Fishing Reports

The 2010 National tournament is now but a memory in the minds of over 1200 anglers; a significant number of them having competed in the Eastern Bay for the full eight (8) days.  As always, there were a number of fabulous catches in all parts of the Bay as the comp is well placed to collect what are normally the best/warmest temps of the entire year.  More about that later as there’s more to fishing than just this tourney.  Elsewhere there has been some good, and steady, fishing for anglers enjoying the great weather which has generally graced us with its presence lately.

Inshore

Lots of pressure over the past week in what could be described as idyllic conditions on the whole.  While the water is warm in the near shore belt it’s not clear like it becomes only a few miles further out.  The clean green water however contains a good number of fish and they are keen to oblige by accepting anglers offerings.  While numbers of boats have fallen off from the high season holiday hysteria, there are still many out each day chasing primarily snapper.  Although there are still predominantly pan sized fish throughout, a few nicer (3-5 kilo) fish are surfacing now. 

No form of enticements seem to be standing out although soft plastics in the hands of an expert from a slowly drifting boat would get the nod.  Many depths are being probed with the deeper areas (60 metre plus) just now starting to yield better catches.  Strange for these fish, some still with mature roe and milt, to be moving out at this time of year.  Something tells me this won’t be known as a good recruitment year.  Otherwise the terakihi are there in good numbers for those that choose to target them as are nice sized kahawai for some light tackle fun.  Expect this area to improve as we get into autumn.

Offshore

More excitement and success awaits anglers if they care to travel out to this area.  White Island and surrounds still producing the goods even if the heat has come off most of the fisheries.  Water is pristine, warm and cobalt, as one should expect now.  Divers are talking about 40 metre visibility which is certainly the mother lode for them.  Indeed anglers hauling kingis from the depths can see their fish at “colour” well down at the moment.  Instead of nearing the end game, the fight is but half over!  And the kingis are still obliging with bait the preferred option over jigs. 

Ardent jig fishermen are still having their success but they have to work hard and await their chances – sometimes small windows throughout the day.  While the fish are still keen, there have been few XOS models to show themselves lately.  Many in the 12-16 kilo class which is still an excellent average with only a small percentage over 20k’s.  Bronzies still pose a threat at times and in selected places. 

Closer to the island the trevs have given a few anglers some great light tackle fun while frustrating others with their inconsistency.  Few over five kilos with their average size down somewhat.  Team “High Hopes” secured an emphatic win in this section during the Nats here – well done guys.  Reef fishing is not outstanding but still a fee to be had with perseverance.  Out deeper the braid juggernaught rolls along nicely. 

Again, the intensity has come off what was a very torrid fishery – the best skippers can remember here in over a decade.  Still the fishing in the deep is productive and very general with fish coming from many different areas and depths. 

The 200-240 metre mark seems as productive as any, even for bluenose which are generally deeper.  As expected at this time of year, bluenose are now predominate in the catch as they approach the height of their spawning period.  A few nice females (15 kilos plus) are showing in the catches as well as some nice puka and small bass.

Ranfurly Bank

Steady and very good fishing here throughout.  Kingis have really stumped up with an excellent line of fish overall.  Some sessions, long ones at that, have averaged over 20 kilos.  Seems like the afternoons have been more consistent than mornings in the 40-70 metre depths.  Water very patchy in this depth being green and cool one day (tide) and purple the next.  Again all offerings being accepted but jigs only slightly more productive here than at White.  Wellingtonian Tony Noble secured the “Whopper of the week” here with his 33 kilo hog. 

Out deeper the bottom species have yielded well – nothing fantastic but very steady.  True hapuka dominate the catch with bass, trumpeter and kingi terakihi (in that order) to spice up the catch.  Few large fish have surfaced lately with “Enchanter’s” 38kilo bass the biggest this week.  Bluenose, which should be in near plague proportions this time of year, are absent.  Could be something to do with the very consistent commercial pressure (one or two large boats daily) there over the past six weeks!

Waihou Bay

With population numbers swelled to capacity this past week, boats on the water have also reached epic numbers.  While most were trolling out wide, some plied the inshore scene and did well.  Terakihi off Orete Point and the White Cliffs yielded their normal limit style fishing.  Cape Runaway, on both sides, produced some nice snapper and very tough for their size.  Most are in the 7-10 kilo range with the odd one pushing 20.  Pup hapuka complete the scene here for the lucky few to secure a top feed.

Pelagics

As previously stated, gamefishing preoccupied most of the teams fishing in the marathon “Nationals” the past eight days.  By and large, they were disappointed as the action was anything but hot.  A few fine fish were boated to be sure, none more than “Scrubcutters” beauty 366 kilo blue in the first two hours of the tourney.  The largest gamefish for NZ thus far was followed by a few more in the low to mid 200’s as well as stripees and an inordinate number of small (2-5kgs) mahi mahi.  Tuna and spearfish catches were non existent. 

While some of the catches were truly impressive, one must look at the number of boats on the water to temper and balance the situation.  Some top teams and skippers went fishless for the entire eight days!  While Waihou is nothing to get overly excited about now, it is still better than waters on either side of it.  After a furor of NZ’s largest tournament settles and most anglers return to their homes, families, work and mundane lives there will be some outstanding fish landed by a much smaller fleet over the next month.

Summary

Said it all in the last sentence of the last section!  Autumn is a great time.  Brilliant weather, no crowds and obliging fish – don’t you dare put the gear away now as we enter the best part of the year!