Snapper fishing within the Bay seems to be picking up, but results are erratic. Best locations seem to be Mita's Foul, and the general area between Tapeka and Robbies. The fish have started to roe up, but don't worry if your results are a bit meagre, for although fishing is better, it's still hard going. Barracoutta attacks seem to have eased, especially if berly is not used, and this has allowed some spectacular kingfish results, particularly on 71 Meters, where a large school gave us some terrific results last weekend. Although most of the surface action was from rats, we took some good 10kg fish down deep using large jack macks, and whole squid. Hapuka have finished spawning , but are still present in good numbers on most of the foul areas out from Cape Brett, and bluenose have come into the deeper waters out by the Nine Pin Trenches. Reports from the commercial longline fleet have warm water moving onto the Far North Coast, and many of the boats have moved south to colder waters where the tuna will be in better condition, with higher oil content. They had started to catch a few yellowfin, but the by catch of broadbill and marlin seemed to have dropped off. The guessing and waiting game for the first recreational yellowfin and marlin of the season is now on, and the first marlin has already been seen by Nick Brownlee, while driving the dive boat Pacific Star past the Taheke Reef. The fish was a black marlin, and Nick estimates it was around 180kg. As always, just drop me an email at MAJOR.TOM@xtra.co.nz if you have any queries.

 

From Major Tom II

Report type: Saltwater

Report date: 20 October 00

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