Aramoana Spit Fishing: Beach, Harbour Shore and Coastal Views

Last updated October 2026

Aramoana Spit is the sand dune spit at the mouth of Otago Harbour, 25 km from Dunedin on SH88 past Port Chalmers. On its ocean side, Spit Beach curves away north-west from the Aramoana Mole toward Heyward Point.

On its harbour side, a sandy beach curves south to The Spit, the sand tip that points across the deep Huikaau channel toward Harington Point. This guide covers fishing from both beaches near the Mole car park; the Mole itself is a different spot. Set nets are banned at the entrance, and the harbour beach is inside the Ōtākou Mātaitai.

At a Glance

Location

Aramoana, at the mouth of Otago Harbour, 25 km from Dunedin on SH88 past Port Chalmers

Type

Sand dune spit: Spit Beach on the ocean side, a sandy harbour beach and The Spit on the harbour side, saltmarsh behind

Water

Pacific coast and the Otago Harbour entrance (sea)

Access

Car park at the start of the Mole; a second car park at the Muri Street and Moana Street junction

Toilets

Aramoana Domain, with a picnic area

Dogs

On a lead on Spit Beach south of Keyhole Rock; not allowed north of Keyhole Rock

Tide port

Spit Wharf (LINZ port at the harbour entrance)

Rules

MPI South-East; set net ban at the harbour entrance; harbour beach inside the Ōtākou Mātaitai; no licence needed for sea fishing

About Aramoana Spit

The settlement of Aramoana sits on a sand dune spit at the mouth of Otago Harbour, with the village at the landward end of the Aramoana Mole, a 1,200 metre breakwater begun in 1884 with prison labour. North-west of the Mole, Spit Beach runs toward Heyward Point with the dunes of the Aramoana Recreation Reserve behind it.

South-east of the Mole, a sandy harbour beach curves round to The Spit. Behind it lie wide salt mudflats, protected as a wildlife area: DOC describes the Aramoana Saltmarsh as an area of national significance, with rich bird and plant life.

Aramoana is Māori for “pathway of the sea”. The harbour was a steady source of cockles (tuangi) for Māori. In the 1970s the spit was the proposed site of an aluminium smelter, and the Save Aramoana Campaign, formed in 1974, fought the plan.

Seals haul out to sun themselves on the rocks of the spit, and the area is popular for bird and wildlife watching. It is also open to the Pacific, which shapes how and when it can be fished.

How to Fish Aramoana Spit

Where to stand

Both beaches are a short walk from the car park at the start of the Mole. On the ocean side, Spit Beach is open sand facing the Pacific, so it is fished by surfcasting.

On the harbour side, the sandy beach runs south from the Mole to The Spit, which faces the deep Huikaau channel, the harbour’s main channel, across from Harington Point. The mudflats and saltmarsh behind The Spit are a protected wildlife area: fish from the open beach and keep off the marsh.

What to catch

• Salmon: hatchery salmon are released into Otago Harbour each year, and they are most often caught from the harbour’s wharves. Ask at a Dunedin tackle shop whether fish are showing at the entrance before you make the drive.
• Beach fish: what turns up on the ocean beach changes with the season and the swell. Ask at a tackle shop for what has been caught recently, and take a few baits and a lure or two.

Reading the conditions

The beach takes the open ocean, so check the MetService marine forecast for swell and wind before you go. A calm day with little swell is the easiest time to surfcast here. Moving water around the tide changes usually fishes better than slack water.

Getting There and Facilities

• Road: follow SH88 to Port Chalmers and carry on to Aramoana, 25 km from Dunedin.
• Parking: at the start of the Mole (closest to both beaches), or at the junction of Muri Street and Moana Street.
• Toilets: Aramoana Domain has public toilets and a picnic area.
• Dogs: allowed on a lead on Spit Beach south of Keyhole Rock. Dogs are not allowed north of Keyhole Rock.
• Drones: flying a drone without a DOC permit is prohibited.
• More to do: for the beaches, saltmarsh and wildlife, see our Aramoana guide.

Rules and Safety

• Sea fishing here follows MPI’s South-East rules. No licence is needed.
• Set nets: the use or possession of set nets is banned at the Otago Harbour entrance, inside an area marked by points A to E on MPI’s South-East rules page.
• Ōtākou Mātaitai: this reserve covers the outer Otago Harbour. Its boundary starts at the end of the Mole and runs across to Taiaroa Head, so the harbour beach and The Spit face water inside it, while Spit Beach on the ocean side is outside it. Commercial fishing is generally banned in a mātaitai. Recreational fishing follows the MPI rules plus any bylaws set for the reserve, so check MPI before you fish the harbour side.
• Tsunami: DOC lists the area as at risk. If a siren sounds or an alert is issued, move to higher ground and stay away from the coast until it is over.
• Seals: they rest on the rocks and the beach. DOC asks people to stay at least 20 m away and not to disturb them.
• Wildlife area: keep off the saltmarsh and mudflats on the harbour side.

Tackle and Bait Nearby

• Hunting & Fishing Dunedin (Allan Millars), 141 Crawford Street, central Dunedin: fishing tackle and advice. There is nothing at Aramoana, so buy bait in the city before you leave.

Official Sources

Common Questions

Where is Aramoana Spit?
At the mouth of Otago Harbour, 25 km from Dunedin on SH88 past Port Chalmers. Park at the start of the Mole.

Is the Aramoana Mole part of this guide?
No. This guide covers Spit Beach on the ocean side and the harbour beach running to The Spit. The Mole is a separate spot.

Do I need a fishing licence?
No. Sea fishing needs no licence, but MPI’s South-East size and daily limits apply.

Can I use a set net at Aramoana?
No. The use or possession of set nets is banned at the Otago Harbour entrance.

Is Aramoana Spit inside a mātaitai?
The harbour beach and The Spit face water inside the Ōtākou Mātaitai. Spit Beach on the ocean side is outside it. Check MPI for any bylaws before you fish the harbour side.

Can I take my dog?
Yes, on a lead on Spit Beach south of Keyhole Rock. Dogs are not allowed north of Keyhole Rock.

Are there toilets at Aramoana?
Yes. Aramoana Domain has public toilets and a picnic area.

Spotted something incorrect on this page? Let us know.

Sources and data notes 1

• Tides today: Tide predictions: LINZ (CC BY 3.0 NZ).