Fishing Reports

Geez! the fishing has become patchy. Into them one day with gannets, whales and dolphins going hard out on the schools of pilchards out in the Gulf and when you go back the next day - Zip, nada, zilch! We then have to pack in that game plan and go hunting for another option. Water temps are down around 15-16C at Little Barrier and further south in the Gulf they are only 16C too.

Tiri is providing a few fish for our local boats but it it not fast and furious and often one boat will luck in and others miss out. Along the edges of the channel seems to be best as long as the tide is runing. Around the back of Tiri there are a few on the reefs but overall it is hard going in here.

Out in the middle gulf there are fish under the working birds as I mention but they are not there like they have been and the work ups aren't lasting for long and becoming really concentrated like they were a month ago.

Little Barrier has produced some good catches but this too has slowed over the past 2 weeks. The deeper reefs seem to be best but you need some reasonable weather to fish them and reasonable weather is something we have not had much of lately.

Colville has been OK with a few good days in there when the tides haven't been to big. The foul off Port Jackson fished well on a recent trip with snapper to 6 kg popping up regularly until the sharks moved in. Small kingfish are under the kahawai around Channel Is and the odd snapper are showing up along the edge of the foul and we got a few off the shallower foul hard up aginst the rock but nothing write home about.

The water will get warmer and the fishing will improve but for now you have exercise some patience and burley up.

We are fishing all through the holiday period as usual so if you want to get out then just flick us an email or give me a ring on 021 2446346. Check out www.charterconnection.co.nz to find out more.

Cheers

Damian (Damo) Clayton

The Charter Connection - Where fishing is catching!