# Outdoors > Fishing >  catfish in Lake Taupo

## Boar Freak

Does anyone knows any good spots to catch a few catfish around Turangi ?
Will go up next month and hoping to have at least an afternoon to try to catch a few big ones for the BBQ.  :Have A Nice Day:

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## Maca49

I thought it was around the first bays up from Turangi heading to Taupo. They have organised hunts, I think spearing them every now and then. Is there an underwater club in Taupo? They'd know

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## veitnamcam

For real we have catfish?
Dont you stick your arm in their hole and when they swallow your arm grab on and pull them out?

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## Maca49

Pull them inside out and they're ready for the hot plate! Got invited to shoot Koi Carp this summer the other day, another introduced species to good old NZ

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## Boar Freak

> For real we have catfish?
> Dont you stick your arm in their hole and when they swallow your arm grab on and pull them out?


Its the brown bullhead they grow up to max 30 cm ish.

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## veitnamcam

Oh..... somewhat of a let down  :Oh Noes:

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## Boar Freak

> I thought it was around the first bays up from Turangi heading to Taupo. They have organised hunts, I think spearing them every now and then. Is there an underwater club in Taupo? They'd know


Thanks, will consult google

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## Boar Freak

> Oh..... somewhat of a let down







This one is from my neck of the woods.

113 kg and 230 cm

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## kiwijames

> Attachment 39617
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> 
> Attachment 39618
> 
> This one is from my neck of the woods.
> 
> 113 kg and 230 cm


That is one fucking ugly foosh

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## veitnamcam

> Attachment 39617
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> 
> Attachment 39618
> 
> This one is from my neck of the woods.
> 
> 113 kg and 230 cm


Hastings?

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## Maca49

They've got me in the sewers down there.

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## Boar Freak

> Hastings?


Sorry, the country I came from. Hungary. Should have been more specific.

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## kiwijames

> They've got me in the sewers down there.


Stay outta Hasting sewers mate. Catfish is not the worst you'll catch.

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## Boar Freak

> That is one fucking ugly foosh


The bigger ones are. I don't know why he killed this one, they are inedible . Thankfully people change (slowly)

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## Maca49

I don't know if they eat the ones out of Taupo either?

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## Maca49

> Stay outta Hasting sewers mate. Catfish is not the worst you'll catch.


MILF? Live there?? :Psmiley:

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## Hades

Pulled up a small one jigging around Kuratau.  Pretty sure DoC? organises the annual hunt on the eastern shores.

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## kiwijames

> MILF? Live there??


More MINFWYOAE (Mothers I'd never fuck with yours or anyone elses) live there

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## Boar Freak

> I don't know if they eat the ones out of Taupo either?


The smaller ones taste grate , but anything over 10-15 kg is full of fat. The bullheads are good whatever size.

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## Dundee

MILF= Man I Love Fishing :Grin:

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## Munsey

> The smaller ones taste grate , but anything over 10-15 kg is full of fat. The bullheads are good whatever size.


What do they taste like ? Trout ? perch ?

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## ANTSMAN

I've caught a few, fun horrid things, southern end of the lake .

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## P38

> More MINFWYOAE (Mothers I'd never fuck with yours or anyone elses) live there


 @kiwijames 

Pretty sure the  MINFWYOAE live out at Flaxmere .............. a few in Tamatea as well   :Wink: 

Cheers
Pete

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## Gibo

You guys dont want catfish of size in our waterways. Unless you dont care if you have f all mudfish.... I mean trout

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## Maca49

Koi Carp and Catfish! We have one in Lake Taupo just hope we never get the other, so lucky we have dams on the Waikato! :O O:

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## Shootm

Call into Doc Turangi and have a talk to them they are more than happy for you to fish for cat fish but just ask about fishing without a license etc. We caught them at Motuoapa fishing from the wharf to the left of the marina. Best bait was cheese. Hope this helps.

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## Boar Freak

> What do they taste like ? Trout ? perch ?


I can not think of anything like it. Its nice flaky firm flesh and no bones just the ribs and spine.

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## Boar Freak

> Call into Doc Turangi and have a talk to them they are more than happy for you to fish for cat fish but just ask about fishing without a license etc. We caught them at Motuoapa fishing from the wharf to the left of the marina. Best bait was cheese. Hope this helps.


Thanks will do that. I was thinking to use worms and maggots as bait but probably not a good idea with trout around. At what depth did you find them?

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## Boar Freak

> Koi Carp and Catfish! We have one in Lake Taupo just hope we never get the other, so lucky we have dams on the Waikato!


Koi is the next one on my list. Caught heaps of mirror carp-bream- and grass carp but never koi. 

Is it easy to fish the Waikato river or better to look for a private poperty?

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## chalkeye

They are bloody awful things. I can't really understand why you'd want to catch them, but still Southern bays are your best bet. 

I've only speared them though, dunno how you'd catch them with a line.

After the annual catfish cull spearing comp they're tipped in a big hole in the ground.

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## Boar Freak

> They are bloody awful things. I can't really understand why you'd want to catch them, but still Southern bays are your best bet. 
> 
> I've only speared them though, dunno how you'd catch them with a line.
> 
> After the annual catfish cull spearing comp they're tipped in a big hole in the ground.


Its like eels, some people eat them others wouldn't touch em.
We used to float or bottom fish for them.

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## Shootm

> Thanks will do that. I was thinking to use worms and maggots as bait but probably not a good idea with trout around. At what depth did you find them?


Straight off the end of the wharf probably about a metre deep. Good luck.

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## Maca49

> Koi is the next one on my list. Caught heaps of mirror carp-bream- and grass carp but never koi. 
> 
> Is it easy to fish the Waikato river or better to look for a private poperty?


When you going after Koi? I've have a loose invite to shoot some, I could follow up but won't be till summer, I have seen them in the Arapuni dam, when water skiing, river below Karapiro as well, my daughter caught one fishing with cheese as a bait in the river at Saint Andrews by the golf course, Hamilton North.

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## Gibo

They are in the Kaituna too Maca

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## Gapped axe

when I was commercial diving on the Hydro's , one of my jobs was to swim the log boom in front of the dam. Saw heaps of the fuckers as well as other denizens of the deep. Big swim

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## Boar Freak

> When you going after Koi? I've have a loose invite to shoot some, I could follow up but won't be till summer, I have seen them in the Arapuni dam, when water skiing, river below Karapiro as well, my daughter caught one fishing with cheese as a bait in the river at Saint Andrews by the golf course, Hamilton North.


Not until February, do you bow fish or just blast them with the shotgun?

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## kidmac42

> when I was commercial diving on the Hydro's , one of my jobs was to swim the log boom in front of the dam. Saw heaps of the fuckers as well as other denizens of the deep. Big swim


I was told about the eels at the base of the atimuri dam. As thick as a man he reckoned.
Would that be accurate G.A.?
Or just a tall tale?

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## Gapped axe

tall tale. It's funny but a lot of my work was also done at 2am, power shut down or wateva. any way you could guarantee that some wag would pipe up just as you are about to enter and would say. did you hear about the eel the henry lost last nite, used his tow rope attached to the car. he had to cut the rope or else he was going to lose his car be cause he wasn't insured. Yeah right. but when it's pitch black and the snakes are moving around you, yup the mind can be tested

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## Gapped axe

And yes they can be fuckin aggressive, The worst part and it seems to be their way , they come from behind you and focus on your blind side. Don't miss them or their bloody Congo cousins on the outfalls. Diving can be a very mentally and physically challenging job at times.

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## Maca49

> Not until February, do you bow fish or just blast them with the shotgun?


17 hmr to 450 nitro express!

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## Maca49

> And yes they can be fuckin aggressive, The worst part and it seems to be their way , they come from behind you and focus on your blind side. Don't miss them or their bloody Congo cousins on the outfalls. Diving can be a very mentally and physically challenging job at times.


Makes me glad I suffer from asthma! :Sick:

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