Awatoto has become 'the hood' of the beaches unfortunately.
When we were there last there was a dog, (a pit-bull type breed) running around chasing and barking at every car that drove along the track. The owner, fishing just down from us, didn't care.

TeAwanga straight is becoming another unpleasant place to fish as well. Its like trying to fish across a race track with all the bikes and quads hooning up and down the beach. /\

Not that either of these places offer stunning fishing, quite the opposite in fact, but they are (or were) a good local spot for a couple of hours at the beach.