The Best Fishing Spots in Taranaki Region
In New Zealand's Taranaki Region the coastline and offshore grounds offer productive recreational fishing. Close inshore areas and reefs hold good numbers of snapper, kingfish, kahawai and trevally, while sandy-bottom spots produce tarakihi, john dory and gurnard. Anglers can enjoy surfcasting, rock fishing, estuary and boat fishing for a mix of fast action and table-quality catches, with deeper water trips reaching offshore species and larger gamefish. Targeting structure near reefs and heads with fresh baits or lures usually brings the best results.
Top Cities For Fishing
Sea Fishing
Bell Block
(4 km to coast)
Fitzroy
(3 km to coast)
Frankleigh Park
(4 km to coast)
Hawera
(1 km to coast)
Hurdon
(3 km to coast)
Lynmouth
(2 km to coast)
Manaia
(3 km to coast)
Mangorei
(14 km to coast)
Merrilands
(5 km to coast)
Moturoa
(1 km to coast)
New Plymouth
(4 km to coast)
Normanby
(9 km to coast)
Oakura
(2 km to coast)
Okato
(9 km to coast)
Opunake
(1 km to coast)
Patea
(1 km to coast)
Puniho
(5 km to coast)
Rahotu
(4 km to coast)
Spotswood
(1 km to coast)
Vogeltown
(5 km to coast)
Waitara
(5 km to coast)
Waverley
(10 km to coast)
Welbourn
(5 km to coast)
Westown
(3 km to coast)
River Fishing
Top Saltwater Fishing Spots
Port Taranaki
The sheltered waters and breakwaters of Port Taranaki in New Plymouth are a magnet for anglers targeting snapper, kahawai, gurnard, and seasonal kingfish; boats work the harbour edges and nearby reefs while shore fishers prospect the breakwalls and adjacent Ngamotu Beach , with summer and autumn producing standout snapper sessions and winter bringing reliable gurnard.
Ohawe Beach
Just west of Hawera , Ohawe’s black-sand surf produces classic west coast targets—snapper in the warm months, reliable winter gurnard, and roaming kahawai—with dusk tides and a gentle swell giving the best windows.
Oakura Beach
Close to Oakura township, this gently shelving beach fishes well around change of light for snapper in late summer, consistent kahawai year-round, and winter gurnard; small boats and kayaks can slip just offshore to work soft-baits and micro-jigs along the sand patches and reef fringes.
Fitzroy Beach
This long, surfy strand in New Plymouth is a classic west coast surfcasting spot where evening tides in late spring through autumn often deliver snapper, roaming kahawai work-ups, and winter gurnard, with occasional rig and school shark patrolling the gutters after dark.
Opunake Beach
A popular holiday beach in Opunake where surfcasters target snapper on warm evenings and pick up kahawai and gurnard through the year, while small boats and kayaks can fish nearshore contours and reef edges when the west coast swell eases.
Top Freshwater Fishing Spots
Lake Mangamahoe
Set among forest near New Plymouth , this picturesque lake rewards early-morning stalking along the margins and subtle trolling in deeper basins for resident rainbow trout, with cool, clear winter conditions often producing the best quality fish.
Lake Ratapiko
A compact lake east of Inglewood , Ratapiko is popular with small boats and kayaks targeting rainbow trout by trolling and harling, while the weed edges and inflow areas hold perch that respond to soft-baits and small spinners year-round.
Lake Rotorangi
New Zealand’s longest man-made lake stretches up the Patea River , offering trolling and jigging for rainbow trout and brown trout, plus prolific perch; sheltered arms fish well in windy weather and spring sees active edge-feeding trout.
Top Saltwater & Freshwater Spots
Waiwhakaiho River
Close to New Plymouth , the Waiwhakaiho fishes as an estuary for kahawai and sea-runs near the river mouth, while upstream riffles and pools hold brown trout; summer evenings bring mayfly hatches, and soft-baits or small hardbodies excel around the lower tidal flats.
Waitotara River
A sizable river south of Waverley that offers estuary and surf action for kahawai and winter gurnard at the mouth, with stretches upstream providing opportunities for brown trout when levels are stable after rain.
Waitara River
From its tidal lower reaches at Waitara —great for kahawai and the occasional estuarine snapper—to trouty upper runs, the Waitara River offers varied fishing; summer sea-run action fires near the mouth, while cooler months see resident brown trout active upstream.
Waingongoro River
Entering the sea near Ohawe Beach , the Waingongoro’s tidal reaches draw kahawai and occasional school snapper, while the upper river’s riffles and pools support brown trout; small spinners and nymphs work well when the flow drops and clears.
Urenui River
A sheltered estuary at Urenui popular with families and small boats, producing consistent kahawai around baitfish schools, with light-tackle fun on trevally-sized bycatch and trout found in the fresher reaches upstream during cooler months.
Tongaporutu River
Famous for the dramatic coastline at Tongaporutu , the river mouth and adjacent beach fish well on settled seas for kahawai and late-summer snapper, while upriver runs and pools can hold brown trout after freshes when the water clears.
Stony River
Also known as the Hangatahua, the Stony’s clear, bouldery reaches on the ring plain give great sight-fishing for brown trout, while the surf at the mouth can produce kahawai and occasional summer snapper; look for fresh sea-run fish after rain pulses.
Patea River
Flowing to the coast at Patea and backed by the long reaches of Lake Rotorangi , this system delivers estuary kahawai and surf-side gurnard/ snapper near the mouth, with the upper river and impounded sections holding rainbow trout, brown trout, and perch.
Manganui River
Flowing off Mount Taranaki , the Manganui provides classic ring-plain trout water with brown trout in pocket-water and pools, and its lower tidal sections occasionally producing kahawai and sea-run fish after fresh inflows.