The Waimea Park educational fishing ponds have been created with junior anglers, new anglers, families or older anglers in mind. Fish & Game regularly release 1kg+ rainbow trout in all of the ponds, and in short time, this has become one of the regions most popular fisheries due to the high success rate and proximity to Nelson.
Junior only ponds
The Sports Fishing for Youth Trust is a charitable Trust with a goal of providing youth in the Nelson/Tasman region with an opportunity to go fishing, enjoy the outdoors, and hopefully to develop an appreciation of the outdoor environment. With the support of sponsors the Trust built three fishing ponds at Appleby in 2012, and with assistance from Nelson Marlborough Fish and Game and Rata Foundation stock these ponds with trout and salmon.
For current information about upcoming Fish Out Day events, and when fish releases are taking place, visit their website: https://youthfishing.org.nz or their Facebook page.
Family/Adult pond
This pond was opened in October 2021 and is located next to the Junior only ponds. The new Family/Adult pond is a destination for all anglers, no matter what age, and is funded through the purchase of fishing licences—please make sure you have a current licence and carry it on you while fishing.
Fish & Game Rangers will be frequently at the ponds undertaking compliance checks.
Please remember the following: The ponds are not exclusively for trout anglers, this is a public area and there may be others • using the ponds for recreation.
Select here to read the rules and download a map of the ponds.
Useful links:
