Poronui
Travel & Tackle Guide

Welcome to your Fly Water Travel trip guide. We’re excited to help you prepare for your upcoming adventure! Inside, you’ll find everything you need: your to-do list, travel logistics, destination notes, and a curated tackle guide tailored to your trip.

Getting Ready

We’ve created a quick checklist of essential tasks to make sure you’re fully prepared for the journey ahead. If questions come up or you need anything at all, just give us a call, we’re here to help every step of the way.

To-Do List:

✓ Request a New Zealand Electronic Authority (NZeTA) and pay an IVL

✓ Arrange flights to/from Taupo, New Zealand

✓ Purchase fishing license

✓ Complete personal online guest registration form

Poronui
Travel Guide

From how to get there and what documents you’ll need to tipping guidelines and destination details, this section covers the practical information to ensure smooth travels.

Getting to the Lodge:
To get to Poronui Lodge, guests need to fly to Auckland (AKL) and then to Taupo (TUO), New Zealand. Once in Taupo, guests will need to either rent a car and drive roughly one hour to the lodge or take a shuttle for a fee.

Arrival Day:
The lodge asks that guests contact them when they arrive in Taupo to schedule their arrival and all guests should plan to arrive at the lodge after 2:00 PM.

Departure Day:
Guests will leave the lodge after breakfast. Check out time is 11:00 AM

Documentation Requirements:
To enter New Zealand, all guests are required to have the following:

  • Passport: Valid for the duration of your trip
  • NzeTA: New Zealand Electronic Authority

NZeTA: New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority
Please visit the official website or download the NZeTA app to submit your request: https://nzeta.immigration.govt.nz/

Note: Most NZeTA requests are processed within 72 hours. While many are completed more quickly, some may take longer. To avoid delays, we encourage you to apply well in advance of your trip.

Arrival Information: Biosecurity and Customs
New Zealand maintains strict biosecurity protocols to prevent invasive pests and plants from entering the country. Upon arrival, guests will be asked to declare items such as camping gear, hiking boots, wading gear, fly-tying materials, and food.

Please ensure all wading gear and fishing boots are completely clean and dry before you travel. Note that you should not attempt to bring in any natural fly-tying materials, grain or seed-based foods, or meats such as jerky or salami. If inspectors are unsatisfied with the condition of your gear, they will take the items for fumigation, a process that typically takes 15–30 minutes while you wait.

Recommended Travel Agent:
Vanessa Vartanian, Ultimate Vacations
808.949.8100
vanessa@ultimate-vacations.net

Airport Codes: Auckland (AKL); Taupo (TOU); Nelson (NSN); Christchurch (CHC);
Queenstown (ZQN)

Currency and Travel Cash:
The official currency is the New Zealand Dollar (NZD). We recommend exchanging currency or visiting an ATM upon arrival to ensure you have enough cash for gratuities and incidental expenses.

While most costs can be handled electronically, guides and lodges prefer New Zealand dollars for gratuities, which will likely be your primary cash expense. You can exchange funds prior to departure, at the airport upon arrival, or via local ATMs. Please note that depending on your specific needs, you may need to visit an ATM more than once due to daily withdrawal limits.

Electrical Requirements:
A Type I adapter is needed throughout New Zealand.

Communications:
While traveling in New Zealand we recommend using WhatsApp as this is the way most lodges and outfitters communicate. Texting through the app will allow you to keep in touch with the outfitter, friends, and family when connected to Wi-Fi.

Credit Cards:
The lodge accepts credit cards.

Gratuities:
Guides: NZ$150 – NZ$200 per guide per day.
Lodge Staff: NZ$50 per person per night.

Please note that this is only a guideline for guests interested in tipping the guides and the staff. All gratuities are up to the discretion of the individual guest

Fishing Licenses:
Fishing licenses are not included. We recommend purchasing licenses on-site at the lodge. If you would like to purchase your license in advance, it can be purchased at
http://www.fishandgame.org.nz.

Note: If you purchase your license in advance, please purchase an annual license. This is because in addition to a general license you may need a regional license or a backcountry endorsement. These additional licenses and backcountry endorsements can only be obtained by purchasing an annual license.

Cell Coverage and Wi-Fi:

  • Cell Coverage: Spotty at the lodge. Guests may lose cell service in the backcountry.
  • Wi-Fi: Available at the lodge

Power:
The lodge has 24-hour power.

Laundry:
Laundry is included as a courtesy for guests. Guests should not plan to have laundry done every day.

Water:
The water at all sinks is potable and quite good.

Beverages/Alcohol:
All beverages are provided, apart from wines from the cellar List.

Emergency Medical Assistance:
The nearest emergency medical center is in Taupo, approximately 45 minutes from the lodge.

Recommended Medical Evacuation Carrier and Insurance Provider:
Global Rescue

Poronui
Tackle Guide

Here you’ll find everything you need to be ready on the water. You’ll find our preferred setups, favorite flies, recommended packing list, and notes on tackle available at the lodge.

Poronui Fishing Tackle Overview

Poronui can provide all needed fishing equipment, including waders and boots, though you are welcome to bring your own gear tailored to the region's diverse rivers. For the North Island's waters, a 9-foot, 5-weight rod serves as the primary workhorse, while a 9-foot, 6-weight is ideal for handling wind and larger patterns. While weight-forward lines are standard, double tapers excel at technical mending. Breathable waders with rubber-soled boots are required in the spring and fall, though wet wading is a great option on warm summer days. The standard uniform is a pair of quick-drying shorts worn over lightweight merino wool or polypropylene long-johns to protect your legs from brush and biting sandflies. Finally, the guides supply an excellent assortment of the most effective local patterns as part of your package price, though you are welcome to bring along your own flies as well.

Poronui Primary Setup

A 9-foot, 5-weight rod is the absolute premier tool for Poronui’s home waters and backcountry streams. Look for a rod with a responsive, medium-fast to fast action that allows you to feel the rod bend deeply but still possesses the backbone to handle large trout in swift currents.



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Poronui Secondary Setup

A 9-foot, 6-weight rod is highly recommended as a backup, particularly for windy days, throwing oversized terrestrial patterns (like cicadas), or fishing heavy, dual-nymph rigs on deeper freestone rivers.

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Poronui Five Favorite Dry Flies

While Poronui’s guiding staff provides all the necessary flies on-stream, guests are welcome to bring their own. Our five favorite RIO dry flies offer the ultimate tactical advantage on the North Island. RIO's Ninja Cicada features a robust foam body and flashy white wing that rides high and tracks easily during the legendary summer cicada hatch. The versatile Chubby Chernobyl serves as a prominent, highly visible attractor that doubles as a bulletproof platform for heavy dry-dropper rigs. For sight-fishing to selective pool feeding trout in tricky light, RIO's Hi-Vis Parachute uses a vibrant wing post to help you track long drifts on 16-foot leaders. When casting tight against wooded banks, RIO's Foam Beetle triggers aggressive strikes with a buggy peacock herl underside and a stealthy foam body topped with a bright sighter. Finally, RIO's Royal Wulff rounds out our selections as a classic, high-floating attractor that draws reaction strikes in broken pocket water while offering excellent visibility.

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Poronui Five Favorite Nymphs

When trout on the North Island refuse to rise, a good selection of nymphs ensures you can successfully target large fish feeding deep in the water column. RIO's Hare's Ear Bead Flashback is an absolute staple for searching freestone currents, using its buggy profile and a subtle flash wingcase to perfectly mimic local mayfly nymphs. To get deep quickly in swift backcountry pools, RIO's Pheasant Tail Half Flash TB utilizes a heavy tungsten bead to punch through the current while providing just enough shimmer to catch a trophy trout’s eye. When faced with highly educated, selective fish under heavy angling pressure, RIO's Morrish Sparkle Donkey TB flies apart from the crowd, offering a ultra-bright, high-attraction silhouette that triggers aggressive reaction strikes. For matching the region's prolific caddis populations, RIO's Morrish Dirty Bird serves as a highly effective, scruffy pupa imitation that excels when dead-drifted or swung through glassy tailouts. Finally, RIO's Morrish Super Pupa TB rounds out the selection. Armed with a tungsten bead, it effectively mimics a tumbling, helpless caddis pupa transitioning toward the surface, keeping your fly locked right in the feeding zone.

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Suggested Packing List

We understand packing for an adventure is not easy. On a trip like this it is very important to have everything you need and nothing you do not. As the climate is extremely changeable and a wide range of temperatures and conditions can be expected, we recommend layering clothes. Anglers should be prepared with thermal underwear, fleece/soft shell jacket, and a rain jacket. Synthetic fabrics are preferred to cotton. Dress at the lodges/camps is neat but casual.

Documents:
Passport, plane tickets, itinerary, credit card, cash, business cards

Socks:
Four pairs of wool or synthetic socks to wear under your waders. Two pairs of town socks.

Base layers:
One to two pairs of synthetic or merino wool long underwear (tops and bottoms) to wear beneath your waders. One mid-weight and one heavyweight. These can be worn alone or together depending on conditions.

Shirts:
Two or three long sleeve fishing shirts. One or two lodge shirts.

Pants:
One to two pairs of long pants

Shorts:
One pair of quick-dry shorts

Warm Layers:
One or two warm insulating layers. Down, synthetic or fleece mid layers are good options. Avoid cotton.

Warm Jacket:
One warm jacket

Rain Jacket:
One high quality rain jacket

Gloves:
One pair of sun gloves and one pair of warm fishing gloves

Waders/Boots:
Lightweight, breathable stockingfoot waders are highly recommended for the cooler temperatures of the early and late seasons. During the peak summer months, many guests choose to wet wade. The ideal setup for wet wading includes quick-drying shorts worn over running tights or lightweight leggings (for protection against brush and sandflies), paired with neoprene wading socks inside your boots.

Hats:
Two fishing/baseball hats. One warm cap.

Shoes:
One pair of sturdy walking shoes

Buff:
One “Buff” facial sun protector (good for bugs too)

Sunglasses:
One pair of polarized sunglasses. It is great to have a lens cleaner and a soft cleaning cloth as well.

Sunscreen:
One bottle SPF 30+

Lip Balm:
One tube of SPF 30+ lip balm

Backpack:
One waterproof backpack or boat bag for day gear

Headlamp:
One small LED headlamp with batteries

Camera:
Camera with extra batteries

Toiletries Kit:
Toothpaste and toothbrush, deodorant, razor, lotion, mini shampoo bottle, anti-inflammatory, sleep aid, earplugs, band aids, anti-bacterial ointment, antihistamines

Contact: Max Salzburg - Western Trout Destinations Manager

Max is Fly Water Travel's Destination Manager for Europe, New Zealand, and the trout fisheries of the Rockies and Pacific Northwest. The joke within Max's family is that he has always been a tour guide at heart who loves nothing more than traveling to new places and being a stranger in a strange land.

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