Public fishing lakes, rivers and canals in Southland Region — Trout, Salmon, Coarse.
Filter by species, water type and size. Permit and rules information for every public venue in Southland Region and across New Zealand.
Southland's best-known fisheries include the Mataura, Oreti, Aparima and Waiau rivers, the lochs and lakes of Fiordland, and the Waituna Lagoon - a genuinely wide spread of water from lowland streams to wilderness backcountry. Southland Fish & Game prohibits coarse fishing entirely across the region, keeping the focus firmly on trout and salmon.
A season bag limit of 1 Salmon from any water in the region applies, alongside a combined daily limit of 4 sports fish. A Fish & Game licence covering all 12 regions except Taupō is required; there's no national night-fishing clock rule, hours are set per water in the Anglers Notice.
Every angler needs a Fish & Game licence. A single season or short-term licence covers all 12 Fish & Game regions nationwide; Taupō is managed separately by DOC under its own licence and rules.
The 2026-27 Anglers Notice, approved under the Conservation Act 1987, sets the open season, authorised methods (Fly/Spin/Bait) and daily bag limit for named waters in each region, with a regional default for everything else.
There is no national night-fishing clock rule — hours are set per water in the Anglers Notice, so always check the specific venue rather than assuming a blanket rule.
Whether you can camp or bivvy overnight nearby depends on land ownership and public-access status, not the fishing regulations themselves — check this region's venues for their confirmed access status, and DOC's hut/campsite network for a legal place to stay.
Join PiscaMaps to unlock full rules, species notes and permit information for every venue in Southland Region and across New Zealand.