Fishing Reports
FISHING REPORT 9.02
A rather tough weather pattern lately has made the fishing hard. Just getting out has been difficult. It’s been pretty typical though over the last year. We all hope the coming summer will be a bit kinder.
When we have been out, contending with a large ground swell and/or dirty water has not helped. No shortage of red cod and spiney dogfish. Surfcasters have fared a bit better with the gale northwesters making conditions good on the south coast and Wairarapa clean and fishable.
The water temp has been up to 12 degrees with the northerly and down to 9.5 with the southerly. Through October the blue moki and gurnard normally turn up for surfcasters and groper for boaties. Through November the snapper and kingies start to be a bit more consistent.
DEEPWATER FISHING
WEST - There have been good numbers of groper, although only small ones caught out wide. Hunters bank has been producing a few but out wide from hunters, fisherman’s, makara, 78mtr rise etc etc have been very good from time to time. The bigger pukas come back in October from the spawn. The west coast fishes best after xmas and well into early winter. SOUTH - Nicholsons trench starts producing first for the season. The best time to fish trench is October through to December. That’s for groper, bass and bluenose. When the groper move on after xmas the bluenose fire well into Feb/March , then things often go quite. The eastern end (both sides) of the trench are the best for puka in 200 – 250metres of water depth. Average size of puka is normally 25 – 35lb with the odd 40 – 50lber and occasional 60lb + specimen. The bass get to over 100lb and now is a good time for them. A friend of mine caught a good haul of bass a few weeks ago up to around 65lb at the trench. Since then he has had done 5 trips for slim pickings. Bluenose have not really been firing of late. The water has often been dirty which has made fishing hard. We did manage about a 25/30 lber out from Island bay recently while we were trying to catch hoki (for research). INSHORE BOATFISING
SOUTHCOAST – Good tarakihi fishing along the island bay coast line. Haven’t heard much from baring head or terakerei but the fishing is always good down there as long as the water is clean. We had a modest catch of blue cod (a dozen legals) off Houghton bay a couple of weeks ago. We were fishing in 25 metres. The better cod and tarakihi fishing in that area is in 35 – 45mtrs but it depends on how much tide you have running and how windy it is. If there is not too much wind we fish deeper. Under 15 knots then it’s off to Terakerie for the ‘muntas’, over 15 knots then it’s off to Island bay for a bit of shelter. The tide is often 2 hours early at Island bay so catching that turn is important. WESTCOAST – it’s been tough, curse the north wester! Red cod and spineys have taken over many reefs up and down the coast. When the water has been clean the tarakihi, school groper and blue cod have been good. Last trip to hunters we bagged 4 school puka and a stash of good tarakihi and blue cod. Haven’t been as many trevally around this last year although you hear of the odd good catch. Heard a whisper one or two snapper are turning up around kapiti. Quite a few may have stayed through the winter anyway. The first kingi of the season will probably turn up from hunters or the boulder bank (nth end of kapiti) shortly. Plenty of blind eels at boom rock. WELLINGTON HARBOUR
This has probably been the most consistent fishing place of late. I don’t often say this. Heaps of kahwai have been present. Evans bay, Ngaranga and Kaiwharawhara have all been good. Pillies have been taking flies (especially green ones) off the overseas terminal for quite a while now. It is good timing to stock up on bait. A 20lb salmon was caught there a couple of weeks ago. Have heard of a couple of schooly snapper taken in Evans bay last week – probably along Cobham drive. Over the next month there should be some good snapper fishing in that area. The gurnard fishing has been an on/off affair. Just when you think it’s starting to fire, they go off the bite. Have heard of a few elephant fish caught around Seatoun, Falcons shoals and south of the Ward island beacons. The locals have discovered how good a jig tied onto the bottom of a flasher rig can be on kahwai and other species. The local fishos have been discovering how effective a jig tied onto the bottom of a flasher rig can be on kahwai (as well as other species)
SURFCASTING AND ROCKFISHING
Probably the most consistent fishing has been on the beach. There have been plenty of good days for fishing the south coast and wairarapa of late. Good numbers of moki have been caught west of Sinclair head and a few east of the harbour entrance. The moki fishing should improve over the next 2 months. Lets hope it’s another season of some real monsters. The last two seasons have seen fish over 8kgs taken. Spotty sharks (rig, lemonfish) have been most consistant for keen (staunch) fishos. These fish fight well, taste good and a offer a fair challenge to catch. Key points to catch them: cray or crab tied on with cotton for bait, be prepared to night fish (although white rock and the spit at western lakes produce during the day as well as after dark), have a big cast up your sleeve, a high tide can be better. Spots - Wainuiomata beach, Te Ikamaru bay, tora and Oteranga bay all fish well at times. A few nice gurnard are getting caught but not as many as expected. Still early in the season though. Haven’t heard of any trevally around. White rock, pencarrow and teIkamaru all good spots for these. Had a report from boom rock – blue cod and tarakihi but generally hard fishing. Plenty of blindies. Good timing for a trevally and a few tarakihi off the south end rocks of makara beach – 1/O hooks, night fishing the high tide, big cast.
Charter bookings as at 25.9.02
When I am booked Dave or John Morrison will be running the 2nd boat ………Pete October Sat 5/10 – awesome booked full day Destiny available – west coast Sunday 6/10 – surfcasting trip – full day – target fish - spotty sharks, moki, gurnard, trevally Awesome available for charter - trench/inshore Sat 12/10 Awesome booked morning Available afternoon – sharecost trip - $120 pp or group booking $1200 Destiny available – west coast – snapper/kingfish/tarakihi/groper Sunday 13/10 Lambo booked full day Awesome available – trench/inshore Saturday 19/10 Awesome booked full day Geisha 50ft salthouse available - sharecost half day $100 plus tackle -full day $150pp plus tackle – depart wgtn Sunday 20/10 Awesome booked full day Geisha available Thurs 24/10 Lambo booked morning only Sat 26/10 Awesome booked full day Geisha available, no destiny this w/end Sund 27/10 Lambo booked full day (2 spots avail for boatcity competition) $180pp plus tackle Awesome booked full day Geisha avail Monday 28/10 Lambo booked full day Awesome available Sat 2nd nov Awesome booked full day Dest avail Sun 3rd Surcasting trip – half day morn and evening – places avail $75pp plus tackle Awesome available Sunday 10th nov Awesome booked (tentatively)
DEEPWATER FISHING
WEST - There have been good numbers of groper, although only small ones caught out wide. Hunters bank has been producing a few but out wide from hunters, fisherman’s, makara, 78mtr rise etc etc have been very good from time to time. The bigger pukas come back in October from the spawn. The west coast fishes best after xmas and well into early winter. SOUTH - Nicholsons trench starts producing first for the season. The best time to fish trench is October through to December. That’s for groper, bass and bluenose. When the groper move on after xmas the bluenose fire well into Feb/March , then things often go quite. The eastern end (both sides) of the trench are the best for puka in 200 – 250metres of water depth. Average size of puka is normally 25 – 35lb with the odd 40 – 50lber and occasional 60lb + specimen. The bass get to over 100lb and now is a good time for them. A friend of mine caught a good haul of bass a few weeks ago up to around 65lb at the trench. Since then he has had done 5 trips for slim pickings. Bluenose have not really been firing of late. The water has often been dirty which has made fishing hard. We did manage about a 25/30 lber out from Island bay recently while we were trying to catch hoki (for research). INSHORE BOATFISING
SOUTHCOAST – Good tarakihi fishing along the island bay coast line. Haven’t heard much from baring head or terakerei but the fishing is always good down there as long as the water is clean. We had a modest catch of blue cod (a dozen legals) off Houghton bay a couple of weeks ago. We were fishing in 25 metres. The better cod and tarakihi fishing in that area is in 35 – 45mtrs but it depends on how much tide you have running and how windy it is. If there is not too much wind we fish deeper. Under 15 knots then it’s off to Terakerie for the ‘muntas’, over 15 knots then it’s off to Island bay for a bit of shelter. The tide is often 2 hours early at Island bay so catching that turn is important. WESTCOAST – it’s been tough, curse the north wester! Red cod and spineys have taken over many reefs up and down the coast. When the water has been clean the tarakihi, school groper and blue cod have been good. Last trip to hunters we bagged 4 school puka and a stash of good tarakihi and blue cod. Haven’t been as many trevally around this last year although you hear of the odd good catch. Heard a whisper one or two snapper are turning up around kapiti. Quite a few may have stayed through the winter anyway. The first kingi of the season will probably turn up from hunters or the boulder bank (nth end of kapiti) shortly. Plenty of blind eels at boom rock. WELLINGTON HARBOUR
This has probably been the most consistent fishing place of late. I don’t often say this. Heaps of kahwai have been present. Evans bay, Ngaranga and Kaiwharawhara have all been good. Pillies have been taking flies (especially green ones) off the overseas terminal for quite a while now. It is good timing to stock up on bait. A 20lb salmon was caught there a couple of weeks ago. Have heard of a couple of schooly snapper taken in Evans bay last week – probably along Cobham drive. Over the next month there should be some good snapper fishing in that area. The gurnard fishing has been an on/off affair. Just when you think it’s starting to fire, they go off the bite. Have heard of a few elephant fish caught around Seatoun, Falcons shoals and south of the Ward island beacons. The locals have discovered how good a jig tied onto the bottom of a flasher rig can be on kahwai and other species. The local fishos have been discovering how effective a jig tied onto the bottom of a flasher rig can be on kahwai (as well as other species)
SURFCASTING AND ROCKFISHING
Probably the most consistent fishing has been on the beach. There have been plenty of good days for fishing the south coast and wairarapa of late. Good numbers of moki have been caught west of Sinclair head and a few east of the harbour entrance. The moki fishing should improve over the next 2 months. Lets hope it’s another season of some real monsters. The last two seasons have seen fish over 8kgs taken. Spotty sharks (rig, lemonfish) have been most consistant for keen (staunch) fishos. These fish fight well, taste good and a offer a fair challenge to catch. Key points to catch them: cray or crab tied on with cotton for bait, be prepared to night fish (although white rock and the spit at western lakes produce during the day as well as after dark), have a big cast up your sleeve, a high tide can be better. Spots - Wainuiomata beach, Te Ikamaru bay, tora and Oteranga bay all fish well at times. A few nice gurnard are getting caught but not as many as expected. Still early in the season though. Haven’t heard of any trevally around. White rock, pencarrow and teIkamaru all good spots for these. Had a report from boom rock – blue cod and tarakihi but generally hard fishing. Plenty of blindies. Good timing for a trevally and a few tarakihi off the south end rocks of makara beach – 1/O hooks, night fishing the high tide, big cast.
Charter bookings as at 25.9.02
When I am booked Dave or John Morrison will be running the 2nd boat ………Pete October Sat 5/10 – awesome booked full day Destiny available – west coast Sunday 6/10 – surfcasting trip – full day – target fish - spotty sharks, moki, gurnard, trevally Awesome available for charter - trench/inshore Sat 12/10 Awesome booked morning Available afternoon – sharecost trip - $120 pp or group booking $1200 Destiny available – west coast – snapper/kingfish/tarakihi/groper Sunday 13/10 Lambo booked full day Awesome available – trench/inshore Saturday 19/10 Awesome booked full day Geisha 50ft salthouse available - sharecost half day $100 plus tackle -full day $150pp plus tackle – depart wgtn Sunday 20/10 Awesome booked full day Geisha available Thurs 24/10 Lambo booked morning only Sat 26/10 Awesome booked full day Geisha available, no destiny this w/end Sund 27/10 Lambo booked full day (2 spots avail for boatcity competition) $180pp plus tackle Awesome booked full day Geisha avail Monday 28/10 Lambo booked full day Awesome available Sat 2nd nov Awesome booked full day Dest avail Sun 3rd Surcasting trip – half day morn and evening – places avail $75pp plus tackle Awesome available Sunday 10th nov Awesome booked (tentatively)
Pete Lamb Fishing LtdReport type: Saltwater
Report date: 02 October 02
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