Summer 2025/26 wrap-up
A warm start, a cool finish, and a season on the water that didn’t care either way
NIWA’s own verdict on Summer 2025-26 was a warm start followed by a cool finish. December came in hot, running 0.6°C above average, but January cooled off and February landed below average, so no locations reported record warm mean temperatures for the season. Nationally the summer average sat at 16.9°C, just 0.1°C above the long-term norm, an unremarkable summer temperature-wise despite the strong opening. There were still some sharp extremes along the way: Tauranga copped 274mm of rain in a single day on 21 January, and a wind gust of 241km/h tore through Cape Turnagain on 16 January. Sea temperatures held above average around most of the coast, though an early marine heatwave eased off by February.
On the water, none of that got in the way. The La Niña pattern delivered exceptional fishing, with massive autumn workups for snapper and kingfish turning aggressive on the deep reefs. Continued warm conditions kept the yellowfin and billfish season running long, and with the Minister of Fisheries confirming in January 2026 that commercial fishers remain prohibited from landing and selling marlin, the action stayed high right around the far north and up to the Three Kings.
Source: Earth Sciences New Zealand (NIWA), Climate Summary Summer 2025-26
Just because the weather’s changed doesn’t mean the fishing should stop, it’s great out there this time of year, and with a few changes you’ll be hauling them in.
Winter 2026 so far
A record-warm start, with El Niño building behind it
Winter 2026 has kicked off on the mild side. Earth Sciences New Zealand (formerly NIWA) recorded the country’s warmest June on record, with Auckland and Tauranga sharing the honours as the warmest of the six main centres and sea temperatures around the coast running above average. Wellington bucked the dry trend with a very wet month, while further south the cold held on, Ranfurly down to minus 7.7°C, and several South Island ski sites reporting their lowest June snowfall on record.
By the end of June, El Niño conditions had officially arrived in the tropical Pacific, a shift from the La Niña pattern that shaped the summer just gone. Forecasters are picking a westerly-quarter flow developing through July and into spring, with temperatures likely to sit near average or above for most of the country, punctuated by the odd sharp cold snap and frost. Expect more temperature swings and windier spells as the season wears on, this looks like being an active winter rather than a quiet one.
Source: Earth Sciences New Zealand (NIWA), Climate Summary June 2026 and Seasonal Climate Outlook July-September 2026
Change tactics
So, what’s my point? Well, for one, the fishing is amazing out there this time of year, and it’s pretty good in the middle of winter, too. We all too often think it’s too cold and the fish won’t bite. Not true: you just have to change tactics a little. You might have to look at a few different locations, but overall the fishing is pretty sharp.
Now, I am a lure fisherman for most of my bottom dwellers these days, but I have to admit to feeling rather warm and fuzzy inside at my last dig on a big strayline session. Was it something about burling up big into a reef, only slightly exposed, rigging a butterflied mackerel and casting into the depths? Now, I won’t lie, I caught a few fish but my mate took me to the cleaners nailing good snapper one after the other. We had big kahawai swimming in and out of the chum, a few trevs and a couple of small kingfish graced us with their presence.
The next day we headed into the shallows early in the morning to flick softies into the shallow reefs. Fortunes were reversed and we nailed a number of good fish before returning to some slightly deeper water to bait-fish. The deep-water fishing offshore is usually damn good, too. There’s something about heading out yonder on a still winter’s day, dropping big bait on a deep reef, watching the rod tip bounce as a predator from the depths attacks your offering. The tip of your rod starts to load up and you wind, waiting for all to come tight and the circle hook to roll into place. It’s about this stage you begin the long wind back up. Your prey will start to float, its air bag expanding as it gets closer to the surface. The fight at this stage is more of a heavy haul. Bubbles start to appear and up pops a big bass or puka, that’s a hell of a feed and some happy neighbours.
Don’t stop fishing
So I guess what I am saying is: don’t rush to put that gear away. Yeah, summer has gone but so what? We’ve reached the shortest day and now we’re climbing our way back toward summer.
This time of year is a great opportunity to try a few things. Fish a few spots you mightn’t have tried before. Maybe target a few species you haven’t tried to catch. Revisit old school habits. But most importantly, spend some time enjoying your boat and our lovely country. Just because the winter switch has been flicked doesn’t mean the fishing has to stop.
— originally published July 3, 2013, updated July 2026
