Taupo Fly Fishing Report – September 2026

River conditions have been low and clear for much of the season. It has only been in the last few weeks that we have seen some significant rainfall, which has brought fresh fish into the rivers in good numbers throughout the Taupō system.

The trout have been a mix of recovering fish and fresh-run fish, with some very eager to take small nymphs, smelt-style streamers and the usual egg patterns. In settled water, I have also noticed some bigger-model fish responding well to size 8 long-shank streamers.

All techniques have been producing fish, with Euro nymphing, wet-lining and traditional nymphing all working well depending on the river and conditions. As water levels continue to change, I would expect to see more fresh fish moving through the system over the coming weeks.

The runs are currently around a month behind where they were at the same time last season, but the recent rain has certainly started to improve the situation. Average fish size this year has been around the 3 lb mark, although there are some larger trout being encountered.

With the daily bag limit now increased to 8 fish, I believe it is important that anglers consider keeping a few fish where appropriate. Harvesting a sensible number of trout can help make use of the increased allocation while also taking some pressure off the fishery through responsible management.

Overall, the Taupō fishery is starting to look much more promising as we move into spring. With further rain and fresh fish expected to continue entering the system, the coming weeks should provide some excellent opportunities for anglers fishing the rivers and tributaries around Lake Taupō.