Lake Whatihua Trout Fishing (Thomsons Lake)

Access map
Access map with topography

LINZ topographic map: (260 Map Series, 1:50,000)
Q12 & R12 Pukekoke

Lake Whatihua (Thomson’s Lake) is a long and narrow lake surrounded by farmland and exposed to the strong prevailing westerly wind. It is recently shallow and is weedy around its margins. Mostly it is wadeable though the best fishing is to be had when this small water is left undisturbed by waiting as the trout will often cruise along the edges close to the shore.

Harling lures around the weed beds can be very effective when using a small row boat or kayak.

Access to Lake Whatihua from Waiuku is along Kariotahi Road about 1.5km before Kariotahi Beach.

Nymphs: Damsel and dragonfly nymphs fished from a floating line along the weed beds.

Dry flies: In summer a cicada, cricket or beetle pattern and from late summer, lace flies.

Wet flies: Bully patterns such as Mrs Simpson, Kilwell's No 1 and Lord's Killer or a Red Setter slowly harled around the weed beds. During the warm evenings in late spring early summer small emerging sedge patterns such as an Invicta or Greenwell's Glory fished just subsurface in front of rising fish.

Spinners: Black and gold Tobys and small dark Veltic or Mepps.