Wakapuaka River facts for kids

The Wakapuaka River is a cool river located in the Nelson Region of New Zealand's South Island. It starts in the northern part of the Bryant Range, about 14 kilometers (9 miles) east of Nelson city. From there, it flows north until it reaches Delaware Bay. This bay is a small inlet on the northeast coast of a larger body of water called Tasman Bay / Te Tai-o-Aorere. The Lud River and Teal River are two smaller rivers that flow into the Wakapuaka River.

Fishing Fun at Wakapuaka River

The Wakapuaka River is a very popular spot for fishing! Many people enjoy trying to catch fish here. Because so many people love to fish in this river, there's a rule to help protect the fish. Each person can only take two bags of fish per trip.

When Can You Fish?

The fishing season at the Wakapuaka River runs from October 1st to April 30th each year. This means you can fish during these months, but not outside of them.

Amazing Fish Species

Did you know that 12 different kinds of freshwater fish live in the Wakapuaka River? That's a lot of variety! Here are some of the cool fish you might find:

• Longfin eel
• Shortfin eel
• Common bully
• Redfin bully
• Giant bully
• Upland bully
• Inanga (also known as common galaxias)
• Koaro (also known as climbing galaxias)
• Brown trout
• Torrentfish
• Cockabully
• Freshwater crayfish