Ninety Mile Beach is one of New Zealand's premier surf fishing destinations, and if you are here in the right season there is something almost meditative about casting a long line into the Tasman from an otherwise empty beach.
Snapper is the prestige target — locals speak of snapper with the reverence anglers elsewhere reserve for trout. Kahawai, flounder, and various shark species are also taken depending on the time of year. In the shallows, tuatua — a native shellfish — can be gathered by wading in the wash and feeling underfoot with bare feet. There is a daily limit, and local knowledge suggests not taking more than you can eat in one sitting.
The late January Ninety Mile Beach Fishing Contest draws competitors from across the country and is worth timing a visit around if fishing is your reason for being here. Otherwise, any clear day with the right swell brings out the regulars, and they are generally happy to give advice on bait, rigs, and where the fish have been running.