Northland Reel Life November 2018

Pack your rod for a Northland holiday    

If you’re heading to Northland for the summer holidays, don’t forget to take some fishing gear - there is some good fishing on offer in the Kai Iwi Lakes and at Lake Manuwai.

Over the summer months, as water temperatures rise, the best methods for catching trout on these waters is bait fishing or trolling from your boat with downriggers or jigging.

Fishing from a kayak is also becoming increasingly popular and allows anglers to test and try a range of methods.   

Top right: Trout fishing from a kayak at Kai Iwi Lakes.

Due to the warm summer daytime temperatures, trout are usually found on or near the bottom of the lakes seeking out cooler water. 

In recent weeks anglers have been out catching some very healthy well-conditioned rainbows.

Bearing in mind competition from all the other recreational users, early morning or late evenings are always going to be the best times to fish.

The Kai Iwi Lakes camp grounds get a big influx of holidaymakers from about mid-December onwards so be mindful of this and book your campsite.

Click here for our brochure on Kai Iwi lakes with lots of ‘where’ and ‘how to fish’ information.

Fishing the dams

Close to Whangarei a couple of dams offer trout fishing in some tranquil surroundings.

Man-made Whau Valley Dam serves as Whangarei’s public water supply and varies in depth.

It provides the nearest fishing to Whangarei' s urban area. Angling is restricted to shore-based activity with a sinking line producing good results.

Rainbows are targeted but browns are also present from early releases. Fish size and quality varies according to environmental conditions and available food.

The lake edges can be fished when water levels are low enough, but it's generally only fished from the car park side of the reservoir. No boating is allowed.

Wilsons Dam is located off State Highway One, just north of

Ruakaka on Prescott Road.

This dam was created as a water supply reservoir for the Ruakaka area in the early 2000's. 

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