Fishing Reports

Onwards and upwards – general improvement on all fronts, the first time we can reversals, are finally on the rise and with it some quality improvements as well. If we can claw away at these sort of gains overall, we’ll have some very special fishing in this part of the world soon. And it’s not all that bad now – read on……….

Inshore

Slow but steady improvements with snapper showing the way forward. Simply put, there’s a good body of these fish over a large area with a number of depths and bottom terrain producing good catches. While few lunkers have been recorded, a nice line of fish (1-2kgs) are finding their way into many fish bins.

Nearly every technique and bait selection has been successful with no apparent winner. Hotspots have included Matata, Rurimas (15-30 metres of water) and out wide (60m) off Ohiwa Harbour. Elsewhere, at the edge of various foul, the terakihi are obliging. The sand holds good numbers of gurnard, with a few over a kilo in weight – large for the EBOP. A smattering of kahawai, trevally and the odd kingi completes a pretty healthy picture.

Offshore

What a difference a week makes, or even a day in this instance. Big news is yellowtail kingfish. Last week they were very hard work, suddenly they are very cooperative. Why? The two differences which stand out are increases in both water temp and current. It’s a well known fact that kingis love current, the more the better. Also the rise in temp (nearly a degree, half that overnight) would kick in their metabolic rate. There’s plenty of available food about such as saury, flying fish, koheru, mackerel and paper nautilus to name a few. An obvious anomaly for this time of year is their current distain for jigs. Normally springtime, kingis, White Island and heavy metal are synonymous but not this year.

This will change but stands out now with bait and soft offerings their preference. “Whopper of the week” was taken by Aucklander Shane Ushaw with his well proportioned 27 kilo specimen. Elsewhere things are not as vibrant. Bottomfishing, both deep and shallow, is not great. Bluenose the best bet deep; terakihi the best of a poor shallow showing. A few trevally also taken but smaller (2-4kgs) than normal. If it wasn’t for kingis now it would be (and was) a sad situation at the smoky isle. As an aside, the Tauranga based “Nimble II” brought out about 10 kayakers to fish around Club Rocks last Sunday. Amazing to see them bobbing around for the morning. Largest kingfish for that flotilla – 19kgs.

Ranfurly Bank

Finally receiving regular attention recently with pleasing results overall. While weather patterns have adopted the every other day approach (good one day – poor the next) over the past 10 days, the fishing has not disappointed. Both kingfish and bottom grabbers have been quite consistent with good catches commonplace. A near even split between hapuka and bass with surprisingly little else showing up. The vast majority of both species have been between 10-20 kilos with few over this size range.

One glaring exception was “Enchanter” angler Jimmy Sui with his 64 kilo monster bass. This diminutive (57k’s) fisherman was not only outweighed but hard pressed to put his quarry on the deck. Well done, Jimmy! A further eight kilos back was Morrinsville youngster Timmy Erceg. His “hog” was easily his personal best catch, eclipsing his four kilo by over 50kgs! Attempts at bluenose have largely been unfruitful, probably due to heavy commercial pressure of late.

Kingfish are putting on quite a show and, unlike White Island, love the jigs! A very nice average is seeing relatively few rats in the catch with mainly 15-20 kilo fish prevailing. Although the average is high, there have been very few threatening the 30 kilo threshold. The lone exception to this was Hamilton angler Dean Marshall with his well proportioned 40kg beauty. Water is cold but a clean green – plenty of room for improvement here. All in all a trip to the Bank is a worthwhile proposition at the moment.