Waitahanui River

{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2019}} {{Use New Zealand English|date=July 2019}} {{Infobox river | name = Waitahanui River | image = Waioratene stream entrance (1).jpg | image_caption = Waitahanui River entering Lake Taupō | source1 = Kaimanawa Ranges | mouth = Lake Taupō | mouth_location= Waitahanui, New Zealand | length = | elevation = | discharge = | watershed = | name_native = | name_native_lang = | pushpin_map = New Zealand | pushpin_map_caption = Location of Waitahanui River in New Zealand }} The '''Waitahanui River''' is a [[river]] in the [[North Island]] of New Zealand.

==Location==

The Waitahanui River is one of the three main rivers that flow into [[Lake Taupō]] (the others being the [[Tongariro River]] and the [[Tauranga Taupō River]]). The Waitahanui flows out of the foothills of the [[Kaimanawa Ranges]] and is crossed by [[New Zealand State Highway 1|State Highway 1]] as the river passes through the township of Waitahanui, before entering Lake Taupō.

==Fishing==

The Waitahanui is a popular fishing stream. [[Rainbow trout]] run up the river in winter to spawn and [[brown trout]] enter the river in autumn. At times anglers stand shoulder to shoulder across the rivermouth, trying to catch trout as they move out of the lake, a formation nicknamed the 'Picket Fence'.<ref name=DOC>{{Cite web|title=Waitahanui river|url=https://www.doc.govt.nz/parks-and-recreation/places-to-go/central-north-island/places/taupo-trout-fishery/where-to-fish/waitahanui-river/ |access-date=2021-10-03|website=[[Department of Conservation (New Zealand)|Department of Conservation]]|language=en-nz}}</ref>

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== * [http://superfly.co.nz/maps/waitahanui.html A map of the river]

[[Category:Rivers of Waikato]] [[Category:Taupō District]] [[Category:Rivers of New Zealand]]