Warren Lewis Jetty Fishing: Boiler Point, Port Chalmers

Last updated October 2026

The Warren Lewis Fishing Jetty is a purpose-built public fishing jetty at Boiler Point, Port Chalmers, run by Port Otago beside its container terminal. The T-shaped jetty stands in 5 to 7 metres of water right on the deep lower channel of Otago Harbour, so the fish come close.

Blue cod and salmon are regular catches, and a 25 lb kingfish has been landed here. It has lighting, seats, a wheelchair-accessible path and toilets nearby. It closes in strong winds, so check before you go.

At a Glance

Location

Boiler Point, Careys Bay end of Port Chalmers, off Macandrew Road, behind Port Otago’s multipurpose berth

Water

Lower Otago Harbour, beside the shipping channel (sea)

Depth

About 5 to 7 m, depending on the tide

Main species

Blue cod and salmon; warehou and kingfish have also been caught

Access

Boiler Point walkway; wheelchair accessible

Getting there

Orbus route 14 City to Port Chalmers

Toilets

Public toilets at the start of the walkway

Open

When the gate is open; closed in high winds

Tide port

Port Chalmers (LINZ standard port)

Rules

MPI South-East; Port Otago jetty rules

What to Expect

Port Otago built the jetty for local people to fish from, and it opened quietly in December 2019. Its four sections were lifted into place by crane, and it sits on five steel piles driven about 20 metres into the harbour floor.

The walkway runs 32 metres out to a T head about 17 metres long, giving 55 metres of fishing frontage. Port Otago also upgraded the Boiler Point track so people in wheelchairs can fish from the end, and added parking and public toilets.

It was first called the Boiler Point Fishing Jetty. On 9 June 2021 it was renamed after Warren Lewis, whose family settled in Port Chalmers in 1865. He sat on the Port Environment Committee for 21 years and lobbied for a fishing jetty the whole time, served 28 years on the South East Recreational Fishing Forum, and tagged and released 1,392 sharks through the Chalmers Recreational Fishing Club. “As kids, we were wharf brats,” he said.

Boiler Point is named after an abandoned ship’s boiler, and seven minesweepers were built here during the Second World War. The Māori name for the bay is Kōpūtai. Port Otago consulted iwi on the jetty’s name.

The jetty proved popular straight away: more than 30 people were fishing it on one Sunday in December 2019, just after it opened, and families with young children are regulars.

How to Fish the Warren Lewis Fishing Jetty

Where and when

The jetty borders the harbour’s deep lower channel and the turning basin, so you are fishing straight into deep, moving water. Fish around the piles and out into the channel. Moving water around the tide changes usually fishes better on harbour wharves. The jetty is lit, so evening sessions are possible, and Port Otago is fine with headlamps.

What to catch and what to use

• Salmon: regular catches here, including fish over 3 kg. The usual Otago Harbour wharf method is a whole baitfish on a bridle of two or three 1/0 to 3/0 octopus hooks, suspended just off the bottom under a float on about 40 lb mono. Local yellow-eyed mullet of 10 to 20 cm or frozen pilchards are the usual baits. A long rod helps keep the float away from the piles.
• Blue cod: another regular catch. Fish baits near the bottom.
• Warehou and kingfish: both have been caught from the jetty; Port Otago reported a 25 lb kingfish. Heavier gear is worth having.

What to bring

A drop net (it is a long lift from the water), a headlamp for evenings, and a warm layer: the jetty is open to the wind.

Getting There and Facilities

• Bus: Orbus route 14 runs from the city to Port Chalmers, about every 30 minutes on weekdays and hourly at weekends, ending at Harrington Street. Walk from there to Boiler Point.
• Parking: Port Otago upgraded the parking at Boiler Point after the jetty’s popularity caused congestion in its first summer.
• Toilets: public toilets at the entrance to the walkway.
• Accessibility: the walkway and jetty are wheelchair accessible. Keep the path clear so a wheelchair can reach the end.
• Facilities on the jetty: lighting, bench seats, rod holders, bait-cutting blocks, a rubbish bin and a life ring.
• Dogs: allowed under control. Pick up after them.

Rules and Safety

• Sea fishing follows MPI’s South-East rules. No licence is needed for sea fish.
• The jetty lies west of the Ōtākou Mātaitai, which covers the outer harbour from Harwood and Pulling Point out to the heads. The mātaitai bans commercial fishing.
• Fish & Game Otago says Otago Harbour is outside its region, so a sports fishing licence does not appear to be needed for salmon caught from the jetty. Check with Fish & Game Otago if you are unsure. Harbour salmon depend on releases of young salmon by anglers’ groups, so catches vary from year to year.
• Port Otago’s rules: use the jetty only when the gate is open; no commercial fishing; no vehicles, generators or floodlights (they dazzle harbour pilots); cut bait only on the blocks provided; use the rod holders and keep walkways clear.
• No swimming or diving off the jetty. Strong currents can pull people under the wharves, into the path of ships or out to sea.
• The jetty and the Boiler Point track close in high winds, because containers stacked on the terminal can fall. Port Otago posts the gate status on its Facebook page, or call (03) 472 9877.
• Ships and tugs pass close to the jetty. Keep lines clear of the channel when a ship is moving.

Tackle and Bait Nearby

• Hunting & Fishing Dunedin (Allan Millars), 141 Crawford Street, Dunedin: rods, floats, hooks and frozen bait. Open seven days.

Official Sources for Warren Lewis Fishing Jetty

Common Questions

Where is the Warren Lewis Fishing Jetty?
At Boiler Point, at the Careys Bay end of Port Chalmers, behind Port Otago’s multipurpose berth.

What can you catch there?
Blue cod and salmon are regular catches. Warehou and a 25 lb kingfish have also been caught.

How deep is the water?
About 5 to 7 metres, depending on the tide, right beside the harbour’s deep shipping channel.

Is the jetty always open?
No. It is open when the gate is open and closes in high winds. Port Otago posts the status on its Facebook page.

Do I need a licence for salmon?
Fish & Game Otago says the harbour is outside its region, so a licence does not appear to be needed. Check with them if unsure. MPI’s sea fishing rules apply.

Is it wheelchair accessible?
Yes. The walkway was upgraded so people in wheelchairs can fish from the jetty.

Can I get there by bus?
Yes. Orbus route 14 runs from the city to Port Chalmers.

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