Last report of the year – my how the time has flown!  While the weather has been a bugbear of late and it would seem the pelagics are light years away it’s always a good time to reflect on the positives of the year gone by – and there have been plenty.  We’re winding up this year on a good note, certainly on the fishing front.  One only needs listen to the VHF radio to ascertain that!  Plenty of happy campers most days as they return to port.  How happy are they - Read on…..

Inshore

While this coastal band is always the backbone of our fishery for most boatees, it’s never moreso than it holiday time.  The Eastern Bay, normally a sleepy series of coastal communities is now bursting at the seams with holiday makers.  The vast majority of them will wan to wet a liner at some stage and a few miles offshore or less will be their target area.  As mentioned, most have not been disappointed with their adventures so far with many more forays planned over the next month.  The inshore arena get a hiding at this time of year with some places like Te Kaha and Waihou Bay receiving over 50% of their annual effort during two months!  Not to say the fishery can’t withstand it – it can and does!

Snapper seem to become more prolific all the while.  Still more males in the catches than females with spawning running very late – like everything else.  Can’t imagine this will be looked upon as much of a recruitment year!  Along with increased snapper action over a wide area of bottom  terrain and depths remain consistent landings of good numbers of terakihi, gurnard and kahawai.  Water colour and temp remain depressed with green and 16 plus the description.  Overheard two cray divers discussing the visibility one day on the VHF.  One said it was pretty murky, only about one or two metre vis.  The other retorted that was good – they can’t see you coming! One way to look at it!

Offshore

Relatively little pressure but suggest that will all change soon.  Kingfish and a variety of bottomfish in both deep and shallow water remain the mainstay; and may for sometime to come judging by water temps and colour.  Kingis lead the excitement stakes with plenty of rod bending, line breaking action most days.  The popular Volkner Rocks still the hotspot with excellent fishing some days, fair to good others.  Jigs are figuring more all the while, sometimes out fishing live bait on both quantity and quality.  Bronze whalers seem to have moved on which is very welcome to anglers wishing to land their catches intact.  Will be interesting to see how that situation pans out.  My prediction – just like Arnie they’ll be back!  Many fish in the 20 kilo bracket with several at or over 30 as quality size fish abound at the Volkner Isle.  Best news is many are being released to spawn at this crucial time of year.  Great to see the heavily laden females being slipped back over the side after a rugged battle followed by the obligatory photo session.  Leading the pack this past week with this scenario was Te Puke orchardist. Malcolm Cartwright with his estimated 31 kilo beauty.  Only a kilo or so behind him was mate Dick Ashton – well done guys!  The large (5-6k) White Island trevally seem like they might be ready to bite with a few token specimens taken lately.  Bluenose have really been hit and miss with great catches one day (20 or more per boat), zilch or a handful the next.  While most are pups there is the occasional nice one at 10-15 kilos among the catch.  Also some XOS gemfish included.  At 10-14k’s they earn their nickname of “stovepipe”!

Shallow water (30-50m) around the island is still productive but remains decidedly hard on terakihi.  Large pink mao mao, red snapper and porae do their best to fill the gap.  Even caught a rare (for there) trumpeter on a soft plastic recently – been interesting playing with them.  Coke (2-3 kilos) albacore are now in abundance for trollers – hopefully a precursor of much larger things to come.  Water still cool, at just over 17, down nearly 2 degrees for this time of year.

Ranfurly Bank

Little pressure, great fishing – this has been the theme for some time now, long may it last.  All species (other than bluenose for some unknown reason) are cooperating well.  Kingis, mainly smaller fish but some well over 20kgs, providing plenty of sport for either bait or jig fishermen capable of the cranking process.  Largest fish on the “Oracles” last trip was a bass of around 40k’s although there were several only a few kilos lighter in a well rounded catch – plenty of nice sized hapuka as well.  Look forward for increased pressure here in the New Year and for several months.  Lots of different species of jellyfish apparent around the bank!

Summary

The calendar year has come to a close with a lot to ponder.  Last summer season looked so good from inception but failed to deliver except along the eastern coast of Coromandel.  This season is so far behind it doesn’t bear thinking about at this stage but it could be a “sleeper”.  The old saying “late ripe, late rotten” may well pertain this time around but we’ll need to be patient to find out – nothing appears to be happening in a hurry.  In the meantime it’s steady as she goes which isn’t half bad.  Endless spring?  Only time will tell.  Will look forward to reporting back to you in the New Year with undoubtedly more revelations.  Hope all enjoy the holidays – back in about 10 days!!

 

From Pursuit

Report type: Saltwater

Report date: 29 December 06

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