New Zealand boasts over 15,000 kilometres of coastline, beaches, clear rivers and lakes. So, no matter what style of fishing you prefer, New Zealand has you covered. Whether its big game fishing offshore, fly fishing rivers and streams or heli fishing remote alpine lakes, you’ll always find a spectacular destination to get your lure or fly wet.<\/p>\n\n\n
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No wonder the locals call this place heaven. The sheer number of sport fishing options is enough proof that it is indeed an anglers paradise. The north island offers anglers the opportunity to target snapper, kingfish and marlin offshore with brown and rainbow trout frequenting the famous Tongariro river system. The spectacular south island offers up Blue cod, trumpeter, grouper, rainbow and brown trout and salmon. Regardless of your angling preference, New Zealand is a destination that has everything.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
RELATED: Join Sami Omari as he follows the lure of NZ kingfish<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Fishing in New Zealand can be enjoyed all year round. But like most destinations, there’s always a perfect time and place. So, we rounded up the most important things to keep in mind when planning to visit New Zealand.<\/p>\n\n\n The fishing season in the South Westland and Fiordland opens as the first sign of spring starts. Anglers can enjoy the still cold weather while wrestling with the sea-run trout of the south. Going streamer and nymph fishing for late spawning rainbows at Lakes Rotorua and Taupo in the North is also available.<\/p>\n\n\n\n By October, the resident browns join the late spawning rainbows. You’d be interested in fly fishing with weighted nymphs in mountain streams as the fish are already starting to become active with the warming waters. The fishing season for streams and rivers also opens at this time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As the summer nears and the spring ends, anglers are treated to the best fishing month for browns. Good dry fly and mayflies hatch in both north and south islands, and the trout are very aggressive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n December marks the start of the summer season. It is perhaps the best month to fish in New Zealand<\/a>. December marks the beginning of the big game fishing season, so if you’re up for chasing big fish like marlin, yellowfin tuna or kingfish, your options would either be Russell, Tutukaka or Tauranga. Fishing in lakes, streams and rivers is also perfect since the streamers, nymphs, dries, and trout are pretty active, and the browns are less wary.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As the sun peaks in the summer and fishing starts to get a bit trickier, you have the option to check out backcountry streams or going on float trips or heli fly-outs using big dries for both browns and rainbows. January is the most crowded month of the year. The weather is hot and the streams are at their lowest, too, so stalking small nymphs and dries need extra effort and care.<\/p>\n\n\n\n During February, you’ll be sharing the waterways with our North American friends. US anglers escape their winter and flock to the New Zealand streams and luxury lodges. For our US friends check out Los Angeles based outfitter The Best of NZ Fly Fishing<\/a> before planning your next trip across the Pacific.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As warm summer days give way to cooler autumn temperatures, the declining noise from the cicadas marks the end of the dry fly fishing season. But don’t go hiding away all your fly rods and waders yet; the adaptive fly fishos can still make this season quite productive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n With the salmon and trout at their finest and mountain streams still fishing well for browns with dries, March is a good month for trophies, though it also marks the last month of fishing in most areas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The end of autumn also marks the last month for catching marlin. But don’t fret because you can still go and try for a trophy rainbow at either Lake Rotorua or Lake Taupo. As autumn ends in May, the Game Bird season opens, so for those of you keen on combining a fish and duck hunt then this is the time to do it.<\/p>\n\n\n By June, winter starts for real in all inland areas, leaving only some tributaries and lakes open for both the north and south islands. At this time, anglers into very heavy nymph rigs or sinking lines with egg and streamer patterns are welcome to have fun in New Zealand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n On the North Island, winter trout fishing in the Taupo\/Rotorua regions is an option. However, for hardy anglers, the Tongariro River is more appealing as the best fly fishing season for spawning rainbows opens at this time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n By mid-winter (August), anglers are welcome to start planning for great light tackle saltwater fishing. It is also the quietest time of the year, so if you’re up for cooler weather and the waters to yourself, then jump on that plane to New Zealand!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Check out Morning Tide Fishing<\/a> on their New Zealand Fishing Adventure.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nThe right fishing season for you<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Spring: September – November<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Summer: December – February<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Autumn: March – May<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Winter: June – August<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n