Changes to Fishing Regulations

There are some major changes to trout fishing rules in both the Hawke’s Bay and Eastern Fish and Game Regions for the 2001-02 fishing season and anglers should take advantage of the opportunities that have been created. The Anglers Notices are reviewed annually, and the Hawke’s Bay and Eastern Region Councils undertook a comprehensive round of consultation to see what anglers wanted. The changes that have been made for next season will enable anglers to try new techniques and should encourage first time anglers to try their hand at trout fishing.

Changes in Hawke’s Bay for the coming season will see the opening of waters that were previously closed during May, the removal of the minimum size limit in rivers and streams and there will no longer be any fly fishing only waters. This will enable anglers to fish more waters during the autumn and also encourage junior anglers to get involved by making a wider variety of methods available.

Anglers in the Eastern Region will now be able to fish with downriggers in all lakes except the Waikaremoana lakes. Bag limits have been simplified throughout the region with a two fish bag for most rivers, an eight fish bag for the Rotorua and Waikaremoana Lakes and no bag limit for the Waikato River and hydro lakes.

The winter fishing limits on the Waioeka River and Ngongotaha and Utuhina Streams have been extended further upstream and some additional spin fishing opportunities have been created around the Lake Rotorua tributaries. Anglers will also be able to fish from an anchored boat at the Ohau Channel Delta, which will make fishing this spot safer for many anglers.