Fishing Reports

Not a lot of change this week, but the show must go on. Was hoping for something miraculous to comment on but, alas, if anything some of our fisheries have slid back and the gamefishing still largely shows great potential but only occasionally lives up to expectations.

Inshore

A real mixed bag here and I’m talking fortunes, not species! Judging by the chatter on the radio between boats, you’d think they were fishing in different oceans – not metres apart. Limit fishing as opposed to unable to scrape together a feed – the variance is huge. Snapper still (and always will) getting the lion’s share of attention.

Some great catches in short order counter the predominant hard luck stories filling the radio waves. A few beauts still around as evidenced by several in the 8-10 kilo class caught recently. Most fish are of course much smaller with most anglers wishing they could get amongst them! Again soft plastics are currently enjoying no premium on catching over conventional bait – unlike the spring and early summer. Terakihi still hanging in as well as plenty of kahawai and gurnard on the sand.

Offshore

Consistency is not the name of the game even though there is still some excellent fishing to be had on the day – the right day! Kingis lead this malady with good to excellent results one day, very hard with virtually no quality fish the next. The majority of the fish show no interest in jigs and are very lean in appearance. A few in the mid 20’s have succumbed; otherwise it’s mid teens with plenty of rats and mice.

Elsewhere the deepwater has been very similar with the bluenose – up one day, poor the next. Amongst the also-rans (5-12 kilo fish) have been some XOS spawning females pushing 30kgs. Expect more of these big mamas, and hopefully better consistency, as time roles on. Trevally are proving a lot of fun for light tackle enthusiasts with a few over 5kgs.

Ranfurly Bank

Even is great, distant location has not escaped inconsistency and, at times, mediocrity. Fishing has become ho hum and somewhat difficult after being on a very high level for weeks. Kingis and bottomfish have produced, but few quality fish and often few average fish. Even the bluenose (in 400 metres of water) have gone doggo – biting very well some days with next to nothing the next. Kingfish, trophy kingfish, are few and far between.

The fish are fairly plentiful on the whole and of good condition (unlike their White Island brethrens) but anything over 20k’s a rarity at present. Hapuka and bass have retrenched a lot, with only a few over 25 kilos at present. Kingi terakihi, plentiful just weeks ago, are suddenly like hens teeth as well as trumpeter. Water colour and temps are highly variable with tidal movements pivotal as to what will be any place on the bank at any time. Try green 16 degree water transformed into 21 degree cobalt blue a couple hours later! Very frustrating but, like all things, it will change.

Pelagics

Still showing promise but it’s all we’ve been talking about to this point in time and, quite frankly, it’s getting late for only talk. If you take Waihou Bay out of the equation, there’s very little to get excited about. Waihou showed some of its brilliance in the recent “White Pointer” Tournament and hasn’t really let up. The focus has shifted east from the Orete Point/Ruakokore area to Cape Runaway east to “The Hook” (seems like everywhere has “a hook!”). Also the depth of choice has moved out, from circa 200 metres to 380-400 now.

Mostly stripeys are still the predominant species but enough blues to keep things more than interesting. Only a few of these apex pelagics have been landed (when will people stop using 24? Like taking a knife to a gun fight!) but the ones coming to the scales are 200 plus. Elsewhere there’s a smattering of marlin with one boat landing two stripeys enroute from White Island to Whakatane recently. Don’t ask about any other species because there are none. A few mutterings about “nearly” meatball conditions appearing just north of Whale by the dolphin watching boats but nothing has come of it. Water beautiful and warm in most areas. Will someone allow the fence around Tutukaka to have a breach?!?

Summary

We ask ourselves yet again – where to from here? There’s still time for some great gamefishing but the clock continues to tick away. Wasn’t much of a hardship with all the other fisheries firing but now that they have become tough, the wait gets harder all the while. Sense a degree of exasperation? You’re quite intuitive! Till next week ……………..