Fishing Equipment Continued angler access For the beginner virtually any rod will do but most anglers pre- - it’s primarily up to you! fer 3-4 meter rods with spin reals. Longer rods give greater con- trol when handling large fish and when fishing over weedy mar- Less than 50% of the rivers in the Auckland/Waikato region are cov- gins. ered by esplanade reserves (the “Queens Chain”). But notwithstand- ing the presence or absence of an esplanade reserve, anglers are Presentaon of the bait is important and a line of 2-3kg is ade- dependent upon landowner goodwill to fully enjoy angling opportu- quate unless large koi carp are the target when 4-5kg may be nies. needed. Accordingly make sure you take the me to extend to landowners the common courtesies that you would expect: Coarse Fishing Hook size will vary depending on the bait being used and the Ask their permission before you cross their land. size of fish expected. Sizes 8 to 12 will cover most situaons. Don’t AUCKLAND/WAIKATO Compeon anglers generally target small fish and will use clamber over fences smaller hooks. walk through crops The commonest method of fishing is to use a float. Always use disturb stock the lightest float for the job. The usual method is to have a bait leave gates other than as you found them suspended under the float with the bait just on the boom. Somemes the bait may be held at midwater for rudd or perch. deposit rubbish The prime aim of the float is to be a indicator of a bite. Small take your dog onto a landowners property unless you lead split-shot are used to hold the bait at the right depth and square it away with them that it is OK to do so. Hydads to sink the float to the correct level. and sheep measles can pose a serious threat to a farm- ers livelihood; so leave your dog at home unless you’re certain that the farmer doesn’t object to it on their land. In our experience very few landowners will refuse access to genuine anglers. To check for public access visit the Walking Access web site maps.walkingaccess.govt.nz. There is a great range of baits and anglers have their favorites. Rudd, tench and koi can be caught on bread (bread crust or bread paste), live bait (worms or mag- gots) and sweetcorn (canned or frozen whole ker- nels ). Perch prefer live bait but can also be caught on spinning gear small so baits or spinners. Groundbait can be used to aract fish to a parcular spot. Poultry meal is commonly used and oen mixed with breadcrumbs. It is mixed to a porridge-like con- Auckland/Waikato Fish & Game sistency, molded into balls and thrown in to the 156 Brymer Road, RD9 “swim”. Small quanes of the hook bait are oen Hamilton added. Telephone (07) 849 1666 aucklandwaikato@fishandgame.org.nz www.fishandgame.org.nz COARSE FISHING COARSE FISH SPECIES Coarse fish are abundant in many waters from Cambridge north and Tench (Licence required) coarse fishing is becoming increasingly popular especially among Tench are a large aracve fish that oen reach 1-3 kg in weight junior anglers. Tench and are a highly sought aer by coarse anglers. Tench are general- “Coarse fishing” derives its name from the fact that “coarse fish” ly dark olive in the back, fading to dark yellow or cream on the species have larger (“coarser”) scales in contrast to the finer small belly. Tench are common in Hamilton Lake (Lake Rotoroa). scales of trout. While trout are found in clear water streams and cold lakes, coarse fish prefer the warm, sll waters found in lowland rivers Perch (Licence required) and northern lakes. Because of their preference for warm water, the Perch are common in the Wairoa River near Clevedon and Lake best me to go fishing for coarse fish is during the summer months. Pupuke but throughout the rest of the region they are generally Over winter, coarse fish become less acve and rarely feed. restricted to small lakes and ponds. Perch are easily idenfied by This pamphlet provides informaon on the basic techniques for their humped back, two dorsal fins and a series of dark vercal Perch catching coarse fish and a guide to the most accessible locaons for lines between the head and the tail. Perch 1-1.5kg are not uncom- coarse fishing. mon in the Auckland/Waikato Region. MAKE SURE YOU PURCHASE A FISHING Rudd (Licence required) Rudd are extremely common throughout the Waikato River system LICENCE and associated lakes. Rudd are similar in shape to a goldfish but have bright scarlet fins, and a short dorsal (top) fin unlike the much An Auckland/Waikato freshwater fishing licence allows you to fish for longer dorsal fins of perch and goldfish. Rudd over 1kg are occa- trout, salmon, perch, tench and rudd throughout New Zealand with sionally caught, but they’re generally smaller. Rudd the excepon of the Taupo district. Fish & Game Councils are solely funded by licence sales and thus the purchase of a licence is your valuable contribuon to the preservaon and management of sports Koi Carp (No Licence required) fish and their habitats. A fishing licence can be obtained from most Koi are the ornamental form of the common carp (Cyprinus carpio) sport shops or the Fish & Game web site with the season starng on bred by the Japanese since the late 19th century for their vivid the 1st of October. Most rivers are closed for trout fishing during colouraon – usually a bright orange with white and/or black ma- July, August and September, however most coarse fishing water in all kings. Koi can be disnguished from goldfish by the presence of a lakes in the Auckland/Waikato region and secons of some rivers are pair of barbels on each corner of the mouth, and they can reach a Koi Carp open to fishing all year. quite staggering size even in small ponds with 10kg specimens not unknown. Koi carp are known to cause considerable damage to aquac eco- systems and are thus regarded as a “noxious fish” within New Zea- land. As a “noxious fish” it is illegal for anyone to have a live koi in their possession, which can result in substanal fines. Catfish Catfish (No Licence required) Caish are abundant throughout the lower Waikato catchment and associated lakes. The caish species present in New Zealand, the brown bullhead, is popular in its nave USA both with anglers and for the table. Goldfish (No Licence required) The wild form of the goldfish is usually an olive-bronze colour and Goldfish weight in at 0.5kg or so, but fish of 1.5kg can be caught in some waters. COARSE FISHING WATERS Mangatawhiri River Whangamarino River This river and it’s side streams somemes support good numbers PLEASE SEE WWW.MAPS.WALKINGACCESS.GOVT.NZ This is a highly recommended river fishery with good numbers of of koi carp, but it is too channelised to hold many fish. Access from rudd, koi carp, goldfish, and caish. From SH1, turn off at the FOR THE LATEST PUBLIC ACCESS MAPS AND FISHING LOCATIONS SH1 south of Mercer. Meremere Power Staon into Island Block Road, then travel for about 2km to the Whangamarino Bridge. Fish & Game land is sign- posted but not accessible from April to the end of duck shoong Tomarata Dune Lakes season, otherwise landowner permission is essenal. Access can Located about 20km northeast of Wellsford and approximately 2km also be obtained from the “humpback bridge” on Falls Road (turn from the east coast are two dune lakes that provide good rudd and right at the end of Island Block Road). tench fishing. Lake Tomarata is the most accessible with vehicle ac- cess to the lakeshore. Access to Spectacle Lake is more difficult, with less fishable water. Both lakes are heavily used by water-skiers. Lake Kereta A large shallow lake containing rudd, perch, tench, goldfish and koi. Tomarata Dune Lakes Grass carp are present in Kareta to control weed beds and we ask that any grass carp hooked is released. Lake Kereta is located at the end of Wilson Road, via South Head Road, in the Woodhill Forest on the South Kaipara Heads. Please check the Walking Access site for public land before you go to the lake. Lake Wainamu A 22 hectare lake situated just inland from Bethells Beach. Access is Lake Kereta 1 physically difficult requiring a long walk (1.5 km) across consolidated sand dunes. A good rudd fishery. Lake Pupuke 16 Chelsea Sugar Works Lake Pupuke This lake in North Shore City contains a wide diversity of coarse fish Lake Wainamu with especially good numbers of tench and rudd. Pupuke has a repu- 20 taon as a night fishery, generally fishing best aer dark. The adjoin- Auckland ing Smale’s Quarry Lake is also a popular fishery and can be reached at the end of Taharoto Rd, Takapuna. Public access is available to a number of sites around the lake margin. 1 Chelsea Sugar Works Located in North Shore City, the Chelsea Sugar Works contains a Mangatawhiri River series of small lakes, of which only the upper lake (over the bridge 2 and pass the tennis courts) holds fish. Tench, rudd and some very Whangamarino River large koi carp are present. Grass carp have also been released into these waters. Landowner permission is essenal. Waikato River Te Onetea Stream Lake Rotoroa (Hamilton Lake) Lakes Arapuni and Karapiro This stream connects the Waikato River with Lake Waikare and is a Lake Rotoroa in the center of Hamilton City is a popular coarse Both are large hydro-lakes on the Waikato River with high popula- popular fishing locaon but acon can be patchy depending on flow.