Exploring Ponui & the 'Bottom End'

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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote The Tamure Kid Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10 Aug 2018 at 4:18pm
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Originally posted by 700 LTR 700 LTR wrote:

How are you finding the FC465 TTK? 

if it's anything like the 390 you'll never look back 

Very, very happy, mate. I had the pleasure of going in Redfinger's 430CC a few times, and like that. But went for the runabout version for a couple of reasons - notably, my bad ankle meaning I didn't want to be standing at the wheel when not fishing, and the seating/wind cover for my young boys. I towed it up north to fish out from Rangiputa, have been out in the open sea past Kawau in sloppy conditions with a moderate swell, and zooming around the inshore stuff out from Beachlands etc.  Love the ride and dryness, the fishing room for lure casting etc, the transom shape, the stability, ease of solo beach launching, and general solid feel. As Joker told me when I was looking at different boats and sought his thoughts, they feel bigger than their actual size when out on the water.
The 40HP Merc 4-stroke gets along at a nice clip, and seems pretty fuel efficient. Howick to the back of Ponui, a bit of backwards and forwards, and back to Howick for 12l at 4200rpm is pretty good. When the boys grow up I might move up to a 60. I can't think of much that I'd change with the boat, which is a credit to the designers.
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (1) Likes(1)   Quote The Tamure Kid Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 20 Aug 2018 at 12:50pm
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Carried on up the knowledge curve with another trip to the Ponui/Rotoroa area yesterday in stunning conditions.

A trip with my 4-year-old as crew: Dad fishing, boy helping to net and enjoy the beauty of the place.

A late start due to the tides for beach launching meant we didn't get to the Coro end of Ruthe Passage until about 9.45am, and I wasn't confident in the shallows with oily calm and bright sun.
But first cast across some foul I spotted on side vu in about 8m, bang. Nice pannie on a Z Man Motor Oil grub (a 5" version I got from Oz) on the drop using a 3/8th ounce jighead. Got fish consistently, best 45cm, and a nice kahawai also in the shallows. Only broke off once on a snag, and learned from last time to have a spare rod to grab and keep fishing, before tying another FG when having a breather.

There was a cluster of boats near Scully's, so we didn't get to try that spot, Steps.

When breeze picked up pushing against the incoming tidal direction, we headed out to try some spots on the charts near Shag Island, without any luck (couldn't see much sign or much being caught in the boats anchored in the area), but we had fun with a work-up of decent kahawai, landing a few up to 52cm on Z Man Paddlerz 4" in Nuked Pilchard. Man, they pull hard. Stunning as sashimi today - melts in the mouth.

A great day out on the water. The chunky snapper below had a weird tail, stunted bottom half. But it still pulled powerfully.


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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Muppet Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 20 Aug 2018 at 3:16pm
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Well done Lester, see you using the curlytails. Personally I don't use them but I have a mate who is deadly with them on pannies when its tough. He gets the bigger sized ones from Oz in ZMan.
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote The Tamure Kid Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 20 Aug 2018 at 3:54pm
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thanks Dan.
Yes, I got my 5" Z Man curly tails from an Aussie shop when I was at Tweed Heads last year, have also used their online service.
 
I like the look of the fat body and the vibrating movement of the tail on the drop, and they seem to do well dragging on my boy's rod in summer - head down and buoyant tail waggling.

The Motor Oil lit up amazingly in the water yesterday, in the bright sun.I got all but the last keeper on the same single lure until I lost it on a snag. 

The retrieve (as recommended by Paul Senior) is a single pull through the water, followed by a pause; and repeat - rather than doing twitches like I would with a Jerk Shad.
Yesterday I just let it drop, did a few pulls, then wound in and re-positioned.


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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote 700 LTR Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 01 Sep 2018 at 2:08pm
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TR: Left Kawakawa bay boat ramp at 6.15am Friday morning in the dark motored across the bay stopped just before third bay in about 4m of water, 2 casts 2 nice 45cm snapper, continued around the island stopping and casting in likely looking spots had my limit of nice winter snapper by 8am. 

Since the weather was so nice i cruised out to the middle of the firth and mucked around with slow jigs and sliders for a while, plenty of gannets around but no action as far as work ups go. 

Went full noise from the middle back to the ramp around 10.30 on glass calm seas cleaned up having a beer at home by 1pm 

Ones of those unreal days on the water.
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Redfinger Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 01 Sep 2018 at 2:46pm
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Good skills Matt - great day there
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote smudge Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 01 Sep 2018 at 4:12pm
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I know this pic was in my last west coast report but I'll put my hand up and tell the truth. In only 3m of water off the top inside of Ponui. I also caught a parore on the same softbait - that one was foul hooked of course but got a big surprise when I saw that one coming in Big smile

The softie was a Z Man something .. I dunno I'll call it a pink bits.

We were in my mates 1410 Stabi with a 25 E-Tec what a neat boat for softbaiting! Gumboots a big guy but we had plenty of power and we could both stand and fish. Unfortunately it cut up a bit rough and our drift was way too fast even with the drogue but still got some nice fish in the shallows. Great fishing.



Best gurnard fisherman in my street
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote 700 LTR Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 01 Sep 2018 at 4:24pm
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I think I saw you guys coming down the hill into the bay as I was heading up the hill.....
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote smudge Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 01 Sep 2018 at 4:41pm
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OK, I can't recall the boats that were coming and going. We were in a white ute
Best gurnard fisherman in my street
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote The Tamure Kid Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 01 Sep 2018 at 8:44pm
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Great report 700LTR, jealous! Looks like a stunning day and just a treat to be out in such a beautiful location.
i'm down at Waihi Beach on a non-fishing weekend, looked like it would have been nice out this morning too around the Bottom End, calm and foggy.
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote The Tamure Kid Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 01 Sep 2018 at 8:48pm
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Originally posted by smudge smudge wrote:



I know this pic was in my last west coast report but I'll put my hand up and tell the truth. In only 3m of water off the top inside of Ponui. 

The softie was a Z Man something .. I dunno I'll call it a pink bits.


hang on Smudge, I hope you paid the correct toll as you entered East Coast territory!

That's a Coconut Ice in Z mans. The Gulp equivalent, Pink Shine, is probably my favourite colour in my favourite Crazy Legs Jerk Shad.


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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Steps Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 02 Sep 2018 at 8:23am
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Where that last pic was taken, under way.. had you been drifting close by?
There is a nice bit of foul about there  that often works top of the tides...
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote The Tamure Kid Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 21 Sep 2018 at 9:16pm
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With a pick up of the family off a flight from Aussie due in the afternoon, and a half-decent weather window on Thursday morning, I made a last-minute call to take some leave.
Before the day was out, I'd have my first kingie on a softbait!

Solo launch early saw me zooming up Waiheke Channel in a bit of southerly chop. It was lumpy stuff from the SE on the Coro side of the three guarding islands, but the FC465 doesn't mind that.
So i set about soft baiting the various points and bays around Ponui and Pakatoa. 

It was slow going, but I picked up fish here and there until a cast to the side of one big underwater rock got nailed by a beauty, which went on scorching runs against drag which I'd set so I could barely pull line by hand.

Unfortunately, after a few hard straight line pulls and big head shakes the line went slack, leading to cursing from TTK fit for an army barrack.
The Lefty's Loop holding the jighead had been cut through - maybe the big moocher's teeth, or just wear and tear from bumping foul? Oh well, never know how big it was, but definitely the best I've hooked in that area. Damn.

But a little while later I picked up a nice kahawai which hit the softie about half a second after a small snapper i had been playing got off. The kahawai must have been following the hooked snap. Fun stuff.

I was just about to move spots when I got hit by something with a lot of zing, which looked like a very decent kahawai - until I could see beautiful yellow fin and tail tones in the sunlight. A 'mouse' sized kingie of 50+cm. First for me on a softbait. It had a mate with it as it got close to the boat. I told them to bring their dad next time!

All the fish were on the Z Man 5" grub in Motor Oil on 3/8oz jighead. Fast becoming a favourite in the shallows if it's sunny. They really light up in the sun. If it's overcast, the Nuked Pilchard paddle tail goes well.

With the current pretty slack, I decided to go for an explore, and I spotted some gannets out past Shag. A lot sitting, but some bombing in. No bottom sign that I could see, and no takers of my jigs and big softbaits other than a good sized kahawai on a fast retrieve near the surface. Wind v tide didn't help, in 45m.

In fact, I couldn't see any sign at various spots where I saw a change in contour and slowed down. Time to head for home with four nice snaps and a kahawai for sashimi in the bin, and it was like a millpond up the Tamaki Strait on the way home. 
Beats working!!




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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Steps Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 22 Sep 2018 at 8:48am
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We headed out thurs as well... 
Bite tomes looks not so good...may have accounted for the lack of birds.
 Decided to check out the flats. Afdter a couple drift lines headed up the top of Waiheke channel.
 Again drifted around a couple reefs/ beds .. couple just undersized and quiet.
To fill in a little time , put the dredge across the scallop bed, see what is there... then do a drift back over.
Got a couple good gurnard

Coming upto high time, heade out over a reef between paki and shag.. and was all on. all nice 40/50cm snaps
 Good feed for all in the bin, then went prospecting around the area.. another couple nice snaps for the bin, and headed home just as the tide and wind picked up and moved to the westerly direction... bit of a chop over the tamaki, all good.

There where 3 other boats out in our general area..1 gin palace doing a dive on the outside of paki
 think one was a buccaneer, and the other an alloy that think came in from the end of shag.
 One of those yours TK?



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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote The Tamure Kid Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 22 Sep 2018 at 1:55pm
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Good work, Steps.
Your long-time local knowledge certainly comes in handy when the fishing is mediocre. I'm still trying to build up my experience in the area. It's a beautiful area, and it's always nice to see the bird life and penguins etc.

Did you have any luck on softbaits, or mainly bait?

I was solo in my little Fish City 15' runabout. It's cobalt blue with a 40HP Merc on the back. I don't have any kind of awning or bimini. If I'm fishing I'll be standing up softbaiting.
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Redfinger Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 22 Sep 2018 at 3:27pm
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Good to see you boys getting out there doing it - bad luck on the biggie you dropped TTK.
Gee Steps you are doing well - still a bit of tide when you got into them ? Well done.
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Steps Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 23 Sep 2018 at 9:57am
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ppl say that across the top of the tide things go dead...
 Well I disagree very much... change where you fish... think like a fish...
 Basically you are looking for a feed with the least amount of energy put in.....where would you go?
 Something the old man used to say back in the day 1/2 a century ago.. and notice little snippets thrown in here and there on TV programs also.
 And even thu havnt fished the west coast or harbours for 4 or 5 decades.. 
! still read all Smudges and others, reports, how tos/ when.. there are lot of little snippets ( no all) there that are worth a go... and also go down the lines of the above.

TK  
1 gurnard on the SB all the rest on long cut  pre scaled, pre cut mullet fillets...
stray line.. clip/ swivel bottom of mainline.. 1 to 1.5m 30lb trace and reef sinker (light as possible) on clip.. feathers/ flasher under the hook knots.. and VERY IMPORTANT...tydy bait .. if it twists up, it is not tydy and a fish cant catch the propeller tip of bait spinning..
 We drift flats and reefs 3m to 50m with burley ( mullet/ Trev/ KY ) close to the bottom,  0 to 12 deg angle ..

 Bit different from the norm, but thats what has worked consistently.. for the last 50 plus yrs.


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Post Options Post Options   Likes (2) Likes(2)   Quote The Tamure Kid Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 07 Oct 2018 at 11:22pm
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Hit the water at daybreak and cruised up the Waiheke Channel in lovely conditions, past all the overnighters on their big launches.

First cast in the shallows, a powerful fish grabbed the softie on the drop while I had my eyes on the Side Vu for a second (I know Muppet, not watching the line!). But it was so hungry it was hooked right through the jaw.

It was excellent fishing in 5-12m trying various spots along the rocky shores of Ponui, Rotoroa and Pakatoa, sometimes a fish a cast, all on the same Z Man grub 5" Motor Oil - lit up bright green in the sunshine. After about a 15 fish, it just had a tear in the tail, but still going strong. On 3/8 oz jighead, with one of those Mustad Fastach clips. Thought I'd give it a try after my Lefty's Loop was bitten through/wore through last time. The fish didn't seem to mind the extra bit of hardware, and when a good fish inhales the softie you can see how a Lefty's can get bitten.

At one point, just after landing a nice fish, I head a 'pffff' sound, and turned around to see a fur seal swimming behind the boat. 

With a bin of fat fish in the low 40s to mids-50s which pulled hard in the shallows, I decided to try some spots over towards Shag Rock. Lots of anchored boats with little action going on. Saw some bottom sign and got a couple of smallish pannies in about 18m on Gulp Crazy Legs, but it slowed right down nearing low tide, and in mirror-like conditions.

I drove on out into the Firth a bit, but unlike last time I couldn't see any bird action. Went over one huge bait ball near a bit of foul and tried fishing around that, but no joy.

Went back to the shallows at the corner of Pakatoa and got one last nice fish in the low 50s on the drop which went back to fight another day. By that stage, it was a strengthening NWer pushing on to the shore, and time to head for home.
Great memories to carry into the working week.


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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote 700 LTR Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 08 Oct 2018 at 7:33am
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Awesome report! hoping to get back out there this week! 
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote The Tamure Kid Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 09 Oct 2018 at 9:00pm
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Nice one, mate. Looks like pretty good conditions according to Swellmap until it turns to poos late on Thursday, and the rubbish stays right through the weekend. 
Good luck if you can get out. Let us know how you get on. 

I presume at some point soon when the water warms up a bit more the better fish will leave the shallows to congregate for spawning, and it'll be slim pickings in close. 
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