Last updated October 2026
The Clive River mouth is where Te Awa o Mokotūāraro, the river long known as the Clive, meets the Ngaruroro and Tūtaekuri in the Waitangi Estuary and runs out to Hawke Bay, about 10 minutes from Hastings and Napier. It sits inside Waitangi Regional Park, with parking at Waitangi, Clive and East Clive.
Kahawai work this stretch of coast, and the lower rivers are popular for whitebaiting and trout. Kahawai need no licence, but the estuary counts as freshwater, so you need a Fish & Game licence to fish for trout here.
At a Glance
- Location
- Waitangi Estuary between Clive and Awatoto, Waitangi Regional Park
- Water
- Estuary and Hawke Bay
- Main species
- Kahawai; trout in the lower rivers and estuary; whitebait in season
- Access
- Waitangi car park off SH2, Evers-Swindell Reserve in Clive, Ferry Road and Richmond Road in East Clive
- Facilities
- No toilets in the park; nearest at Evers-Swindell Park, Clive; boat ramp at Clive
- Vehicles
- No public vehicle access along the coast at East Clive
- Water quality
- Often poor; not suitable for swimming (LAWA)
- Tide port
- Napier (LINZ standard port)
- Rules
- MPI Central for sea fish; Fish & Game Hawke’s Bay for trout
- Licence
- None for kahawai; Fish & Game licence for trout
- High 4:19 am 1.6 m
- Low 10:31 am 0.4 m
- High 4:43 pm 1.6 m
- Low 11:00 pm 0.4 m
Best times today: around 4:19 am, 10:31 am, 4:43 pm and 11:00 pm (2 hours either side of each tide change), and around 11:03 am and 11:26 pm (moon overhead and underfoot).
Moving water around the tide changes usually fishes best.
Tide predictions: LINZ (CC BY 3.0 NZ). Predictions only; actual tides vary with weather.
Getting to Know Clive River mouth
Te Awa o Mokotūāraro got its original name back in June 2023. It is a shortened form of Ngaruroro Moko-tū-ā-raro-ki-Rangatira, a name given by the tohunga Ruawharo of the Tākitimu waka.
Upstream past Havelock North it is the Karamū Stream. The river follows the old course of the Ngaruroro, which the 1867 flood moved north, and flood works finished in 1969 shaped the mouth you see today.
The Ngaruroro, with the Tūtaekuri, and Te Awa o Mokotūāraro meet in the Waitangi Estuary and share one mouth to the sea.
From above, the car park by the Ātea a Rangi star compass sits beside the estuary, with tracks across the reserve to a gravel bar at the mouth and the Ngaruroro bridges just inland. The Tukituki has its own mouth further south at Haumoana.
Waitangi Regional Park runs about 5 km along the coast between Awatoto and Haumoana and covers about 300 hectares. A 15 hectare wetland finished in 2019 gives whitebait somewhere to spawn, and the carved pou of Ātea a Rangi mark the points of a Māori star compass. Some parts of the park are wāhi tapu, so stay on the tracks.
How to Fish the Clive River Mouth
Where and when
Fish the gravel beach either side of the mouth and the edges of the channel, where the river current meets the sea. Moving water around the tide changes usually fishes better than slack water, and diving birds over the water often mean kahawai are feeding on baitfish.
Clear water fishes better than the dirty river after heavy rain. Awatoto, just north of the mouth, is an old favourite kahawai spot for Hawke’s Bay surfcasters.
What to catch and what to use
- Kahawai: spin with metal lures or soft plastics, or fish a cut bait. They are a sea fish under MPI rules, so no licence is needed.
- Trout: resident and sea-run trout feed on whitebait and baitfish in the tidal reaches of Hawke’s Bay rivers in spring. A licence is required anywhere in the estuary.
- Whitebait: the lower rivers are popular whitebaiting spots in season, under DOC’s whitebait rules.
What to bring
A spinning rod and a few metal lures, footwear for a steep gravel beach, and your Fish & Game licence if you plan to cast for trout.
Getting There and Facilities
- Waitangi (north side): off State Highway 2, about 10 minutes from Hastings and Napier, with parking beside the estuary and the Ātea a Rangi star compass.
- Clive: through Evers-Swindell Reserve, with parking, the cycle trail, a horse trail and a boat ramp. Clive Bridge and the walkway towards the coast also reach the river.
- East Clive: parking at Ferry Road and Richmond Road, with foot access to the beach and wetland.
- Toilets: none in the park. The nearest are at Evers-Swindell Park in Clive.
- Vehicles: there is no public vehicle access along the coast at East Clive; walk in, and watch for nesting birds and seals. Keep vehicles on the marked tracks on the stopbanks.
- Security: some car parks are remote. Lock your vehicle and take valuables with you.
Rules and Safety
- Kahawai and other sea fish follow MPI’s Central area rules. No licence is needed.
- Under Fish & Game rules, estuary waters and the mouth out to 500 m from where the river meets the sea at low tide count as freshwater. You need a Fish & Game licence to fish for trout here, and Hawke’s Bay methods and seasons apply.
- LAWA rates the river at the Clive boat ramp as generally not suitable for swimming, because stormwater from Hastings and Havelock North drains into it. Do not eat shellfish from the river.
- The gravel beach at the mouth shelves steeply, and the coast has a history of storm damage. Keep clear of the water in big seas and check MetService forecasts.
- Rowers, waka ama crews, kayakers and jet skis use the river. Cast with care near the boat ramp and channel.
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, flies and lures, and licences.
- Hunting & Fishing Napier, Taradale Road, Napier.
Where to Learn More
HBRC: Waitangi Regional Park: access points, facilities and park rules.
Hawke’s Bay sports fishing regulations: trout rules, including the estuary and river mouth definition.
LAWA: Clive River at boat ramp: water quality at the Clive boat ramp.
Common Questions
What is the Clive River called now?
Te Awa o Mokotūāraro. The original name was restored in June 2023.
Do I need a licence for kahawai?
No. Kahawai is a sea fish under MPI rules. You only need a Fish & Game licence to fish for trout or salmon.
Do I need a licence for trout at the mouth?
Yes. The estuary and the mouth out to 500 m count as freshwater under Fish & Game rules.
Where do I park?
At Waitangi off SH2, at Evers-Swindell Reserve in Clive, or at Ferry Road and Richmond Road in East Clive.
Are there toilets?
Not in the park. The nearest are at Evers-Swindell Park in Clive.
Is the water clean?
Often not. LAWA rates it generally unsuitable for swimming because of stormwater. Do not eat shellfish from the river.
Which rivers meet at the mouth?
The Ngaruroro and Tūtaekuri, and Te Awa o Mokotūāraro, all meeting in the Waitangi Estuary.
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