Fishing Reports

 

As a famous All Black has stated on many occasions, it was a game of two halves. That is how the fishing has been over the last two weeks. We have gone from being SKUNKED! and catching nothing worth taking home in pretty rough conditions, to really getting some excellent fishing over the period. To start on a low note, we promised not to talk bull in the reports and jeopardise our credibility. So here you have it. It is the first time it has happened, but Ray and his very patient group, had a real bad day out with only a few small fish caught and released during the day (7 July). It was blowing 40-50 knots of north west and there was not a lot of options and the fish just wouldn’t feed. Even a good burley trail didn’t help. Ray has fished with us a few times and normally does well, but I guess you have to take the good with the bad. After a bit of dirty weather earlier in July and after that crushing defeat, we were hungry to get onto good fish. And we did. The next week started off slowly with a group fishing out of the wind on the northern side of Whangaparaoa, on a few of the deeper pins and foul. Wasn’t a great result but they went home with about 20 reasonable snapper and a few others. Things were to improve in a major way! Mr Ching and his group, fished with us on 16 July, in good conditions and nailed a bag limit. We started on a patch of rubble in the current and pulled about 30 pannies from it before the tide went slack. A move to the deeper spots around Shearers Rock was the next option. It went off and we pulled 60 more, real nice snapper, all around the 4lb mark and better. They were as stoked as I and booked again for two days later. The next day was the Forum Users Charter from this site. A great bunch of guys, all good anglers and passionate about sport fishing. It was great to put a face to the names of some of the people that make contributions to the discussions we have. If you are not already having a go in the forums, give it a try. You might end up on the next charter too. Anyway to make a story even longer the trip was organised, the weather shaped up to be as good as it gets and we got way nice and early heading towards Flat rock. After having a quick look over a patch of deeper foul and seeing nothing I would stop on, a move was made for the drop offs in close to the island. A good burley trail was established and the fishing started. 2 hours later we only had 4 snapper and a kahawai on board. Not happy with the lack of action, from a spot that has produced big fish for me in the past, we moved to a deeper patch of foul for the remainder of the tide. Everything under 35cm went back and I believe the tally was 65 Snapper to about 5.5 lb, 11 terhiki to about 3.5 lb, 3 gurnard and Graham Trumans 6.5lb crayfish! It is not very often you land a crayfish on a hooked bait. I know divers that have never seen a 6.5lb cray! The group was happy with the result and plans are being hatched for another trip. We would like to thank the people that put up the prizes for the day. Thanks to the Manukau Sport fishing Club for the family membership, AC for the burger vouchers and Graham from Eastern Engineering for the cap and shirt prizes. If you wish to make a contribution or sponsor a prize for the next trip just give us a bell. The date of the next trip will be posted in the forum in the near future. We are also looking at doing a ladies day, so if you are man enough to let her catch a bigger fish than you, how about forwarding the idea to the love of your life. Just think what could happen if she got hooked on the sport. The next day was Mr Chings’ 2nd trip of the week and wouldn’t you know it we nailed 75 good snapper all around the 4lb – 6 lb mark in the first hour. The first 75 came from the same spot we fished at Shearers 2 days before. As soon as the tide went slack though, it was all over. We spent the next 3 hours trying to catch the last 6 snapper we needed for another bag limit! The FRS and lolago squid was the rig and bait combo we used on these 2 days out here. The pilchards were just getting to the bottom and getting savagely ripped from the hooks without a good hook up rate. The VMC recurve hooks were the stickiest of them all and the more I use them, the more I believe they are one of the best hook brands available. The fish had better look out if everyone cottons on to them! Mr Ching booked again for the next day! The group didn’t enjoy the success of the two earlier trips but still went away with a feed of snapper and other species. The fish had moved off the reef and gone out to deeper water I think and we ended up chasing pannies, out over some foul behind Tiri. About 40 snapper, all around the 30cm – 36cm mark. Disappointing after such a good week, but 350 snapper for the week aint too bad for July! We will spending a lot more time over the next 6-8 weeks up around Kawau and in the islands to the south of Kawau, as the fishing around Tiri will start to slow down. There is a huge amount of fishable territory up this way and plenty of options should the weather get a bit nasty. We may have to work a bit harder to get a few fish, but you can’t have it good all year. Just think, it is only 14 weeks till October and when things really start to fire up again. Mmmm, 14 weeks that is only 98 days, or 98 berley trails set for a big winter moocher. The weather may even settle down into a better sort of behavior and let us spend some of those still August mornings, getting into the Snapper and other reef species from some of our favourite turf. If you wish to get out for the day or even an early morning or afternoon fish give us a tinkle on 09 4240607 or 025 2446346. Join in the discussions in the forums or email us deepsea@clear.net.nz. Cheers All Damian THE CHARTER CONNECTION

 

From A Charter Connection...

Report type: Saltwater

Report date: 22 July 02