Fish & Game New Zealand and mining company Oceana Gold NZ have a productive fish hatchery at Macraes, allowing the Southern Reservoir, Sullivans Dam, and Tomahawk Lagoon to be regularly stocked with mature trout.
Sullivans Dam, at the top of the Northern Motorway, is set in native and some exotic pine forest. The southern end is deep but gets shallower near the inflow.
The Southern Reservoir is deep with shallow areas around its western bank. It is a great place for picnicking and walking as well as fishing.
It is stocked with rainbow trout and some brown trout migrate
to the reservoir.
Tomahawk has two lagoons but only the top one is stocked with fish, these being rainbow and brown trout and perch. The lagoon used to be tidal but is now permanently closed off from the sea. It is also quite shallow with a maximum depth of 1.5m.
The fish are fast growing having loads of food, such as perch fry, bullies and aquatic insects to feed on. Fishing is best here during winter, spring and early summer. The limit is one trout per day and as many perch as you like. Bait fishing is very successful here.
Methods
Spin, fly. Bait fishing Tomahawk Lagoon only.
Spin anglers should try small black and gold hexagon and zed spinners to attract brown trout, or brightly coloured Tasmanian devils to interest the rainbows. When fishing the deeper parts of Sullivans Dam or the Southern Reservoir, make sure to let the lure sink for a while and vary the rate of retrieve. Tomahawk Lagoon is very shallow, so a fast retrieve is needed to keep out of the weed.
Bait fishing is allowed at Tomahawk Lagoon and can be very successful. Because the lagoon is very shallow and often weedy, worms or bullies are most effective when suspended beneath a float or bubble.
Regulations
Sports fishing licence.
Fly fishing and spinning are the fishing methods allowed.
Bag limit one.
