Indian summer? Sure looks that way with the wonderful warm weather, clam seas and beautiful blue water most everywhere.  While some of the fishing hasn’t matched the superb conditions, most areas have some fishing scenarios to get the excitement levels up.  How long can we expect this to continue? Anybodies guess but judging by what we had to endure over winter, spring and even December – a long and good time ahead!

Inshore

Some good fishing here but local knowledge or a generous dose of luck is required.  The Matata/Rurima areas appear the best although history says the white sands off Ohope/Opotiki should fire soon.  Snapper still in relatively shallow (12-25m) water with some good strayline catches for those in the know.  Recent Charity Tournament (used to be the Police Tourney) dished up good numbers of reds although winning fish (nearly 7k’s) perhaps a little disappointing.  As an aside, women took out the top two snapper awards among many hundred male anglers – don’t ever underestimate them!  Lots of very nice fish in the 2-3 kilo bracket saw most pleased with their catch.  Otherwise plenty of nice Kahawai (some over 3k’s), gurnard and even terakihi.  Some nice sized porae also turning up in the catches as a bonus.  Hopefully we’ll have continued good catches right through June like last year however Te Kaha remains unusually slow and hard.

Offshore

White Island is producing the goods right across the board except for gamefish.  Water warm but not a great colour at or even near the island.  Kingis biting well still although most are real slabs – needing condition after spawning which appears to be well and truly over. Rolf Stadler nailed a nicely conditioned 28 kilo specimen to buck the odds.  Shallow water reef fish are producing well with some nice trevally in the mix.  Anastasia Volkova nailed a 6 kilo beauty among a good catch of 5k’s plus fish.  Deep water is still sporadic but more decent sized bluenose all the while.  A few gemmies, bass and puka complete this braid dominated scene.

Ranfurly Bank

Simply fabulous fishing in most every respect.  Great weather has meant boats can do anything and everything they choose.  Bottomfishing is productive on most accounts with bluenose on bite mode most of the day off the NW corner of the bank in deep (350-380m) water.  These fish are averaging 15 kilos with some much heavier – doubleheaders common.  Some good fishing for bass and hapuka as well in a wide variety of depths.  Many fish in the 30 kilo bracket of late with the best bass a 59 kilo beauty taken by Tauranga angler Shane Dufaur.  Kingi fishing just doesn’t get much better than what is showing there at present – really out of this world.  Many nice fish (25 kilo plus) if one can get through the myriad of also rans – read that rats.  Live bait, jigs, poppers, dead bait, cut bait, trolling lures – you name it and your chosen enticement will work at the moment.  Unlike White Island fish these fish are still spawning – maybe the reason for their keen activity.

Pelagics

If you’re serious then you need to go east – well east.  Not much point putting the lures in the water west of Ruakokore River.  From there east and no telling what might transpire.  Quite a few blues still around (largest lately a 268 kilo beauty taken by Gisborne trailer boat “Jasmine”) as well as stripees, spearfish, the odd yellowfin and even now mahi mahi.  A nice yellowfin (estimated at 70 kilos) was taken by “Glistening Waters” near Ranfurly Bank while supposedly all tackle tying mahi mahi (17.8k’s – huge for NZ) was taken off Lottin Point.  So it’s all there with some 22 degree water – Indian summer – you bet and we deserve it.

Summary

As you read this “PURSUIT” and her crew will be making her way toward the Far North.  We’ll be there over three months and will gladly continue reports from this prolific area during this time.  We leave the BOP in good heart and expect to hear many more good things in the near future.  In the meantime it’s up north for fresh autumn adventures.