The Best Fishing Spots in Waikato Region
In New Zealand’s Waikato Region, anglers can enjoy both freshwater and coastal fishing; on rivers and lakes such as the Waikato River and Lake Taupō the main targets are brown trout and rainbow trout using fly fishing or spin fishing, while along the Hauraki Gulf, estuaries and surf breaks common species from shore and boat include snapper, kingfish, kahawai, gurnard and trevally; estuaries and shallow bays also hold flounder and small reef fish, making Waikato a versatile recreational fishing destination year‑round.
Top Cities For Fishing
Lake Fishing
Lake Taupo
River Fishing
Sea Fishing
Colville
(1 km to coast)
Coromandel
(1 km to coast)
Maramarua
(15 km to coast)
Ngatea
(9 km to coast)
Paeroa
(17 km to coast)
Pauanui
(2 km to coast)
Raglan
(2 km to coast)
Tairua
(4 km to coast)
Te Puru
(4 km to coast)
Thames
(4 km to coast)
Tuakau
(12 km to coast)
Waihi
(14 km to coast)
Whangamata
(3 km to coast)
Whitianga
(1 km to coast)
Top Saltwater Fishing Spots
Whitianga Harbour
The gateway to offshore reefs of Mercury Bay , this harbour provides easy access to snapper, kingfish, and trevally; in-harbour channels fish well on tide changes, while boats head to nearby pins for live-baited kingfish and soft-baited snapper.
Whangapoua Harbour
A picturesque northern Coromandel harbour where channels and flats produce snapper, trevally, and kahawai on moving tides; nearby Matarangi and New Chums Beach headlands offer productive rock platforms for straylining.
Whangamata Harbour
Sheltered channels and sand flats produce snapper, trevally, and kahawai on the turn of the tide, with nearby surf beaches yielding gurnard and snapper; summertime bait and soft-bait sessions are popular, and kingfish patrol current lines near the entrance.
Firth of Thames
This broad bay bordering Thames and Kaiaua is famous for autumn–spring snapper schools, with kahawai workups common; drifting soft-baits over mud and shell beds or baiting ledger rigs near channel edges are reliable tactics.
Tairua Harbour
A scenic estuary opposite Pauanui , Tairua’s channels and flats hold snapper, trevally, and school kingfish; dawn topwater around the bar and soft-baits along edges on incoming tides are standouts, with reefs outside offering john dory and kahawai.
Tairua
The coastal town provides quick access to reefs and current lines where snapper, kingfish, and john dory are regulars; inshore soft-baiting over kelp edges and live-baiting around headlands toward Pauanui and Slipper Island are proven approaches.
Raglan Harbour
Also known as Whaingaroa Harbour , Raglan offers bar access to rich west-coast grounds with snapper, gurnard, and kahawai, while in-harbour channels and sandbanks fish well on the change of light; summer sees kingfish working bait around current lines.
Mercury Bay
A premier Coromandel playground centered on Whitianga , Mercury Bay offers inshore snapper, kingfish, and kahawai, with reefs and pins holding trevally and john dory; summer topwater and live-baits shine, while autumn soft-baits along foul ground are dependable.
Kawhia Harbour
A productive west-coast harbour with access to expansive sand and reef country, Kawhia produces snapper, gurnard, and kahawai, with kingfish showing over structure in warmer months; soft-baits and ledger rigs do damage on tidal runs.
Aotea Harbour
Quiet and productive, Aotea’s channels and harbour mouth deliver snapper, kahawai, and gurnard, with occasional kingfish in warmer months; drifting baits and soft-baits across banks on the incoming tide works well.
Opito Bay
A renowned land-based and small-boat venue on the eastern Coromandel, Opito Bay’s nearby reefs and headlands hold snapper, kingfish, and trevally; dawn and dusk straylines from the rocks and soft-baits along foul patches are consistent producers.
Kennedy Bay
Also called Harataunga, this exposed east-coast bay offers rock and boat access to snapper, kingfish, and kahawai; summer topwater action can be spectacular, with autumn soft-baits over kelp edges delivering quality pannies.
Hot Water Beach
Beyond the thermal sands, the surf zone fishes well for snapper, gurnard, and kahawai, especially at dawn, dusk, and on evening tides; long casts with baits or soft-baits into gutters and channels are the go-to approach.
Pauanui Beach
A popular surfcasting stretch opposite Tairua , Pauanui produces snapper, gurnard, and schooling kahawai; fishing the outer bars and rips during low-light windows with fresh baits or metal lures is particularly effective.
Top Freshwater Fishing Spots
Waikato River
New Zealand’s longest river delivers accessible rainbow/brown trout in cooler reaches, plus abundant perch and catfish in slower sections and hydro lakes; trolling and soft-baits work in impoundments like Lake Karapiro , while spinning and nymphing produce below major pools.
Waihou River
Crystal-clear spring-fed reaches near Putaruru and Te Aroha offer sight-fishing for rainbow and brown trout; small nymphs and dries excel in summer, while small spinners work in deeper runs and undercut banks.
Tongariro River
A world-renowned fly fishery feeding Lake Taupo, the Tongariro offers year-round action for rainbow trout with winter spawning runs and solid brown trout in lower pools; classic nymphing and wet-line swing techniques shine around famous pools near Turangi .
Lake Taupo
New Zealand’s largest lake is famed for rainbow and brown trout, with productive trolling, jigging, and harling over drop-offs and river mouths; summer and late autumn see strong smelt-driven bites, while winter jigging in deeper basins and early-morning harling near Waitahanui River and Tongariro River mouths are classic tactics.
Lake Arapuni
A scenic hydro lake between Waipapa and Karapiro , Arapuni supports solid rainbow trout along with perch; troll or jig along steep banks and river bends, and target inlets and weed edges during low light for active fish.
Lake Karapiro
A Waikato hydro lake known for accessible shorelines and boat ramps, Karapiro holds rainbow trout, perch, and catfish; trolling tassie devils and soft-plastics along drop-offs is effective, with evening spinner and nymph sessions producing trout near inflows.
Top Saltwater & Freshwater Spots
Port Waikato
At the mouth of the Waikato River , surf beaches and the bar hold kahawai, snapper, and gurnard, with schooling fish pushing bait on tides; river edges also produce sea-run trout at times, and change-of-light sessions are particularly effective.