Fishing Reports

Paul Senior skipper of Eagle Magic Charters, reports fantastic fishing between Tiri and Kawau along the 40 metre contour line right up to Takatu point, this is a 20 kilometre stretch of water Paul calls “ Gannet Alley” last week the best method of fishing for Paul’s crew was Cyclops 4 oz slow jigs with Z man red shad soft plastic baits,

 

There were so many huge 3 kilo plus kahawai feeding on the pilchards that normal jigheads and softbaits were being smashed by the kahawai on the way down, the 4 oz Cyclops rig got to the bottom fast enough to beat the kahawai, and the snapper Pauls crew captured were all between 2 and 5 kilo’s, the good news is that 40% of them had spawned completely and were spent, with afternoons working better than mornings.

 

In Coromandel and the Firth of Thames the fishing has been fantastic with good sized snapper all over the place and feeding well, afternoons are still better according to Les from Oamaru bay charters who’s boat has been out of the water with an engine down, one of the “Worlds best Four Strokes”, Les has been on land for 10 days crying about not being able to get out, his boat will be back in the water as you read this, and with full moon due with the accompanying big tides the fishing will still be fantastic.

 

This is the time of the year when “Wacko bait theories” are born, we have all heard these theories, you know the one about the guy who uses nothing but chicken, and the other one with the guy that uses liver soaked in kerosene, and the angler who uses anything coated in aniseed oil, the fact of the matter is that for the next two to three weeks, if you can find birds with fish feeding below, you can catch snapper on almost any rig and bait at all, including a banana skin, rag, bit of tin foil, you name it.

 

Last year at this time the Anglers lodge crew in Coromandel were fishing halfway across the gulf between the Ahaha’s and the Happy Jack’s using Black Magic snapper snatchers, XOS size (8/0) with half a yellowtail on the top hook and a bare hook underneath, for drop after drop they would catch a 5 kilo snapper on the top hook, and another yellowtail on the bare bottom hook, which would be promptly cut in half and sent back down for the next round, the snapper were so hungry that the 4 and 6 oz bell sinkers used were also being attacked and after a sessions fishing looked like tear shaped golf balls due to all the snapper teeth marks on them.

 

We are all so busy leading up to Christmas, but if you can get out for a fish even after work the next two and a bit weeks are the time to do it, don’t leave it till boxing day when there will be 28,000 other boats zooming around frightening the wits out of every self respecting snapper over 40cm, make time for fishing.

 

 And if you catch a 55cm plus fish of around 3 kilo’s it will be perfect for smoking for Christmas dinner, you can freeze it whole then on the 22^nd of December thaw it out in a chilli bin, and on the 23^rd gut and gill it, split it and apply a mixture of 1/3 sea salt and 2/3^rd brown sugar, to both of the flesh sides, leave it in the chilli bin in an oven pan on salt ice, and smoke it up at noon on Xmas day, it will steal the show!

 

For tips on where to get your fish professionally smoked in Auckland see our website 

 

Remember fish are usually cunning, but not at the moment, still , be prepared.

 

Joe from Topcatch.