Last updated October 2026
Momorangi Bay is a small, sheltered bay on the Grove Arm of Queen Charlotte Sound, beside Queen Charlotte Drive 13 km from Picton. DOC’s large campground fills the flat land at the head of the bay and has a jetty, and DOC lists fishing, swimming and small boat launching among the things to do.
Local anglers name the Momorangi jetty among the land-based spots in the Grove Arm, though results can be patchy. It suits a family fish while you are camping.
Momorangi Bay at a Glance
- Location
- 1998 Queen Charlotte Drive, Grove Arm, Queen Charlotte Sound; 13 km from Picton, 17 km from Havelock
- Type
- Sheltered bay with a jetty at the DOC campground; shallow tidal flat at the head
- Water
- Grove Arm, inner Queen Charlotte Sound (sea)
- Likely catches
- Spotties off the jetty; snapper, blue cod and tarakihi in the inner Sound
- Suits
- Families and campers
- Boats
- Launch small craft off the beach; nearest ramp 4 km away at Ngakuta Bay
- Camping
- DOC campground with powered sites, hot showers and a kitchen; book online
- Tide port
- Picton (LINZ standard port)
- Rules
- MPI Challenger, Marlborough Sounds Area; blue cod closed 1 September to 10 January
- Licence
- None needed for sea fishing
- Low 12:40 am 0.5 m
- High 7:50 am 1.2 m
- Low 12:54 pm 0.5 m
- High 8:22 pm 1.3 m
Best times today: around 12:40 am, 7:50 am, 12:54 pm and 8:22 pm (2 hours either side of each tide change), and around 10:32 am and 10:54 pm (moon overhead and underfoot).
Moving water around the tide changes usually fishes best. Full 7-day Blenheim tides ›
Predictions only; actual tides vary with weather.
What Makes It Worth the Trip
Momorangi Bay sits in Momorangi Bay Scenic Reserve, on the Grove Arm at the inner end of Queen Charlotte Sound. The head of the bay is a shallow tidal flat, with mud and sand showing at low tide, and deeper water further out where boats lie on moorings. A narrow beach runs along the western side below Queen Charlotte Drive.
The DOC campground behind the bay has 36 tent sites, 100 powered sites and two cabins. It has a jetty and a sheltered beach for swimming, and boats can be launched off the beach. A short walk leads to a glow worm habitat and joins The Link Pathway between Picton and Havelock.
Fishing in the inner Sounds has been heavy for a long time. Snapper, blue cod and tarakihi are still caught, but stocks are lower than in the outer Sounds, and blue cod have a long closed season.
How to Fish Momorangi Bay
Where to fish
The jetty at the campground is the obvious place to start, and the narrow beach along the western side of the bay gives more room.
The head of the bay dries to mud and sand at low tide, with deeper water further out where boats are moored. The jetty is inside the campground, so if you are not staying, check at the camp office before you fish it.
What to catch
- Spotties: a beginner’s fish, often caught off jetties in the Sounds.
- Snapper: still caught in the inner Sound. One local angler reported limited results from the Momorangi jetty after several visits, and others name Aussie Bay, further along the Grove Arm, for snapper around mid tide.
- Blue cod and tarakihi: present in the inner Sound but mostly caught from boats. Blue cod are closed from 1 September to 10 January.
- Ask locally: a Picton tackle shop can tell you what has been caught recently in the Grove Arm.
Nearby land-based options
Local anglers also mention the jetty at the head of the Grove and Aussie Bay along Queen Charlotte Drive. Both are within a short drive of the campground.
Getting There and Facilities
- Road: Momorangi Bay is on Queen Charlotte Drive, 13 km from Picton or 17 km from Havelock. Since the August 2022 storm damage, vehicles over 3500 kg GVM towing a trailer longer than 12.6 m are not allowed. Expect speed limits, traffic lights and one-way sections; check road conditions before you travel.
- Camping: when we checked in October 2026, DOC listed off-peak fees (9 February to 25 December) of $25 a night per adult for a non-powered site and $28 powered, with higher peak fees from 26 December to 8 February. Book online; no spaces are held for walk-ins.
- Facilities: coin-operated hot showers and laundry for campers, wheelchair-accessible toilets and showers, a communal kitchen, UV-treated tap water and a boat washing area.
- Boats: launch small craft off the beach. The nearest boat ramp is 4 km away at Ngakuta Bay.
- Supplies: there is no shop on site. The Queen Charlotte Tavern and the Challenge Linkwater service station are under 10 minutes toward Havelock. Buy bait in Picton.
- Pets: no pets in the campground.
Rules and Safety
- Area: Momorangi Bay is inside MPI’s Marlborough Sounds Area in the Challenger region, which has its own blue cod rules. No licence is needed for sea fishing.
- Blue cod closed season: blue cod cannot be taken in the Marlborough Sounds Area from 1 September to 10 January inclusive. It was extended in 2025 and now covers commercial fishing too. Other species can still be fished.
- Set nets: set netting is banned in Queen Charlotte Sound, apart from flatfish set nets from 1 April to 30 September inside a line from West Head (Ruakaka Bay) to Dieffenbach Point.
- Scallops: the Marlborough Sounds scallop fishery has been closed since 15 July 2018.
- Children: the stream through the campground is not fenced. Put small children in lifejackets on the jetty.
- Boating: wear a lifejacket in small craft and keep clear of moored boats.
Trusted Sources
DOC: Momorangi Bay Campground: bookings, fees, facilities and the Queen Charlotte Drive restrictions.
MPI Challenger fishing rules: the Marlborough Sounds blue cod rules, set net rules and closures.
Common Questions
Where is Momorangi Bay?
On the Grove Arm of Queen Charlotte Sound, at 1998 Queen Charlotte Drive, 13 km from Picton and 17 km from Havelock.
Can you fish from the Momorangi Bay jetty?
Local anglers fish it. The jetty is inside the DOC campground, so if you are not staying, check at the camp office first.
What can you catch at Momorangi Bay?
Spotties off the jetty, and snapper, blue cod and tarakihi in the inner Sound. Results from the jetty can be patchy.
Can I keep blue cod at Momorangi Bay?
Not from 1 September to 10 January, when blue cod are closed in the Marlborough Sounds Area. Outside that season the Sounds blue cod rules apply.
Do I need a fishing licence?
No. Sea fishing needs no licence, but MPI’s Challenger and Marlborough Sounds rules apply.
Where can I launch a boat?
Small craft can be launched off the beach at the campground. The nearest ramp is 4 km away at Ngakuta Bay.
Can I bring a big caravan along Queen Charlotte Drive?
Vehicles over 3500 kg GVM towing a trailer longer than 12.6 m are not allowed on Queen Charlotte Drive.
Spotted something incorrect on this page? Let us know.
Sources and data notes 1
- Tides today: Tide predictions: LINZ (CC BY 3.0 NZ).