Mangaohae River Trout Fishing

The Mangaohae River is a scenic backcountry river which provides top-quality dry fly and nymphing water for a large population of rainbow trout.

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Fish type	Rainbow trout
Situation	The Mangaohae River is the major tributary of the Tawarau River which in turn is the major tributary of the Marokopa River. Its headwater are in the rugged hills to the west of the small settlement of Piopio from where it flows north to join the Tawarau River deep in a stunning gorge.
Maps	Access map Access map with topography LINZ topographic maps: 1:50,000 (260 series)
Check conditions	View the MetService weather forecast for Te Kuiti.
F&G pamphlet	Waitomo and Kawhia Trout Fishing access pamphlet >>>
Description	The Mangaohae River is a beautiful river that offers the angler the chance to fish for a large population of rainbow trout in a stunning scenic setting. Although relatively small, this river provides some great fishing throughout its length.
Upper reaches	Description The upper reaches of the river are small but hold a reasonable population of good sized fish in the deeper pools. The upper reaches are best either early or late in the season though fish will be found in the deeper pools throughout the season. Fish numbers and size Fish numbers in this section are lower than the rest of the river but there are some surprisingly large fish. Careful approaches are necessary as they will "freeze or flee" if they become suspicious of any bankside activity. Access Ngapaenga Road runs alongside the Mangaohae. Where access is over open farmland, you must ask permission before fishing. See the Mangaohae River access map.
Middle reaches	Description The middle reaches from the Pomarangi Bridge to the gorge is the most fished section of this river due to the easy access and large population of fish. The river flows over open farmland and across a rock and gravel bed. While being very popular for spin fishing, it also provides excellent dry fly and nymphing water. Fish numbers and size Fish numbers can be very high and mostly around the 1kg size range. Access Ngapaenga Road and Were Road run alongside the Mangaohae, making access easy. To reach Ngapaenga Road, turn off SH3, 3 km north of Te Kuiti, into Oparure Road. See the Mangaohae River access map
Lower reaches	Description The lower reaches of the river from the beginning of the gorge to the confluence with the Tawarau River provide spectacular wilderness quality fishing for a very high population of hard-fighting rainbow trout. Scenery in the section adds to the excellence of the fishing experience as huge cliffs rise from the river banks and much of the river flows through stands of beautiful native bush. A reasonable degree of fitness is required to fish this area. Fish numbers and size There is an excellent population of rainbow trout mostly in the one to 1.5 kg range. Access Access is by a track which follows the river from the end of Were Road down to its confluence with the Tawarau River, then runs parallel with the Tawarau until it meets the end of Speedies Road. Camping sites are available along the track. See the Mangaohae River access map
Methods	Both spinning and fly fishing work well on this river though many regard it as a top-quality dry fly and nymphing water.
Recommended tackle	Weight 5 rods or very light spinning tackle is recommended.
Recommended lures	Nymphs: Small lightly weighted nymphs in sizes 14 and 16 such as Hare and Copper, Pheasants Tails and caddis patterns. Dry flies: Throughout the season small dry flies such as Twilight Beauty, Greenwell's Glory, or Royal Wulff work well. In late summer cicada patterns and Daddy Long Legs can be very effective. Wet flies/streamers: Any small wet flies such as March Brown, Invicta and Greenwell's Glory can be very effective when fished just subsurface during the evening rise. Spinners: Use small bladed spinners in red and gold patterns such as Mepps and Veltic.
Tributaries	The Pomarangi Stream is a small stream that holds some large fish. Access to the middle and upper reaches of the Pomarangi is from Pomarangi Road.
Regulations
Applicable to	Mangaohae Stream
Region	Auckland/Waikato regulations >>>
Season	Oct 1-Jun 30
Methods	Artificial fly, spinner
Bag limit	5
Size limit (cm)	30cm minimum

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