Central North Island - Freshwater

fishing report

March 23, 2026

Supplied by

I Love Fly Fishing

I Love Fly Fishing

Browns are on the move. New moon window open until 24th March; wet nights are prime time. Tongariro Delta holding fresh fish, Tauranga Taupo ready to fire. Brian's fly pick and promo-code

Note: If map is showing it is created by LINZ / New Zealand Hydrographic Authority and made available by Creative Commons 3.0. Maps should not be used for navigation

“Night fishing is a different game altogether. It is a game of sounds and feels, of things unseen and things imagined. It is a time when the river belongs to the big fish and the men who are crazy enough to chase them.”

Browns are on the move. New moon window open until 24th March; wet nights are prime time. Tongariro Delta holding fresh fish, Tauranga Taupo ready to fire. Brian's fly pick and promo-code

Turangi Fishing Report 20th March 2026

Key Highlights:

· Settled weather overall, though wind getting up at the wrong time can be a nuisance

· Fishing challenging for the most part; patience and extra hours required to put more fish in the net

· Tongariro Delta:Fishing pretty well with superb fresh specimens congregating for the next spawning run

· Stream mouths:Browns congregating now; also present in the streams themselves

· Night fishing window:New moon on 19th March; any suitable night from now until around 24th March is prime time for targeting browns

· Brian's tip:Rough nights with plenty of moisture in the air can produce some of the best brown trout fishing

· Tauranga Taupo:Hasn't fired yet (empty carpark), but Brian says it's underrated; when it fires, it can outfish any river in the Taupo region

Fly recommendation: Cleardrift egg patterns; very successful right now.

See Brian's full 20th of March report on I Love Fly Fishing at Iloveflyfishing.kiwi/turangi-fishing-report-20-march-2026

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Previous reports

March 10, 2026

A summary of the last two week's fishing reports from Brian Willson in Turangi. Find the promo-code at the bottom of the report.

February 21, 2026

Turangi fishing reports from guide Brian Willson - dry fly season approaching on the Tongariro, plus an exclusive 15% discount promo code from I Love Fly Fishing

April 3, 2024

The great lake is yielding quality catches, with jigging currently favoured by anglers and cooler weather bringing trolling back into play.

March 4, 2024

Anglers adapting to fluctuating thermoclines and increased boat traffic, finding success in deeper waters and looking forward to a more consistent March as fish put on condition for winter.

December 29, 2023

The holiday season brings excellent fishing in Taupo, with successful early morning harling, prolific fly fishing due to rising temperatures and abundant fly life, and great catches in local rivers and backcountry, all while anticipation grows for a full cicada season.

December 1, 2023

Fishing on the great lake has been excellent this month, with a variety of well-conditioned fish, particularly effective jigging results, successful early morning harling in shallower waters, and promising fly fishing in local rivers and backcountry, all amidst a backdrop of fluctuating weather and anticipation for a lively summer season.

November 11, 2023

Fishing on the great lake has kicked off impressively this month, with well-conditioned fish and effective methods like jigging and harling, while fly fishing is gaining momentum and backcountry rivers show remarkable early-season fish condition, setting the stage for a potentially exciting cicada season.

October 20, 2023

A sunny weekend with steady fishing on the lake, early-season maiden fish in great condition, and a shift towards summer fly fishing tactics.

October 9, 2023

Fishing on the great lake has been reasonably consistent throughout the winter. The advent of some warmer spring weather will signal the return of a lot of post spawned fish looking to regain condition after the winter spawning runs.

September 4, 2023

The great lake continued to produce good fishing pretty much throughout this winter, and activity will likely start to ramp up even further as we head into spring.