Fishing & Diving

Northland is legendary for its fishing, and Camp Waipu Cove is the ideal place to use as a base for your fishing or diving trips. And, at the end of the day, our free electric BBQ’s are the perfect way to cook your catch.

If you’re staying on the beach, the rocks at the Southern end of the beach, or North beyond the swimmers are both great spots for fishing – surf casting, long lining and kite fishing off the sand are all popular ways to score your catch of the day.

Alternatively, take a small boat or kayak to the submerged reef about 800m offshore. Bream Bay was named by Captain Cook for its abundance of Bream – or, as we call it in New Zealand, Snapper; but Gurnard and Kahawai are also plentiful in the area. 

For those who want to head further out, boats can be launched on the beach at Waipu Cove boat ramp (keys available from reception), or from the concrete boat ramp in Waipu town (next to the Waipu Fishing club) nearby; and there are also a number of professional charter operators in the area – ask at reception for details.

The Hen and Chicken Islands, 22 kilometres offshore, are one of Northland’s best fishing and diving attractions, renowned for their abundance of fish, crayfish and scallops. With visibility in excess of 20 metres, this is a truly magical diving destination; and the surrounding waters also offer first-class light-tackle sport fishing.

McGregor Rock off Bream Tail sits in 27m of water, rising within 11m of the surface, and is an ideal spot for spear fishing and crayfish.

Dive for mouth-watering scallops, or head just five kilometres up the beach to the river mouth for mussels and oysters. Please make sure you're up to date on local fishing rules. Ask at reception for a brochure or download the free app by texting ‘APP’ to 9889.