Lake Tarawera has come up trumps, producing its best 2-year-old fish in over two decades, and whilst Tarawera was the star performer, Lakes Rotoiti, Okataina and the Ohau Channel all profited from remarkable trout growth over the past year.  

October 1 marked the start of the 2024-25 trout fishing season and Eastern Region Fish & Game were out talking to hundreds of anglers from all around the country who descended upon the district to celebrate the occasion, and catch a trout in the process.

Rangers from Fish & Game Eastern Region were stationed at boat ramps and out on the lakes in boats to check on the days fishing. “Boat ramp surveys let us weight and measure catches, talk with anglers about their day and check that everyone has a current fishing licence and is fishing to the rules,” said Fish & Game’s Matt Osborne.

Successful anglers at a weigh station on opening morning.

Fish & Game reported the 2-yr-old trout from Lake Tarawera were absolutely remarkable, with hatchery fish released during autumn 2023 coming in at 583mm and 2.45kg. This is a whopping 600g per fish heavier than last opening. Lakes Rotoiti and Okataina were looking in great shape too, with fish size also improved from the last couple of years. Mr Osborne stated, “Two very wet seasons which weren’t pleasant for us land dwellers have really pumped good forest catchment nutrients into the lakes and boosted the food chain.

“Anglers were very happy to be out on the region’s lakes, and the weather really turned it on. I think lots of fishers were stoked to be out there fishing with friends and families, relieving stress and being able to catch great fish was the cherry on top,” commented Mr Osborne.

The day's biggest recorded fish was an impressive brown trout weighing 10 pounds, caught in the Ohau Channel by Rotorua local angler Cary Coker. Lake Rotoiti produced a rainbow tipping the scales at 4kg and Lake Tarawera a rainbow of 3.4kg. 

“With the real boom time in the food chain coming following smelt spawning, this season has the potential to produce some truly magnificent trout as we head through the season toward the autumn and early winter,” said Mr Osborne 

The boat fishing season on lakes Rotoiti, Tarawera and Okataina extends until the end of June 2025. Rotorua has 13 trout fishing lakes, many of which are open all year.

- Eastern Fish & Game