Fishing Reports

Howdy All!

A bit of a rest day today gives me the chance to reflect on eleven of the best days kingi fishing back to back we've had out of Tairua since we started up Epic Adventures four years ago.  To say I'm a little bit shattered is an understatement, after lifting 100's of big powerful kings out of the water over an epic stretch of fishing action.  

KINGFISH JIGGING

Most days have seen multiple hook ups every drift, with most fish over 12kg (a good fish in most peoples books), but with every day turning up fish over 20kg, and we've managed to stop about half a dozen 30kg+ fish in their tracks too, the biggest going 35.4kg.  World class fishing in anyones book.

The water warmed up a good two degrees with the big northerly system that blew in a few weeks ago, and the first day out after it John Howson hooked a 35.4kg monster that had the Stella 20000 howling and our Smiths AMJ52 bent in half.  

It hit a 250gm Kilwell Broken Arrow jig (I hear YeeHaa Fishing Tackle has had a big run on them since!) and hit the afterburners.  After three huge howling runs, John managed to get it under control, then the hard task of lifting it out of 100m began.

Just before hand his mate had been dusted by a big fish that I had suggested was probably over 30kg and John's fish was proof that the first one was probably a horse as well.  There have been a few lessons learnt through the week.  At times over the week I have felt like a bit of a nazi, as the trip out usually consists of drilling the guys on what to do when the big one hits, ensuring everyone has PR knots as their connection, and 150lb minimum leader.  Get it right in the first thirty seconds with these big fellas or they will take you to the cleaners.  We've had two broken rods (not ours thankfully!) broken handles as well as a few reefings, but we've mostly been able to land the bigger fish.  Another motivation to not let that big one get the better of you is when that big one gets away it usually spells the end of the bite for an hour or so.   As much as it is cool get a spanking every so often it ain't good for the fishery.

For the first few days of this action, the kingis were hammering the jigs, literally.  We'd bring jigs up that the kings had smashed into two on the first drop in the water.  

It pays to take a good range of jigs out with you.  The Kilwell Broken Arrow was been one jig in particular that for three days was the most consistent, the kings wouldn't look at anything else.  The next day they are hitting something completely different.  One jig a bunch of Australian anglers brought over with them in particular went gang busters for us yesterday and the fish would't touch anything else!!  When you find one that works, stick with it for the rest of the day!!  

Last Saturday saw probably the best day we've had ever, with the biggest fish we released estimated at over 30kg, plenty released over 20kg, and multiple hook ups every drift.

We had started the day with a run of smaller fish, and as per our boat policy the guys had kept their quota which is limited to one kingfish per person. Nice eaters around 12kg.  With the big fish not playing ball, we then tried something different and started cubing with a bin full of mackeral, pilchards and squid, and the kingfish literally sparked up and the bigger fish started smashing the jigs!!  It was an amazing run of big fish, all of the monsters were released, which hopefully will ensure some great fishing for some time yet.  I've loaded quite a few photos from that day on my site if you want to have a look, just click through here

SNAPPER SOFTBAITING....and a bit of old fashion bait and burley too!!!

As I mentioned earlier, the water has warmed (to about 16 degrees) and the visibility around the islands at the Aldies is exceptional.  Probably bluer and clearer than you'll see it at the peak of summer.  With this water, there has been a patch of very nice snapper that have moved in to the shallows to feed.  All the fish we've caught over the last few days have been  males and they have not been in there for long, as there teeth are very pointy, meaning they haven't been mocching round the kelp for long at all.  With the water clarity, softbaiting when the sun is shining on a nice day has been tough work, but when conditions are overcast, or early or late they have been on the bite well and truly.  Nothing small, nothing huge, just a great run of 10-12 pound fish, great fun on softbaits in 8-10metres of water.

On the brighter days plenty of burley, and some fresh baits drifted down the current line into some structure will produce the goods...

OUTLOOK

With such awesome spring action, it bodes well for a great season.  You would have to imagine that a lot of these big kingfish will end up inshore later in the year, and I like to prospect of some of thes huge 30kg kings smashing around bait in the shallows!  With big Albies being caught down around Mayor Island and such great water quality the game season it appears could be just around the corner too.....

All the best

Carl Muir

Epic Adventures

www.epicadventures.co.nz