MartinMac wrote: can you stay on any of those islands??

You sure can, stayed overnight on a few over the years. Shag, goat, little rabbit, bush, christmas, north king all have caves or sheltered overhangs.   

Kia Ora.

Heading up to Anglers for five days fishing before Christmas with my four children.

We will be doing the Island Water Taxi service and charter boat service.

My kids are at an age ( youngest is eleven ) where they are all strong swimmers and have some sense around the sea.

I'm looking for advice in terms of safety.

We will have Life Jackets and I'm getting a hand held Marine Radio.

We will also take a trow ring and throw rope.

I will also get us dropped off in the lee of the prevailing swells.

I was thinking arriving at high tide to the spot, watching the fishing spot for half an hour before setting up.

Any tips apart from that much appreciated.

I guess this trip we will just go to the safest platform(s) first and Berley up heavily.....the actual fishing will be a secondary consideration to the safety aspects

Cheers.

This is "North King" Just out from Papa Aroha at high tide. We have got a lot of nice fish off here. A few snaps around the 15lb mark.

PM sent, we normally use 10-12ft rod and shimano 6500b anything is fine fishing the bottom left corner

Know that area real well. Can remember prior to the KY trawlers in 70s ripping between the islands.

A really spiritually awesome place to be.

Have you figured which island? The surrounding terrain can be quite different. Anywhere there and up produces a feed. magic.

Did anyone get out to the islands over Xmas/NY? Booked in with the water taxi for a couple of days this weekend so interested if there is any up to date info on how the fishing is going.

Cheers

pretty much all the tips cover the topic. i use to fish there a lot in 70s so my advice on the islands will be worthless, damn good spot back then. use to watch big snapper coming right to the surface to feed off the shellfish. scallies and cray dive and then we would catch our needs of snaps and kings. oh i remember power head spearguns. although they have come back now i believe. didnt they get banned for a while?