About Us
Maui Trout Fishing & Tours is an established and well run family owned and operated touring business, who has knowledge of Rotorua’s fishing venues, as well as how to get the best out of a visit to Rotorua. Specialising in the trout fishing experience, we also offer an insight into the lives of the indigenous natives (the Māori people). An authentic experience, with a descendant of the local Te Arawa tribe. We can offer the visiting angler an unrivalled holiday experience. Whether you're fishing crazy or not, whether you're an experienced angler or not, we can offer you the best chance of hooking and landing some of Rotorua’s biggest fish.
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Your guide, Boxer Smith was born and raised in the Whakarewarewa Thermal Village. A mokopuna (grandchild) of the late Emily Schuster, and world famous guide Rangi, hosting tourists has been past through generations. Boxer has developed a passion for fishing since he was 8 years old. Throughout this time he has been educated in the protocols and history of the Rotorua district, lakes and surrounding areas. |
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The vessel, Te Ika ā Maui is a 5.6 metre aluminium vessel, powered by two suzuki outboard motors. It has an extended canapy for all weather conditions, and is surveyed and fully equipped to carry 1-7 passengers. |
A Maui Trout Fishing & Tours experience typically begins at dawn on the shores of Lake Rotorua. Boxer has fished Lake Rotorua and the region’s other lakes for more than 20 years and has no problems getting his vessel, Te Ika ā Maui, right to where the hungriest trout are.
Boxer’s vast trout fishing experience means he can cater to clients at all levels. In a single trip, he can transform a first timer into a confident angler. For the more seasoned fisherman, Boxer can increase the challenge as required. He is also knowledgeable on local Māori history and entertains his guests between bites with the tales and legends of his tribe. When the fishing is done for the day, Boxer takes the group to his home in the heart of the Whakarewarewa Thermal Village. Here he prepares the catch of the day for steaming in the Ngawha - a wooden box constructed on top of the boiling hot springs. This traditional method of cooking has been used by the villagers for hundreds of years and is still regarded as the preferred method of cooking.
While the fish is cooking, guests enjoy a tour around the village. Pointing out the village highlights as he goes, Boxer offers an insight into life at the village - an intimate look at a living tourist attraction, where visitors have the chance to interact with the local community as they go on with their daily lives. Boxer can also, by arrangement, take guests to his family wharenui (carved house), erected long ago by his ancestors as a cornerstone for family members. Access to such a treasured building is rare, especially when your guide is a direct descendent of those who built the wharenui.
After the tour, lunch is served up at Boxer’s home. The trout, still hot from the steam, is laid on the table so the guests can share the fruits of their morning’s effort on the lake. Tales are traded about ‘the one that got away’ and there is usually the opportunity to catch a glimpse of the live kapa haka (traditional Māori dance party) performances held at the village.
The legacy of the great Whakarewarewa guides lives on through Maui Trout Fishing & Tours, as guests are treated to a personalised cultural experience quite unlike anything else in the world. A day with Boxer Smith and his family is not just a fishing trip, nor just a cultural experience, it is a day immersed in the traditions and history of his ancestors - the famous guides of the Whakarewarewa Thermal Village.