Whangarei Harbour report.

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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote brmbrm Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26 Mar 2022 at 5:17pm
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Originally posted by MB MB wrote:

Originally posted by Reel Deal Reel Deal wrote:

what do you do with your big snaps MB. When they unfortunately can’t be released. Do you smoke? Double fillet lengthwise each side. Cook whole and flake?

This particular fish was filleted as normal. The top loins were brined and smoked whole. Lower loins cut in to fish bites across the grain. Frame will be dusted in salt/flour and fried. Wings were skinned and will be deep fried.

I don't think big snapper deserve their reputation for poor eating. I believe it stems from trying to cook a big fat fillet in the same way as a fillet from a pannie which inevitably results in some part over or undercooked. Cutting across the grain also helps to tenderise the final product.

As a point of interest, we had a "bad" snapper recently. We've eaten hundreds, if not thousands of snapper and all have been good. The fish in question was iki'ed, iced and filleted within a few hours of capture. It tasted very fishy. In retrospect, it had a thick blood line and this was the source of the bad taste. Unfortunately, we turned the whole lot in to breaded fish bites for my son and he won't touch them! We are now plodding through it ourselves. Most of it ends up in Japanese curries. With the latest big fish, I removed the blood line just to be on the safe side and it tastes great! 

Her indoors insists on me cutting out any dark meat in the snapper: says it tastes fishy.  I think it does but doesnt bother me

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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote MB Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26 Mar 2022 at 8:56pm
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I think a small amount of dark meat isn't too noticeable and I don't worry about it on smaller snapper, but when it's getting on for an inch thick, it might pay to remove it depending on your tastes and cooking style.  
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (1) Likes(1)   Quote lawabidingpoacher Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 16 Apr 2022 at 5:44pm
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Well first time out this year in boat . Mate rang friday night to see if i wanted to go for a harbor fish so thought yeah wy not. met at the obc at 9 and picked a spot over takahiwai way which i thought would be good this time of year and tide . Had anchor down by round 9.30 and with bite time from 10.30 = 12.30 and low bout 12.45 sat back and waited. Put a burley down bout 10.15 and rigged up another rod , so had one with a 5 mtr trace below a 5oz weight and another two hook ledger with a 5 oz on bottom. Only using squid for bait.. Well from 10.30 till 12.00 it was alll go , no undersize fish but we were releasing a lot in anticipation for bigger . We finished with 14 all around 38 - 40 cm . When the currant was strong the long trace was the one but as it slowed the ledger was working better . I  have four ready in brine for smoker tomorrow , and two  for fresh cooking. Yum !
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote lawabidingpoacher Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 08 May 2022 at 5:32pm
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went out for a quick land based fish last evening off Tamatarau beach ,  bite time ,tide , and change of light all lined up . squid for bait had a couple of good takes but no hook ups . A tinny came in to beach and they done well  , gave me a snapper bout 35 cm , thanks guys ! Snapper still in harbor it seems  . Has anyone got any squid yet ?
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (2) Likes(2)   Quote brmbrm Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10 Jul 2022 at 5:29pm
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Trip out from Tutukaka fishing in close.  Rare bait and berley trip for me.  Some smallish stuff plus one of 56, 82, 72 and 60 cm.  Nice condition fish - my first over 20lb I reckon: nothign to some of you guys but we all have to lose our virginity sometime.

Big ones went back.  Think I might try the B&B again then.  Old frozen KY best bait by far
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (1) Likes(1)   Quote krow Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 08 Aug 2022 at 8:09pm
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Fished all around Bream bay on Saturday & struggled but managed a feed. Son was out again today. Fished Chicks briefly but managed to jam the anchor into the capstan on its the way down and was unable to clear it so canned that. The got a few out around the 40m and a few more in off Ruakaka beach. Nothing special but a good feed for 3 families.  
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Tonto2 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 09 Aug 2022 at 7:45pm
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Any sign of the work ups that often happen this time of year off ruakaka?
slowly going where everyone else has already been
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote krow Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10 Aug 2022 at 8:04pm
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Nope. A few Jack mac bait schools about but not heaps. 
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Tonto2 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11 Aug 2022 at 3:48pm
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Ahh bugga was thinking I might come up for a weekend
slowly going where everyone else has already been
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote MB Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11 Aug 2022 at 4:48pm
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Fishing is still great if you find the fish.
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (1) Likes(1)   Quote Reel Deal Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 16 Jul 2023 at 8:51pm
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Well it finally happened after 40 years fishing I only came home with 2 small fish. TWICE! Brother in law turned up after travelling from the train at 4am. Off we went tried it all. Every trick we had and it took 2 hours to get one bite. Be=even burly bomb deployed soft baits jigs stray lines dropper rigs at various spots. Finally snagged 2 fish first day and after drowning our sorrows went out latter next day and same result. Never had such bad fishing. Even when others don’t catch we are always binning trying not to sound smug but no doubt all on here have a high level of skill and produce ….10%s. Just scratching our heads. We caught 5a or so fish each day but small. Due to 20knot winds and rough conditions didn’t get deeper than 40m 
The gods do not subtract from the allotted span of men's lives the hours spent on fishing - Assyrian Proverb
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote krow Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17 Jul 2023 at 8:51pm
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Hard to nail down but wonder if all this continuous rain has anything to do with it? My last trip couple weeks ago, struggled as well fished all my normal go to's and near all fish under 40cm (usual boat minimum). managed a few at 45m but wasn't firing there either so moved on in hopes of doing better but na. 
Bait was the winner for the last couple trips. 
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (2) Likes(2)   Quote lawabidingpoacher Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 25 Feb 2024 at 5:21pm
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First fish for ages today . Caught 2 nice snaps off onerahi wharf , and 1 off tamaterau beach . Gave one away at wharf , dropped one to me mum , and will have fish 4 tea tomorrow . All full of crabs and the small black Mussels.
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Reel Deal Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 25 Feb 2024 at 8:32pm
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Good to hear. Fish limits are happening often in harbour at the mo. I’m tempted to do an after 5pm session up the harbour. Hearing shallow better than channels past w weeks. Less sharks also 
The gods do not subtract from the allotted span of men's lives the hours spent on fishing - Assyrian Proverb
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (1) Likes(1)   Quote lawabidingpoacher Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 25 Feb 2024 at 8:48pm
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For me it's not about limits , it's about relaxing, having a beer and sharing anything i may catch with those who aren't able to catch their own
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Reel Deal Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 27 Feb 2024 at 7:21am
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Same but limits indicate the fish are there and hungry. I get enough for the week and I target what is need for different receipes. But sitting back watching the harbour and all its beauty is a nice unwind. I hear a sperm whale played around the Marsden wharf yesterday.  Sperm whale?! Don’t know if true but wouldn’t surprise me it’s a lovely backyard we have 
The gods do not subtract from the allotted span of men's lives the hours spent on fishing - Assyrian Proverb
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote MB Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 27 Feb 2024 at 7:27am
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So many fish around at the moment. The only times I've struggled is when I've pushed out to deep water only to come and catch fish back in the shallows. I will say that average size is down compared to previous years, but no complaints about numbers. 
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