Red gurnard
Red gurnard (kumukumu) are reddish fish with big, wing-like fins that “walk” over sandy and muddy bottoms feeling for food. They are common, good eating, and easy to catch on a bait.
Where they live
- Widespread around New Zealand, from Cape Reinga to Stewart Island (NIWA).
- Sand and mud bottoms in harbours, bays and off beaches, from about 10 m deep.
When
- All year; they spawn in spring and summer (NIWA), when they are often in shallower water.
- The moving tide, when food is stirred up off the bottom.
Size and daily limits for each area: MPI’s NZ Fishing Rules app
How
- Ledger rig on sand
- A sinker on the bottom with two baited hooks above it (a “dropper” or flasher rig), with small pieces of squid or pilchard.
- Surfcasting
- From a sandy beach, a long cast past the breaking waves with a bait rig on the bottom.
Your first trip
- Fish a sandy harbour bottom from a wharf, or cast from a beach on a calm day.
- Keep the bait on the bottom: gurnard rarely rise to take one.
- Check MPI’s size and daily limits for the area.
From rocks: wear a lifejacket, watch the sea for ten minutes before you go near the edge, never turn your back on it, and fish with someone. Rock fishing safety
Places to start
Each region page lists wharves, boat ramps and shore you can reach on a legal road or public land, with whether today’s swell reaches each one.
Sources: NIWA for Fisheries NZ: New Zealand fishes, a field guide to common species · MPI: recreational fishing rules by area.