Practical New Zealand fishing guides: what to eat, when to fish, how to fillet, bleed and smoke your catch, and the rigs and baits that work.
GuideFishing knots: how to tie the six knots NZ anglers useHow to tie the uni, snell, palomar, uni-to-uni, dropper loop and improved clinch knots, with step-by-step animated diagrams and when to use each one.
GuideFishing line: mono, braid or fluorocarbon?Mono, braid and fluorocarbon fishing line compared, with the line and leader weights NZ anglers use for soft baiting, bait fishing, surfcasting and kingfish.
Gear guideSoft bait fishing in NZ: setup, technique and what to buyHow to fish soft baits in NZ: the rod, line and jig head to start with, how to rig and work them for snapper, and soft baits compared with NZ prices.
GuideSurfcasting in NZ: gear, rigs, bait and how to read a beachHow to surfcast in NZ: the rod, reel and rig to start with, the best baits, how to read a beach for gutters and holes, and when the fish come in.
GuideBest bait for fishing in NZ: a species-by-species guideWhat bait to use for snapper, kahawai, gurnard, kingfish and more in NZ: a species-by-species table, how to rig each bait, and how to use burley.
GuideHow to bleed and ice your catch (and why it matters)Iki jime, bleeding and an ice slurry make your catch taste better and keep longer. How to do each, with diagrams and notes for kahawai, kingfish and snapper.
GuideDo you need a fishing licence in New Zealand?Sea fishing in New Zealand needs no licence, but freshwater fishing for trout and salmon does. Here is which licence you need, where to buy it, and the rules.
GuideNZ fishing rigs and knots: diagrams and when to use eachClear diagrams of the main NZ fishing rigs (ledger, running sinker, strayline, surfcasting, live bait) and the knots to tie them, with which fish each catches.
GuideHow to fillet a fish: snapper, gurnard, kahawai and moreStep-by-step filleting for NZ fish, with photos: the basic method, skinning and pin bones, and what is different about snapper, gurnard, kahawai and blue cod.
GuideHow to smoke fish at home (NZ guide)Hot smoke kahawai, trevally, kingfish or trout at home: the brine, wood, temperatures and times, how long it keeps, and a classic smoked kahawai recipe.
Seasonal guideNZ whitebait season 2026: dates and rulesWhitebait season dates for New Zealand, the West Coast and the Chatham Islands, with net, screen and gear rules. Checked against DOC on 23 October 2026.
GuideThe best eating fish in New ZealandThe best New Zealand fish to eat, grouped by how to cook them: snapper and blue cod for frying, kingfish for sashimi, kahawai for smoking and more.
Seasonal guideBest time to fish in New ZealandWhen to catch snapper, kingfish, kahawai, tuna, trout and salmon in New Zealand, with a month-by-month calendar and what bites in each season.