Sunset Beach Fishing: Port Waikato Surfcasting and Longlines

Last updated October 2026

Sunset Beach is the black-sand surf beach at Port Waikato, where the Waikato River meets the Tasman Sea, 28 km west of Tuakau. Anglers surfcast the beach for kahawai, set kite and kontiki longlines for snapper and gurnard, and head up to the river mouth, known locally as the Heads, for kahawai and trevally.

The beach is known for strong rips, and the cliff and car park at the southern end are being worn away by erosion, so check access before you go.

At a Glance

Location

Port Waikato, at the end of Maunsell Road; surf club at 1 Ocean View Road

Water

Tasman Sea and the Waikato River mouth (sea)

Main species

Kahawai, snapper and gurnard; trevally at the river mouth

Methods

Surfcasting, kite and kontiki longlines, fishing off the dunes and rocks at the river mouth

Getting there

Port Waikato Road from Tuakau Bridge, then Maunsell Road; 28 km from Tuakau

Surf patrol

Sunset Beach Surf Life Saving Club, weekends and public holidays from late October to early April

Dogs

Banned 10am to 6pm on weekends, public holidays and school holidays from Labour Weekend to the end of March

Tide port

Port Waikato (LINZ secondary port, times from Port Taranaki)

Rules

MPI Auckland and Kermadec (west coast limits); no set netting; no licence needed

Cost

Free

More About Sunset Beach

Sunset Beach is the local name for the surf beach on the ocean side of Port Waikato. A car park on top of the cliff at the southern end serves the surf club and community hub, and the beach runs north for about 6 km to the Waikato River mouth.

The dunes are closed to foot traffic until you are well along the beach, where a marked path starts, and part of the sandspit is a seabird sanctuary with nesting dotterels.

This coast is retreating fast. A coastal scientist presenting for Waikato District Council said in 2024 that the shoreline was moving back about 4 m a year, and king tides in September 2024 damaged the community hub car park.

Council closed access to the beach for a time in July 2024 while an at-risk building was removed. Work on a 380 m wall of wooden poles and sand push-ups to protect the area began in February 2026.

Port Waikato was once called Putataka, a name kept by the hill above the town. Building began in 1863, making it the first colonial settlement built after the New Zealand Wars, and it later became the transfer point between coastal ships and river steamers.

Ōraeroa Marae serves the Waikato-Tainui hapū Ngāti Tāhinga and Ngāti Tiipa, and the river mouth has long been an important source of kaimoana.

Port Waikato has an active fishing club, a holiday park on Maunsell Road and the Wharf Store, open since 1893. Whitebaiters work the river from mid-August to the end of November, but that is a separate fishery with its own rules.

How to Fish Sunset Beach

Where to fish

Surfcasters fish the beach from the surf club end north, away from the patrolled area. The river mouth, about 6 km up the beach, is the other main spot: anglers surfcast off the dunes there for kahawai, set longlines from the dunes for trevally, and fish off the rocks. Shellfish are gathered on the rocks, and pipi are dug in Maraetai Bay on the river side.

Kite and kontiki longlines

The beach is known for kite longlining and has a reputation for big snapper. A kite needs an offshore wind to carry the line out, so on an onshore day some anglers move up to the Heads, where the wind can be offshore when it is onshore at the beach.

One local kite fishing report from a late November trip had a line set well out returning large gurnard, kahawai and several sharks. Sharks take a share of hooked fish, so check the line regularly.

When to fish

Low light around dawn and dusk is usually the best time on a surf beach, and moving water around the tide changes usually fishes better than slack water.

The coast takes the full Tasman swell. Calm days or a light easterly, which blows offshore here, are the easiest to fish; a big westerly swell makes the beach and the river mouth unsafe.

What to catch and what to use

• Kahawai: a metal lure or a fresh strip bait cast into the surf, or off the dunes at the river mouth.
• Snapper and gurnard: fresh or salted pilchard, squid or mullet on a running rig in the gutters, or on a kite or kontiki longline set well out.
• Trevally: longlines set from the dunes at the river mouth.

What to bring

Heavy surfcasting gear, a sand spike, a headlamp, and plenty of water and food: the river mouth is a long walk and there is nothing up the beach. If you drive to the Heads, expect very soft, shifting sand, logs, debris and old wrecks. Vehicles do get badly bogged, so travel with another vehicle and recovery gear.

Getting There and Facilities

• Road: from Tuakau Bridge take Port Waikato Road west for 28 km to the township, then bear right onto Maunsell Road for Sunset Beach. For the river side, turn into Maraetai Bay Road and park behind the dunes.
• Bus: Auckland Transport runs a Pukekohe and Port Waikato loop bus. Check the timetable before relying on it.
• Parking: the surf club and community hub car park is on the eroding cliff at the southern end. Parts of it have been cordoned off at times, so follow the signs.
• Surf patrol: Sunset Beach Surf Life Saving Club patrolled weekends and public holidays from 11am to 4pm between 24 October 2025 and 6 April 2026, with weekday patrols over the summer holidays. Check the club’s dates for the 2026/27 season.
• Dogs: banned on Port Waikato and Sunset Beach from 10am to 6pm on weekends, public holidays and school holidays between Labour Weekend and the end of March. At other times dogs can be off the lead more than 250 m from a patrolled area, along the shore to Maraetai Bay.
• Stay and supplies: Port Waikato Holiday Park is on Maunsell Road, and the Wharf Store is in the village.

Rules and Safety

• Sea fishing here follows MPI’s Auckland and Kermadec rules. On the west coast some limits, including snapper, differ from Auckland East. No licence is needed.
• Set netting is banned at the Waikato River entrance and along the whole west coast from Maunganui Bluff to Pariokariwa Point, out to 7 nautical miles, to protect Māui dolphins. Some older guides suggest netting at the river mouth: do not.
• Kite and kontiki longlines: one set line per person, with a maximum number of hooks, and floats marked with your initials and surname.
• Lower shellfish limits apply in MPI’s Auckland Coromandel area, which on this coast runs from Muriwai Beach south to the sandspit at Port Waikato. Check the NZ Fishing Rules app for the limits where you gather. Toheroa must not be taken or disturbed.
• Sunset Beach has strong, very active rips: in January 2020 lifeguards rescued nine people from one rip at the same time. Do not wade out to cast, and keep children close.
• The river mouth and bar have strong currents and can be dangerous without local knowledge.
• Stay back from the cliff edge and the eroding dune faces at the southern end.

Tackle and Bait Nearby

• Hunting & Fishing Franklin, Unit C, 182 to 196 Manukau Road, Pukekohe: fishing tackle, bait and outdoor gear.

Find Out More

Common Questions

What can you catch at Sunset Beach, Port Waikato?
Kahawai from the surf and the dunes at the river mouth, snapper and gurnard on longlines and in the gutters, and trevally on longlines at the river mouth.

Where is the best place to fish?
The gutters along the beach north of the surf club, and the river mouth (the Heads) about 6 km up the beach, where anglers fish off the dunes and rocks.

Can I use a kite or kontiki at Sunset Beach?
Yes. The beach is known for kite fishing. You need an offshore wind, one set line, and floats marked with your name.

Can I set net at the Port Waikato river mouth?
No. Set netting is banned at the Waikato River entrance and along the west coast to protect Māui dolphins.

Is Sunset Beach safe?
It has strong rips and an eroding cliff at the southern end. Swim only between the flags, do not wade out to cast, and keep back from the cliff edge.

Can I take my dog fishing?
Not between 10am and 6pm on weekends, public holidays and school holidays from Labour Weekend to the end of March. At other times dogs can be off the lead away from the patrolled area.

How do I get to Sunset Beach?
Take Port Waikato Road west from Tuakau Bridge for 28 km, then turn right onto Maunsell Road.

Do I need a fishing licence?
No. Sea fishing does not need a licence, but MPI’s Auckland and Kermadec rules apply.

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