Rainbow trout
A stream and lake salmonid introduced from North America, now self-sustaining in cool alpine and central-plateau waters and stocked elsewhere. It fights harder and rises more freely to a dry fly than brown trout, so match tactics to whether the water is wild or put-and-take.
134 guides in the directory fish for rainbow trout, across 26 regions
- Also called
- rainbow
- Water
- fresh
cool upland rivers, alpine streams, lakes, reservoirs and impoundments - Typical size
- 50-60 cm
1-4 kg - Trophy size
- 70 cm +
5-10 kg - Caught on
- Fly, Lure, Bait
Where guides fish for it
Guides who fish for it
When to fish for it
Shading is when the fishing is good, not what the law allows. Seasons and limits are set per state — see rules and limits.
How it is fished
Nymphing under an indicator
A tandem rig with a heavily weighted point fly (size 10, 4mm-plus tungsten bead) to get down fast, and a lighter dropper nymph 30cm below it, fished under a woollen indicator so it drifts hard along the bottom through pools and runs; dries are drifted over quiet water and lake margins on summer evenings.
When: year-round, with heaviest use through the autumn-winter spawning run when rainbows push up into rivers like the Tongariro; dries best on calm summer evenings
Casting spinners and hardbodies
Small blade spinners, bibbed minnows, spoons and soft plastics on jig heads are cast across and worked back through pools, runs and along lake edges, starting shallow and progressively fishing deeper arcs of casts until fish are located, then holding that depth.
When: year-round, dawn and dusk favoured
Trolling and downrigging on lakes
Deep-diving winged lures such as Tasmanian Devils, Cobras and spoons (orange/gold colours favoured) are trolled at walking pace behind a boat, often let down on a downrigger to sit close to the bottom or near the thermocline on big lakes such as Taupō.
When: year-round on large lakes, particularly when fish hold deep through summer
Bait fishing lakes and slow pools
Scrubworms, mudeyes, garden worms, corn or salted whitebait are fished either on the bottom with a light running sinker or suspended under a quill or bubble float, using small chemically sharpened hooks.
When: year-round, especially productive in discoloured water or overcast conditions
The outfit
What to actually pick up, per method.
| Method | Rod | Reel | Main line | Leader | Terminal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spin | |||||
| Shallow-running lures | 5ft6in-6ft for tight streams; 7ft-7ft6in for lakes and open water, 3-14 g spinners, spoons and small hardbodies, medium-light to medium | 2000-2500 size spin reel | 2 kg for clear, easily spooked water; 3 kg for larger rivers and snaggy water; 4-5 kg at river mouths | 40cm fluorocarbon trace tied above the lure via a swivel | bibbed minnows (Rapala-style), blade spinners (Veltic-style), plastic-winged lures (Tasmanian Devil, King Cobra), metal spoons (Toby-style), soft plastics on 1/8-1/4 oz jig heads |
| Bait | 1.8-2.1m (6-7ft) light lake rod, or 7-7.5ft medium action for casting further, light running sinker, kept to the minimum needed to hold bottom, medium | 2500 size spin reel | 2-3 kg braid or monofilament | 3-4 kg leader, around 6ft, to small chemically sharpened hooks (size 6-10) | scrubworms, mudeyes, garden worms, corn kernels or salted whitebait, fished on the bottom or under a quill/bubble float |
| Overhead | |||||
| Trolling | 2m (approx. 6ft6in-7ft) boat rod, soft tip, matched to 4-6 kg trolling line, not cast, soft/parabolic | overhead trolling reel with at least 200m capacity | 4-6 kg monofilament | downrigger release clip to line, lure run directly or on a short trace; downrigger depth to around 35m depending on thermocline | winged trolling lures (Tasmanian Devil, Cobra) and spoons, orange and gold colours favoured |
| Fly | |||||
| Fly | 9ft, 5-6 wt on small streams and dry-fly water; 7-8 wt for big rivers like the Tongariro, large lakes and windy conditions, medium-fast | trout fly reel with disc drag, matched to line weight | weight-forward floating fly line matching rod weight | 12ft tapered leader to 3-4x (roughly 2-3kg) for nymphs; 4-5x (roughly 1-2kg) tippet for dries in clear, calm water | tandem nymph rig: size 10 point fly with 4mm-plus tungsten bead, size 12-16 dropper nymph 30cm below on a wool indicator; size 14-18 dry patterns for surface fishing |
When they feed, and where
What makes a spot worth stopping at
Features you can pick off the water, and what the fish is doing there.
river and tributary mouths flowing into a lake
Baitfish, smelt and drifting insects concentrate where current meets still water, and cruising trout patrol the edge of the discoloured or cooler inflow to ambush them.
Wade the drop-off either side of the current line and sight-cast or blind-fish streamers and nymphs along the seam, working from shallow to deep.
riffles and broken water at the head of a pool
Faster, oxygenated water tumbles mayfly and caddis nymphs loose from the streambed, and trout hold just below the riffle to intercept the drift.
Cast upstream past the riffle with a weighted nymph and let it dead-drift down through the seam into the pool.
deep, shaded pools with overhanging trees or snags
Cover and depth give trout security from predators and a cool ambush point out of the current, especially once the day warms up.
Work soft plastics or slow-rolled hardbodies through the pool, or drift a nymph tight against the shade line.
lake edges and shallow flats where smelt spawn in spring
Smelt push into shallow margins to spawn and rainbows follow in numbers to charge the shoals.
Sight-cast or blind-cast a smelt-imitation streamer or small minnow hardbody along the shoreline and retrieve with erratic pauses.
lake drop-offs into deep, cold water
Trout retreat to deeper, cooler water in the heat of the day and through summer, holding on the ledge where it meets the shallows.
Troll or cast lures/flies along the contour of the drop-off, working the depth where the thermocline sits.
What it eats, and what to tie on
Diet
Rainbow trout feed opportunistically, taking aquatic insect larvae and nymphs, terrestrial insects blown onto the water, and crustaceans when young, then shifting to a largely piscivorous diet of small baitfish, smelt and koaro as they grow past about 30 cm. In lakes they key heavily onto smelt shoals, while in rivers and streams they hold in current seams to intercept drifting nymphs and emergers.
Prey: mayfly and caddisfly nymphs, terrestrial insects (beetles, cicadas, grasshoppers), smelt, koaro/whitebait, yabbies and freshwater shrimp, mudeyes (dragonfly nymphs), small forage fish
Bait
- scrubworms — fished on the bottom in pools and slow runs
- live mudeyes (dragonfly nymphs) — a classic still-water bait, fished under a float near weed edges
- garden worms/grubs — unweighted or lightly weighted, drifted through pools and runs
Lures and flies, by type
Length and weight are the point — match them to the cast weight in the outfit table.
| Type | Length | Weight | Depth | Colour | How it is worked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hard bodies | |||||
| inline spinner | 40-55 mm | 2-5 g | 0.3-1 m | silver/rainbow blade in clear water, brighter tiger/gold patterns to draw attention in coloured water | cast upstream and retrieve just fast enough to keep the blade turning as it drifts back with the current |
| small floating/shallow-diving minnow | 30-50 mm | 2-4 g | 0.3-1 m | natural bait-fish patterns in clear water, brighter colours in dirty water | slow-rolled through pools and along drop-offs |
| Soft plastics | |||||
| small paddle-tail minnow imitation | 70-90 mm | 3-7 g jig head | 1-3 m | smelt/baitfish tones | worked slowly through deeper pools and along lake drop-offs |
| Metals | |||||
| small metal spoon/blade lure | 30-45 mm | 3-7 g | 0.5-2 m | silver or gold to imitate smelt | best in fast-moving water where its flash and wobble cut through current |
| Flies | |||||
| Pheasant Tail nymph | size 12-16 | beaded or unweighted, dead-drift on a nymphing rig | — | — | represents a mayfly nymph, one of the most consistent river patterns |
| smelt streamer | size 2-6, 5-8 cm | intermediate or slow-sink line | — | — | fished along lake shorelines and river mouths when smelt are spawning |
| cicada dry fly | size 6-10 | floating line | — | — | fished tight to the bank during summer terrestrial falls |
| mudeye/dragonfly nymph pattern | size 8-12 | slow-sink, fished near weed beds | — | — | still-water pattern imitating a key lake food source |
Rules and limits
Australia
- Size
- 25 cm
- Bag
- 5 (one or more species) / 10 (one or more species)
- Closed
Tuesday after the June long weekend to the last Friday prior to the start of the October long weekend
Tuesday after the June long weekend to the last Friday prior to the start of the October long weekend (general trout streams). For 2026 DPIRD states the closure commences Tuesday 9 June 2026 and waters reopen from the start of the October long weekend, Saturday 3 October 2026.
Detail
Bag and possession limits are combined across trout and salmon species (Atlantic Salmon, Brown, Rainbow, Brook). Different limits apply in artificial fly and lure only waters (25 cm, bag 2, possession 4) and in trout spawning streams from 1 May to the end of the King's Birthday long weekend (50 cm, bag 1, possession 2) — see exceptions. The stream closure does not apply to trout dams. Closure dates for artificial fly and lure streams and trout spawning streams run 'Tuesday after the June long weekend until midnight 30 April the following year'.
- Size
- 300 mm min
- Bag
- 12 / not stated by the authority for salmonids
- Closed
most waters 1/8/2026 - 2/5/2027
most waters 1/8/2026 - 2/5/2027; designated rainbow trout waters open 3 October 2026 and close 30 May 2027
Detail
Rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) is a "salmon" under the Act, so the general 300 mm / 12 limits apply. The 12 is a COMBINED salmonid daily limit across brown trout, rainbow trout, brook trout and Atlantic salmon. Separate species sub-limits exist: reg 17(9) — max 2 brook trout, max 5 Atlantic salmon — but no statewide rainbow-trout-specific sub-limit was found outside Yingina / Great Lake. Measured "from the tip of the snout to the fork of the tail".
- Size
- 220 mm min
- Bag
- 5 (per river, per day) / not stated by the authority for salmonids
- Closed
- open season for most waters: 1/8/2026 - 2/5/2027
Detail
Reg 15(3) and reg 17(6); combined salmonid limits, not rainbow-trout-specific.
- Size
- 400 mm min
- Bag
- 3 rainbow trout, within an overall limit of 12 salmon / not stated by the authority for salmonids
- Closed
main lake and Tods Corner open year-round
main lake and Tods Corner open year-round; Canal Bay 28/11/2026 - 28/3/2027
Detail
Reg 15(8) sets a 400 mm minimum for rainbow trout in Yingina / Great Lake; reg 17(7) allows "maximum 12 salmon daily (including 3 rainbow trout)". IFS wording: "Brown trout min. size 300, Rainbow trout min. size 400 with max of 3 rainbow trout". Tods Corner and Canal Bay are "Artificials (lures and flies) only". All waters flowing into Great Lake, and for 50 m below their entry, are closed.
- Size
- no minimum size in marine waters
- Bag
- 12 / 24
- Closed
- No closed season
Detail
NRE Tas lists the row generically as "Trout (in marine waters)" with no species breakdown, so the same limit covers rainbow trout taken in marine waters. No boat limit listed. Inland (IFS) bag and size limits differ and "can change from water to water".
- Size
- No minimum in most waters; 30 cm minimum at Lake Toolondo; 45 cm minimum at Hepburn Lagoon; 25 cm minimum in the listed upper-river sections
- Bag
- 5 salmonids per day (combined across all salmonid species); in rivers and streams no more than 2 fish may exceed 35 cm; 3 salmonids per day in the listed exception waters / not specified by the authority (no separate possession limit applies to salmonids)
- Closed
Rivers and streams: 'from Tuesday 9 June until Friday 4 September inclusive'
Rivers and streams: 'from Tuesday 9 June until Friday 4 September inclusive' (2026); first open day Saturday 5 September 2026. No closed season in lakes and impoundments or in family fishing lakes.
Detail
Size and bag limits 'vary with water body and/or river section'; the bag limit is a combined salmonid limit. Cannot be filleted in or on Victorian waters - must be kept whole or in carcass form until away from the water.
New Zealand
- Size
- 35 cm min
- Bag
- 8 / not specified on the authority's pages
- Closed
Lake Taupō itself has no closed season
Lake Taupō itself has no closed season (licence year 1 July to 30 June); other waters in the district have defined open seasons or are closed at all times — see DOC's map of the Taupō Fishing District
Detail
Bag limit is "eight trout per day regardless of species", so rainbow and brown trout share one combined daily limit — it is not eight of each. Size is measured "tip of the snout to the fork of the tail". Raised from six to eight effective 1 July 2026. Different limits apply at Lake Otamangakau, Lake Kuratau, Lake Moawhango and the Waipakihi River above the Rangipo Dam — see exceptions.
- Size
- No size limit
- Bag
- 2
- Closed
- No closed season
Detail
Named headwaters (Awakino, Kaniwhaniwha, Mangatutu, Ngakoaohia, upper Whakapapa) run 1 Oct – 30 Jun, fly only; tributaries of Lakes Arapuni, Waipapa and Karapiro are closed at all times
- Size
- 350 mm min
- Bag
- 8
- Closed
Rotoiti, Ōkataina and Tarawera close 1 Jul – 30 Sep except their winter shoreline areas, which stay open to shore fishing
Rotoiti, Ōkataina and Tarawera close 1 Jul – 30 Sep except their winter shoreline areas, which stay open to shore fishing; Rotorua, Rotomā (main lake), Rotoehu and Waikaremoana are open all year
Detail
Bag of 8 trout may include no more than 2 brown trout; no fishing midnight–5am region-wide
- Size
- No size limit
- Bag
- 2
- Closed
1 Jul – 30 Sep
1 Jul – 30 Sep (open season 1 Oct – 30 Jun)
Detail
Rotorua lake tributaries (Ngongotahā, Ōhau Channel and others) carry their own reach-level seasons and fly-only sections
- Size
- No default; 550 mm MAX on upper Esk and upper Ngaruroro, 350 mm min on Tūtira/Waikopiro
- Bag
- 1
- Closed
1 Jul – 30 Sep for the default waters
1 Jul – 30 Sep for the default waters (open 1 Oct – 30 Jun); most named lower reaches open all year
Detail
Default bag is 1, the lowest in the country; rises to 2 on named mid and lower reaches; the maximums protect large headwater fish
- Size
- 300 mm min
- Bag
- 2
- Closed
- No closed season
Detail
Region-wide 300 mm minimum; bag 3 on Lake Manuwai, Whau Valley Dam and Wilsons Dam; no fishing from mechanically propelled boats
- Size
- No size limit
- Bag
- 2
- Closed
1 May – 30 Sep for unnamed waters
1 May – 30 Sep for unnamed waters (default season 1 Oct – 30 Apr); most named ringplain rivers open all year in their lower reaches
Detail
Hangatahua (Stony) River allows 2 rainbow and ZERO brown trout; Lake Ratapiko closes for May only; Virginia Lake is closed outright
2 more authorities covering water we have no guides in
New Zealand
- Size
- —
- Bag
- —
- Closed
- —
- Size
- No default; 450 mm MAX on many named rivers (Hutt, Waikanae, Ōtaki…), 550 mm MAX on upper Rangitīkei, Waingawa, Wainuiomata
- Bag
- 4
- Closed
1 May – 30 Sep for unnamed waters
1 May – 30 Sep for unnamed waters (default season 1 Oct – 30 Apr); most large rivers open all year below their state-highway bridges
10 named waters that differ from its authority's general rule
- Trout spawning streams — Thredbo River and Eucumbene River (and tributaries) — From 1 May to the end of the King's Birthday long weekend these waters run under separate spawning-stream rules: 50 cm minimum size, daily bag limit 1, possession limit 2, artificial fly or lure only (no handlines, no dough-based baits).
- Artificial fly and lure only waters (incl. blue ribbon streams, catch-and-release streams, trophy trout dams, trout spawning streams) — Notified trout waters split into two classes; in artificial fly and lure only waters the trout daily bag limit is 2 and possession limit 4 (instead of 5 and 10), and bait is prohibited. The Eucumbene and Thredbo Rivers sit in this class from the Saturday of the October long weekend to 30 April inclusive.
- Trout dams vs trout streams — The annual winter closure applies to general trout streams, artificial fly and lure streams and trout spawning streams — trout dams such as Lake Jindabyne and Eucumbene Dam stay open through the closure.
- Lake Otamangakau — Slot-style limit found nowhere else in the district: "two trout per day regardless of species", no minimum size and a maximum takeable size of 55 cm; DOC's where-to-fish page gives the season as "1 October to 31 May (summer closures weather dependent)" while DOC's 2022 change notice describes a 1 September start — the two DOC pages disagree, so the season dates here are not settled.
- Hangatahua (Stony) River — Bag is 2 rainbow trout and zero brown trout.
- Yingina / Great Lake — "Brown trout min. size 300, Rainbow trout min. size 400 with max of 3 rainbow trout", bag limit 12; Tods Corner and the main lake are open year-round and Tods Corner is artificials-only, while Canal Bay opens only "28/11/2026 - 28/3/2027" and is artificials-only.
- Designated rainbow trout waters (incl. lakes Mackintosh and Rosebery) — A separate season: "Opening of designated rainbow trout waters" 3 October 2026 and "Closure of designated rainbow trout waters, lakes Mackintosh and Rosebery" 30 May 2027, versus 1 August 2026 – 2 May 2027 for most waters.
- Bream fishing areas (e.g. Derwent, Huon, Coal and Arthur rivers) — Inside a bream fishing area "a freshwater angling licence is required for trout and seasons may apply. Bream and marine species can be taken without a freshwater angling licence with up to two rods, all year round."
- Trout/salmon closed season - tailrace sections (Goulburn, Kiewa, Mitta Mitta, Tanjil rivers) — These tailrace sections are closed to ALL hook and line fishing during the trout and salmon closed season regardless of target species, and a hook and line may not be possessed within 20 m of them.
- Lake Toolondo and Hepburn Lagoon — Run under their own salmonid rules: Lake Toolondo 45 cm minimum brown trout / 30 cm minimum rainbow trout, Hepburn Lagoon 45 cm minimum brown and rainbow trout, both with a bag limit of 3 salmonids per day and no closed season.
In the kitchen
Smoked
firm flesh takes manuka or other smoke very well, a favourite treatment
Baked whole
whole roasting or foil-baking keeps the delicate flesh moist
Pan-fried
a simple lemon and herb marinade lifts the delicate flavour
Raw
belly flesh citrus-cured ceviche-style is a popular fresh-catch dish
Watch
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▶Common questions
What is the best time of year to catch rainbow trout?
Rainbow trout fish best from spring through to autumn, with summer offering the longest days and warmest, most active fishing. Early season (spring into early summer) is often rated by anglers as a prime window, since the water is still cool and fish are actively feeding after winter. Many rivers close over winter for spawning, so check regional opening dates before you head out.
How big do rainbow trout get?
Most rainbow trout caught in New Zealand rivers and lakes run 1-2kg, though fish of 4-5kg turn up in larger, food-rich waters. In Australia, a fish over 60cm or 4kg is considered exceptional, even though the species can grow much larger under ideal conditions. Lake fisheries tend to produce bigger average fish than rivers.
How can you tell a rainbow trout from a brown trout?
The clearest giveaway is the tail: rainbow trout carry dark spots right across the caudal fin, while brown trout typically don't. Rainbows also show a pink to red band along their flanks, whereas brown trout have more variable colouring with larger, often reddish-ringed spots along the body. Rainbows also tolerate warmer water than browns, so they're more often found in the faster, sunnier reaches of a fishery.
Is rainbow trout good to eat?
Yes, rainbow trout is widely regarded as excellent table fish, with a mild, slightly nutty flavour and flaky flesh that's less 'fishy' than many species. Flesh colour varies from white to pink depending on the fish's diet, but this doesn't affect taste. It's a popular catch to keep across both Australian and New Zealand trout fisheries, subject to local bag and possession rules.
Do you need a licence to fish for rainbow trout?
Yes, a fishing licence is required in every state and in New Zealand to target rainbow trout, and the type and cost vary by region. In New Zealand this is a Fish & Game licence; in Australia it's a state recreational or inland fishing licence, with some exemptions for juniors, seniors or concession holders depending on the state. Rules on bag limits, size limits and season closures also differ by state, so check with the relevant fisheries authority before you fish.
Fishing for rainbow trout on water you don't know?
A local guide fishes it every week. The directory lists them by region.