Image: DOC
Extreme close up of part of a rainbow trout showing a tag sitting on its fin.
Lake Otamangakau trout recapture study
Anglers can help improve knowledge of this iconic fishery by reporting details of any large trout they catch, with metal fin clips attached to dorsal fins.

The study

The technical study is designed to increase our understanding of recapture rates within the population of large trout within Lake Otamangakau.

We know trout in this famous lake fishery continue to grow throughout their lives and take several years to reach trophy size. This is quite different to Lake Taupō fish. As Lake Otamangakau trout get larger, so their potential exposure to anglers increases.

We hope this study will provide valuable information about how many times a large trout is caught and released.

Approximately 300 large rainbow and brown trout (150 of each) have a small discreet metal tag secured at the base of their dorsal fin.

Only trout larger than 55 cm were tagged, so, in accordance with the Lake Otamangakau regulations, they must be released following capture.

How anglers can help

We're asking anglers to look out for large, tagged trout, and report these details about the fish and when it was caught:

  • Four-digit code on the metal tag
  • Species of trout (rainbow or brown)
  • Sex of the trout
  • Date of capture

Send information to: taupōfishery@doc.govt.nz