Fishing Reports

The new boat is going well and catching fish which is what it's all about right!

Increasing water temps have hit 22C in the Gulf and sent the fish into spawning mode big time. The inshore "congregation" areas have slowed a little as the fish get it on and only feed when they need to. There is acres of "sign or marks" everywhere but just becuase you see 'em doesn' t mean you'll catch 'em.

With the local fishing being a bity patchy we have been fishing further out in the deeper parts of the Gulf with pretty good results. Little Barrier has been the pick of it with good numbers of snapper and other bottom fish being caught. The Kingfish are also in the usual places like Horn Rock and around the deeper foul.

Colville produced when the tides were smaller than 3.0m but there was alot of shark strikes in recent trips so I have left the place alone for a while. When you did get a baity to stick around on the bottom long enough it got monstered by good snapper though.

The middle gulf is fishing well under the diving gannets but first you have to find them. They are not as prolific as they were so running into a work up or spotting one on radar is more good luck than good management. When you do get into one, the action is fast and furious with snapper milling around around in mid water and taking just about anything we throw at them. This months Fishing News has a read on the very subject too.

The back of Kawau has slowed down too but if you get yourself set up in the right place with a good burley trail going you should do well. Kingfish are around the reefs like Nelson Rock, Slater Point, Fairchilds' Reef and of course Maori Rock. The Takatu coast will be worth a shot too.

A few marlin and tuna have been sighted and caught off the top of the Barrier and out behind the Mokes so it looks promising for a shot out there in the near future. A 220kg Blue was landed in the Grumpies Tournament last weekend along with YF Tuna to around 30kg. Reports of fish showing up off the northland coast are all good too.

Whangaparaoa Bay has been getting the big clean out from the longliners. 3-4 boats a day in here at the moment including the San Colville and another 60fter, running probably 6000-10000 hooks a day and pulling a ton out of it a day. Just to give you an idea of how much fish has gone west, these 2 boats have been in here for over a week and simply maths would figure that 2 ton a day for 7 days is .......that's right folks, 14 ton just from 2 boats let alone what the other few boats have been taking. They are legally entitled to be there and only have a certain amount of quota to fish but you'd think that would be some policy in place to safegaurd recreationally sensitive areas like this wouldn't ya!?

If you are in this area give it a go though as our 2 slower boats TYPEE and PARERA have been doing well  by sitting it out with the burley flowing and using fresh NZ Pillies and jack macks as bait.

DIVERSITY has a few casual dates coming up for walk on anglers so give us a call or check out the website - www.charterconnection.co.nz

Just picked up a new KOJAK custom rod designed for soft bait fishing so must dash and make a splash!

Cheers

Damo - Charter Connection - Where fishing is catching!