kauabunga wrote: Junketer how did you get on at coromandel? I am heading down there next week

Hey, this is probably too late 4 ya. Anyway, first off this was the first time I'd ever been fishing in my 1st ever boat so while the fishing may not have been that great due to my inexperience i still had a blast.  Only managed 2 trips out & 1st time was middle of the day with my bro-in-law & 4 yr old son so we didnt venture too far from Te Kouma boat ramp - only out to the second mussel farm out to the left of ramp.  Ramp/parking fee was only $6 not the $10 as mentioned earlier by others.  I just bought a ramp pass from the BP station in town - never saw the old guy down at the ramp. Good ramp to launch from & it helped that there wasnt a lot of traffic down there the times i went.  Just stay clear of those mussel boats when theyre in unloading.

After having a bit of difficulty getting the boat in the right spot & attached to the mussel farm we dropped lines & were into bites str8 away & the bro-in-law hauled up a very nice trev & undersize snapper on his very first drop.  Unfortunately all of the snapper around up there at the moment seem to be on the small side but we did get a couple of keepers so had enough for a feed.  Second trip was early to mid-morning & went out to western side of Cow & Calf islands just out the harbour entrance.  The snapper were a bit better but still heaps of small ones. Took 5 back home along with 3 nice Cod.  Also got a small gurnard & small shark which went back.  Everyone up there was saying evening is the best time but it just didnt work out for me 2 get out at that time. Maybe next year!

thanks for the report junketer.  I am heading down to coromandel tomorrow  I will let you know how i get on.  It is good to know that the ramp fee has come down too .

kauabunga wrote: thanks for the report junketer.  I am heading down to coromandel tomorrow  I will let you know how i get on.  It is good to know that the ramp fee has come down too . Thanks John

No worries & good luck!

Hi, i know this is an old thread. I am new to boating and have fished 4-5 times here in Wanganui with my small 4.7m fiberglass boat.

I am planning to go to Coromandel and would anyone give me a suggestion on where to go fishing "without bar crossings"? And from previous messages are there still people who you can pay to assist with launch and retrieval of trailer boat, how does this work? Thanks

there's no bars in coromandel on the western side, only the eastern side. fishing has been a bit slow lately as is usual for this time of the year. The only place that I have had consistent reports of snapper is under the workups out in the middle. Judging by the weather at the moment that would be the last place you would want to go