Fishing Reports

It’s always good to arrive up here for our annual sojourn. A lot has happened here this season – we frequently hope a lot more will as well! While the stories were thick and fast, we’ve found it to be somewhat less than advertised at the moment!

While there’s no doubt there’s been some outstanding fishing and catches made, just now things are not vibrant – particularly at the Kings. If you’re wanting a billfish, or any other pelagic just now, along the coast is for you. Some excellent prospects for virtually all other species as well.

Doubtless Bay – Cape Karikari

Heady stories of 5 marlin in a day for trailer boats are a thing of the past, and hopefully of the future. At the moment there is beautiful, warm (20 degrees C) water into the 100 metre mark but few fish in it. If, however, you make a starboard turn coming out of Doubtless Bay and make a beeline to behind Stevenson’s Island you’ll be in business – that despite cooler and dirtier water; go figure!

Skippies are very localized with lots of water between them. If you’re needing bait and come across a few don’t be too hasty – best to circle around until you’ve got what you require. Some nice snapper fishing inshore with beautifully conditioned fish. Some are knocking on the magical 20lb mark, all full of shells!

505 – Garden Patch - Pins

What the guys have been saying all season about beautiful water but nobody home is true. After three trips out there over the past week “PURSUIT” and her crew are fishless despite tropical looking water and “anytime now” promise of action! “Oracle” made a mockery of this recently with a double on stripeys only a few hundred metres after deploying lures in the wake after an unsuccessful bluenose drift on the “Pins”.

Great Exhibition Bay

Not a lot of pressure other than boats traveling through. Anywhere between 100-130 metres of water seems to be the best depth to ply but no real areas of concentration. Again, few skippies about.

North Cape – Tom Bowling Bay

Probably the best area to catch a marlin in the country right now, and you needn’t be too far offshore either. Over 130m and you’re probably too deep. While stripeys are the prevalent quarry, there are other billfish on tap. A good blue was dropped by “Primetime” recently while passing through and a 20 kilo spearfish was also taken giving testament to the quality of the water here. “Bwana” caught five nice stripees over a three day period and all on the 100 metre mark. Definitely the quality area for marlin at the moment.

“The Hook” – “Compass Rose”

Perhaps an extension of the North Cape – Surville Cliff’s area with good to excellent prospects as well. While there are some fish between 100-150 metre mark at the “Hook” the excitement has been infinitely heightened a little further down the track. “Pedros” or the 79 metre rock has delivered sporadic meatball fishing over the past week, principally in the afternoon.

Although it’s not an everyday occurrence (damn!) it’s quite a sight to see and experience when it does! While live bait would be the best option, the mainly smallish stripees (50-80k’s) took a fancy to lures – thank you very much. Venture much further into the deep past of the “Rose” or anywhere near the “Fingers” and the water quality drops dramatically. This now leads us to the famed...

Three Kings Islands

While there has been some absolutely legendary fishing here over the past 5 weeks, it's not the case now. Beautiful warm water has effectively been replaced with frigid green rubbish, and this in spite on consistent easterly winds. The water was so good that less than a week ago an estimated 400kb blue was tagged at the top of the King Bank (“Monterey”) and a splendid 35 kilo wahoo caught by “Reel Passion” on the Middlesex.

Now anyone venturing to this distant outpost will have effectively left marlin well behind in their wake and must concentrate on the superb kingi and bottomfish available. Oh yeah, and the ravenous mossies at the island – five bites and you’ll be needing a transfusion from these aggressive heavyweights. Visiting boats – you have been warned so go prepared!

Summary

While the season is sputtering along somewhat, especially after such spectacular events (12 marlin in one day for one boat!!), there should be a lot of life left in the current season. With NIWA’s prediction of a warmer, milder autumn than normal this brings good vibes to the remainder of gameseason ’09.

The consistent easterly winds, while uncomfortable, have pushed some great water right into the beach in many locales. The upcoming souwesterlies are a little bit of a worry but shouldn’t be around long or strong enough to do any unrepairable damage. Looking forward to what lies ahead. Till next time……….