Wellington and Central North Island
Fishing in Wellington and the Central North Island
Common species to catch in the central North Island are Snapper kingfish, kahawai, tarakihi, bluecod, trevally, gurnard and elephantfish with snapper and kingfish being more prevalent in the summer months. Most rivers hold trout. Along the West coast places like Mokau and New Plymouth are top fishing destinations for some large snapper when the conditions allow.
Destination review: Makara
November 2019Gary Kemsley revisits Makara, a special fishing spot from his youth.... Read More >
Wellington fishing shots
July 2019Often described as a fishery where you must earn your catch, the Wellington region can at times boast a fishery that is as good as it... Read More >
A guide to Wellingtons fishing
July 2019In the second part of this Wellington recreational feature, Jim O’Brien focusses on the booming boat fishing scene and outlines the exciting freshwater fishing options available.... Read More >
Fishing in Fitzroy Bay
July 2019Enthusiastic shore-based angler Andy Macleod has a lot of love for the fishing our capital city has to offer. He shares some of his favourite haunts... Read More >
Kapiti Coast
July 2019Within an hour’s drive of Wellington, the Kapiti Coast offers a diverse range of productive fishing opportunities, writes Peter Langlands.... Read More >
Slide baiting for kingfish
June 2018Wellington’s land-based anglers have found that kingfish heaven is as close as a couple of kilometres from the city’s CBD and Houses of Parliament. Jim O’Brien... Read More >
Kayak fishing in Wellington Harbour
May 2018Many of his surfcasting friends are horrified, but Andy Macleod finds plenty of good reasons to go to the dark side and fish from a kayak…... Read More >
Autumn freshwater fishing in the Central North Island
April 2018The fishing can be excellent as we move into the cooler months. Mike Davis gives a breakdown of what to expect in the central North Island.... Read More >
Fishing Wellington Bays
March 2018Wellington can be a fickle place for the shorebased fisher, mostly for reasons related to the sea and weather conditions. But when various positive elements coincide,... Read More >
Fishing spots at Palliser bay
October 2015It's not too much of a stretch to describe Palliser Bay as the spiritual home of surfcasting in the lower North Island.... Read More >
Major Bites
Minor Bites
Major Bites
Minor Bites
Latest Articles
Staying Warm in Winter
June 2022Steve Dickinson spoke to a range of cold weather experts – fishermen, search and rescue, alpine guides and ski patrol – and shares their input on... Read More >
Voluntary HFO Work Can Lead to a New Career
June 2022The Ministry for Primary Industries’ national network of Honorary Fishery Officers (HFOs) are among the thousands of volunteers being honoured as part of National Volunteers Week... Read More >
Bow Vs. Kingi
June 2022"It all started 10 years ago. I was taking a casual walk around Pandora Pond when I spotted some big kingfish swimming around below the walkway.... Read More >
Vanuatu: The Real Fishing Deal
June 2022“If I were to die and go to fishing heaven, I think I would suddenly find myself in Vanuatu” writes Grant Dixon, who has enjoyed many... Read More >
Edge Fishing Tackle Talk Q & A
June 2022The team behind popular fishing brand EDGE design and test heaps of new items of gear each year. As soon as the conditions are right, they’re... Read More >