Wellington Fishing Regulations 2016-2017
Contact:
Office: 292 Featherston Street
Palmerston North 4410
Postal Address: PO Box 1325
Palmerston North 4440
Phone: (06) 359 0409
Fax: (06) 356 2780
Email: wellington@fishandgame.org.nz
Manager: Phil Teal
Office admin: Sue Wray, Corinne Deans
Fish & Game Officers: Steve Pilkington, Hamish Carnachan
Environmental Manager:
Office: 292 Featherston Street
Palmerston North 4410
Postal Address: PO Box 1325
Palmerston North 4440
Phone: (06) 359 0409
Fax: (06) 356 2780
Email: wellington@fishandgame.org.nz
Manager: Phil Teal
Office admin: Sue Wray, Corinne Deans
Fish & Game Officers: Steve Pilkington, Hamish Carnachan
Environmental Manager:
The Wellington Region encompasses the area roughly from Waiouru, across to Norsewood and south to Cook Strait. It includes four large river catchments: the Rangitikei, Manawatu, Ruamahanga, and Hutt which provide a very diverse range of opportunities for principally brown trout river fishing. The Rangitikei and Manawatu rivers have both significant brown and rainbow trout fisheries. The diversity of local angling opportunities ranges from spectacular wilderness backcountry streams in the Kaimanawa, Ruahine, or Tararua Forest Parks to highly productive rivers on the doorstep of urban centres of Wellington, Masterton, and Palmerston North.
INFORMATION FOR ANGLERS
Angler Access
Access in general is one of the key barriers to participation of anglers and hunters, especially when you want to explore new and different sites. Wellington Fish & Game have embarked on a project to improve access information, through production of a new series of information pamphlets and on the ground signage to denote angler access. In most situations we will be endeavouring to match up numbers on the access pamphlets to sign numbers on the ground-to confirm you are actually in the ‘right spot’. Legal public access along many of the river and streams in the Wellington Fish & Game Region is often fragmented. There are several angler access pamphlets available that are a guide to show where anglers have unencumbered public access and where permission from landholders is required. These are provided for the main river systems and many of their tributaries. Public access is available over much of the lower Rangitikei downstream of the confluence with the Kawhatau but further upstream permission from landowners is generally required. On the Hutt River public access is readily available at various points downstream from the Akatarawa confluence.
ACCESS INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE FOR:
• Kapiti Coast Rivers Otaki, Waikanae, Ohau
• Ruamahanga River
• Waiohine River
• Upper Manawatu River
• Lower Manawatu River
• Mangatainoka River
• Pohangina River
• Rangitikei River-mid and lower reaches
• Waingawa River
• Waipoua River
These can be obtained free from any sports fish licence agent, on the Wellington Region fishing pages www.fishandgame.org.nz , or send a self-addressed envelope with your request to PO BOX 1325 Palmerston North, or phone 06 359 0409.
UPPER RANGITIKEI RIVER AND WHAKAUREKOU RIVERS BACKCOUNTRY LICENCE
This licence is available free of cost to all anglers with a whole season or family season fishing licence. The backcountry licence can be obtained online www.fishandgame.org.nz, whereupon an individual number will be issued. This is to be carried with you at all times while fishing, along with your whole season or family fishing licence. For further information phone 06 359 0409.
WELLINGTON REGION’S WEEKLY FISHING EMAIL REPORT
To register for this service visit the Fish and Game website www. fishandgame.org.nz Wellington Region, and click on “sign up here.”
1. DEFINITIONS
See First Schedule.
2. OPEN SEASON, PERMITTED METHODS, DAILY BAG LIMITS, FISH LENGTH LIMITS
Permitted Methods
Definition: F = Fly fishing only FS = Fly, Spin fishing only FSB = Fly, Spin or Bait fishing * = Bait fishing by child licence holder
ONLY Maximum size limit means all trout longer than the specified length must be released. There is no minimum size limit in any water in the Wellington Fish and Game region.
Lakes & Open Permitted Daily Bag
Rivers Season Methods Limits
All other waters not listed below 1 Oct – 30 Apr FSB 4
All coastal dune lakes All year FSB 4
Akatarawa River 1 Oct – 30 Apr FS 1
Max 450mm
Hautapu River upstream of the
road bridge numbered 741/1096
on Highway 1 by the Taihape
Golf Club. 1 Oct – 30 Apr F 1
Max 550mm
Hautapu River downstream of the
road bridge numbered 741/1096
on Highway 1 by the Taihape Golf
Club. 1 Oct – 30 Apr FSB 4
Henley, Lake All year FSB 4
Hokowhitu Lagoon (also known
as Centennial Lagoon) All year FSB Rainbow or Brown trout: 1
All other sports fish: No limit
Hutt River All year FS * 2
Max 450mm
Kahuterawa Stream 1 Oct – 30 Apr FSB 4
Kawhatau River All year FSB 4
Kopuaranga River 1 Oct – 30 Apr F 4
Kourarau Dam (Upper) Reservoir,
except all inflowing streams. All year FSB Rainbow or Brown trout
1
All other sports fish
4
Lake Wairarapa All year FSB 4
Makakahi River, upstream of
the road bridge at Eketahuna 1 Oct – 30 Apr FSB 4
Makakahi River, downstream
of the road bridge at Eketahuna All year FSB 4
Makiekie River (Coal Creek) 1 Oct – 30 Apr FSB 2
Makuri River upstream of
the township bridge 1 Oct – 30 Apr F 1
Max 450mm
Makuri River downstream
of the township bridge 1 Oct – 30 Apr FSB 1
Manawatu River upstream of
Maunga Road Bridge
(upstream of Dannevirke) 1 Oct – 30 Apr FSB 1
Manawatu River downstream
of Maunga Road Bridge
(upstream of Dannevirke) All year FSB 4
Mangaohane Stream 1 Oct – 30 Apr FS 1
Max 550mm
Mangahao River upstream of
Marima Reserve Bridge 1 Oct – 30 Apr FSB 4
Mangahao River downstream
of Marima Reserve Bridge All year FSB 4
Mangaone River (a tributary of
the Tiraumea River) All year FSB 4
Mangaroa River 1 Oct – 30 Apr FS 1
Max 450mm
Mangatainoka River upstream
of Scarborough Konini Rd Bridge 1 Oct – 30 Apr FS 2
Max 450mm
Mangatainoka River downstream
of Scarborough Konini Rd Bridge All year FS 2
Max 450mm
Mangatarere Stream 1 Oct – 30 Apr F 1
Mangatoro River 1 Oct – 30 Apr F 1
Moawhango River All year FSB 4
Ohau River All year FS 2
Max 450mm
Oroua River and its tributaries
upstream of Ruahine Forest
Park boundary. 1 Oct – 30 Apr FSB 1
Oroua River downstream
of Ruahine Forest Park boundary
and upstream of Oroua
Valley Rd Bridge. All year FSB 1
Oroua River downstream of
Oroua Valley Rd Bridge. All year FSB 4
Otaki River and its tributaries
upstream of Tararua Forest
Park boundary. 1 Oct – 30 Apr FSB 1
Otaki River downstream of
Tararua Forest Park boundary. All year FSB 4
Pakuratahi Stream 1 Oct – 30 Apr FS 1
Max 450mm
Pohangina River downstream
of Totara Reserve Bridge. All year FSB 2
Pohangina River upstream
of Totara Reserve Bridge
to Piripiri Bridge. All year FS 1
Max 450mm
Pohangina River upstream
of Piripiri Bridge. 1 Oct – 30 Apr FS 1
Max 450mm
Pohangina River tributaries 1 Oct – 30 Apr FSB 2
Pourangaki River 1 Oct – 30 Apr FS 1
Max 450mm
Rangitikei River and its tributaries
upstream of Ohinewaione
Stream confluence (about 9 river
kilometres upstream of the
Springvale Bridge) (see clause 4) 1 Oct – 30 Apr FS 1
Max 550mm
Rangitikei River upstream of
Matawhero Road Bridge
(commonly called the
Mangaohane Bridge) to the
Ohinewaione Stream confluence 1 Oct – 30 Apr FS 2
Max 550mm
Rangitikei River downstream
of Matawhero Road Bridge
(commonly called the
Mangaohane Bridge). All year FSB 4
Ruamahunga River and
its tributaries upstream of
State Highway 2. 1 Oct – 30 Apr FSB 1
Ruamahunga River downstream
of State Highway 2. All year FSB 4
Tauherenikau River and its
tributaries upstream of
State Highway 2. 1 Oct – 30 Apr FSB 1
Tauherenikau River downstream
of Highway 2. All year FSB 4
Tauweru River 1 Oct – 30 Apr FSB 4
Tiraumea River All year FSB 4
Tokomaru River 1 Oct – 30 Apr FS 1
Max 450mm
Turitea Stream 1 Oct – 30 Apr FSB 4
Waikanae River 1 Oct – 30 Apr FS 1 Max 450mm
Waipoua River 1 Oct – 30 Apr FSB 4
Waingawa River and its
tributaries upstream of
Highway 2. 1 Oct – 30 Apr FS 1
Max 550mm
Waingawa River downstream
of State Highway 2. All year FSB 4
Wainui Stream 1 Oct – 30 Apr FS 1
Max 450mm
Wainuiomata River downstream
of the main township bridge. 1 Oct – 30 Apr F 1
Max 550mm
Waiohine River and its tributaries
upstream of Highway 2. 1 Oct – 30 Apr FSB 1
Waiohine River downstream
of Highway 2. All year FSB 4
Waitawa, Lake (Otaki)
– [Forest Lake] All year FSB Tench
0
Whakatikei River 1 Oct – 30 Apr FS 1
Max 450mm
Whitby Lakes All year FSB Tench
0
3. Coarse Fishing Waters
Lake Waitawa (Otaki) (catch & release).
Upper and Lower Whitby Lakes (catch & release).
Lake Wairarapa. Ruamahanga Cut-off.
4. Wellington Backcountry Fisheries
Backcountry fishery Definition:
Rangitikei River backcountry fishery means the upper Rangitikei River and its tributaries upstream of the Ohinewaione Stream confluence.
Whakaurekou River backcountry fishery means the Whakaurekou River from the confluence of the Rangitikei River, including the tributaries within the Ruahine Ranges (namely Mangatera, Maropea and Waikamaka Rivers). The Rangitikei River and Whakaurekou River backcountry fisheries are a backcountry fishery (as defined in the Sports Fish Licences, Fees, and Forms Notice 2015) and all anglers who fish in them must first obtain a backcountry licence (obtainable free) in addition to an adult whole season licence, as defined in the Sports Fish Licences, Fees, and Forms Notice 2015, and the provisions of that notice apply to this notice.