Big snapper all around the Gulf

  • General Saltwater, Auckland and The Hauraki Gulf

We have had some spectacular weather! Variable winds with calm seas have meant we can travel in comfort to some of the deeper snapper fishing the Gulf has to offer. Scattered work ups with dolphins pushing the bait around the surface and gannets raining in have been the thing to look for but even on the days when the work ups have moved or have finished there is still pretty good fishing.

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Long drifts using soft baits and slow jigs has been the go with the best colours being green and orange colours. We have also been getting a few nice snapper on the yellow Bruised Banana and the pale Motor Oil bait from the Zman range. Oddly enough it has been the smaller soft baits that have been getting the bigger fish. In about 30-40m we are able to get these down on a 3/8 jig head but require an once jig head in the deeper water and even more if the drift is fast. Areas to look out wider:

East of Anchorite about 3-5 miles South of Little barrier 3-6 miles.

There are also reefs in this area so watch your sounder as you cruise around West of Channel Island about 2-3 miles North of Gannet Rock 3-8 miles. Closer in: South of Kawau Tiri - Kawau line in 40-50m North east of the Rangi Light - I got good fish there about 1.5 miles out from the lighthouse Shearers Rock. Go early or late.

Home Bay through to Matiatia Bay 40m area out from the Noises

When we are using the Ocean Angler Sliders we run a 30lb fluorocarbon leader which we keep at about a rod length long and for soft baits we drop down to 16-20lb leader. Keeping things light is the key to getting lightly weighted soft baits down in these depths. The sliders are either 80 or 100 grams depending on depth and drift speed and the 30lb leader is enough to handle most abrasions from the head sliding along the leader.

We have seen quite a few other kabura jigs lost again this season though and we put this down to the connecting cord and knot getting more abrasion than the Sliders and breaking off.

Micro jigs have been working well too when we have fished in closer but it can be difficult to give these light 20-40gr jigs enough bottom time out deeper so we switch up to a heavier 60-200gr knife jig. Just about any colour will work but keep in mind there are still a few large barracouta around out wider and you want to make sure you check your connecting knot, leader and cords if you encounter these toothy destroyers of tackle.

Check out our facebook page "it's catching on" to see more. Have a look here to see a review of a recent trip  

Tight lines and screaming braid! Captain Damo

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