Lake Taupo

Tongariro River

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Lake Taupo

Brown trout were first liberated in the Taupo area in 1889 followed by rainbows in 1898. Of course with a bountiful food supply the did very well. Browns over 20kgs were recorded while trout over 10lb became abundant and as word spread anglers started making the pilgrimage. Notable visitors to Taupo included Zane Gray who immortalized the area with his book 'Tales of the Anglers Eldorado'.

The hungry Taupo trout placed a huge demand on the natural food supply of native Koaro which eventually ran low with a corresponding decline in trout condition. To provide an alternative food source smelt were introduced into Lake Taupo in the mid 1930s.

The trout quickly adapted to the new food supply and the fishery had recovered by the 1950s. While the average size of fish has fallen, as you would expect from the early days, the Taupo fishery still produces it's share of heavy weights. This is particularly true with the brown trout with many big fish encountered by 'those in the know'

The Taupo area has a wealth of fishing for every ones taste

Taupo Area Guide;

Acacia Bay: Good trolling off southern point.
Delta: The several mouths of the Tongariro River offer good fishing to deeply sunk lures fished from anchored boats into deep water.
Hinemaiaia River: Good fly fishing in river in winter and mouth in summer.
Horomatangi Reef: Excellent trolling all year, best in summer.
Kawakawa: Good shallow-water trolling
Kuratau: Exciting smelting available spring and summer.
Motutaiko Island: Good trolling all around island.
Omoho Stream: Good night fishing in stream mouth.
Rangatira Point: Excellent trolling all year, best in spring.
Tauranga-Taupo River: Open shingle bed offers interesting fishing during the winter months in river and good fishing during summer at mouth.
Tongariro River: Excellent late winter fly fishing.
Waihaha: Good smelting along beach, excellent fishing in stream mouth after dark.
Waihora: Night fishing in stream mouth and smelting along beach in summer.
Waikino Falls: Good trolling where waterfall enters lake.
Waimarino and Waiotaka Rivers: Small spawning streams offering good fishing around mouths and limited fishing upstream.
Waitahanui River: Good fly fishing all year round. River in winter, river mouth in summer.
Whakaipo Bay: Night fishing in stream mouth - good smelting on southern shore of bay. Some dry fly fishing November-December.
Whakaipo Reef: Good shallow-water trolling in summer and autumn.
Whangamata Stream: Night fishing at stream mouth all year.
Whanganui: Excellent smelting in spring. Good night fishing at mouth of stream.
Whareroa: Good night-time fishing at mouth.
Wharewaka Point: Deep water close to shore offers good trolling September - December.