Hook is a unique lake-to-plate fishing and dining destination in Wanaka's Southern Lakes region. Founded by long-term locals Graham and Hayley Lee, the property has been thoughtfully developed since 2004 to blend adventure, food, and outdoor recreation. The core experience lets guests catch Chinook salmon (King Salmon) from spring-fed lakes for just $10 rod hire—no experience necessary—then choose how their catch is prepared: filleted, hot smoked, sashimi-style, or cold smoked.
Beyond fishing, Hook offers wood-fired pizzas, salmon dishes, tasting platters, vegetarian options, and a kids menu, paired with local wine and craft beers. The property includes mini-putt, lawn games, and a sandpit for all ages. Their Chinook salmon is rated 'Best Choice' by Seafood Watch and is prized for high omega-3 content and sustainable, antibiotic-free feeding practices.
Hook is deeply committed to environmental stewardship. An on-site wetland acts as a natural water treatment facility, and the team manages waste meticulously—composting fish byproducts and trialling large-scale Bokashi systems. Future plans include an architecturally designed restaurant, expanded children's areas, and public wetland walks. Located on the local bike track near Albert Town, Hook is close to Wanaka's best walking, hiking, and biking trails.
Hook Wanaka is not a restaurant that simply serves fish—it's a working fishing operation where you catch your own Chinook salmon, then immediately decide how you'd like it prepared. The experience sits at the heart of a 20-year vision by local owners Graham and Hayley Lee to transform their Albert Town property into a space where adventure, food, and environmental care converge.
The lakes are stocked with Chinook salmon, also called King Salmon, first introduced to New Zealand rivers as game fish in the late 1800s. New Zealand's Chinook now rates 'Best Choice' by Seafood Watch and is widely regarded as the world's finest salmon. The fish here are raised on a high-quality, antibiotic-free, hormone-free diet and have the highest natural oil content of any salmon species—packed with omega-3 for heart, eye, joint, and brain health.
Rod hire costs just $10, and no experience is necessary. A team member provides rundown guidance before you head out, and staff members walk the lakes to answer questions. Most guests land a fish within an hour.
Once you've caught your Chinook, you choose how it's prepared. Filleted or gutted (included in the salmon price at $35/kg) is the baseline—staff can wrap fillets in paper or vacuum-seal them, and chiller bags with ice are available for travelers. Beyond that, three prepared options are on offer.
Hot smoked is the most popular. The salmon emerges lightly smoked and buttery from the Traeger, then plated with crackers, pickled vegetables, and a rocket sauce. It's available for dine-in or takeaway.
Sashimi-style salmon is a crowd-pleaser for lovers of raw fish. Straight from the lake and cut into sashimi, it's served with wasabi peas, ponzu pearls, soy, ginger, and wasabi—available for dine-in or takeaway.
Cold smoked exchange is a more involved option. Your salmon is cured, smoked, and glazed over three days, yielding about 40% of your original weight in a sweet, salty, smoky, delicate product. It's takeaway only.
While salmon is the star, the restaurant menu embraces variety. Wood-fired pizzas are repeatedly praised in guest reviews as fantastic. Tasting platters offer mixed salmon selections and accompaniments. Vegetarian options and a kids menu are available, and the drinks list leans into local Wanaka wine and craft beer.
What makes Hook distinctive is how seriously the owners take environmental stewardship. An on-site wetland serves as a natural water treatment facility, where plants absorb excess nutrients and ensure water leaving the property is top quality—sometimes better than when it flowed in. The team monitors water quality daily, weekly, and monthly.
The bigger ambition is aquaponics: growing vegetables for the restaurant as part of the fish-to-compost-to-garden cycle. With strict waste management policies and large-scale Bokashi composting systems in trial, the team is working toward zero fish waste.
Hook isn't just about fishing and eating. Mini-putt, lawn games, and a sandpit keep children and adults entertained between fishing sessions. The property sits on the local bike track and is close to Wanaka's best walking, hiking, and mountain biking routes—making it easy to spend an entire day on-site.
Future plans include an architecturally designed restaurant, expanded children's adventure areas, walking tracks that connect to local pathways, and public access to the wetland so visitors can learn about the ecosystem that keeps the operation thriving.
Hook is about 1 hour from Queenstown, 2.5 hours from Tekapo, and accessible from Christchurch (5 hours) or Dunedin (3.5 hours). Parking is easy; there is no coach access. Last rod hire is 4:30pm. Reservations for fishing rods are not taken, but tables can be reserved after your catch.