Creel survey snapshot 2024/25

As of the end of January 2025, staff have undertaken 106 angler surveys on Lake Taupō in the 2024/2025 summer period.

This short report summarises the data collected and compares it with data from the same period over the last eight years, since summer 2017/18.

Estimated catch rate

The estimated catch rate for the 2024/25 period was very good at 1.2 fish per hour (one legal sized trout every 50 minutes) and is up in comparison to recent years (Fig. 1).

Figure 1: Average trout catch rates for the summer period on Lake Taupō from 2017/18 to 2024/25. | DOC

Preferred fishing method

Jigging has remained the most popular method for fishing the lake, with 45% of those surveyed jigging in 2024/25, which is on par with the previous summer.

Deep trolling with lead lines (28%), shallow trolling (14%) and downriggers (7.5%) largely accounted for the rest and, again, these numbers are similar to the same period last year (Fig. 2).

Figure 2: Preferred fishing method for the summer period on Lake Taupō from 2017/18 to 2024/25. | DOC

Catch and release percentages

The average catch and release percentage sits at 34.8% for 2024/2025 which is similar to 35.8% for the previous summer.

This is the lowest percentage since the summer of 2019/20 (Fig. 3).

A lower catch and release percentage indicates that more trout are being kept. This is a good outcome as we encouraged anglers to harvest trout in 2024/2025.

The catch and release percentage is calculated by dividing the number of legal sized trout caught and released by the number of trout kept plus the number of legal sized caught.

Figure 3: Average catch and release percentages for trout in the summer period on Lake Taupō from 2017/18 to 2024/25. | DOC

Legal sized trout kept

The percentage of legal sized fish kept in 2024/2025 reached 56.5%. This indicates that anglers have kept more of the bigger fish that they have caught, helping to increase the overall harvest of legal sized fish in 2024/2025 (Fig. 4).

This percentage has been slowly increasing over the past three summers.

Figure 4: Percentage of legal sized trout kept by anglers on Lake Taupō for the summer period from 2017/18 to 2024/25. | DOC

Length of maiden rainbow trout

The average length of maiden rainbow trout kept by anglers in 2024/25 was 470 mm, which is an increase in comparison to the last two summers but on par with summer 2021/22 (Fig. 5).

Figure 5: Average length of maiden rainbows kept by anglers on Lake Taupō for the summer period from 2017/18 to 2024/25. | DOC

Weight of maiden rainbow trout

The average weight of maiden rainbow trout kept by anglers for 2024/25 was calculated from at 1.2 kg (2.64 lbs) which is consistent with those from last summer (Fig. 6).

During the last eight summers, averages have tended to remain between 1.1 and 1.2 kg with the summer of 2021/22 being the exception, where maiden trout averaged 1.5 kg (3.3 lbs). This resulted in the exceptional rainbow trout that we saw during the winter runs of 2022.

Figure 6: Average weight of maiden rainbows kept by anglers on Lake Taupō for the summer period from 2017/18 to 2024/25. | DOC

Condition of maiden rainbow trout

The average condition factor of maiden rainbow trout kept by anglers in 2024/2025 was 42.9 which is down slightly on the previous summer’s average of 45, but on par with the summer of 2022/23 when it was 43 (Fig. 7).

The condition factor is a numerical value given to a trout that reflects its condition. The value is calculated using a formula that includes both the length and weight of the trout. A good conditioned trout will have a high condition factor (40+), while a trout in poor condition will have a low factor (<30).

During the past eight summers, the average condition of rainbow trout has ranged between 40.3 and 45. The summer of 2021/22 produced exceptional rainbow trout with an average condition factor of 50.5.

Figure 7: Average condition factor of rainbows kept by anglers on Lake Taupō for the summer period from 2017/18 to 2024/25. | DOC

Angler satisfaction score

As part of the angler surveys, anglers are asked to rate out of ten the fish that they are catching, their success rate and their enjoyment.

In 2024/25 anglers rated the size and quality of the fish that they caught at 7.1, their success (or catch rate) at 6.6 and their enjoyment at 9.3.

The size and quality average score is up in 2024/2025 on the low of 6.5 calculated for the summer of 2023/24, but down in comparison to the peak of 7.4 calculated for the recent summers of 2021/22 and 2022/23 (Fig. 8). 

Despite the estimated catch rate for anglers in 2024/25 being the second highest out of the last eight summers (Fig. 1), anglers rated their success at 6.6 which is on par with the same period last summer. Success was rated between 7 and 7.8 in the summers from 2019/20 to 2022/23.

Nevertheless, angling enjoyment remained high this summer at 9.3 which is consistent with recent years.

Figure 8: Average satisfaction scores for anglers fishing on Lake Taupō for the summer period from 2017/18 to 2024/25. | DOC

Trends for anglers in 2025

Overall, anglers can expect the good fishing to continue during the latter part of the summer season as the maiden fish continue to feed and grow in the lake.

Deeper methods such as jigging and down rigging will be most effective with the thermocline now in full effect. With the influx of boat traffic over summer, trout can be forced deeper, so try jigging deeper between 35-40 m.

Shallow trolling can still be effective at both ends of the day, targeting shallow waters around the lake in approximately 5-7 m of water.

Anglers are encouraged to take fish this summer. The fishery relies on harvest to keep numbers in check and to ensure that the trout running the rivers next winter are in good condition. The current size of the maiden rainbows would suggest another average season this winter, with no signs yet of an exceptional winter like 2022.

Anglers are also reminded to ensure that their fishing gear and boats are clean as per the check, clean and dry programme. This is to ensure that no unwanted aquatic weeds or organisms are brought into the region’s lakes and waterways.