Yellowbelly Flounder
Yellowbelly flounder is New Zealand's most common inshore flatfish and a genuine local — found nowhere else on earth.
It's a staple of harbour fishing across the North Island, targeted by netters, spearers, and increasingly by soft-bait anglers working shallow estuaries.
Small, table-ready, and genuinely good eating, it's the fish that introduces a lot of Kiwi kids to fishing.
Scientific Name: Rhombosolea leporina
Also known as Pātiki tōtara, pātōtara, pātiki, yellow belly flounder, yellow flounder
- Dark olive-green on the topside with dark-edged scales; belly is white in juveniles, turning yellow with dark spots as the fish matures — the feature that gives the species its name.
- Both eyes sit on the right side of the body; the snout is pointed and the eyes are set further back from it than on most flounder species.
- Body is oval and noticeably plumper than sand flounder — useful for telling the two apart in hand.
- Most fish run 25–40 cm and 200–600 g; females grow larger, occasionally reaching 45 cm.
What to know
Habitat Distribution
- Endemic to New Zealand — not found anywhere else. Most abundant in North Island harbours, estuaries, and shallow muddy or sandy bays.
- West coast harbours — Manukau, Kaipara, and Raglan (Whaingaroa) — hold particularly strong populations, with tidal mudflats and abundant invertebrate food.
- Juveniles spend up to two years in sheltered inshore shallows, including estuarine mudflats and sandflats, before moving to slightly deeper water.
- Adults range from the intertidal zone down to about 50 m, but most recreational fishing happens in water well under 5 m.
Key Locations
- Manukau Harbour — one of the most productive flounder harbours in the country, with extensive tidal mudflats and strong populations of yellowbelly.
- Kaipara Harbour — large, shallow, and rich in invertebrate food; a key habitat for both juvenile and adult fish on the west coast.
- Raglan (Whaingaroa) Harbour — sheltered tidal estuary with classic flounder habitat; well regarded on the Waikato west coast.
- Whangarei Harbour and surrounding sheltered bays — productive for soft-bait and bait fishing, with good access to sandy and muddy flats.
- Hauraki Gulf estuaries and Coromandel harbours — flounder are present throughout the gulf's tidal inlets and creek mouths.
Specific Spots
- Shallow mudflats and sandflats with visible small holes or burrows — these signal concentrations of the worms, shrimps, and crabs flounder are feeding on.
- Incoming tide edges: flounder push up onto the flats as water rises, so fish the leading edge of the flood where shallow meets dry.
- Sheltered bays, harbour channels, and creek mouths where tidal flow concentrates food without creating strong current.
- At night, calm, shallow water lit by torch — flounder hold tight to the bottom and are easier to locate when the surface is flat.
Yellowbelly Flounder FAQ
Answers from onWater's species guide.
What are the best lures and bait for Yellowbelly Flounder?
Small soft-bait grubs (2–3 inch paddle-tail or curl-tail in natural shrimp colours, clear, pink, or olive) on a light jig head, worked slowly along the bottom. Fresh or salted shrimp, small strips of fish, or marine worms on a running sinker rig, the traditional and still widely used approach in North Island harbours.
When is the best time to fish for Yellowbelly Flounder?
Summer (December–February), peak season for shallow-water fishing; warm nights and calm harbours make torch-and-wade fishing most productive. Autumn (March–May), fish remain active on the flats as water cools; good daytime soft-bait fishing before fish move to slightly deeper water.
How do you catch Yellowbelly Flounder?
Most recreational anglers target yellowbelly flounder by wading or working from a small boat over shallow tidal flats, either bait fishing on the bottom or casting soft-bait grubs on light spinning gear.
What do Yellowbelly Flounder eat?
Feeds mainly on small invertebrates, shrimps, crabs, marine worms, and small fish, found in soft bottom sediment. This bottom-grubbing habit is why small, slow-moving presentations near the substrate work best.
Where do Yellowbelly Flounder live?
Endemic to New Zealand, not found anywhere else. Most abundant in North Island harbours, estuaries, and shallow muddy or sandy bays. West coast harbours, Manukau, Kaipara, and Raglan (Whaingaroa), hold particularly strong populations, with tidal mudflats and abundant invertebrate food.
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