Shortjawed Kokopu
A secretive, scaleless native of New Zealand's forested hill streams, the shortjawed kokopu is more often encountered by conservation biologists than by anglers.
Encountering one is a reliable sign of a pristine, boulder-strewn waterway — this fish is a living indicator of stream health. Its amphidromous life cycle, moving between freshwater and the sea, ties it to some of the country's most intact catchments.
Scientific Name: Galaxias postvectis
Also known as Shortjaw kōkopu, Shortjaw kokopu
- Scaleless body sets it apart from most freshwater fish; skin is smooth to the touch, with no visible scales.
- Can display orange colouration, which is unusual among New Zealand's native galaxiids and aids identification.
- Most fish run 150–200 mm (6–8 in); maximum recorded length is around 350 mm (14 in).
What to know
Habitat Distribution
- Endemic to New Zealand — found nowhere else in the world, distributed across both main islands.
- A specialist of cascading, boulder-strewn streams shaded by intact native forest; absent from degraded or deforested catchments.
- Amphidromous: newly hatched fry drift to sea, then juveniles migrate back upstream into freshwater to grow to adulthood.
Specific Spots
- Stable pools within fast, tumbling streams are the core holding water — the calmer pockets between boulders where current energy drops.
- During daylight hours, fish shift into rougher, high-energy zones with large substrate, using the broken water and boulder gaps for cover.
- At night, movement concentrates back into quieter pool habitats, where the fish feed more actively under darkness.
See it in the app
Most maps show you water.
onWater shows you Shortjawed Kokopu.
- 01 · Species map filter
Map every Shortjawed Kokopu water
Pick Shortjawed Kokopu and the map zeroes in on the waters they call home. No more guessing which lake holds them.
- 02 · Waterbody species
Tap any water. See what lives there.
Species, behavior and seasonal patterns for every lake, river and pond, before you leave the driveway.
- 03 · Angler Intelligence
Ask how to catch Shortjawed Kokopu
Tactics, gear and timing from onWater's AI fishing guide, tuned to the species and the water you're on.
Stop guessing where Shortjawed Kokopu are.
Open the map, filter by Shortjawed Kokopu, and head to water that holds them. Download onWater and plan your next trip in minutes.
- Species map filter
- Angler Intelligence
- Fishing journal
Explore other species
Trout, bass, salmon, panfish and everything in between. Each guide unpacks the behavior, seasons, and tactics that put fish in the net.
No species information available.
Smarter Fishing Starts in the App.
onWater Fish gives you everything you need to plan smarter, fish better, and own every trip from first cast to last.