Rotorua sits on a chain of trout lakes, so the best fishing stores in Rotorua are weighted heavily towards trout: harling and jigging gear for the lakes, flies for the streams that feed them, and licences and local advice over the counter. Between the four here you have a long-established specialist in town, a large store on Te Ngae Road, a fly shop out at Ngongotaha within walking distance of the lake, and a marine dealer for the gear that goes in the boat.
1Hamills Rotorua
Hamills has been on Fenton Street as fishing and hunting specialists since 1955, which is around 70 years in the same trade in the same town. It is the highest-rated fishing store in Rotorua on Google, at 4.8 across more than 220 reviews, and it stocks the major reel and rod brands including PENN. Alongside in-store shopping it offers kerbside pickup and delivery, and it opens from 8.30am, which suits an early start on the water.
Services
- Freshwater and saltwater tackle
- Rods, reels and combos
- Hunting and shooting gear
- Kerbside pickup and delivery
- In-store advice and gear setup
Highlights
- Trading as fishing and hunting specialists since 1955
- Rated 4.8 across more than 220 Google reviews, the highest of the stores on this page
- Stocks PENN alongside the other major reel and rod brands
- Opens 8.30am, and offers kerbside pickup as well as in-store
Location & Contact
Name: Hamills Rotorua
Address: 1271 Fenton Street, Rotorua 3010
Phone: 07 348 3147
Hours: From 8.30am
2Rotorua Hunting & Fishing New Zealand
The Rotorua branch of Hunting & Fishing sits at Lynmore Junction on Te Ngae Road and carries the broadest general range of the stores here, covering firearms, optics and hunting gear as well as fresh and saltwater fishing. Its real asset is behind the counter: co-owner Mike Davis is a well-known New Zealand fly fisherman, profiled by Manic Tackle Project in 2026 for his back country work. It is a stocked dealer for Category 3 flies, and it is the one store on this page open seven days.
Services
- Freshwater and trout tackle
- Saltwater fishing gear
- Fly fishing gear and flies
- Firearms, ammunition and optics
- In-store pickup and delivery
Highlights
- Co-owned by Mike Davis, a fly fisherman profiled in the trade press for his back country fishing
- Open seven days, including Sunday 9am to 3pm
- Listed dealer for Category 3 flies
- Rated across more than 580 Google reviews
- Carries hunting and shooting alongside fishing
Location & Contact
Name: Rotorua Hunting & Fishing New Zealand
Address: 360 Te Ngae Road, Lynmore Junction, Rotorua 3010
Phone: 07 349 6303
Hours: Monday to Friday 8.30am to 5.30pm, Saturday 9am to 4pm, Sunday 9am to 3pm
Website: www.huntingandfishing.co.nz/store-locator/rotorua
3Rotorua Family Holiday Park Tackle Shop
The tackle shop at Rotorua Family Holiday Park on Beaumont Road in Ngongotaha is the fly specialist of the group, stocking over 900 varieties including Pat Swift, Category 3, Feather Merchants and Conaghan’s patterns. Being attached to a holiday park it keeps park hours rather than retail hours, opening 8am to 7pm, which is the practical difference if you need to replace a fly at the end of a day’s fishing. The site also has a fish filleting station and ice, and guests staying at the park get a discount on tackle.
Services
- Trout flies and fly fishing tackle
- General fishing supplies
- Fish filleting station and ice
- Accommodation on site
Highlights
- Over 900 varieties of flies stocked, including Pat Swift, Category 3, Feather Merchants and Conaghan’s
- Open 8am to 7pm, later in the evening than the town stores
- Filleting station and ice on site for what you bring back
- 10% discount on tackle for guests staying at the park
- At Ngongotaha, close to Lake Rotorua and the local streams
Location & Contact
Name: Rotorua Family Holiday Park Tackle Shop
Address: 22 Beaumont Road, Ngongotaha, Rotorua
Phone: 07 357 4289
Hours: 8am to 7pm
Website: www.rotoruafamilypark.co.nz
4Telfer Marine
Telfer Marine on Te Ngae Road is a boat dealer rather than a tackle shop, but it carries a fishing and kayak department that covers the gear you fish from rather than the gear you fish with. That runs to rod and reel combos, tackle and rigs, ice boxes and kayak fishing setups. It is a certified Yamaha outboard dealer with a workshop attached, so it is the practical stop if the boat needs attention at the same time.
Services
- Fishing and kayak gear
- Rod and reel combos, tackle and rigs
- Ice boxes and boat fishing accessories
- Boat sales, servicing and rigging
Highlights
- Fishing gear stocked alongside boats, so a kayak or boat setup can be sorted in one visit
- Certified Yamaha outboard dealer with a service workshop on site
- Also carries Minn Kota and Garmin for electronics and trolling motors
Location & Contact
Name: Telfer Marine
Address: 236 Te Ngae Road, Ngapuna, Rotorua 3010
Phone: 07 345 9854
Website: telfermarine.co.nz
Fishing Stores in Rotorua at a Glance
| Business | Based in | Highlight |
|---|---|---|
| Hamills Rotorua | Rotorua | Trading as fishing and hunting specialists since 1955 |
| Rotorua Hunting & Fishing New Zealand | Lynmore Junction | Co-owned by Mike Davis |
| Rotorua Family Holiday Park Tackle Shop | Ngongotaha | Over 900 varieties of flies stocked |
| Telfer Marine | Ngapuna | Fishing gear stocked alongside boats |
How to Choose the Right Fishing Store in Rotorua
- Work out whether you are fishing the lakes or the streams first, because harling and jigging gear and stream fly patterns are stocked in quite different depth across these stores.
- Buy your licence before you fish. A Fish & Game licence is required for trout in the Rotorua lakes and streams, and local stores can point you to the current rules.
- Check the hours against your fishing day. The town stores shut late afternoon, while the Ngongotaha shop runs to 7pm.
- Ask what is working now rather than buying off the shelf, since fly and lure choice on these lakes shifts through the season.
- If you are fishing from a boat or kayak, a marine dealer can cover the rigging and electronics that a tackle shop will not.
Frequently Asked Questions About Fishing Stores in Rotorua
Where can I buy trout flies in Rotorua?
The tackle shop at Rotorua Family Holiday Park in Ngongotaha stocks over 900 varieties of flies, including Pat Swift, Category 3, Feather Merchants and Conaghan’s. Rotorua Hunting & Fishing on Te Ngae Road is also a listed Category 3 dealer.
Do I need a licence to fish in Rotorua?
Yes. Trout fishing in the Rotorua lakes and rivers requires a Fish & Game licence, and season dates and rules vary by water. Local stores sell licences and can tell you what applies to the water you are heading to.
Which Rotorua fishing store is open on Sundays?
Rotorua Hunting & Fishing opens Sunday 9am to 3pm. The tackle shop at Rotorua Family Holiday Park keeps park hours of 8am to 7pm daily.
Are fishing rods made in Rotorua?
Yes. Kilwell, based on Te Ngae Road, designs and manufactures its Kilwell NZ rods at its own Rotorua factory, Kilwell Fibretube. Kilwell is a distributor rather than a walk-in store, so its rods are bought through stockists.
Where can I get fishing gear late in the day in Rotorua?
The Ngongotaha tackle shop at Rotorua Family Holiday Park stays open until 7pm, which is later than the town stores. It also has a filleting station and ice.
Can I buy kayak fishing gear in Rotorua?
Telfer Marine on Te Ngae Road carries a fishing and kayak range alongside boat sales, covering combos, tackle, rigs and ice boxes.
What happened to The Outdoorsman Headquarters in Rotorua?
It closed in 2020. Older guides and directory entries still list it, so it is worth checking a store is trading before making the trip.
How We Chose the Best Fishing Stores in Rotorua
Every business in this guide was found by searching for fishing stores in Rotorua, then checked against its own website. Names, addresses and phone numbers are taken from the business’s own site rather than a directory feed, so what you see here is what they publish themselves. We also check that each one is actually based in or genuinely serving Rotorua, rather than a national operator running a local landing page. A business with no website of its own is not listed, because there is no primary source to verify it against.