Plenty of potential and promise but, at this stage, its still “endless spring”!  Not a huge amount of change from last week but certainly things look better even if they aren’t – a shame when deception rules the day!  Still some decent fishing to be had on most fronts, just take your choice.

Inshore

Snapper, everybodiy's favourite, have slipped a notch or two from their heady heights of the past fortnight.  Still some good catches in a variety of areas, depths and bottom terrain but not everyone is happy with their efforts.  Still some productive fishing for terakihi with the silversides biting well inshore, some over a kilo and a half.  Not a lot of kahawai being seen or landed but most are quality fish of near if not over three kilos.  Largest one of late nearly 3.7 – a real monster in the kahawai world.

Offshore

Despite gorgeous warm water and a reasonable amount of effort, trolling around and wide of White Island is a non event at present.  Some cobalt 21 ½ degree water says something should happen soon.  Kingi form much of the impetus at the moment with some mixed results.  Fish are either very nice sized or rats with little in between.  While most of the larger fish are 20 kilos plus, there are some real hogs among them.  Needless to say, as XOS kingfish do, most affect their escape with relative ease. 

Among those to buck the odds were Australian angler Liam Wallace (estimated 35 kilos, tagged and released) and Wellington fisho Tony Craig at 34 kilos.  Congratulations to both on their respective captures.  Deepwater bottom fishing has been quite sporadic with large gemfish the standout species by a mile.  Some of the gemmies are up to 16kgs, most between 8 and 10 – again monsters in their world.  Pup bluenose, smallish bass and average hapuka (8-15k) complete the scene.  Near White the large (5-6 kilos) trevally are feeding prolifically on krill along with rat kingis and blue mao mao, offering anglers some light tackle fun.  Hard to beat freshly chilled trevs served as sashimi.

Ranfurly Bank

Not a lot of traffic here but good results on most every species save kingfish.  After weeks of green, cold water the recent easterlies have finally bought in some beautiful 21 degree stuff – well overdue. The top of the Bank is alive with saury being fed upon by kingfish from below and all manner of bird life above – quite a sight to behold even if there aren’t many quality fish to be had out of it at the moment.  Plenty of average sized hapuka and bass – some of the latter pushing 50 kilograms.  Trolling prospects suddenly looking promising with the canyon entrance and NW corner being suspect possies.

Pelagics

Still far from scintillating but showing all the promise one could wish for.  Inshore there has been some meatball action and a few yellowfin (one at 54k’s, most much smaller) pullet out.  Plenty of bait and skippies so the stage is set – all we can do is hope for the situation to blossom.  Increasingly more marlin showing all the time with most in the 100-200 metre range, some much closer.  Hazel Gates fishing off the “Gambler” won the recent Ladies Tournament with a 113k stripee.  This fish was caught minutes after deploying the lures following an unsuccessful snapper fish at the Rurima Rocks!  Sounds like the Eastern Bays first blue was hooked, and lost, after an 800 metre run recently out wife off Waihou Bay.  So far Waihou hasn’t fired well but watch that space carefully – it’s bound to change for the better.  Plenty of albacore around but very few decent sized ones. After this current spate of easterlies we’re hoping things will improve dramatically -we can at least hope can’t we?!?!

Summary

As we hope the easterlies will improve the game fishing, the moon phase shouldn’t hurt either.  Getting away from full moon can’t be bad.  Hopefully next report will be a much improved version.  Till then……………