Fishing Reports

The amount of "sign" showing up in the 30-50m area at the moment is huge. There are some huge schools around and early mornings are the go to get onto them . They tend to lift off the bottom after breakfast and hang in midwater, not feeding, unless - they are found under a work up. Speaking of which, we have had some monumentus fishing for early season under some of these work ups. Dolphins rounding up the big schools of pilchards and smashing them to bits while the gannets launch in from the sky above. Whales spouting and even hanging around the boat for 1/2 an hour is not uncommon either.

Closer in and around the rocks the are some good snapper being taken. Get right in close and set up a burley flowing with the tide and wind and you should be away. It's amazing where you'll find them. We fished a spot the other day with a small group that everyone (in ten years I've never seen a boat there -well not fishing anyway) seems to drive past. We gave it a good session for about 4 hours and pulled about 20 nice fat pannies out of there and dropped a goodin on 6kg. With Aucklands' large fishing fraternity giving the gulf a good work over every year it pays to think outside the square a wee bit sometimes.

Still a bit patchy at Little Barrier over the weekend although I stuck to the more proven deeper reefs and did have wind against tide for the most part of our day. There is plenty of sign in the Gulf on the way out there but the conditions didn't suit lurking around on the day.

Flat Rock and along the back of Kawau has been improving over the last few weeks and there is alot of sign showing up in the Whangaparaoa Bay area. Big schools of slimey macks are holding in the usual place but so far the snapper haven't found them. When they do it can be all go catching snapper and slimys on the same drop. What more could you want- the best snapper bait there is coming up with the target species- too good!

Tiri has been improving and the worm beds are producing more and more by the day so the local fishers will be into it soon. There are fish down off the East Coast Bays and fishing the change of light should produce. There is a big worm bed out off the Weiti Rivermouth and I have been hearing of good numbers of fish coming from there and further down the bays. a drift fish in 16-18m at the change of light should let you know if it's worth persuing.

Great Barrier has slowed down now as the fish move onto the spawning grounds. The hapuka should be running off Arid and on some of the other spots out here. The back of the Mokes should have a few on it and some goes for Cuvier if you can get the weather right. Live baits are the go for this style of fishing so make sure you spend the time to get them for the best results. Puka are not fussy eaters so most livies will get the attention.

The snaps are on so get into it. For any enquiries and info you can check out the website- www.charterconnection.co.nz or flick us and email at deepsea@clear.net.nz or give us bell anytime on 021 2446346 best or at home on 09 4240607.

Sharp hooks, fresh bait, the right place at the right time and a bit of concentration. You're in!

Damian (Damo)

The Charter Connection - Where fishing is catching!