Kerikeri River Fishing

Access map

Access map with topography

LINZ topographic map: (260 Map Series, 1:50,000)
P05 Kaikohe

The Kerikeri River offers a wide variety of fishing opportunities in scenery ranging from virgin native forest to open farmland. Some areas of the river are difficult to access and fish due to the abundant bankside vegetation. There are plenty of stretches of unimpeded water access however. The river is generally easily wadeable. The best fishing is in the upper and middle reaches above where State Highway 10 crosses the river. Fish numbers are good and angling pressure is reasonably low. Several sections of this river cross private land and owners' permission must be sought before fishing any of these sections. Fish and Game have marked a number of access points however for anglers.

During the warmer months the river flow can diminish quite dramatically although during times of low flow there is often good fishing in the very early morning and late evening when trout seem to rise freely.

Nymphs: In the upper and middle reaches lightly weighted stoneflies and mayfly patterns such as Pheasant Tail, Halfbacks and Hare and Copper in sizes 14 to 18.

Dry flies: Popular patterns include Royal Wulff, Adams, Blue Dun, Coch-y-Bondhu, green beetle patterns (during the early summer) and cicada and cricket patterns late in the summer.

Wet flies / Streamers: Small bully patterns such as Mrs Simpson and Hamill's Killer during the day, and dark patterns such as Craig's Night-time and Scotch Poacher during the evening and at night. In the middle and upper reaches use small (size 14 to 16) wee-wets such as March Brown, Greenwell's Glory, Red Governor and Hardies Favourite during the evening rise when fish are often taking emerging insects just subsurface.

Spinners: Black and gold Tobys and silver Tobys in the lower reaches, and small bladed spinners such as Mepps or Veltic in the middle and upper reaches. As this is a predominantly rainbow fishery, brighter colours such as gold and red tend to work well during the day.