Mangawhero River Fishing

Upper Mangawhero River maps

Access map
Access map with topography

Lower Mangawhero River maps

Access map
Access map with topography

LINZ topographic maps: 1:50,000 (260 series)

Wanganui Sports Fishing Information and Ruapehu Sports Fishing Information pamphlets

River flow, level and rainfall

View graphs at the Horizons Regional Council website.

Weather forecast

View the MetService weather forecast for Wanganui.

Within the national park, the river is a small, overgrown and swift flowing and not really worth fishing

Access

Access is from the Turoa Skifield road in the Tongariro National Park. See the upper Mangawhero access map.

Below Ohakune the river winds across farmland for 10 km before entering a gorge. In this section there are pools, riffles and willows growing on the banks, Fish are difficult to spot in the brownish water but blind fishing with dry flies and nymphs is reasonably easy.

Access

Access to the middle reaches is from either Ohakune township, Pakihi Road, SH49, or Old Mangarewa Road.  See the upper Mangawhero access map.

The best fishing in the lower reaches is from half a metre above the spectacular Raukawa Waterfall at Kakatahi for 10km upstream where the river emerges from a gorge. The river bottom consists of mudstone shelves interspersed with rocks and silt. Spinning is the preferred method above and below the falls but its worth trying a large attractor dry fly as well.

Access

From Wanganui, drive up the Parapara highway (State Highway 4) towards Kakatahi and the Raukawa Waterfall (about a 45 minute drive). The fishery begins half a metre above the waterfall.

See the lower Mangawhero access map.

Dry flies: Bushy flies such as Humpy or Royal Wulff, and beetle, cricket and cicada patterns can work well in the warmer months.

Nymphs: Stonefly and caddis fly nymphs, creepers (Dobsonfly larva) and roughly tied Hare and Coppers.

Wet flies: Small wet flies such as Bibio, Greenwell's Glory or Invicta can be effective especially in the evenings.