Westcoast Fishing Report 280416

  • General Saltwater, North Island West Coast - Kaipara to New Plymouth

Last Saturday I weighed a broadbill swordfish for three keen local anglers. They caught it on their first drop in 1000m.  There were marlin also caught that day out west and reports of big tuna schools at 100m. With temperatures dropping fast and the days getting shorter there won’t be too many more marlin getting caught but you certainly won’t get them if you don’t try.

While marlin may be getting thin on the ground there are some great snapper being caught, mostly from 30m to 45m although some anglers are travelling out to 50 or more to get away from sharks and kahawai. Big sinkers and heavy gear may help you get past most of the kahawai but often it is best to move around til you find target species. I know of at least two 20lb fish from out west over last weekend.

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Meanwhile the harbour is also turning up some fine snapper with reports of limit catches featuring fish to 3 kilos. Not bad at all but each day is different and you never know what the harbour will turn up on any day. Fishing deep water is your best bet unless you have a flooding tide in low light when shallow water can really turn it on. There are usually some very big snapper around right through to and beyond August if you can find them.

Gurnard are slowly making an appearance and after the first real cold snap they should be much easier to find. I target gurnard using dropper rigs, light gear and small baits on 4/0 or 5/0 recurve hooks. Flasher rigs also work very well and I always use at least two different setups for gurnard. My second rig is either a running rig or a strayline rig depending on current flow and depth. 

I prefer shallow water two hours each side of low but also have spots that fish well on the incoming to high and from high downwards. I guess the trick is not to get too hung up on particular spots and typically I try a couple of proven places then try somewhere completely random. You’ll be surprised how often that can deliver the goods. 

Take care, Smudge.

 

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