Fishing Reports

History
“Hasta La Vista, baby” as Arnold Schwarzeneggar proclaimed, ‘09 is well gone now and no doubt the fish already caught over this summer will increase in size as the space-time continuum pulls the story line the further out it extends, BBQ tales of fishing prowess get stretched to breaking point. The Human schools have had their returning influx of growing minds, the world’s workforce is gradually re-gathering some momentum after the Christmas slowdown although with Chinese New Year yet to come it will be a while before the global engine is up to operating temperature. Speaking of temperature it’s been a real scorcher lately, that big microwave in the sky is certainly set on ‘high’ especially when in a boat with water reflection of UV added. However the sea temperatures still seem to lag behind last year’s at this time.

Poker
Sometimes you win big, sometimes you don’t – similarly with Snapper fishing, it’s been breeding time, a late one at that and only in the past couple of weeks has procreation hinted at being done and dusted with the last card thrown down. The water temperatures slow rise means most aquatic activity has had a late start so now it’s catch up as you can imagine, feeding that has been secondary most of the time is now topping the agenda. Some of the very recent workups in the middle and outer Gulf have been jaw dropping, full house stuff. Still the odd throw away deal of slow biting fish being reported from various places around the Gulf, but mostly the fish are waiting for us to tempt them to strike up big time!

Constant Change
While fishing over the past month or so there has been a noticeable change to Snapper preferences that has increased success rates for me and a number of Fisho’s I know in the Gulf. Using ‘slow-jig’ style of Soft Plastics has been providing excellent success, unscented Soft Plastics tend to avoid catching the annoyingly small and undersize fish who tend to race in first and nip off the scented Soft Bait tails, the biggest complaint I hear from soft bait Fisho’s.
Even when you get good Snapper sign they can and have been refusing to bite…until we cracked the magic formula, a slowly retrieved skirted Depth Charge hook with one of the Catch Pilchard range inside, the winning  ticket! Having a Soft Plastic slowly rise from the sea floor up through the breeding Snapper has been enticing excellent strikes even when they’re not hungry. This technique has been the difference between a near skunking (zero fish) and several nice Snapper of the 8-12lb mark in abundance out there at the moment. The key has been NOT to jerk the rod, but slowly wind in, when you get hits just keep winding slowly, it drives them mad…if they stop, drop back to the bottom and slowly wind up again…and be ready! Vertical retrieves from directly under the boat has been more effective than angled retrieves…why? Simple really, while breeding the female Snapper swim up vertically, and the males follow. This activity has been going on for weeks now, so even while breeding is number one, seeing a fleeing baitfish imitation going with the flow – it’s an easy and welcome food target. Logic prevails as usual with hindsight. Here’s a picture of the most effective SP style lately:

And where did such ideas come from, a bit like the difference between Marlin and Snapper – not much apart from size, here’s a picture of one of the most successful Marlin lures in New Zealand a Black and Purple 5.5 Zuker, underneath is the Catch Depth Charge. Drop the Depth Charge (with an SP inside for the wriggle action) for Snapper, or tow for Skippies when they arrive. Lethal.

It’s been the vertical retrieves, sometimes quite quickly that has proven great success, seems logical really since while breeding unlike humans who spend a great deal of time horizontal, fish have been spending their time vertically, so having a vertically swimming SP is like free Glucose Barley Sugars, a perfect little pick-me-up. We’ve been finding the heavier Catch Jolly Roger deep water rigs have been out-fishing even the stealthy lighter styles lately to...again matching what the fish are predisposed towards increasing success rates significantly. Vertical movement being the key to get Snapper like these lurking so close to spark up and hook up!
Pockets of like minded Fisho’s are everywhere out there doing essentially the same things, but in different ways to provide intrigue, challenge and reward, Spearo’s lurking the reefs, big game boats heading out wide, excited kids on wharves chortling away, Snapper hunters hunting, dead bait/live baits doing their tasty dance…so many ways of enjoying fishing. Each to their own I reckon, who’s to say which way is best...as long as it achieves the goal.


Marlin
The illustrious pinnacle for some, able to keep a grown man awake most of the night in child-like excitement, luring high levels of expenditure rivaling that of women’s shoes away from the wallet, the season is ON.
 
Hooked up to a Marlin on ‘Espresso’ out wide:

And they say women gossip, but even a hint of a Marlin over the past few weeks and men cause entire mobile networks to shutdown from overload. Now the first captures and tag 'n releases have been confirmed and pawed over, its fever pitch in the bloodstream for those afflicted with Marlin Fever. What if I did go out and catch a Marlin tomorrow? And the endless cacophony of silent conversation, oh the justifications, the reasoning, the conniving, the anticipation, the let downs the heartache, the triumph, the adrenaline rush, the plummeting depths of bad days...but no Marlin seen in the Hauraki Gulf this year, yet.

Q&A
No orange bloom in the Gulf like last year?
Where’re the Skippies like last year?
Where are the Kahawai schools?

Where are the Snapper?
The western areas of the Gulf seem to be holding the larger Snapper (Kawau, southern Kawau islands), while moving east they are in greater numbers but mainly reaching the 12lb mark with more consistency than the 15lbs or more reported from Westside stories lately. Southern Gulf, Rangi channel in the evening, western and southern Waiheke, the inner harbor - yes some good fish are being taken, but mainly early morning or late evening which means getting up before the Tui's to get the bite before 8am, or settling into a late arvo session be it drifting with Softies or the traditional bait 'n burley approach. Mind you don’t forget the Flasher rig – always good value (use big flappy bits of squid), and even though smaller fish are attracted to them, good sized pannies can save an otherwise uneventful day, and the inevitable stripping of manhood by returning to the cave empty handed after the hunt.

Here's an easy way to revive Snapper, we use the bait tank inflow to flush their gills well before release:

Morsels
1.    This clever little clip shows some very smart Dolphins catching fish the easy way:
http://videos.komando.com/2010/01/23/ingenious-dolphins-hunting/
2.    Sharks are everywhere in the Gulf and right into the shallows, big ones too!
3.    The American folk hero indicator of winter duration, Punksatawny Phil has spoken… 6 more weeks of winter so that must mean at least 6 more weeks of summer for us!
4.    There are some absolutely stunning pictures here http://www.catchmagazine.net/  Whether you’re into fresh water fishing or not the photography is captivating (not a Catch.org publication).

So now is the perfect time to enjoy the simple pleasures in life, relaxing in the serene Gulf, fish-on…Zen time:

After all, when it all comes together, it's child’s play really...

 
Cheers

Espresso
 

P.S. The Catch Patch
How to find fish? Easy, watch the Catch Snapper DVD and the rest they say is (will be) history. Fish City Albany has a simply outstanding promotion with these Catch Snapper DVDs right now…buy Catch soft plastics and get the $29.95 DVD FREE), then go out and just catch it.