Taupo License question
Printed From: The Fishing Website
Category: Freshwater Fishing
Forum Name: Freshwater Fission
Forum Description: The place to discuss all matters related to freshwater fishing!
URL: https://www.fishing.net.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=135394
Printed Date: 09 Jun 2026 at 9:45pm
Topic: Taupo License question
Posted By: Fenwick1
Subject: Taupo License question
Date Posted: 20 Apr 2021 at 7:26pm
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Hi , why is Taupo fishing licenses different to the rest of NZ . I a Fish and Game license and fish just about any where except Taupo. I am aware DOC are in charge in Taupo but would have thought everyone would benefit from a simpler universal license option ? The answer maybe simple so hence my question ..why . |
Replies:
Posted By: Reel Deal
Date Posted: 21 Apr 2021 at 7:21am
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ive been told the fishery is managed seperate to the rest of the country and has its own cost centre. Though that said I know they have closed a few hatcheries down and DOC has increased bag limits to reduce the trout numbers in the Lake (as classed like possums being pests). Now this is interesting info I was told from my trout charter captain. That since DOCs changes with shutting down hatcheries and bigger bag limits the trout numbers have increased? Can’t verify that myself. Has anyone else heard about it? ------------- The gods do not subtract from the allotted span of men's lives the hours spent on fishing - Assyrian Proverb |
Posted By: fish_fiddler
Date Posted: 21 Apr 2021 at 7:56am
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From my understanding, it is managed by DOC on behalf of the council I believe, as it is such a big resource to the region. That is why is separate to Fish and Game. It also comes down to the restructure that occurred in the 70's and 80's. Regarding the bag limit increase, the number of fresh runs over recent years has prompted the increase as it is just not sustainable to have so many fish. Over the winter months they are heavily encouraging you take fish.
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Posted By: Fraser Hocks
Date Posted: 21 Apr 2021 at 8:47am
Yea its an interesting one hey? Iv been told that F&G have offered to take it over many times but DoC has knocked it back every time. DoC's staff would like to get rid of trout in NZ (id say that is impossible) so I'm guessing its a case of the profits are just too good? Everyone has a price as they say! 
Id highly recommend bringing this point up with any staunch greenie  The trout in the lake were stunting, is my understanding. In other words 1 cubic meter of water can support #kg of fish. In this instance the #kg of fish was a very high number of fish. Removing's a number of fish, enables the other fish to have more access to food source and they grow larger. Also its been found in other parts of the world that hatchery produced fish are not robust, so in lean times die out. Allowing (or assisting by providing the right environment) natural reproduction, produces robust fish that can weather the storm as it were. So yes, reducing the number of hatchery fish can long term result in a far better fishery.
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Posted By: FishMan
Date Posted: 21 Apr 2021 at 8:49am
| I was under the impression that Lake Taupo is managed separately because the lake bed and all the rivers running into it are owned by Tuwharetoa? |
Posted By: Fenwick1
Date Posted: 22 Apr 2021 at 3:39pm
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Ok and thanks for the replies. I guess at some stage the powers that be will maybe allow Fish and Game a go and then we can fish most of NZ on one license. In the mean time wait and see. cheers.
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Posted By: chopsticks
Date Posted: 23 Apr 2021 at 12:46pm
Yes, that is correct. Part of the fishing licence income goes to Ngati Tuwharetoa. There is virtually zero chance of that changing. There is no hatchery stocking of trout in Lake Taupo or it's tributaries and hasn't been for over one hundred years as far as I know. Hatchery reared fry were sent to other fishing areas of NZ.
------------- CONFIDENCE: The feeling you have before fully understanding the situation. |
FishMan wrote:Posted By: Fishb8
Date Posted: 23 Apr 2021 at 4:26pm
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Fishing from Hamilton to Taupo needed 3 licences at one time as Rotorua also had it's own fishing area. Fishing below above Huka Falls was Taupo, below the falls (often very productive using a spinner but that was in Rotorua's territory?. FishL Ohakuri was Waikao, ir, the rest of the country. 3 licences in 25 km!! For a couple of years, excess fish from the hatchery was unloaded into Lake Taupo at the boat club near the Waiotaka stream. Some good shoreline fishing there for a few years as the trout returned to spawn - spin legal too! It was kept very quiet. ------------- Be yourself; everyone else is already taken |
Posted By: Rainbow
Date Posted: 23 Apr 2021 at 8:47pm
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My Understanding is that Tuwharetoa have an agreement with the Crown to grant foot access along the lake shore and along tributaries where fishing is allowed in return for half the license and fines money that DOC collects. Since over time the license sales have dropped to almost half, the remuneration has been changed to a set sum regardless of how many licenses are sold. I am sure DOC would want to get out of this but if they did Tuwharetoa would be free to privatised the fishery and set their own rules. It is also very doubtful that F&G would want it considering the additional cost they would have to manage such a big fishery on the income of a universal license. Don't forget that a lot of Taupo license holders also buy a F&G license to fish elsewhere so there would be little change in income for F&G. As for bag limit change this is another story. 1. The lake is nutrient poor that is why it is so clear 2. There are acres of spawning gravel capable of producing an excess of fingerlings. 3. Smelt population varies from year to year depending on nutrient supply. 4. License sales have half since the mid eighties 5. C&R is widely practiced 6. Limit bags have dropped from 10 to 3 over the years. What that means is if there is a year of high trout recruitment in the spawning streams and a down turn in the smelt population there an imbalance and new fish entering the lake are starving. This has happened dramatically from 2005 onwards and has only normalised in the last three years with a rise in productivity and an increase in harvest. Taupo must be harvested heavily to keep smelt and trout in a health balance. Cheers Rainbow |
Posted By: Fenwick1
Date Posted: 24 Apr 2021 at 6:14pm
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Thanks for the information . II am now a lot more informed and now understand the dynamics involved . Sounds like a real tin of worms and am picking any changes to the licensing is not likely to happen . Once again thanks |
Posted By: Fishb8
Date Posted: 25 Apr 2021 at 5:52pm
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Rainbow - the lake is more nutrient rich because of fertilizer run-off. That's why I pay Waikato rates to stop dairy farming in the watershed catchment. The Ruapehu eruption caused tons of ash silt to enter the lake, flocculating the nutrients to the lake bed and increasing the water clarity. This enabled the smelt to spawn another 20 metres deeper and hugely increase the smelt population, hence the BIG trout year in the late 1990s. Taupo trout eat smelt and the more smelt there are, the bigger the troutt. Clearer water improves smelt breeding conditions. Smelt were introduced to Taupo once all the native fish was eaten, pre-WW1 and smelt introduced from Rotorua. The whole eco-system of Taupo now depends on smelt. ------------- Be yourself; everyone else is already taken |
Posted By: Micsam
Date Posted: 26 Apr 2021 at 5:02pm
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Rotoiti ain’t very clear but the smelt kick the arse out of Taupo ones? Rotoiti has been heavily nutrient laden from Lake Rotorua over many years. Good it’s now stopped probably with the wall installed I vote for a 747 carpet bombing of lake Taupo with fertiliser to increase nutrients. The rainbows are still average miserably small in that lake. |
Posted By: RC17
Date Posted: 27 Apr 2021 at 10:09am
| Foul hook heaps of smelt on Rotoiti jigging they are that big, some of the bigger specimens I've had to double check if they were smelt or baby trout, could fillet the buggers |
Posted By: Fraser Hocks
Date Posted: 27 Apr 2021 at 10:20am
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Interesting stuff Rainbow. I didn't know about the link to Tuwharetoa over access. Quite a bit to read through but basically as you suggested Rainbow. https://www.doc.govt.nz/get-involved/have-your-say/all-consultations/2012/exploring-future-opportunities-for-the-taupo-sports-fishery/" rel="nofollow - https://www.doc.govt.nz/get-involved/have-your-say/all-consultations/2012/exploring-future-opportunities-for-the-taupo-sports-fishery/ It is a very different fishery there to the rest of the country for sure. I always wonder, what with DoC's distain for trout where it will end up in the future. |
Posted By: Rainbow
Date Posted: 27 Apr 2021 at 10:05pm
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Rotoiti is a is a rich nutrient soup and not very clear. At one time the lake was so laden that it was feared that the oxygen would become so low that trout would start to die. Instead they just grew fatter. I agree with the size of smelt. I actually hooked some in the mouth with my smelt flies that's how big they grow there. Incidentally the diversion wall has corroded and there are several holes that let Rotorua water into the main body of Rotoiti. Hope to manage a trip there next week before it gets to cold sitting with a wet arse in my kayak. Cheers Rainbow
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Posted By: Fenwick1
Date Posted: 04 May 2021 at 7:21pm
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Hit Kinloch Taupo last weekend for a fish What a shock re the fish condition. Mixed size ,big heads and runty bodies. By what has be listed on this thread I guess this is to be expected. A shame as Taupo fish have always been good condition in the past but haven't been there for a few years. Might just stick with Rotorua Lakes . Rotoiti always a safe bet .
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Posted By: Fishb8
Date Posted: 05 May 2021 at 4:56pm
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Need another Ruapehu eruption! Come back in 2+ years ------------- Be yourself; everyone else is already taken |
Posted By: Redfinger
Date Posted: 06 May 2021 at 3:16pm
| we fished the recent taupo comp end of march also out of Kinloch - plenty of fish in a couple of days 36 i think - some nice conditioned fish too with beautiful orange flesh but agree completely with the superior overall condition and size the Rotoiti Rainbows. In feb i landed a 4kg 70cm from Rotoiti fish that was not quite 3 years old. |