Fishing Reports

Here is the latest rundown for Mercury Bay and the Mercury/Alderman islands.

Deepwater

"Stingray" has spent most of its trips lately out in the deeper water chasing Kingis and Hapuka, when weather allowed, which was not often !!

Plenty of kingis in the 7- 14 kg bracket falling to our preferred deep water method of Japanese long jig. Any colour as long as its 400 gram.The 300 gram or less are just too lite and by the time you get down in 100 m of water the angle is hopeless.Many structures in the 80 -120 m bracket are holding kingfish until November or early December, when the bulk will move back inshore, where some are showing already around Ti Paki point etc.

Hapuka are in these same areas, as they come in a bit to spawn, and can also be jigged, as long as you keep your jig very close to the bottom. This is very good for the tackle shop owners too as you snag very easily!!!We are also getting them on baits of course , around 9-13 kgs being the most common size this season, not helped by some increased long(drop) lining in our area by a commercial boat.The Black Magic, Puka rigs are by far the easiest  and most effective of the ready made rigs. We also add a lumo squid over the hook to enhance things, and give you a shot even if your baits have been flogged!!

Inshore

Inshore snapper is finally picking up as the snapper come back in from offshore to aggregate on the sand / mud before heading off to spawn in the Firth of Thames of Hauraki Gulf, so the Boffins say.One things for sure they certainly bugger off somewhere to do it in Dec/ January!!!

Good spots seem to be any area of sand on a main Highway thru here i.e. through Old man, to bumper and out to the "Puddle" west of Gt Mercury Island. Although patchy all thru, 30 metres seems to be a reliable depth. Local expert John Ellwood on his boat the "Whai"  apparently put a customer on to a snapper of 14 kilos or so in the last week or so, drifting out west on the sand.

Terakihi have been a bit scarce in 25-35 metres where we usually find them, but others have been doing well in 15 metres right on the sand /foul edge of course.Other time we are on top of them and can't get a bite. If that happens just keep changing bait options and go down in bait size and trace diameter to try and get them going.Mussels got them going the other week when nothing else worked, and so did trevally cubes.

Scallops are in top condition, but finding a bed that isnt weedy or heavily fished is getting harder as everyones given them a good going over already this season.

Boat Maintenance after winter

Remember to get your boat in good order before going out if you are one of those people who doesn't fish the winter. Our third world N.Z. fuel goes off quickly and can ruin  a good motor very prompty, as can any water in the fuel, so check it out or get a boat mechanic to do it for you.The only reason cars dont give us all more grief,is that we use them all the time!!! If you manual says you can use 91 Octane fuel , then use it , as it has more anti-Oxidant in it to increase boating shelf life.25 years of spannering cars and boats(my other job) has taught me that most boating failures are fuel or battery related, so how about checking that old battery while you're at it.?

Good Fishing

Andy Kerr

Stingray Charters-Whitianga