trout you will ever catch.
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Fishing some of the other area lakes
Lake Rotoiti is connected to Lake Rotorua by a natural, navigable channel. This picturesque deep lake, formed as a result of a sunken valley, is usually fished for its trophy trout. Deep trolling, jigging or harling at change of light are the preferred methods used to fish Lake Rotoiti. Winter months bring the large fish in close to the stream mouths; well into the range of the hardy night fly fishermen.
Lake Rotoehu, a beautiful lake with many isolated inlets and arms, is only a twenty five minute drive from Rotorua city. Shallow trolling, or fly fishing the edges of this lake from a boat or the beach will bring results.
 Lake Rotoma is our most distant lake, but still only 30minutes from Rotorua.
This pristine and beautiful lake holds Rainbow and Tiger trout. Lake Rotoma is a very underestimated fishery and subsequently it very much under fished.
Lake Okataina is our most isolated lake, even though it’s only 25 minutes from Rotorua. Okataina is a tranquil, clear, bush lined lake, presenting visitors with an idea of the way New Zealand used to look. Lake Okataina is also a great fishery, mainly early morning and evening.
Lake Tarawera, dominated by Mt Tarawera, a volcano that erupted in June 1886, is a very picturesque clear lake. There is still much evidence of thermal activity from previous volcanic upheavals around lake Tarawera. Where else in the world can you catch a trout and have it cooked for you in the boiling sand of a thermal beach?
Lake Rerewhakaaitu is a very clear, productive, shallow lake which was formed as a result of the Tarawera eruption in 1886. This lake holds only rainbow trout. The preferred fishing methods are shoreline sight fishing using flies and boat harling/fly fishing.
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Weather
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One thing that can be said about our New Zealand weather is ….It can, and will change!!…….Regardless of the season.
Because New Zealand is a mountainous island lying longitudinally across the predominant weather systems which generally travel west to east, the weather can change quite rapidly whatever the time of year. Wet/dry….cold/hot.
However, as a general rule, the weather for Rotorua should be….
Winter: (May- July) average day temp 10 – 12 degrees centigrade, dropping by 8 degrees overnight. Wind chill can drop the temperatures lower. Either grey overcast days (drizzle/rain/wind), or fine, calm frosty mornings followed by brilliant clear crisp days.
Spring: (August-November) Average day temp 14 degrees. Often cold, blustery, showery days with fine intervals. Rivers can be higher and sometimes discoloured because of the unstable weather patterns.
Summer:(December-March) Average day temp 20-25 degrees, can rise to over 32. UV rating is high, rivers are low and clear, fish can easily be spotted, but because of the water clarity can be spooky. Sometimes summer thunderstorms can temporarily discolour rivers.
Autumn: (April-May) average temp is 15-18 degrees. Weather patterns are generally fairly stable, fish are out and about feeding prior to spawning. Rivers/streams are clear. A great time to try for that trophy trout on one of our lakes.
Click the sun for current Rotorua weather
Click the thermometer for a handy temperature conversion table
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Boat fishing
 Lake Rotorua is the largest of the Rotorua lakes, with Rotorua city settled on its southern shores. Subsequently you can be fishing within 15 minutes of leaving your accommodation. Lake Rotorua holds large numbers of wild rainbow and brown trout ranging in size from 2-10lbs, and on the odd occasion…. a REAL surprise!!
The predominant method of fishing Rotorua is shallow trolling, however fly fishing the safe/shallow stream mouths that feed Lake Rotorua can be highly productive in the summer months.
Where else will guiding association members guarantee their clients to catch a trout????. Members of the Rotorua Professional Trout Fishing Guides Association do! Engage the services of one of our members to boat fish for a minimum of three hours on Lake Rotorua and you will be guaranteed to catch a fish.
Guides provide all the necessary tackle for boat fishing.
As it is an offence to buy/sell trout in New Zealand, the only way you are able to enjoy a meal of wild N.Z. trout is to catch one yourself. Many of Rotorua’s restaurants will quite willingly prepare you trout for you.
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Back country fly fishing
 Imagine spending a whole day, more if you wish, fly fishing remote, wild untouched rivers and streams. Here you can spot the flashy Rainbows or wily Browns in clear waters, and with no other fisherman in site.
Rotorua’s back country is like no other on earth. Crisp clear air, brilliant green foliage all year round, and streams so clear you can drink from them. These unspoilt waters hold large, wild, free rising trout just ripe for the dry fly or nymph.
Expert anglers often spend days/weeks in the Rotorua region visiting a different stream each day. Many of these streams are close to Rotorua city, however, other more remote back country streams are accessed by 4WD, fixed wing or helicopter. One day, two days or more…….. Include a camp out to extend the experience…The choice is yours.
Services provided by back country guide members include… all camping requirements, rafts if necessary, food, and transport options (4WD, fixed wing or helicopter) as required.
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Unanswered questions? No worries!
Click here to contact us and we'll be happy to answer any other questions you may have.
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