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Fishing ReportsEastern Bay of PlentyThis season just gets better but it still feels like we’re only scratching the surface with much better things to come. Tuna fishing, while not red hot every day, is become a feature yet again. It’s great to hear anglers talking about how many, how big and where – dare I say it just like the “good ole days”! The weigh masters are being summoned regularly every afternoon, sometimes having to make themselves available for many hours – great! While it’s too early to think about an assault on the Whakatane’s record of over 1000 YFT weighed for the season, at the current rate it’s a possibility.
Inshore
Little change since last report, and anyway, with everything else that’s going on – who cares?
Offshore
Kingi fishing has slowed down with smaller (14-18k) fish on a more inconsistent basis. The few big fish that have been hooked tend to get sharked – particularly at the Volkners. Large trevally (4-5 ½ kilos) are playing the game with lots of light tackle fun in close proximity to the island. Deepwater hit and miss just lately – mainly the latter. Water temp (nearly 20) and colour (purple) are drawing superlatives from divers and fishermen alike.
Ranfurly Bank
Despite little traffic (maybe because of it) the fishing on the bank is nothing short of fabulous. Seems like everywhere one goes at the moment there are fish waiting with mouths agape! Hapuka and kingis are very keen to please and in a number of areas. Where prior to Christmas mainly or only bass existed has now turned to a puka only convention. My what a difference two weeks can make. Not only are these hapuka biting exceptionally well and in a wide variety of depths (50-240m) but there are some very nice sized fish. Many are in excess of 20 kilos with a surprising number between 30-40! Tony Breen of Auckland just eclipsed a number of his mates that was two pillies short of the magic 40. Landing the only bass but a very respectable one at 47 was Glen Kik, also from the Big City. Even a few beaut bluenose (20 plus) are crashing the party in water shallower than they are normally seen. Kingis also turning on the heat with most somewhat lean in a post spawning state. The usual hoards of rats prove difficult to get through, even with larger bait and jigs. A few fish in the 20’s and one at 30 (Craig Johnson) made it past their smaller brethren and the makos – a fair few of them up in the shallows wreaking havoc on anything they can get their jaws around. Overall a brilliant picture.
Pelagics
Just inside the western arm of the trench (NE Whale Island) is where a reasonable population of YFT have shown up. Early morning (until 0930) remains the best time with dribs and drabs thereafter. The fish cover a wide range of sizes with increasingly more smaller fish and fewer mid range specimens. A good example was a recent catch made onboard “La De Da”. Veteran angler Greg Rackham landed a beauty tuna at 64.8k’s around mid morning. Lures back in with the next fishing coming along soon thereafter at 16.6! Go figure! Many in the 20’s not but few are complaining. Still a fair few fish scattered over a wide area with reports of captures at Plate Island to Ranfurly Bank and everywhere in between. The Motu River area, Waihou Bay and off Hick’s Bay are all showing promise and delivering catches. A few more marlin shots are occurring daily but almost all are affecting their escape of late. Overall this picture is looking better by the day but don’t expect a boatload of tuna everytime – it’s not happening like that just yet.
Summary
The above says it all with plenty of fish on all fronts, some more promise than others. Till next week ………………. From
 PursuitReport type: Saltwater
Report date: 09 January 08
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