Fishing Reports

 

With so much rain around at the moment it’s a wonder there is any salt left in the sea! Still I suppose it is washing a bit of feed onto some of the inshore reefs for us. That is pretty much where we have been fishing during the past few weeks. In close with a good berley trail going seems to be working alright when we can’t get out to some of our deeper spots on the foul. When we have been able to get to places like Flat Rock and Takatu the fishing has been patchy. You do well one day but go back the next with high expectations only to find it quite hard going. The bonus though is the Terahiki that are starting to show up. I find they tend to hang on the flat areas of foul and best targeted with small hooks and small baits. Some fishers swear by shellfish baits and these do seem to be a favourite lunch for these tasty table fish. However, if the area you are fishing is quite deep then try salting the Pipis or Tuatuas down with some sea salt to help firm them up and stay on the hook. This can be a bit time consuming so we use small triangles of squid with much the same result. Slack water (change of tide) seems to be best, as the current is considerably less and the Terahiki feed better. The Snapper we have been catching are in pretty good condition and sporting a good layer of fat under the skin. The stomachs have been full of whelks, small periwinkles and a host of other shellfish and crab claws. It is in areas where this sort of food source is available to the fish that we have been fishing. Try around points and headlands near some sandy bays as the current can often build up small banks full of tucker near the entrance to bays. One spot we fish has a deep gut running around the edge of the reef and at the end of the gut is a small rise that was holding fish and no doubt will again. Another method to try is to hunt around the edge of a major reef structure where it meets the sand. I have found the Snapper like to graze around these edges, feeding on the whelks and periwinkles. Areas like behind Tiri, around Shag and Shearers Rock, would be a good place to start or perhaps the outside edges of some of the reefs around the Noises and the Ahaahas. Remember to pack a good supply of berley though as the fish may require some motivating in this colder weather. It is also important to put the berley where the current will carry it back into the area you are fishing and not away from where you are fishing. We have been using a small longline with pretty good results around some of the above locations too. We set it and then fish near it for a few hours with a good berley trail. It quite often catches more fish than the anglers and can turn a hard day into a productive day whilst adding interest and something different for the fishers. It is always a bit of a kick hauling the line in and feeling the thumps and nods of the fish on the line. Quite often the bigger fish are caught this way as they are not spooked by the splashing and retrieval of a cast bait. If you want to check out how we do it just give us a call. The Forum Users trip to Great Barrier on THOMCAT was undertaken in breezy conditions somewhat limiting our options and after a winch failed us a few times we were left with even fewer options. It really guts me when the gear lets you down. The boys all caught fish of course but I was not happy with the result and will be shouting them a heavily discounted day out on the Gulf to make up for the minor inconveniences of the trip. Great to meet some of the gang we had not met before too. We have a few upcoming events in the pipeline one of which is an Inter-Boat Fishing Competition using MATANGI and TEREHU. The basic idea is to get around 20 anglers, divide them into 2 teams and head out for the day. The heaviest fish wins a small cash prize taken from a kitty. Both boats will fish the same area and travel at the same speed. The trips will be heavily discounted and there will be a few of them coming up so keep your eyes and ears open. Register your interest now if you like by email or just give us a call. Speaking of email and things to do with computers, we had a bit of a crash the other day and lost a few address and other important files. We were in the process of updating our records so I suppose it came at good time. If you would like to be sent newsletters, special offers and promotions, or be included on the “casuals list” please contact us with your details so we can keep you informed. Contact us at deepsea@clear.net.nz or on the phones: 09 4240607 or 025 2446346 Don’t forget we have 2 options for Barrier Trips and can also do day trips to Little Barrier, Anchorite and other reefs and over to the Cape on THOMCAT. She is quite fast and very stable being a cat so makes a great fishing platform. We are also trying to organise a Broadbill trip out behind the Barrier on REEL PASSION and if your keen on a 2-3 day trip away then give us a bell. WE have just organised a Puka trip on her for the Forum Users on this site and will post the results of that trip in the next report. Until then – Tight lines

 

From A Charter Connection...

Report type: Saltwater

Report date: 01 August 03