Haumoana and Te Awanga Fishing: Shingle Beach and River Mouths

Last updated October 2026

The beach at Haumoana and Te Awanga is a steep shingle shore on Hawke Bay, about 10 to 12 km east of Hastings, running from the Tukituki River mouth at Haumoana south past Te Awanga towards Clifton.

Hawke’s Bay Tourism calls the two villages a surfing and fishing hotspot, and fishing is one of the everyday uses of the beach. Big snapper usually reach Hawke’s Bay beaches from October. The two river mouths, the Tukituki and the Maraetotara, count as freshwater for trout, so you need a licence to fish for trout there.

At a Glance

Location

Domain Road, Haumoana to Beach Road, Te Awanga, 10 to 12 km east of Hastings

Type

Steep shingle beach with two river mouths

Water

Hawke Bay, open sea

Main species

Snapper and kahawai; kingfish at times in spring; trout at the river mouths

Best time

October to March for snapper

Access

Domain Road car park, Haumoana (Tukituki mouth); Beach Road, Te Awanga

Hazards

Erosion, heavy swells over the shingle crest

Tide port

Napier (LINZ standard port)

Rules

MPI Central for sea fish; Fish & Game Hawke’s Bay at the river mouths

Licence

None for sea fish; Fish & Game licence for trout

Getting to Know Haumoana and Te Awanga

Haumoana sits just south of the Tukituki River outlet, and Te Awanga is a few kilometres further south where the Maraetotara River reaches the sea, with Clifton and Cape Kidnappers beyond. Clifton Road runs behind both villages.

From above, Domain Road follows the top of the beach north to the narrow gravel spit at the Tukituki mouth, and at Te Awanga the Maraetotara forms a small lagoon behind the shingle on the east side of the village.

This coast is eroding. The shoreline retreats by about 0.3 to 0.7 metres a year, several beachfront houses have been removed, and heavy swells and high tides have flooded properties.

The regional council calls the gravel ridge along the top of the beach a vital defence from the sea, and the councils and iwi manage it together under the Clifton to Tangoio Coastal Hazards Strategy.

Boat owners used to move from Te Awanga to Clifton because the water off Te Awanga is rougher. The Hawke’s Bay Trails Landscapes Ride runs through both villages, and Te Awanga’s wineries are on the same road.

How to Fish Haumoana and Te Awanga

Where and when

The shingle drops away quickly, so you can reach fishable water with a moderate cast. Fish the open beach for sea fish, or the edges of the Tukituki and Maraetotara mouths where river water meets the sea.

Moving water around the tide changes usually fishes better than slack water. Te Awanga gets its best surf in big easterly swells, which are the days to fish somewhere more sheltered.

What to catch and what to use

• Snapper: big snapper usually arrive on Hawke’s Bay beaches in October, with the main runs typically around December. Fish fresh bait on a surf rod.
• Kahawai: a common catch off Hawke’s Bay beaches, on lures or cut bait.
• Kingfish: sometimes caught from Hawke’s Bay beaches from October to December, best on live bait.
• Trout: in the tidal lower Tukituki, resident and sea-run trout feed on whitebait and baitfish, and Fish & Game recommends spin or fly fishing during the whitebait run from September to November.

What to bring

Sturdy footwear for the shingle, a sand spike that will hold in gravel, and a Fish & Game licence if you plan to fish for trout at either mouth. Ask at a Hastings tackle shop what has been caught recently.

Getting There and Facilities

• Haumoana: the Domain Road car park gives access to the Tukituki mouth.
• Te Awanga: Beach Road and the Te Awanga Domain beachfront.
• Vehicles: there is no public vehicle access along the coast north of the Tukituki, between its estuary and the Ngaruroro mouth at Awatoto.
• Trout river: for fishing the Tukituki itself, see our Tukituki River fishing guide.
• More: for walks, surfing and the erosion story, see our Haumoana Beach guide.

Rules and Safety

• Sea fish follow MPI’s Central area rules. No licence is needed.
• Under Fish & Game rules, estuaries, coastal lagoons and the water within 500 m of where a river meets the sea at low tide count as freshwater. You need a Fish & Game licence to fish for trout at the Tukituki and Maraetotara mouths.
• The lower Tukituki below Red Bridge is open all year to fly, spinner and bait. The Maraetotara is open all year to fly and spinner only, with a maximum length rule; check the regulations.
• Heavy swells and high tides break over the shingle crest. Keep well back in big seas, and get swell and wind forecasts from MetService.
• Check LAWA before swimming in or gathering food from the Maraetotara Lagoon.

Tackle and Bait Nearby

• Crafty’s Rods & Guns, 108 Maraekakaho Road, Hastings: sea and freshwater tackle, sinkers and bait, and licences.
• Rivers to Ranges, 106 Nelson Street South, Hastings: tackle and licences.

Where to Learn More

Common Questions

Where can I fish at Haumoana and Te Awanga?
Anywhere along the shingle beach from the Tukituki mouth at Haumoana to Te Awanga. Park at the Domain Road car park in Haumoana or on Beach Road in Te Awanga.

What can you catch?
Snapper and kahawai off the beach, kingfish at times in spring, and trout at the river mouths.

When do the big snapper arrive?
Usually from October, with the main runs on Hawke’s Bay beaches typically around December.

Do I need a licence?
Not for sea fish. You need a Fish & Game licence to fish for trout at the Tukituki or Maraetotara mouths, which count as freshwater.

Is the beach steep?
Yes. It is a shingle beach that drops away quickly, and big swells break over the crest. Keep well back in rough seas.

Which tide port should I use?
Napier, the LINZ standard port on Hawke Bay.

Is there a guide to the Tukituki River?
Yes. See our Tukituki River fishing guide for trout fishing upstream.

Spotted something incorrect on this page? Let us know.

Sources and data notes 1

• Tides today: Tide predictions: LINZ (CC BY 3.0 NZ).