Proposed trout fishing rules for the Rotorua region are likely to be simpler and will mean more opportunities for anglers.
The Eastern Fish & Game region is being reviewed and feedback is being sought from anglers.
Fish & Game officer Matt Osborne said the council had come up with some suggested changes in response to comments from anglers.
These changes "simplify the current rules which have been criticised as unnecessarily complex". The review applies to trout fishing throughout the region - including the Rotorua lakes, Tauranga, Waikaremoana and East Coast.
The annual review allows anglers to give their feedback on the regulations in the Angler's Notice.
"What we propose is good news for veteran anglers and novices alike: the bottom line is greater opportunities for anglers - and now the Fish & Game council is asking anglers to write in with their feedback."
The regulations that apply to the winter shoreline fisheries on Lakes Tarawera, Rotoiti and Okataina have been identified as particularly complicated - because of the rules on fishing methods permitted in particular areas at certain times.
"The council proposal is that 'fly fishing only' periods for all the winter shoreline sites on these lakes would only come into effect from April 1st. This would mean far more opportunity for shoreline spin-fishing anglers over summer, but less for these spin fishers during the winter when they're not normally too active in any case," Mr Osborne said.
Another proposed change was to open all waters in the region at the beginning of October, providing anglers with more fishable waters earlier.
The council was suggesting that all fishing waters open at the traditional October 1 season start after the winter, rather than some remaining closed until December.
This will open up angling opportunities in areas such as the upper Ngongotaha, Waiteti and Utuhina streams (Rotorua), and the Mokau and Hopuruahine Streams at Waikaremoana (East Coast).
Hamills Rotorua sales and rod technician Brad Hill hasn't had a chance to have a good look at the proposals but questioned them.
He wasn't too sure why the changes had to be made.
He thought the original rules were working well and were relatively easy to understand.
"There was no reason to open everything up (on October 1) - there's more than enough places to go fishing."
The proposals for the 2012-13 season, if adopted, would come into effect on October 1 this year.
Anglers are invited to view the proposals in detail on the Eastern Fish & Game website (eastern.fishandgame.org.nz), or by contacting the local Eastern Region office.
Anyone who wants to make a submission is urged to send them to Eastern Region Fish & Game by the end of May.