Fishing Reports

May has been a curious month, with a good patch of marlin out off the Bay but few clients, and thus few boats out chasing late season 'beakies'. Water temps out wide are still up around 18C, but the cool southerlies this week has seen the water drop to 16.5 inside the Bay.

 Despite the cooler temperature, plenty of 'pannies' are being taken by snapper fishermen, and a good patch with bigger fish has taken up station around Capstan Rock. Best fishing has been with straylines in water under 20M.

 With June now upon us, much of our attention turns to kingies, with the Whangaroa Light Tackle this weekend, and the Bay of Islands International starting the following Sunday.

 There are certainly plenty of 'rats' around, mostly outside the Islands, along the reef structures from 40M to 70M. Although few of these fish are takeable, they certainly provide some extra excitement to snapper trips, taking cut baits quite readily.Bigger kingies have moved in off most the usual spots around Cape Brett and the Cavallis, but huge schools of  blue koheru, trevally, and kahawai are keeping them fussy. Some patience is ceratinly needed, and live baits need to be in first class condition to tempt these bigger fish. Once hooked, the rewards are certainly there, with many of these fish tipping the scales over 20kg

Once the weather clears we will be able to start our usual winter hapuka trips, and hopefully we will be able to report on the hapuka prospects in the next report.

As always, drop me an email at MAJOR.TOM@xtra.co.nzif you have any queries