Auckland Freshwater Fishing: Trout Lakes, Reservoirs and Coarse Fish

Last updated October 2026

Auckland’s fresh waters offer more than most people expect within an hour of the city. Fish & Game stocks three small lakes with rainbow trout, wild rainbows live in two of the Hunua water-supply reservoirs, and the Wairoa River near Clevedon has 15 km of wadeable water.

For coarse anglers, Lake Pupuke and a string of dune lakes hold perch, rudd and tench. All of it falls under Fish & Game’s Auckland/Waikato rules, and you need a Fish & Game licence for trout and coarse fish. This guide covers where to go, what to use and the rules that catch people out.

At a Glance

Area

Auckland region, in the Fish & Game Auckland/Waikato region

Stocked trout lakes

Quarry Lake beside Lake Pupuke, Lake Whatihua and Parkinson’s Lake near Waiuku

Wild trout

Mangatangi and Mangatawhiri reservoirs (dam face only, fly and lure only)

River

Wairoa River near Clevedon, about 15 km of wadeable water

Coarse fish

Perch, rudd and tench: Lake Pupuke, Tomarata, Kereta, Wainamu, lower Waikato and Whangamarino rivers

Season

All lakes and most rivers and streams open all year; no limit on fishing hours

Licence

Fish & Game licence for trout, salmon, perch, tench and rudd; under 12s free but still need one

Not covered

Eels are managed by MPI, not Fish & Game

No fishing

Western Springs (Te Wai Ōrea)

Rules

Fish & Game Auckland/Waikato region, Anglers Notice 2026

The Background

Fish & Game sums up Auckland’s freshwater fishing simply: three lakes within an hour of the city are regularly stocked with trout, wild trout live in the Mangatawhiri and Mangatangi reservoirs, coarse fish are found in most lakes north of Hamilton, and the lower Waikato and Whangamarino rivers offer good coarse fishing.

The stocked lakes get young rainbow trout each autumn from the Ngongotaha hatchery near Rotorua, bred from Lake Tarawera fish. Hatchery fish are fin-clipped so their age can be told. Quarry Lake, the arm of Lake Pupuke at the end of Northcote Road, gets larger two-year-old fish and the occasional brown trout.

Coarse fishing has its own quirks here. Rudd counts as a sports fish only in the Auckland/Waikato region, so you need a licence to fish for it, and the region allows sweetcorn as bait, which is banned in most New Zealand waters. There are no limits on fishing hours, so night fishing is legal, and Lake Pupuke has a name as a night fishery for tench and rudd.

The Waikato hydro lakes such as Karapiro and Arapuni are good trout fisheries too, but they are a 1.5 to 2 hour drive south and are not covered in detail here.

How to Fish Auckland’s Fresh Waters

Stocked trout lakes

• Quarry Lake and Lake Pupuke (North Shore): Quarry Lake is regularly stocked with rainbows and occasionally browns, and Pupuke has plenty of perch, tench and rudd. See our Lake Pupuke fishing guide.
• Lake Whatihua (Thompson’s), near Waiuku: a small lake beside Kariotahi Road, about 1.5 km back from Kariotahi Beach. A paper road and marked trail lead from the gate to the west end; Fish & Game also advises asking a local landowner. It is known for an excellent rise on calm days.
• Parkinson’s Lake, near Waiuku: only 1.5 ha, next to Whiriwhiri Road, easily fished from the shore and holding some good-sized rainbows. Weed can be a problem.
• Timing: Whatihua and Parkinson’s are stocked each May. Sea breezes keep the Waiuku lakes cool in summer but make fly fishing hard, so choose a calm day. A float tube or small dinghy can help.

Hunua reservoirs

Mangatangi and Mangatawhiri are Watercare water-supply lakes with limited areas open to trout fishing. Mangatawhiri’s trout are wild; Mangatangi’s are topped up with hatchery fish. Fish only from the dam faces inside the signed areas, with flies or lures, never bait.

A nymph under an indicator, on a 3 to 5 m leader and floating line, retrieved very slowly, is the most productive method, and caddis larva imitations are the favourites.

Wairoa River

The closest river to the city has about 15 km of fishing water over a wadeable shingle bed, with access off McNicol Road via the Clevedon to Kawakawa Bay road. Fly, spinner and bait are all allowed.

Coarse fishing

• Tomarata lakes, north-east of Wellsford: good rudd and tench. Lake Tomarata has vehicle access to the shore but is busy with water-skiers.
• Lake Kereta, Woodhill Forest: rudd, perch, tench, goldfish and koi, at the end of Wilson Road off South Head Road. Release any grass carp you hook.
• Lake Wainamu, near Bethells Beach: a 22 ha dune lake known for rudd, reached on foot from the Bethells Road car park.
• Lake Rototoa, South Kaipara Head: excellent perch in very clear water; trout stocking has been suspended.
• Lower Waikato and Whangamarino rivers: rudd, koi carp, goldfish and catfish, just south of the Auckland boundary.

Simple baits for kids

Fish & Game suggests a couple of kernels of sweetcorn half a metre under a small float, on a 7 ft spinning rod with 3 kg line. It catches both trout and rudd in the stocked lakes. Dough baits and Power Bait work too.

Getting There and Facilities

• Hunua reservoirs: walk up the dam access roads; there is no drive-up or on-water access. Check the signs and Fish & Game’s page for the current permit arrangements.
• Lake Wainamu: car park off Bethells Road, with gates closed at night (7am to 9.30pm in summer, 7am to 7pm in winter). Dogs are banned at the lake, its margins and the dunes at all times.
• Private land: fewer than half the rivers in the region have esplanade reserves, so ask landowners before crossing their land. Fish & Game’s Whangamarino land is closed from April to the end of duck shooting season.
• Licences: buy online from Fish & Game or from a listed licence agent.

Rules and Safety

• Fishing for trout, salmon, perch, tench and rudd follows Fish & Game’s Auckland/Waikato regulations in the Anglers Notice 2026, in force from 1 October 2026. Carry your licence. It covers all Fish & Game regions, but not Taupō.
• Eels are not sports fish and are managed by MPI under its recreational fishing rules.
• Hunua reservoirs: dam faces only, inside the signed areas; fly and lure only; enter the water only in clean gumboots or waders; take fish away whole, with no gutting or cleaning on site.
• Do not use fish or shellfish from another water as bait, and do not carry water, bait buckets or live wells between waterways. Felt-soled waders are banned. Check, clean and dry your gear between waters.
• Auckland Council’s pest rules: never release perch anywhere in the region, and do not fish for perch in High Conservation Value lakes or their catchments. Koi carp must not be returned to the water alive.
• Fishing is not allowed at Western Springs (Te Wai Ōrea), home to a regionally significant eel population.
• Some dune lakes fish poorly in summer heat and can grow weed and algae. Watch for algae warnings before you fish or let dogs swim.

Tackle and Bait Nearby

• Hunting & Fishing North Shore, 1 Holder Place, Rosedale: Fish & Game licence agent, handy for Lake Pupuke.
• Hunting & Fishing Botany, 5 Te Koha Road, Botany: licence agent, closest to the Wairoa River and Hunua reservoirs.
• Hunting & Fishing Westgate, 33/47 Northside Drive, Westgate: licence agent for the west and the dune lakes.

Useful Links

Common Questions

Where can I catch trout near Auckland?
At Quarry Lake beside Lake Pupuke, Lake Whatihua and Parkinson’s Lake near Waiuku, the Mangatangi and Mangatawhiri reservoirs, and the Wairoa River near Clevedon.

Do I need a licence for freshwater fishing in Auckland?
Yes for trout, salmon, perch, tench and rudd. Eels are managed by MPI and are not covered by the Fish & Game licence.

Can I use bait at the Hunua reservoirs?
No. Only flies and lures are allowed, and only from the dam faces inside the signed areas.

Is sweetcorn a legal bait?
Yes, in Auckland/Waikato waters, although it is banned in most other regions.

Can I fish at night?
Yes. There are no limits on fishing hours in the Auckland/Waikato region.

Can I fish at Western Springs?
No. Fishing is not allowed in the lake, which has a regionally significant eel population.

Do kids need a licence?
Children under 12 fish free, but they still need a licence.

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