The Picket Fence. Waitahanui. Lake Taupo. New Zealand.
S 38° 47.067 E 176° 04.560
60H E 419746 N 5706737
The famous "picket fence" at the mouth of the Waitahanui Stream where it enters the lake is possibly the most photographed part of the Taupo fishery if not of New Zealand. The picket fence is where anglers stand shoulder to shoulder casting out into the rip or the current caused by the river flowing into the lake.
Waymark Code: WM4AA6
Location: New Zealand
Date Posted: 07/28/2008
Views: 37
This famous and often crowded fishing spot suits experienced anglers. It requires a long cast with a floating or intermediate line and a reasonable degree of skill and accuracy to avoid crossing other angler's lines. Inexperienced anglers will find that they are less welcome here when others are fishing it, especially if it is at night or the wind makes casting difficult.
The mouth of the Waitahanui fishes throughout the year with the early morning and late evening through into dark being the best times of the day. Trophy brown trout can be caught from January to March, but rainbows will make up the bulk of the catch. Very good fishing can be had in late autumn and through winter as fish congregate near the river mouth before moving upstream to spawn.
The rip is best fished after a strong westerly or south-westerly when the wind has caused the outflow or rip from the river to run close to the shore. Trout tend to move into the rip to feed and when it is flowing directly out into the lake most fish can only be reached by wading deep and then long casts. After a westerly storm, the current is forced along the beach and 200 metres of the rip can then be fished without wading thus providing less disturbance to the fish which will often come into very shallow water to feed.
Access to the mouth is from a walking track off SH1 north of Waitahanui Bridge. There are car parks on either side of the State Highway 1 bridge which is about 300 metres from the mouth of the river.
Recommended fishing methods:
Fly Fishing only. No boats allowed at the river mouth.
Parking or Launch Coordinates: S 38° 47.120 E 176° 04.610
FlyFishing Only: yes
Recommended tackle: Not listed
Boat required: Not Listed
Catch and Release Only: Not Listed
USGS Real-Time Water Data: Not listed
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Visit Instructions:We would like to hear about your experiance while you were there, what you caught, your fishing methods and tackel! Everyone has there own methods and we can all learn from each other! Post a picture with your log and show off your catch or the place you fished.
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