Deep South Charters

Riverton Harbour, Southland
Est. 1998 · Foveaux Strait

Big-game & reef fishing from Riverton Harbour

Fish the deep south.

Skipper Hemi Taukiri has fished these waters for twenty-eight years. The Tiderunner II departs Riverton Harbour year-round, chasing blue cod, groper, kingfish and whatever else is running. All gear supplied. Fish filleted on return.

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01 · Trips & pricing

Four ways to fish Foveaux Strait.

Reef Half-Day

$280/person

5 hours · Min 3, max 8 anglers

Depart 6am, work the inshore reefs for blue cod, trumpeter and tarakihi. Rods, tackle and bait included. Back by 11am with fillets in your chilly bin.

Deep-Water Full Day

$480/person

8 hours · Min 4, max 8 anglers

Head 30nm south to the canyon edges for groper (hāpuku), bluenose and gemfish. We drop heavy rigs to 200m. Lunch on board, fish processed on return.

Game Day

$620/person

10 hours · Min 4, max 6 anglers

Kingfish and albacore tuna from December to April. Livebaiting and topwater. We supply the heavy tackle; you bring the arms. Season-dependent.

Private Charter

From $1,800/day

Your species, your schedule, max 8

Exclusive use of Tiderunner II. Popular for corporate groups, stag dos and multi-day expeditions. We build a trip around what you want to catch.

All prices include GST. A $100 deposit secures your date; balance due on the morning. Cancellation within 48 hours: full refund. Inside 48 hours: deposit forfeited unless the weather calls it off (our call, not yours).

02 · What we catch

Six target species through the season.

Blue CodYear-round, best Oct to Apr. Limit 20pp. Average 35 to 45cm. The bread and butter of Southland fishing.
Groper / HapukuDeep drops, best May to Sep. Average 8 to 15kg. Rich, white flesh. A cooler filler.
KingfishDec to Apr. Average 10 to 18kg, PB 32kg. Livebaiting and topwater. Fight of the coast.
TrumpeterYear-round. Average 2 to 4kg. Sweet, firm flesh; excellent smoked.
BluenoseDeep water, year-round. Average 5 to 10kg. A byproduct of the groper drop.
Albacore TunaJan to Mar. Average 5 to 8kg. Surface schooling. Fast runs on light tackle.

Daily limits apply per MPI regulations. We practise catch-and-release on undersized fish and non-target species. We do not target sharks.

03 · The boat

Tiderunner II: built for Foveaux Strait.

12.2mLOA
2×300hpSuzuki outboards
28ktCruise speed
8Anglers max

Senator alloy hull with a deep-vee entry, designed for the short, sharp chop Foveaux Strait throws in a southerly. Twin Suzuki DF300AP engines give us range for the deep drops and speed to get home before the weather turns.

Electronics: Furuno FCV-295 sounder, Furuno NavNet TZTouch3 plotter, Icom IC-M510 VHF, GME MT610G EPIRB.

On board: Covered cabin with seating for eight, marine toilet, rod holders x16, live-bait tank (300L), two fish bins with ice, filleting station on the stern platform.

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04 · What to bring

We supply the rods. You supply the enthusiasm.

We provide

  • Overhead and spin rods matched to species
  • Terminal tackle: rigs, sinkers, hooks, lures
  • Fresh bait: squid, pilchard, skipjack
  • Filleting and vac-packing on return
  • Life jackets (auto-inflate, all sizes)
  • Tea, coffee, water on board

You bring

  • Warm layers: Foveaux Strait is cold even in summer
  • Waterproof jacket (spray is constant)
  • Sunscreen SPF50 and a hat with a brim
  • Seasickness tablets (take the night before)
  • Lunch and snacks for full-day trips
  • A chilly bin for your fillets or we supply one ($15)
  • Fishing licence: buy online or we arrange a day licence ($25)

Safety on board

  • Coastguard-registered vessel — monitored on every departure and return, with passage plan logged.
  • EPIRB and VHF — GME MT610G satellite beacon and dual VHF with DSC. We carry two handheld backups.
  • Life jackets for all — auto-inflate PFDs checked every six months. Children under 12 wear theirs at all times.
  • First-aid trained — Skipper Hemi holds a current Maritime NZ first-aid certificate and Coastguard boatmaster qualification.
  • Weather call — we cancel or reschedule when the forecast exceeds 25kt or the swell tops 2.5m. Full refund, no argument.

06 · Book your trip

Pick a tide, pick a trip.

Tide & session finder

Select a date and tide window to see available sessions. High tide is best for reef; low tide opens rock ledges for game.

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