Reel Life – September 2025
Click on the region to read.
Nine more sleeps till the 2025 Fishing Season kicks off!
(For anglers outside of Taupo region)
It’s time to get your gear ready and make sure everything is tip-top now, rather than stumbling around in the dark on October 1, trying to find everything before heading out to reconnect with your favourite pieces of water.
Don’t forget your licence, you’ll be surprised at the number of people we encounter on opening morning who have forgotten that vital piece of fishing equipment if you are in a rush, jump online here.
A relatively mild winter has set up our rivers for some good early-season fishing, although some recent rain is welcome to maintain healthy river flows and lake levels.
The spring often brings periods of heavy rainfall and snow melt (in the South Island), and rising and dropping waters offer the perfect opportunity for spin and bait fishing methods.
Discoloured water offers a good chance to fish with worms and lures – the fish have less time to decide whether to bite due to the colouration of the water.
The 2025 season opening coincides with the school holidays, so the team here at Fish & Game encourage our experienced anglers to take a young person out to fish.
Also check your local regulations. Whilst we make every effort to try and keep our regulations the same each year and as simple as possible, sometimes things have to change in order for us to keep our fisheries sustainable.
You can check your regulations via the QR code on your licence card or by clicking here.
The letter that your licence is attached to also has QR codes that link to the great resources we have here at F&G to help your angling journey, no matter what your skill level.
Fishing reports
Todd McVey with a stunning 7lb brown from a Hutt River tributary in Wellington region last summer.
Now is the time to sign up for our regional fishing reports, which are often weekly and offer the angler the most up-to-date intel on where to go fishing.
You can see if there is one in your region (some regions publish joint reports) or in the region you visit to go fishing here.
Sign up for the fishing reports here.
Regional reports
Jesse & Jason rafting the Whakapapa River.
Brendon Mathews releasing another Whakapapa trophy trout.
John MacDougall from West Island fishing the Whakapapa River.
Our regional reports are filled with detail where you can learn what’s happened since April and how things are going at the local level.
They have loads of great tips and tricks for anglers fishing in that region so please click on them to learn lots of useful info.
Fishing events
Successful anglers at last year’s Lake Rotomanu Family Trout Fishing Day event.
Our regions are also hosting lots of events in the lead up to summer.
Check out our events page for details, plus keep an eye on our Facebook pages to learn what’s happened and what’s coming up.
The Team at Fish & Game NZ
