Fishing Reports

For those of us who are fishing (or trying to) everyday the westerly wind is becoming wearisome.  By all accounts we better get used to it as there’s plenty more to come!  In spite of this nuisance value there’s still some pretty decent fishing to reward those going forth.  While water quality is generally poor most everywhere, temperatures vary widely.  We’ve noted mainly 15-16 degrees C but have seen 17.7 off Waihou Bay recently only to plummet to an incredibly frigid 12.8 by the time we got to Lottin Point!  Early start to the game season?  Think again.

Inshore
Pretty much the same with two changes, both welcome improvements.  Pan sized snapper are trying, in vain so far, to steal the show.  Terakihi still remain an important part of “bag filling” – vital in fact.  One interesting change has been the movement, if however slowly, of larger (to 12lbs) snapper into shallower water around the Rurimas. 

Some very savvy stray liners have recently capitalised on this with slow but steady catches of nice sized fish.  These fish are well “roe uped” as they advance toward the spawning trigger of 18 degrees C.  At this point this may not happen until much later next month.  The fish will need to wait a while yet for this all important phase of their season. 

Matata (30m) has been fishing well as far has 30 to 40 metres of water off Ohope Beach.  A bonus off Ohope has been some very nice sized gurnard to compliment the pan sized snapper.  Decent sized kahawai are snaffling up what’s remaining of the whitebait run.

Offshore
Pretty much status quo except kingis have become a little more hit and miss with terakihi more consistent.  When you do come across the kingis on the bite it’s awesome with bent rods all around and good fish among them.  They seem to be fighting well above their weight at present as they approach their best condition of the year leading into spawning.  Some epic, well fought battles culminate with a 20 kilo fish boat side after everyone thought the fish would have been 10 kilos heavier judged by the struggle. 

Again, and more now than ever, nice to see the vast majority of these fish returned to the water to do their thing.  Largest of the week went to Aucklander Steve Ross with a lovely 31 ½ kilo fish followed closely by fishing mate Scott Malcon.  Scotty, an Albany Fish City employee, made the promise to cut his curly locks if he landed a kingi over 30k’s!  He did just that after a tough fight utilising a 200 gram knife jig.  Well done to both anglers. 

Meanwhile the bluenose have also been on again/off again with good catches one morning followed by mediocre to poor results the next.  Seems like when they do bite well the quality is a notch better as well.  After an unseasonal absence it would appear all is forgiven on the terakihi front with some nice catches made on predominantly good sized fish – some over 2 kilos with doubleheaders now common.  Water still cool (16 degree C) but cleaning up daily.

Ranfurly Bank
We don’t know where they’ve been but it’s nice to see the hapuka return in big numbers.  After several months “hiatus” they are now in good strengths at seemingly all depths from 40 all the way to 200 metres and beyond.  Nice average size with several tipping the 30k more recently.  While trumpeter all illusive, there’s good support from bass and king terakihi.  “Whopper of the week” was landed by Auckland realtor Ray Love with his 47 kilo beast followed closely by Grant Parker with two of nearly the same weight. 

A few decent sized kingis complete this scene with some very nice water (blue and 17 plus) just to the NW of the bank, easily the best water anywhere in the region with noone to explore its virtues at the moment.  Inshore a few hapuka and snapper make up a good bill o faire with many reds of 12lbs plus around East Island.  All in all a very productive scene down east even if the westerly flow makes life difficult here.

Summary
While we’re getting used to the wind in inherent sloppy conditions – a fact of life at the moment.  Every day is like a day at the gym doing isometric exercises interspersed by several scenes out of a “matrix” movie!  If you want to brave the conditions however the rewards are there.  Till next week……………………