Bay of Plenty

Lake Rotorua

Bay of Plenty·Rotorua Lakes·38.06° S, 176.25° E

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About Lake Rotorua

Lake Rotorua is the big lake on the edge of Rotorua city: about 80 km², at 280 m above the sea, and shallow for its size, about 10 m on average. Mokoia Island sits just east of the middle. The lake is open all year and is not stocked. Its spring-fed streams, the Ngongotahā above all, breed enough wild rainbow and brown trout to give one of the highest catch rates in the district. Rainbows run mostly 1.5 to 2 kg, and the browns average about 3 kg.

The lake's shallowness runs the fishery. The surface swings from about 8 °C in winter to 24 °C in summer, and no cold layer forms underneath. So in the heat of summer the trout crowd into the cold stream mouths: the Hamurana, Awahou, Waiteti, Ngongotahā and Utuhina. Anglers wade the shallow lake bed off the mouths in the evening and at night with floating lines and smelt, bully or small nymph patterns. The Awahou is closed to fishing, but its mouth and the 200 m of lake around it are open. Big browns cruise the sandy flats around the mouths in late spring and early summer, and Fish & Game names November and December for large browns off the Hamurana.

In spring and autumn, boats troll at 3 to 6 m along the drop-offs, the weed-bed edges and the banks, off the stream mouths, the airport and Kawaha Point. Spinning gear with monofilament or two or three colours of lead line, and a Tasmanian Devil or black Toby, is the usual rig. In winter the spawning rainbows gather off the stream mouths again. Seven public boat ramps are all within 20 minutes of the city. The lake can blow up in a wind, except along the northern shore between Hamurana and the Ohau Channel. It also grows algal blooms in summer. They look unpleasant but do not seem to hurt the fishing.

Species

Rainbow Trout
Primary · Year-round · 1.5-2 kg typical (3.3-4.4 lb)
Wild fish, most of the catch. They crowd the cold stream mouths in summer, and the spawning fish gather off the same mouths in winter before they run up the Ngongotahā and the other streams.
Brown Trout
Common · November to March · About 3 kg average (6.6 lb), some much bigger
Big browns cruise the flats around the stream mouths in late spring and early summer, and many move up the cold streams in summer to escape the warm lake. Only 2 of the daily bag of 8 may be browns.

Species	Abundance	Best Season	Size
Rainbow Trout	Primary	Year-round	1.5-2 kg typical (3.3-4.4 lb)
Brown Trout	Common	November to March	About 3 kg average (6.6 lb), some much bigger

Areas

9 areas

Hamurana Stream mouth

Shore & BoatBeginnerBrown Trout · Rainbow Trout

The northern shore, where the cold, clear Hamurana Stream comes in from its springs. The stream is open below the Hamurana Road Bridge and closed above it. The mouth fishes best in the warmest weeks, when trout come in to the cool water.

Best for: Rainbow trout and brown trout in summer, on smelt or bully patterns in the evening and at night, and large browns in November and December

Awahou Stream mouth

Shore & BoatBeginnerBrown Trout · Rainbow Trout

The delta of the spring-fed Awahou on the northwestern shore. The stream itself is closed to all fishing, but its mouth and the 200 m of lake around it are open to fly and spinner. Huge numbers of fish come in close over summer. Access is through private land, so ask first.

Best for: Rainbow trout and brown trout in summer, wading the shallows at dusk with a floating line

Waiteti Stream mouth

ShoreBeginnerBrown Trout · Rainbow Trout

The western shore north of Ngongotahā. Council reserve on the true right bank gives access for about 500 m up from the mouth, and the stream below Hamurana Road is open all year. Trout of 3.5 to 4 kg (8 to 9 lb) are not unusual at the mouth from January to March.

Best for: Rainbow trout and big brown trout at the mouth from January to March, in the evening

Ngongotahā Stream mouth

ShoreBeginnerBrown Trout · Rainbow Trout

The mouth of the lake's largest spawning stream, between Taui Street and Beaumont Road in Ngongotahā. It is shallow and easy to wade, except just after a flood. It produces fish all year and is best at night. Expect the odd very big brown trout, and bring stout tackle.

Best for: Rainbow trout all year and big brown trout at night, on smelt patterns, nymphs and wet flies

Utuhina Stream mouth

ShoreBeginnerBrown Trout · Rainbow Trout

The southwestern corner of the lake, close to the city, reached from Whittaker Road. The mouth fishes well through the year, and the lower stream below Devon Road Bridge is open all year.

Best for: Rainbow trout and brown trout on nymphs and glo bugs, or light spinning gear, close to town

Kawaha Point

BoatIntermediateBrown Trout · Rainbow Trout

The point on the southwestern shore, between the Utuhina mouth and Ngongotahā. Fish & Game names it for shallow trolling in spring, when large browns are about.

Best for: Brown trout trolled shallow in spring, and rainbow trout in spring and autumn

Mokoia Island

BoatBeginnerBrown Trout · Rainbow Trout

The island just east of the middle of the lake. Its lee gives sheltered trolling runs when the open lake is rough. Troll the drop-offs, banks and weed-bed edges at 3 to 6 m.

Best for: Rainbow trout and brown trout trolled at 3 to 6 m in spring, autumn and winter

Airport shallows

BoatIntermediateBrown Trout

The eastern shore off Rotorua Airport, near Hannahs Bay. Fish & Game names it for shallow trolling in spring, when large browns are about.

Best for: Brown trout trolled shallow in spring

Ohau Channel outlet

Shore & BoatIntermediateBrown Trout · Rainbow Trout

The northeastern corner at Mission Bay and Mourea, where the lake drains to Lake Rotoiti by the Ohau Channel. The northern shore here is the most sheltered on the lake. The channel itself has its own rules: open 1 October to 30 June, fly only for about 200 m below the outlet weir, and no anchoring.

Best for: Rainbow trout and brown trout around the outlet, and fly fishing in the channel in its season

Access

Ngongotahā boat ramp and jettyBoat ramp
At the end of Reeme Street in Ngongotahā, between the Waiteti and Ngongotahā mouths.
Hamurana boat rampBoat ramp
On the northern shore at Hamurana, off Hamurana Road, near the Awahou and Hamurana mouths.
Rotorua lakefront boat rampBoat ramp
On the city lakefront, at the southern end of the lake.
Koutu boat rampBoat ramp
On the southwestern shore at Koutu, close to the Utuhina mouth and Kawaha Point.
Hannahs Bay boat rampBoat ramp
On the eastern shore near the airport.
Mourea boat rampBoat ramp
In the northeastern corner by the Ohau Channel outlet. Boats may not anchor in the channel.
Ngongotahā mouth from Taui StreetShore access
Walk to the Ngongotahā mouth from the end of Taui Street, or from Beaumont Road. Some lakefront land is private, so walk along the water's edge.
Utuhina mouth from Whittaker RoadShore access
The Utuhina mouth is reached from Whittaker Road. Council reserve runs along much of the lower stream, and access is signposted.

At a glance

Ideal water temp: 9–18°C

Best seasons

Open all year. In summer (December to March) the lake warms to about 24 °C and the trout gather at the cold stream mouths: fish them in the evening and at night. In spring and autumn, troll at 3 to 6 m along the drop-offs and weed beds. In winter the spawning rainbows gather off the stream mouths. Trout feed best with surface water between about 9 and 18 °C (48 and 64 °F).

Regulations

Open all year to fly and spinner. Daily bag limit of 8 trout, of which no more than 2 may be brown trout, with a minimum size of 350 mm. No fishing from midnight to 5 am. No fishing for trout from an unanchored boat within 200 m of a landmark.

Licence: A Fish & Game New Zealand sports fishing licence. It does not cover the Taupō fishery.

Season: open all year.
Methods: fly fishing and spinning. Soft baits are allowed. No bait.
Daily bag limit: 8 trout, of which no more than 2 may be brown trout.
Minimum size limit: 350 mm, on the Rotorua lakes and their inflowing streams.
No fishing for sports fish between 12.00 am and 5.00 am.
No fishing for trout from any unanchored boat within 200 m of a landmark (a black, yellow and white ringed pole).
A set rod (one not in contact with the angler) may only be used from a boat.
Closed to all fishing: the Awahou, Waiowhiro, Waiohewa, Waingaehe, Waimataa and Waikuta streams and their tributaries, the Hamurana Stream above the Hamurana Road Bridge, and the Utuhina Stream above the Pukehangi Road Bridge.
The Ohau Channel, the lake's outlet to Lake Rotoiti, has its own rules: open 1 October to 30 June, fly only for about 200 m below the outlet weir, and fly and spinner from there to Lake Rotoiti. Boats may not anchor in the channel.

The Ngongotahā, Waiteti, Hamurana and Utuhina streams have their own seasons and methods. Their lower reaches are open all year to fly and spinner, and the upper Ngongotahā above State Highway 5 is fly only from 1 December to 30 June. Check Eastern Fish & Game's website (https://fishandgame.org.nz/eastern/) for any in-season changes before you go.

Source: Fish & Game New Zealand, Eastern region: Sports Fishing Regulations 2026–27. Regulations change annually. Verify before fishing.

Getting there

Rotorua

The lake is on the edge of Rotorua city. The Awahou and Hamurana mouths on the northern shore are about 12 and 16 km from the city, by Hamurana Road round the western shore

Camping: Rotorua has every kind of lodging, and there is a holiday park by the Waiteti Stream near Ngongotahā.

A road runs right round the lake, so the shore is easy to reach. Seven public boat ramps include Ngongotahā (end of Reeme Street, with a jetty), Hamurana, the Rotorua lakefront, Koutu, Hannahs Bay and Mourea by the Ohau Channel. Walk to the Ngongotahā mouth from Taui Street or Beaumont Road, and to the Utuhina mouth from Whittaker Road. The Awahou mouth is reached through private land: ask first. Some lakefront land is private, so walk along the water's edge.

Lake Rotorua

Bay of Plenty·Rotorua Lakes·38.06° S, 176.25° E

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Fishing: Prime
Wind: 16km/h N; Steady
Water temp: About18°C; Estimated surface
Level: 279.6m; Up 0.26 m this week

An unstable showery air mass affect the upper and central North Island this afternoon and evening.

Severe Thunderstorm Watch · Auckland,Coromandel Peninsula,Waikato,Bay of Plenty,Rotorua,Taupo · through Wed 7:30 PM · MetService

What this means

A watch means MetService sees a chance of weather that reaches warning level. Check again before you drive out.

An unstable showery air mass affect the upper and central North Island this afternoon and evening. For eastern Auckland, inland parts of Waikato, inland parts of Bay of Plenty west of Te Puke including Rotorua and northern Taupo, there is a moderate risk of SEVERE thunderstorms with localised downpours of 25-40 mm per hour. Rainfall of this intensity can cause surface and/or flash flooding, especially about low-lying areas such as streams, rivers or narrow valleys, and may also lead to slips. Driving conditions will also be hazardous with surface flooding and poor visibility in heavy rain.

Note: A Severe Thunderstorm Watch means conditions are favourable for severe thunderstorms in and close to the watch area. People in these areas should be on the lookout for threatening weather conditions and monitor for possible Severe Thunderstorm Warnings.

For information on preparing for and keeping safe during a storm, see the Civil Defence Get Ready website

Read the full product from MetService

See the full conditions on Lake Rotorua

Flow and temperature charts for every station, the weather, and the days ahead. Free, with an email.

A free account also gets you

5-day Fish Index forecastSee how each of the next 5 days rates on every river and lake, from the flow or wind, water temperature, weather and moon forecasts.
A dashboard for your watersSave your rivers and lakes and compare them on one board, with the last week and the days ahead.
A logbook that fills in the conditionsLog outings and trips with photos, even with no signal in the app. Troutline adds the flow, water temperature and weather for each day.
Your angler profileSee other anglers' public outings, and share yours.

Already have an account?

Want history, unlimited alerts and more? , with the first 14 days free for new members.

Solunar · next 7 days

About Lake Rotorua

Species

Rainbow Trout
Primary · Year-round · 1.5-2 kg typical (3.3-4.4 lb)
Wild fish, most of the catch. They crowd the cold stream mouths in summer, and the spawning fish gather off the same mouths in winter before they run up the Ngongotahā and the other streams.
Brown Trout
Common · November to March · About 3 kg average (6.6 lb), some much bigger
Big browns cruise the flats around the stream mouths in late spring and early summer, and many move up the cold streams in summer to escape the warm lake. Only 2 of the daily bag of 8 may be browns.

Species	Abundance	Best Season	Size
Rainbow Trout	Primary	Year-round	1.5-2 kg typical (3.3-4.4 lb)
Brown Trout	Common	November to March	About 3 kg average (6.6 lb), some much bigger

Areas

9 areas

Hamurana Stream mouth

Shore & BoatBeginnerBrown Trout · Rainbow Trout

Best for: Rainbow trout and brown trout in summer, on smelt or bully patterns in the evening and at night, and large browns in November and December

Awahou Stream mouth

Shore & BoatBeginnerBrown Trout · Rainbow Trout

Best for: Rainbow trout and brown trout in summer, wading the shallows at dusk with a floating line

Waiteti Stream mouth

ShoreBeginnerBrown Trout · Rainbow Trout

Best for: Rainbow trout and big brown trout at the mouth from January to March, in the evening

Ngongotahā Stream mouth

ShoreBeginnerBrown Trout · Rainbow Trout

Best for: Rainbow trout all year and big brown trout at night, on smelt patterns, nymphs and wet flies

Utuhina Stream mouth

ShoreBeginnerBrown Trout · Rainbow Trout

The southwestern corner of the lake, close to the city, reached from Whittaker Road. The mouth fishes well through the year, and the lower stream below Devon Road Bridge is open all year.

Best for: Rainbow trout and brown trout on nymphs and glo bugs, or light spinning gear, close to town

Kawaha Point

BoatIntermediateBrown Trout · Rainbow Trout

The point on the southwestern shore, between the Utuhina mouth and Ngongotahā. Fish & Game names it for shallow trolling in spring, when large browns are about.

Best for: Brown trout trolled shallow in spring, and rainbow trout in spring and autumn

Mokoia Island

BoatBeginnerBrown Trout · Rainbow Trout

The island just east of the middle of the lake. Its lee gives sheltered trolling runs when the open lake is rough. Troll the drop-offs, banks and weed-bed edges at 3 to 6 m.

Best for: Rainbow trout and brown trout trolled at 3 to 6 m in spring, autumn and winter

Airport shallows

BoatIntermediateBrown Trout

The eastern shore off Rotorua Airport, near Hannahs Bay. Fish & Game names it for shallow trolling in spring, when large browns are about.

Best for: Brown trout trolled shallow in spring

Ohau Channel outlet

Shore & BoatIntermediateBrown Trout · Rainbow Trout

Best for: Rainbow trout and brown trout around the outlet, and fly fishing in the channel in its season

Access

Ngongotahā boat ramp and jettyBoat ramp
At the end of Reeme Street in Ngongotahā, between the Waiteti and Ngongotahā mouths.
Hamurana boat rampBoat ramp
On the northern shore at Hamurana, off Hamurana Road, near the Awahou and Hamurana mouths.
Rotorua lakefront boat rampBoat ramp
On the city lakefront, at the southern end of the lake.
Koutu boat rampBoat ramp
On the southwestern shore at Koutu, close to the Utuhina mouth and Kawaha Point.
Hannahs Bay boat rampBoat ramp
On the eastern shore near the airport.
Mourea boat rampBoat ramp
In the northeastern corner by the Ohau Channel outlet. Boats may not anchor in the channel.
Ngongotahā mouth from Taui StreetShore access
Walk to the Ngongotahā mouth from the end of Taui Street, or from Beaumont Road. Some lakefront land is private, so walk along the water's edge.
Utuhina mouth from Whittaker RoadShore access
The Utuhina mouth is reached from Whittaker Road. Council reserve runs along much of the lower stream, and access is signposted.

At a glance

Ideal water temp: 9–18°C

Best seasons

Regulations

Licence: A Fish & Game New Zealand sports fishing licence. It does not cover the Taupō fishery.

Season: open all year.
Methods: fly fishing and spinning. Soft baits are allowed. No bait.
Daily bag limit: 8 trout, of which no more than 2 may be brown trout.
Minimum size limit: 350 mm, on the Rotorua lakes and their inflowing streams.
No fishing for sports fish between 12.00 am and 5.00 am.
No fishing for trout from any unanchored boat within 200 m of a landmark (a black, yellow and white ringed pole).
A set rod (one not in contact with the angler) may only be used from a boat.
Closed to all fishing: the Awahou, Waiowhiro, Waiohewa, Waingaehe, Waimataa and Waikuta streams and their tributaries, the Hamurana Stream above the Hamurana Road Bridge, and the Utuhina Stream above the Pukehangi Road Bridge.
The Ohau Channel, the lake's outlet to Lake Rotoiti, has its own rules: open 1 October to 30 June, fly only for about 200 m below the outlet weir, and fly and spinner from there to Lake Rotoiti. Boats may not anchor in the channel.

Source: Fish & Game New Zealand, Eastern region: Sports Fishing Regulations 2026–27. Regulations change annually. Verify before fishing.

Getting there

Rotorua

The lake is on the edge of Rotorua city. The Awahou and Hamurana mouths on the northern shore are about 12 and 16 km from the city, by Hamurana Road round the western shore

Camping: Rotorua has every kind of lodging, and there is a holiday park by the Waiteti Stream near Ngongotahā.

Lake Rotorua

See the full conditions on Lake Rotorua

About Lake Rotorua

Species

Areas

Hamurana Stream mouth

Awahou Stream mouth

Waiteti Stream mouth

Ngongotahā Stream mouth

Utuhina Stream mouth

Kawaha Point

Mokoia Island

Airport shallows

Ohau Channel outlet

Access

Fishing reports

Read the fishing reports for Lake Rotorua

More in Bay of Plenty

Rotorua Lakes

Lake Rotoiti

Lake Tarawera

Lake Rotorua

See the full conditions on Lake Rotorua

About Lake Rotorua

Species

Areas

Hamurana Stream mouth

Awahou Stream mouth

Waiteti Stream mouth

Ngongotahā Stream mouth

Utuhina Stream mouth

Kawaha Point

Mokoia Island

Airport shallows

Ohau Channel outlet

Access

Fishing reports

Read the fishing reports for Lake Rotorua

More in Bay of Plenty

Rotorua Lakes

Lake Rotoiti

Lake Tarawera

Fishing conditions

Fishing conditions