Sea fishing

Sea fishing on the West Coast

1 wharves, 0 boat ramps and 172 places where a legal road or public land reaches the shore. Open any of them for whether today’s swell and wind reach it, and the tides.

ChristchurchRakaiaHampdenToreaHaast BeachOtematataRangitataTwizelGreymouthTimaru
shore wharf boat ramp no fishing hereOpen the full map →Map: LINZ aerial imagery (LINZ Basemaps), CC BY 4.0

Fish common here: kahawai, red gurnard, blue cod, tarakihi.

All sea fishing · See them on the map · MPI rules for this area

Where not to fish, or where local rules apply

  • Punakaiki Marine Reserve marine reserve: no fishing of any kind. Details
  • Kahurangi Marine Reserve marine reserve: no fishing of any kind. Details
  • Okahu Mataitai mātaitai reserve: local bylaws may apply. Details
  • Okuru/Mussel Point Mataitai mātaitai reserve: local bylaws may apply. Details
  • Paringa Mataitai mātaitai reserve: local bylaws may apply. Details
  • Mahitahi/Bruce Bay Mataitai mātaitai reserve: local bylaws may apply. Details
  • Manakaiaua/Hunts Beach Mataitai mātaitai reserve: local bylaws may apply. Details
  • Okarito Lagoon Mataitai mātaitai reserve: local bylaws may apply. Details

8 places inside or beside a marine reserve or high protection area are left out of the lists below.

Places to fish

North to south. Wharves are the easiest start: deep water and flat footing. On rocks, wear a lifejacket and read the rock fishing advice.

  • Kahurangi PointMap
    Shore, by an unformed road
  • Kahurangi PointMap
    Shore, by an unformed road
  • Crayfish PointMap
    Shore, by an unformed road
  • Big Rock BeachMap
    Shore, by an unformed road
  • Big Rock BeachMap
    Shore, by an unformed road
  • CaldervaleMap
    Shore, by an unformed road
  • Ōpārara, Kohaihai RoadMap
    Shore
  • ŌpāraraMap
    Shore, by an unformed road
  • Karamea, Flagstaff RoadMap
    Shore
  • KarameaMap
    Shore, by an unformed road
  • Market Cross, Maori Point RoadMap
    Shore
  • KarameaMap
    Shore, by an unformed road
  • KarameaMap
    Shore, by an unformed road
  • KongahuMap
    Shore, by an unformed road
  • KongahuMap
    Shore, by an unformed road
  • Kongahu, Karamea HighwayMap
    Shore
  • KongahuMap
    Shore, by an unformed road
  • KongahuMap
    Shore, by an unformed road
  • KongahuMap
    Shore, by an unformed road
  • WhanganuiMap
    Shore, by an unformed road

Places from 2026-10-05. Shore, wharves, boat ramps, roads, parcels, place names and tide predictions: Toitū Te Whenua LINZ, CC BY 4.0. Unformed legal roads: Herenga ā Nuku Aotearoa, CC BY 3.0 NZ. Marine reserves and Hauraki Gulf protection areas: DOC, CC BY 4.0. Mātaitai, taiāpure and closures: MPI. Wind: MET Norway, CC BY 4.0. Waves: NOAA WAVEWATCH III via PacIOOS.