Government's clarification opens the door for Waikato anglers

A 10.5lb brown trout caught at the Waiteti River mouth on Lake Rotorua. Photo / Alan Gibson

It is now OK to cast your line at your local river or lake during all alert levels.

Fish & Game NZ says the Government has issued clarification on the rules around fishing while Covid-19 alert levels are in place.

The big catch is that under alert levels 3 and 4 you must fish locally. The guidance indicates you can fish your closest, not your favourite, location.

There is no set limit on how far you can travel to fish your "local spot", but staying within your region is a must.

If you are lucky enough to live in Hamilton or Cambridge the Waikato River is a great place to fish during the winter, says Fish & Game.

Brown trout can be caught by casting soft baits under or alongside the willows that line the riverbank. Fish can be caught any time, but the best fishing is at sunset and sunrise.

"The ability to fish is a welcomed privilege and not an invitation to meet up with your mates for a beer down at the river. Pushing the boundaries around this new freedom will not be a good look, so please enjoy this leave pass sensibly," Fish & Game says.

A licence is required to fish for trout and can be purchased from the Fish & Game website.