Lake Te Anau

Lake Te Anau sits in Southland, New Zealand and offers the kind of structure-driven lake fishing that suits both bank anglers and those working from a small boat or float tube. Fish on a stillwater like this don't move much during the heat of the day — finding shade, cooler thermoclines, or current from inflowing streams is the local trick. Most successful trips to Lake Te Anau come down to reading the water before tying on a lure.

Location

-45.2000, 167.8000 · View on OpenStreetMap →

Species at This Spot

Rainbow troutBrown trout

Fishing Techniques

• For Rainbow trout

  Vary your retrieve speed when using spinners to find what triggers a strike; sometimes a slow, steady retrieve works best, while other times a faster, erratic retrieve is more effective.

• For Brown trout

  When fishing streams, focus on seams and current breaks, where trout hold to ambush prey.

Recommended Gear

Tackle commonly used to target the species at Lake Te Anau.

Plan Your Trip

Anglers heading to Lake Te Anau should sort licences and confirm seasonal regulations for Southland before the trip. A quick weather check the morning of helps too — wind direction in particular can make or break a session at a spot like Lake Te Anau.

Nearby Spots in Southland

See all fishing spots in Southland →

Other Fishing Regions in New Zealand