The strange and late nature of this season continues but don’t look at the calendar or think of moth balling the game gear – wrong!  There is plenty of opportunity remaining, make no mistake.  Failing the event of strong southerly or westerly we could expect status quo for some time to come.

Doubtless Bay

Big news remains firmly planted in the mud and connected to land – the Mangonui Wharf.  What only sometimes happens during mid and late summer is happening less than a week from “official” winter.  Schools of mixed sized pillies are forming on three sides of the wharf on incoming and high tide to draw the predatory fish and anglers alike. 

Kingis are the apex species here but usually make mincemeat of their mainly unprepared, unsuspecting would be captors.  One nice fish (18 kilos) was landed with many more (some estimated over 20k’s) lost.  Plenty of nice kahawai, JD’s and small snapper complete the picture.  Further out in the bay things don’t change a lot except for the numbers and size of the snapper.

Cape Karikari

Still the darling of Northlands marlin stakes.  Relatively little effort considering the class of and closeness of the fishing.  Here are a few recent daily stats to mull over: Nine shots between three boats with four landed or tagged, five shots between two boats with two brought boatside and seven shots among three boats.  Pretty heady stuff considering the lateness of the situation.  The size seems to have slipped a little (100-120kg) but numbers haven’t.  Favourite depths still 120-135 metres.  Further inshore snapper dominate the scene.

Parengarenga - North Cape

A few marlin here, showing themselves to those boats passing through.  Again 130-140m is the prime depth but water colour (just a blue tinge) and temp (17.5 to just over 18 degrees C) is nothing special.  Skippies conspicuous by their absence but snapper biting well off the harbour entrance in 20 metres of water.

“The Hook” – 79 Metre Rock

Water quality remains good and reasonably constant until you approach the “Rock” from the last.  No marlin seen here for sometime now.

The Fingers

Depending upon the tide, time of day and Neptune’s disposition this place can be very productive on kingis, hapuka, ‘couta or all three!  Lots of bait around with seemingly only kingis taking advantage of the situation.

Great Island – Princes’ Group

Good anchorages lately, still a few mossies but plenty of koheru, kingis, trevs, wide assortment of reef fish and a resident great white if you’re lucky.  No real size to the kingis (15-18k in the main) but plenty of them.

Middlesex Bank

Great on kingis and hapuka with the occasional bass thrown in.  Lots of bait remains with good water so the question remains – where are they?

King Bank

After just about swearing the place off here comes yet another reversal!  Nice water (blue and 19-20 degrees) up top with mega bait columns showing has attracted the attention of some marlin at long last.

“Philadelphia” boated an estimated 140 kilo black at start this off with “Reel Passion” going out for two and “Reel Awesome” going (get this) two for seven on stripees!  So it would appear they are back!  Plenty of bass, king terakihi and kingis available almost on tap.  Is this the start of a King Bank revival?  Won’t really matter too much since there soon won’t be anyone there to tell!  With so many fish “don’t below” isn’t it logical to think they’ll end up here in time?

Summary

Looks like soon we’ll be up here on our own with so many boats returning to home port, running out of charters or interest or both.  Still a lot of life here with good to reasonable mild weather.  How long can it last?  Apparently longer than the anglers! Till next week…………………