Fishing Reports

“Wow! That Whale has got the baddest breath!”

That was the call when it popped up beside us, gorging itself on the meatball of Anchovies that had taken refuge under the boat. They were being rounded up into tightly packed schools by the Dolphins and Whales and out of the sky the Gannets were nailing them from above in the hundreds! They tried to hide under the boat but to no avail as the Gannets changed the angle of the dive to actually end up under us as we drifted through using jigs. Well below this action the snapper were feeding hard on the scraps that now littered the depths. Looking down into the briny it was a scene of mass Anchovy demolition with the immediate vicinity having a smelly oil slick on the surface and below a mass of glittering scales.

We were using the new Zest Jigs. These are great and work very, very well with the “assist hooks”. The Snapper were under the work ups and off the bottom as they came up the feed on the descending scraps. The Zest jigs were getting hit really hard both on the drop and on the retrieve. They didn’t stay down long at all and were working with minimal action from the anglers with some jigs even being hit when they were stationary! We pulled fish up to around 4-5 kg until the wind kicked in and the action eased away. Keep your eyes peeled for the birds working on your way out.

The Auckland channels
have really slowed down now as a lot of the fish have moved out for the cooler months and best results are coming from those fishing the change of light with a good burley trail. Close in around Rangitoto can be a good shot at this time of year for those in smaller boats and willing to brave the conditions.

The Bottom End of Waiheke
will probably be your best bet if you’re fishing in the Auckland area. Try getting in close around some of the islands and use a good burley trail to bring the Snapper around. Deploy livebaits for the few Kingfish that are still around this area. These can be drifted, set under a balloon on the surface, set near the bottom using minimal weight or slow trolled around the reefs and headlands. Pick the higher current areas if targeting the kingfish and put the small ones back. Thumb Point and around Hooks Bay should be holding a few Snapper as should around Gannet Rock. Keep an eye out for the working birds that are often north of Gannet Rock or out in The Firth. Drifting staylined baits around can work really well.

The Coromandel Coast
will be fishing well by now especially near the top and around Port Jackson if you are venturing that far. Watch the tide rip through the Colville Channel if fishing in there. I find the smaller tides to be best over here and around Channel Island. There are good fish on some of the deeper reefs including Terahiki, Golden Snapper, Blue Cod and the odd Kingfish.

Use burley to give yourself a head start and to keep the action going. Heading south a wee bit and getting in around some of the islands of The Happy Jacks can be productive too. I favour the channels in this area or the top group of islands closer to deeper water. Getting in amoungst the harvesting Mussel barges can be good too if you are after a feed of fat Snapper. Remember to keep out of the barges way. One of the best ways to make the most of this mussel soup is to drift a little way off the working barges and a little down current. Half Pillies work well as does strips of Squid.

Great Barrier
is producing a few more fish now but the weather has got in the way a bit. The deeper reefs are the places to get out to for small Hapuka, big Snapper and Kingfish, Terahiki and Golden Snapper. Closer in we like to work the edges of the weed lines and reefs, using big baits and a good burley trail. We have a few trips heading over to the island for 2-3 and 4 day trips.

These are a heap of fun fishing a semi remote location and Great Barrier makes a good base to work the Mokes from if the weather allows. These trips start at $1800 for up to 6 anglers. There are still Kingfish around the Broken Islands and the Needles and I suppose just about everywhere at the right time. Miners Reef has been producing some nice Snapper and a few Kingfish. The smaller tides are best up here.

There are many different reefs around the Barrier and they can all provide excellent fishing on the right day.

Little Barrier
is where we have been spending a lot of our time. The island can fish really well over the winter months as can a few spots we have offshore. The deeper reefs have been producing well for us on the drift when the weather allows and the jigging under the birds has been great. There are quite a few big Trevally lurking around the inshore reefs with the Snapper and big Kahawai. Small Kingfish are still turning up in the burley trail, scattering the resident bait fish population.

There are the odd bigger Kingfish in amoungst them but they are a little more elusive. Some of the open water between Kawau and Little Barrier is loaded with bait fish at the moment and eyes should be peeled for the work ups that occur. It does take a little while for the Snapper to turn up in numbers once the birds send out the signal by thumping into the water and for the scraps to get down into Snapper country, but when it all happens it is really good fishing.

A little closer to home....

Kawau has been holding good Snapper and Trevally in the reefs. Get in the current for best results or drift fish the edges of the reefs for Snapper. The big tides over the next few days may slow things down a bit, but it could be fruitful if this nasty spell of weather will move on in time.

Tiri is slowing down a wee bit now and best results are coming from the deeper reefs and drift fishing. Flasher rigs and straylined baits are working best. Three have been some good size schools of Kahawai on both sides of the Whangaparaoa Peninsula and a few of those in the know have been doing well on the Snapper off some of the bays and shallow reefs. The change of light is best using a burley or drifting using ½ Pillies or strip baits. No really big fish but there are some nice eating fish about.

Give us a bell on 09 4240607 or the boats on 021 244 6346 if you are keen on getting into a few. You can also email us at deepsea@clear.net.nz

1 large bottle of Listerine for that Whale thanks.

Damian