Fishing Reports

After a false start during the week after Labour weekend, the snapper season has finally hit it's straps inthe last few days. The intervening six weeks of patchy results from lethargic fish has been caused by cold water being sucked down the inside of the east coast after persistent and strong south and west winds.

Water temps in the Bay have now risen to 17C and the snapper have warmed up accordingly.

The best aggregation seems to be from Mita's Foul down through to the top end orf Whale Rock. With less pilchard and anchovie schools than normal there is only minimal gannet and tern activity, and the sounder has become an essential tool. With less pelagic feed, the snapper are also holding down deep, and straylines will need heavier sinkers, and ledger rigs may give better results. Bait seems irrelevant, but whole jack mackerel will restrict the flow of smaller fish.

Out wider the fishing remains difficult. Barracoutta have made kingfish trips difficult, and even when the 'toothed ones' are absent, results have been poor.  Even the schools of rats that plagued us last season seem to have moved on, but hopefully we will see the fishery improve as the water warms up.

Hapuka are also evasive off the Bay, even on the normally reliable reefs at 200M, though the Tutukaka boats seem to have had some good trips south of the Poor Knights.

Water temps at the 200M contour were over 18C yesterday, and yielded some small albacore, and at that temperature the first yellowfin must be close, and the first marlin not far behind.

 As always drop me an email at MAJOR.TOM@xtra.co.nz if you have ant queries