Fishing Reports

Seasons Greetings

Not quite Christmas, mind you the recent temperature drop feels like it should be snowing and a nighttime celestial glance might even catch a glimpse of the big red man and his red nosed Reindeer being silhouetted by the full moon. No? Well then it’s definitely Snapper season! O.K. so I’m like most Fisho’s in that any sign of the Spring Snapper arriving and I’m easily convinced it’s all on, so inevitably all the time not out fishing, I’m thinking I’m missing out on incredible action. Well yes and no. However one thing is for sure ‘tis the season to be jolly as there are more Snapper surprises being presented lately.

Hotch Potch Catch Patch

The ‘Couta are still grinning toothily and ready to instantly eliminate all terminal tackle of every type with ease, but they do seem to be further out in the Gulf now, not so many in and around the 40m mark anymore. A welcome sign in my books. A sign that not only saves you losing good terminal tackle but a sign that also says the Snapper are gradually taking their place.

Looking back at October last year, well let’s hope the rest of this month is shaping up like this  …but let’s not forget the changeability of nature. At this time of year rapid weather changes are consistent and I’d expect some very unsettled weather yet, along with erratic temperatures and widely variable fishing results as a consequence. I remain very optimistic, but wary of becoming blindingly keen with inevitable rude awakenings from Mother Nature and her reminders that all things are part of a cycle, both up and down – it’s is fishing after all.

Baitfish are in attendance both in close and out wide in quite large schools, there are also the larger food chain species out there, Whales,  Dolphins, Sharks etc and of course the aerial bombing Gannets. However there seems to be a communication breakdown of some sorts as the various predators are often a long way apart or not interested in feeding at all, just not hungry. This can make it tricky to find and catch target species, lot’s of false alarms and red herrings. When the right message gets out and it does all come together the workups are blistering, but it’s still so very cold, so the action can be over seemingly before it starts, giving little time for Big Reds to miraculously appear in any numbers to speak of.

Drift Fishing

Drift fishing the general Gulf (bait or artificial baits) is bringing up a smorgasbord of species like Gurnard, Dory, Snapper, Kahawai and Cod…all in good and improving condition, but they’re not as tightly grouped as a target hunter would like. There are big areas of open sea-floor space and it pays to move around to find the Snapper. Some large areas hold the infamous zilch fish, and plenty of them. If it’s not happening a move is worth the time, assuming you’ve tried alternate presentations including several colour changes (or bait types) on the SPs if you’re using them.

Pot of Gold Rainbows

Not to the side, not near not far, nor this nor that, no Cat in the Hat!

Presenting different coloured soft plastics (or bait) to get that savage attack from the sometimes elusive Snapper has helped me more than once. And I reckon that it’s that colour change that’s accounted for a number of much healthier looking fish bins than if I hadn’t tried an array of SP arsenal and checked the bait as well. You know the feeling, there’s a change in weight and it just doesn’t feel right. When the SP has been tugged askew or rigged in too much of a hurry, when it’s not sitting right it just doesn’t work well. Wrong look, action and vibe.

As for colour changes, a fellow Fisho and I were fishing just the other day and if it wasn’t for persistently trying different colours of SPs we could well have missed out on what turned into a bin filling day (the SP du jour was the Catch Purple Pilchard by 5 to 1 over all other shapes, sizes colours, both common and obscure).

Once this was determined (although I had forgotten to try the skirted Catch Depth Charge hooks..perhaps an excuse to try again later this week, thursday maybe?), it was the ultimate in fishing bliss, keeping us smiling with a full bin and many fine fillets destined for the Bradley Smoker. Once the bite was well under way the Red Cray took over.

So there’re some small congregations of Snapper around the 44m depth, (50 off Omaha), they’re holding good 7 – 10lb Snapper which are a delight to catch and eat. In closer and shallower, yes the front runners have arrived. Not in massive numbers but certainly worth targeting, especially since the daylight hours lengthen and an evening fish after an early work finish is on the cards. Drifting the inner harbor channels, the Rangi A buoy area, eastern Rakino Channel and northern Flat Rock/northern Kawau is picking up some good specimens and always a good run for your money (not much reward around Tiri lately). I’d suggest using the smaller SPs like the Green, Blue or Sparkling Anchovy to start with, then go bigger as the bite comes on if necessary. Maybe it’s not manic bin-filling fast action in closer yet, but certainly some good fish are around nonetheless.

Yes this time of year is full of promise, which is a euphemistic way of saying there are both prolific and slow fishing days on the menu. Oh well reminiscing can be quite fruitful occasionally and really the knowledge I have gained from the opinions, alternate views and genuine knowledge shared on the www.fishing.net.nz forums  is invaluable. Who would have thought that some of my school teachers all those years ago could possibly have been right?

Hmmph – incredible! That doing homework would pay off some day. Took a while.

And I know it sounds crazy but Christmas will be upon us soon, and that certainly is a sign that there are good eating early season 10lbers out there ready and waiting to jump into a frosty ice-lined fishbin about now.

Cheers

Espresso

www.catch.org.nz