Central North Island - Freshwater

fishing report

February 21, 2026

Supplied by

I Love Fly Fishing

Turangi fishing reports from guide Brian Willson - dry fly season approaching on the Tongariro, plus an exclusive 15% discount promo code from I Love Fly Fishing

Note: If map is showing it is created by LINZ / New Zealand Hydrographic Authority and made available by Creative Commons 3.0. Maps should not be used for navigation

“The brown trout is the only trout that probably has a sense of humor. He is the only trout that will watch your fly for several minutes, then look up at you and laugh.“ — Robert Traver (pen name of John D. Voelker), author of Trout Madness and Anatomy of a Murder.

Turangi fishing reports from guide Brian Willson - dry fly season approaching on the Tongariro, plus an exclusive 15% discount promo code from I Love Fly Fishing

Here at I Love Fly Fishing, we're proud to share the latest on-the-water reports from professional guide, Brian Willson.

Brian is a fly fishing guide based in Turangi with over 50 years of experience on the water. A current NZPFGA member who has served at executive level, he has guided anglers of all ages, skill levels, and backgrounds from all over the world - and channelled that same depth of knowledge into two published books on fly fishing.

Below you'll find summaries of Brian's two most recent Turangi reports. Follow the links to read the full versions on the I Love Fly Fishing website.

Tight lines, Johan Kok

I Love Fly Fishing

Find PROMO CODE for the I Love Fly Fishing online shop at the bottom of the report.

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Turangi Fishing Report Summary 12 February 2026

Guide Brian Wilson spent the week with Perth angler Lou, fishing multiple locations around Lake Taupo with mixed results:

Key Highlights:

Whanganui River: Good conditions but slow action
TT mouth: Better fishing, though several mending kelts caught
Tongariro River: Landed a prime 6-pound rainbow hen after tough fishing
Tongariro Delta: Good fish caught despite windy conditions
Hinemaiaia: Resident fish present, dry fly working well

Current Conditions:

Settled weather, rivers in good shape
Trout beginning to rise on the Tongariro - dry fly season approaching (though Lacewing moths haven't appeared yet)
Night fishing attempt disrupted by sudden swell and wind shift

Outlook: Conditions improving for dry fly fishing, with rising activity expected to increase in coming weeks. Long leaders and good dry fly selection recommended.

See Brian’s full 12^th of February full report on I Love Fishing at https://iloveflyfishing.kiwi/turangi-fishing-report-12-february-2026/

Turangi Fishing Report Sumarry 6 February 2026

Timing & Crowds: Waitangi Day long weekend bringing peak crowds, but expecting significant drop-off next week as school resumes and holiday weekends are exhausted until Easter.

Current Conditions:

Rivers at ideal levels: Whanganui (28 cumecs), Tongariro (27 cumecs), TT (0.3)
Settled weather forecast for the week ahead
All rivers fishing well

Fishing Action:

River mouths: Productive fishing on smelt flies
Fish condition: Mix of recovering kelts (returning from spawning) and some late-run spawners still in good condition
Interestingly, more prime late spawners were present a month ago; now seeing increased numbers of recovering fish returning to the lake
Tongariro Delta: Good numbers of mixed-condition fish caught
Dry fly: Activity picking up, dry/dropper effective in shallow, rippled water

Outlook: Good fishing conditions with varied methods producing results across multiple locations.

See Brian’s full 6^th of February full report on I Love Fishing at https://iloveflyfishing.kiwi/turangi-fishing-report-6-february-2026/

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