Lake Taupo is famous as one of the very best places in the world to go fishing for Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss).

The lake and rivers running into it are high on the to-do list of any keen fisherperson visiting the North Island, or indeed New Zealand locals themselves.

To go fishing for Rainbow Trout and other fish in the Taupo region, you can:

• Hire a registered fishing guide:
  Most fishing guides will charge a rate by the hour. Budget for around NZ$150 per hour on average on a cruiser for 6 passengers. Realistically you’ll probably want a few hours on board, but some guides will accept a minimum of 2 hours.
  Fishing guides include all the fishing gear and tackle you’ll need, if you aren’t a local bringing your own gear.
• Get a fishing license:
  You’ll need a fishing license for the day whether you’re going with a guide or not, and this costs just NZ$20 per day, per person. Guides can set you up with the license on their boat.

Lake Taupo is New Zealand’s largest lake, so there’s a lot to explore on a fishing boat.

You can also go fishing on Lake Taupo all throughout the year.

How much does a Taupo rainbow trout weigh?

Expect weights of around 4 pounds (1.8kg) on average. That means bigger trout are more than possible.