Some interesting changes and fishing over the past week amid near perfect conditions.  Along the coast there’s hardly been a breath of wind while up at the Kings a light easterly has kept things cool during the day and mossies away at night.  Been a pleasure being at sea over the past 12 days, ever since that wicked westerly blows – still suffering some after effects of that event.  Overall things aren’t half bad.

Doubtless Bay – Cape Karikari
Things have gone off here somewhat, although they were never red hot anyway.  Water is warm (18 ½ - 19 degrees C) but not blue – more like a clean green.  Snapper continue to bite well, especially between Houhora and the Cape.  A few kingis floating around the test the unwary/unsuspecting angler.  Small pockets of skippies around but, if you hit them stay put; it’s sometimes many miles between drinks.

Great Exhibition Bay
With little doubt, water quality improves as one moves west toward North Cape.  Some days a few marlin seen and played with around Parengarenga Canyon, other days very quiet.

Garden Patch – “505”
A few boats putting in some effort to have a look here but largely unrewarding and little better water than along the coast

North Cape - Surville Cliffs
Some interesting and productive days here followed by blank ones.  A couple decent bites on stripees with one boat getting 5 shots one day.  Best depth was 130-150 metres with plenty of skippies in the same area.  Some kingis and puka showing off the Cape with some very pretty water there although not any warmer than further down the coast.

“The Hook” – 70 Metre Rock

After a very quiet period this area along the shelf has suddenly perked up.  Several marlin have been taken at “Pedros” on the 79 metre Rock with 20 degree purple water there.  Most boats are nearly passing through, either early morning or late afternoon – would probably be a good place to put in some time.  The “Hook” has also become exciting with two boats getting 5 shots between them one afternoon recently.  Two areas that are well with a look at present.

Compass Rose – The Fingers
No traffic but judging the success of nearby “Pedros Rock” could also be well worth a look as long as the water looks ok.

Three Kings – Great Island
Nice water if not on the cold side – typical for here.  Koheru, XOS trevally and kingis all biting well at times, if not sporadically.  Koheru are an early morning exercise with plenty of large ones one day, far fewer or small ones the next.  Trevally have very good eyesight and discerning appetite, biting only the lightest of lines and smallest of hooks.  End result is usually in less than 45 seconds! 

Kingis range in size from rats to over 30 k’s – most between 13-17 kilos.  Angler Craig Walker bested a beauty from an anchored boat recently, only to tag it after a rigorous battle.  Good footwork and well done, Craig.  A smallish (but still big fish) great white shark showed up to definitely demolish two kingis – a great sight but puts on a different slant on divers in the area!

Princess Group
Highly varying water temperatures some days.  18 plus on one side of the rocks, just only 15 on the other!  Some epic sessions on XOS bruising kingis with few being landed – even on 60 kilo tackle!

Middlesex Bank
Been visited almost every day recently with identical reports.  Great water (blue and over 19), heaps of bait (both skippies and sauries), large (15-20k) albacore, great kingi and bottomfishing but no marlin.  The mystery continues, especially when one considers the plight of …………….

King Bank
On the right day it’s still the best place to apprehend a marlin but continually cooling water temps are a definite worry.  Experience skippers say to turn the temperature gauge off when fishing the Kings in the autumn but when the mercury dips below 17 and even 16 the enthusiasm wanes.  We’ve watched, painfully, the temps systematically drop each of the past 5 days (current on 25 April). 

Despite this we are still catching marlin in water only just over 16 degrees C – a big call when only miles away the temps jump up dramatically.  Still every living thing on this earth needs to eat so bait is all important.  Most of the stripees are nice fish in the 115-130 kilo category with equal numbers taken on lures and bait just lately.  Where do we go from here as far as marlin are concerned?  Very hard to tell but we have to believe some good fishing is yet ahead.

Slackening tides have contributed to some excellent kingi terakihi, the bass fishing is fabulous.  Many fish in the 30-40 kilo bracket with a few lunkers as well.  “Enchanter” angler Mike Nelson took whopper of the week award with his 64 kilo fish.  With several kingis over 30kgs, the average size of around 25 was very pleasing.  So, if marlin don’t feature there’s plenty to keep ones attention.

Summary
With gamefish still well below us (marlin at Tuts, YFT off Tolaga Bay) we have to think that the late season theory will kick in up here as well.  The cold water at the King Bank is a worry since that is the “great hope” for the late season.  At present its looking a lot like going the way of last seasons disaster – we’ll have to wait and see. 

In the meantime there’s some marlin in different places and plenty of other species to keep anglers entertained.  Soon we’ll know which way this season is going to go.  Till next week ……………………