National Sports Fishing Regulations

Application

These regulations apply:

• from 1 October 2005 until 31 September 2006
• to all regions except Taupo

Interpretation

Words and expressions in this notice which are defined by the Conservation Act 1987 or the Freshwater Fisheries Regulations 1983 shall be so defined.

“Artificial fly” means any lure of feather, fur, wool or other material of
any kind customarily used in the making of artificial flies.

“Bait” means:

• Natural fly
• Natural insect
• Natural spider
• Natural worm or worms
• Natural crustacean
• Natural fish (excluding fish ova, or any portion of a fish, or shellfish
  (mollusc)
• Uncoloured bread dough

“Bait assembly” means either a hook rigged with a number of baits, or
a single bait rigged with a number of hooks.

“Bait fishing” means to fish for sports fish with bait.

“Boat” means any manned flotation device.

“Coarse fish” means perch, tench ( all New Zealand) and rudd
(Auckland/Waikato Fish & Game region only).

“Coarse fishing waters” means named locations where anglers can fish for coarse fish:

• with a rod which has either a fixed or running line.
• with no restriction on the type or number of baits in use.
• with no restriction on the use of preparations to attract fish.

“Flyfishing” means to fish for sports fish with fly rod and fly reel and
fly line and artificial fly.

“Fishing” and “fish” in this notice means:

The catching, taking, or harvesting of sports fish; and includes:

(a) any other activity that may reasonably be expected to result
in the catching, taking or harvesting of sports fish.

(b) any attempt to catch, take or harvest sports fish.

(c) any operation in support of, or in preparation for, any activity
described in this definition.

“Foulhook” means to hook a sports fish other than from within the
mouth.

“Landmark” means a black, yellow and white ringed post or buoy.

“Length” is the measurement from the tip of the snout to the fork of
the tail.

“Lure” means any authorised artificial fly or spinner or bait.

“Spinner” means any artificial lure other than an artificial fly.

“Spin fishing” means to fish for sports fish with a spinner.

“Sports fish” means those freshwater fish described in the First Schedule
of the Freshwater Fisheries Regulations 1983, namely:

• Brown trout
• Rainbow trout
• American brook trout or char
• Lake trout or char
• Atlantic salmon
• Quinnat or chinook salmon
• Sockeye salmon
• Perch
• Tench
• Rudd (Auckland / Waikato Fish and Game Region only)
• Any hybrid of the above species

Authorised Tackle

No licence holder shall fish for sports fish except by using a rod and running line and authorised lure.

Nets and Gaffs

When playing a sports fish, a landing net may be used to secure or land that fish.

For keeping coarse fish alive, a keep net may be used in the water from which the fish was caught.

When playing a salmon, a gaff may be used to secure or land that salmon in the Otago region only.

Restrictions

No licence holder when fishing fishing for sports fish shall:

• Use more than 1 assembled rod and running line
• Use more than 3 artificial flies or spinners
• Use more than 1 bait assembly
• Be more than 15 metres from the rod being used
• Use any lure treated with any chemical preparation other than that used solely to control the buoyancy of an artificial fly
• Use any preparation to attract fish

Foul Hooking of Fish

No licence holder shall attempt to foul hook any sports fish

Any licence holder who foul hooks a sports fish shall return it immediately to the water with as little injury as possible.

Fish Length

Every licence holder who catches a sports fish which does not exceed the specified minimum length, or does exceed the specified maximum length, shall immediately return it with as little injury as possible into the water from which it was taken.

Open Season

No licence holder shall fish for any sports fish except during an open season.

Daily Bag Limits

No licence holder shall continue to fish for a particular species of sports fish on any day in which he or she has already killed the limit bag for that species.

It shall be permissible to make up the difference between a lesser limit bag prescribed in one place and a higher limit bag prescribed in another.

Authorised Lures

Authorised lures (subject to any regional restrictions specified in the regional sections) are:

• Artificial fly
• Spinner
• Bait

Fish refuse

Note that it is an offence to leave any fish refuse on lake or river banks. The Freshwater Fisheries Regulations 66 state that no person shall leave any fish or any cleanings or offal from fish, lying unburied on the bank or margin of any waters.

Lake Wanaka

Horomanga River

Rees River

© Michael Scheele 1998-2006

Streamdance Gallery

Home | NZ fishing waters | About fishing in NZ | Regulations | Advertise | Site map | Glossary | Links | Legal notices | Contact us