Lake Taupo Sports & Outdoors Tips by kiwigal_1 Top 5 Page for this destination

Trout Fishing

Lake Taupo and surrounding rivers are infamous for Rainbow and Brown Trout.

Lake Taupo and the river mouths are open for fishing all year round. Most of the rivers that flow into the lake are open all year round, except for restrictions on many upper reaches during the New Zealand winter. These closures are usually between June 31 and December 1. This is to allow for spawning of rainbow trout.

There are over forty rivers and streams flowing into Lake Taupo. The other lakes in the area such as Otamangakau are open from December 1 to June 31.

Much of the fishing can be reached easily by car and, or boat. For more remote fishing helicopter and raft fishing is readily available

The Seasons:

Some months overlap because, well, weather makes its own rule s.
Summer is November through March
Autumn is March through May
Winter is June through September
Spring is September through November

The average sized trout caught in the region is 2.2 kg, (4.5 lb.). The minimum size limit is eighteen inches. All the trout in the area are wild trout.

Equipment: A Lake Taupo Trout Fishing Licence is required.
Adult- $13.50 per day or $27 for a 3 day license.
Children- $3.50 per day

Most trout tour operators can help you with the license and supply fishing gear.

Directions: Photo courtesy of Destination Lake Taupo/Marcel Tromp

Theme: Fishing Trips

Website: http://www.laketauponz.com

Wattyl's Cycle Challenge

This year I entered the Wattyl's Cycle Challenge which is a 160km "challenge" around the perimeter of Lake Taupo. A friend and I entered in a relay style format completing 80km of the circuit each. We did it in a time of 6 hrs 29 mins 42 secs (475th place) which is a place that is based on all female relay teams. Not bad for a couple of beginners!

There is a classic race option which is for serious riders and the challenge which consits of solo or relay teams.

There were 10,000 cyclists in total in 2004 which is over 2,000 more than the year before that!!! There were people from all over New Zealand and even other countries!

Equipment: You will need a bike although it doesn't matter if it isn't a road bike! There was a unicycle and a penny farthing bike this year :-)

Theme: Biking

Website: http://www.cyclechallenge.org