Public fishing lakes, rivers and canals in West Coast Region — Trout, Salmon, Coarse.
Filter by species, water type and size. Permit and rules information for every public venue in West Coast Region and across New Zealand.
The West Coast Fish & Game region runs from Kahurangi Point, north of Karamea, to Awarua Point south of Haast - about 2 million hectares, much of it wilderness, with more rivers and lakes than most anglers would fish in a lifetime. Brown trout occupy a huge range of habitats from the mountains to the sea, in lakes and spring-fed tributaries alike.
Sea-run salmon fisheries centre on South Westland lakes (which also hold resident lake stocks); from January to April, salmon can be expected around most major river mouths south of and including the Grey River. The region runs two put-and-take fisheries, Lake Kaniere and Lake Ianthe. A Fish & Game licence covering all 12 regions except Taupō is required.
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.
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