Fishing Reports

It seems everywhere you go there are schools of snapper!  Bag limits are not uncommon at the moment with some really good fish in amoungst these big schools. The only slow day we’ve had was just before the last dose of strong south westers where we could see the schools but they wouldn’t feed. Typical for the conditions.

As these schools of fish move closer in we are finding the bite to much more aggressive. When we first got onto these schools back in September they were a little soft on the bite and often the light “tap tap tap” turned out to be a bigger fish. They were very tentative bites so we went down in bait size to cubes of pilchard and squid on recurve hooks and whammo! we were getting a lot more bigger fish and generally a lot more fish overall. The whole pilchard baits were only getting nipped at and often the bait would come back with bites all around the hook(s). Cubes were doing the damage.

Now the schools are a lot more solid and have moved in closer, the fish have alot more competition for the available food and are feeding aggressively. The rules seem to have gone back to text book with whole pilchards getting scoffed as well as the cube baits still doing very well. Fresh mackerel baits caught in situ are working well used as strip baits and the bigger baits, such as a whole, mackerel, although they take a little longer to get eaten, are getting some big snapper too.

Soft plastics are starting to feature more and more on board and we have some great results with the soft baits often getting the bigger fish. They are certainly getting a lot of attention form the kahawai that are following the dolphins around. Chuck a SP into one of the bird work ups out in the gulf at the moment! Whew wee – there is some fun to be had out here at the mo!

Tiri – Is going off! What more can I say. Drift the edges or anchor in the guts of the channel and you should be in. It is not uncommon to get a big snapper from in here at the moment especially if you sit it out with a burely trail.

Kawau – It is fishing well in here too with Maori Mock and the channel fishing well at the change of light. Kawau Bays’ scallops are in good nick too with plenty of them around the usual haunts. Try a drift fish over and around the Iris Shoal at the change of light after all the dredgers have gone home. Flat Rock apparently produced a few good’ns for some of our local guys the other day but it can be a real changeable spot. Plenty of reef to explore and hunt out a moocher though if you’ve the patience

Middle Gulf – Is chocka with Snapper! You can’t go wrong out here at the moment. Find the birds and find the fish.

Reports from Great Barrier are not that flash though as the vast majority of fish have moved over to this side of the gulf to spawn. That’s not say they don’t have a spawning ground over there ‘cos they do but numbers wise, this side is fishing better. Try a drift fish around The Pigeons or out off Katherine Bay.

 Behind the island should be good for the “Pukas now as they normally have a good run through here around this time of the year. Live baits and fresh cut baits are the go.

 We have bought in another boat this year to help out with getting you guys and girls out there and doing it. The PARERA is 42 ft with full walk-around decks, BBQ, Excellent ice and fish storage and a friendly Charter Connection Skipper to help you get onto the fish. Already proving popular with her $65 day trips, she is a great addition to this seasons fleet. Get on the blower and book yourself or a group for a great day out.

We have a newsletter going out this week too so if you’d like a copy just flick through an email to deepsea@clear.net.nz and you should get one in your inbox. Check out our website at www.charterconnection.co.nz to find out more, see the boats and what we get up to out there.

Be safe and don’t forget to support the Kahawai Legal Challenge in court this month in a landmark case. Go Hard team!

Damian (Damo) Clayton

The Charter Connection – Where fishing is catching!