Taranaki Fish and Game

16/08/2026

We also recently released 150 Hāwera hatchery rainbows into Lake Mangamahoe with the help of Wyatt Dobbin, an Opunake High School student doing work experience with us. Lake Mangamahoe is Taranaki’s only fly fishing only water, where anglers must use a fly rod, fly reel, fly line and artificial fly. It’s been that way since the fishery was created in 1933 with the damming of Mangamahoe Stream. In addition to hatchery rainbows, the lake also has a population of wild brown trout that can grow to around 1.8kg. While work is underway by NPDC to extend and fit fish screens to their New Plymouth water supply intakes, the lake remains open to fishing all year.

12/08/2026

Yesterday our Hāwera hatchery volunteers, Malcolm Hurley, Wayne Jones and Ian Reid along with Field Officer Allen Stancliff released 200 feisty rainbow trout into Lake Ratapiko. Located 9km down Tariki Road, the lake is open for fishing and has a good population of brown and rainbow trout and perch. Paddle-tail softbaits and spinners work well, with a ledger-rig and worm good for perch in deeper water at this time of year. The power boat and water ski areas are quiet at present and a great place to take the kids for a fish. Licences are available at https://fishandgame.eslltd.co.nz/shop and are free to under 12 year olds. The Primo Wireless lake cams are available at https://www.primo.nz/130-lake-ratapiko-1/ and https://www.primo.nz/131-lake-ratapiko-2/

06/08/2026

On Monday Taranaki Fish and Game took part in the annual New Zealand shoveler (kuruwhengi) count.

Each year, Fish & Game staff and volunteers count shoveler at likely locations across the motu. The survey helps build a long-term picture of the population and provides valuable information for the management of this native species.
Good numbers of shoveler were observed throughout our region, counts will be collated nationally and analysed.




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28/01/2026

With our recent game bird trend counts all tallied up, Taranaki Fish & Game is pleased to confirm the 2026 special summer hunting season for paradise shelduck.

The special season provides seven days of hunting spread over three weekends from Saturday 21st February through to and including Taranaki Anniversary Day on Monday 9th March.
The hunting season is only for paradise shelduck and only in game management Area C, which extends from the north bank of the Waitotara River to the Mohakatino River and includes all of Stratford district.

Hunting hours on each of the seven days will be from 6.30am until 8pm. The daily bag limit has been set at 10 parries per hunter.
Hunters who want to take part in the special season must hold a 2025 game bird hunting licence and obtain a $5 permit from Fish & Game’s New Plymouth office or Magnum Sports in Stratford, or over the counter at Taranaki Hunting and Fishing The Valley or Ocean View Parade.

The permit is free to land occupiers who want to hunt their own land, but they still need to hold a permit. Hunters who didn’t purchase a 2025 game licence can still participate in the special season by purchasing day licences on-line at: www.fishandgame.org.nz

This period provides an excellent opportunity to introduce youngsters to gamebird hunting, exercise working dogs, and help break up post-moult congregations of shelduck.

For further information or if you have any questions, please message us directly or call 06 757 9676

11/12/2025

As part of the biosecurity response to the recent discovery of Gold Clam (Corbicula fluminea) in Lake Rotomanu, the Lake is being drained to determine the extent of the infestation and to stop the clams’ spread.

As a result, all fish in Lake Rotomanu are to be removed and destroyed under strict biosecurity requirements. This includes trout that Fish & Game recently stocked. Given that licence holders funded these fish, they will have priority to make use of them once the required biosecurity procedures have been completed. The lake also holds a good population of perch that may be suitable for eating once recovered.

Trout and Perch removed from the lake will be frozen on site at –18°C for 24 hours immediately after removal. This is a compulsory biosecurity measure to ensure any Gold Clam inside or attached to the fish are killed and cannot be spread to other waterways.

Once the freeze period is completed, we expect these fish to be suitable for eating, though quality may vary, or for use in saltwater only as bait. If you would like to receive some of these fish once they’ve cleared the biosecurity process, please let us know in the comments. Your responses will help us plan a fair and practical distribution system.

This is a disappointing situation for all involved, but stopping the spread of Gold Clam within the Taranaki region is critically important for the future of our waterways.

04/12/2025

We’ve just wrapped up a Central North Island electric fishing survey of headwater streams near Mount Ruapehu, which took us into a range of pretty remote waterways.

The results are encouraging, showing healthy trout numbers across the sites we sampled, with these findings adding detail to our understanding of trout distribution and key spawning areas.

A big thank you to Wellington Fish & Game and Earnslaw One for their support and assistance throughout the survey!

04/12/2025

The 28th annual Stratford kids’ trout fishing day is being held this Saturday!

This event involves the release of 300+ large rainbow trout into the scout den pool in the Patea River within King Edward Park, in the heart of Stratford. Children will be able to fish from 8am until 1pm with help from Stratford Fishing Club members and volunteers.

Parents and caregivers can now book a 15-minute time slot for their kids by visiting the Stratford i-Site in Miranda Street Stratford or ringing them on 0800 765 6708. All fishing gear will be provided, though if you have a good supply of worms for bait they’ll be much appreciated.

The Stratford Fishing Club and Taranaki Fish & Game are very grateful for the longstanding support from the Taranaki Electricity Trust for this event, as well as the Stratford Lions.

Hope to see you all there! 🎣

11/11/2025

Recreational lake users are urged to take extra care when moving between waterways, following the recent detection of the invasive Asian Gold Clam (Corbicula fluminea) at Lake Rotomanu.

The gold clam poses a significant risk to our freshwater ecosystems. This species is highly invasive, possessing both male and female reproductive organs enabling self-fertilisation. Gold Clam larvae are extremely small (around the size of a grain of sand) and can be very difficult to detect.

To prevent the spread of gold clam, all waterway users must follow the Check, Clean, Dry method:

-Check gear and equipment for any visible plant matter, mud, or debris.
-Clean thoroughly using hot water (60°C or higher), a bleach solution, or an approved decontamination solution. For slow to dry items, freezing these until solid is a proven solution.
-Dry completely for at least 48 hours, ensuring no moisture remains before using gear in another waterway.

If you come across suspicious shellfish or freshwater organisms in a waterway where you suspect they shouldn’t be, do not move them, take a photo and record the location, and report immediately to MPI via 0800 80 99 66.

For more information on the gold clam and the appropriate Check, Clean, Dry process, you can view the following resources from MPI and NIWA below:

https://www.mpi.govt.nz/biosecurity/exotic-pests-and-diseases-in-new-zealand/long-term-biosecurity-management-programmes/exotic-freshwater-clams-corbicula

https://niwa.co.nz/freshwater/stopping-gold-clam-its-now-or-never/about-clam/gold-clam-life-cycle

https://www.mpi.govt.nz/outdoor-activities/boating-and-water-activities-preventing-the-spread-of-pests-weeds-and-diseases/check-clean-dry

Lake Rotomanu will be closed to motorised watercraft from tomorrow (12 Nov), following the discovery of the freshwater clam Corbicula fluminea.

Here's what you need to know 👇

* As an interim measure, New Plymouth District Council will close Lake Rotomanu to motorised boats, which are at the highest risk of spreading clams.
* Other recreational users will be required to thoroughly check, clean and dry all gear before leaving the lake shore.
* The road access and carparks will remain open.
* Surveys are being carried out this week, checking for clams in the nearby Waiwhakaiho River as well as other lakes across Taranaki.
* Once those results are available, further decisions will be made as to how to manage the incursion and what, if any, restrictions will remain in place. We will keep you informed.

This is the first discovery of the clam in New Zealand outside of the Waikato River and Lake Taupō Aqua Park. We’re disappointed that the clam has made its way to Taranaki, as we had been working hard to keep it out. But our focus now is on working with Biosecurity New Zealand and local partners to ensure it does not spread into other Taranaki lakes or rivers.

We appreciate it is coming into summer and the lake is a favourite spot for many boaties. But you will understand how important it is we act quickly – Corbicula can take over a waterway and have long-term effects on recreation and the environment.

We are asking for your support. Whether it’s Lake Rotomanu or any other waterway, it's more important than ever you check, clean and dry everything that has been in contact with the water before moving between waterways.

09/11/2025

A big thank you to everyone who came along to our Lake Rotomanu Kids Fishing Day last Saturday, with particular thanks to the Inglewood Rod, Hunting and Clay Target Club, and Taranaki Hunting & Fishing for their support and help from volunteers on the day. Also, thanks to New Plymouth PaknSave for their sponsorship support.

It was a great day out in the sunshine, with kids landing both perch and trout in a variety of sizes, including some impressive catches from children as young as two years old.

There are still plenty of fish in the lake, including four rainbow trout over 10lb that, as far as we know, are yet to be caught.
Thanks again to everyone who took part and helped make the day a success!