Fishing Reports

Pretty good fishing still but like the tittle says the schools have been pushed around the Gulf a bit and we had to hunt down a good session out off the top of the Firth where they seem to be in pretty good numbers again. They are probably right down in the Firth too of course but why drive past them. Its not as cold as you might expect in the Gulf at the moment either although the recent rain may chill the top off a bit. Out in the middle in the Anchorite vacinity is where I'll start this report.

The foul out here has produced good number of kingfish over the past month but being in the Gulf they are typically smaller than the White Island models that have made them famous for the fight. We allow anglers 1 kingfish each much the same as they do out of Whakatane and release all the others (some tagged when time allows). Anchorite is standing out here all on its on in the middle of the Gulf so makes a likely spot for the fish to congregate.

Snapper fishing can be pretty good out here too but for the monet they seem to be on the sand and mud still so we'll hang out here till they move onto the foul. There was a time when the terahiki could be caught in pretty good numbers out here too but seldom do you see them anymore especailly this far down in the Gulf.

Great Barrier and Little Barrier - we have had a few overnighters out wide already this season but there hasn't been anything really startling other than few big snapper here and there. I guess the water is warm and the majority of fish are holding this side of the Gulf until it cools down. The early morning fishing around the Barriers can be exceptional and I really enjoy sitting in close over a likely looking reef and strayling a twitching livebait back down a burely trail. Its raw fishing at its best, no fancy glowing sinkers, no fancy trinkets with tassles hanging off it like a Indian taxi drivers rear vision mirror, no rubber that needs to be twitched, tweaked, lifted or dropped. Just a man and his livebait hahaha. All joking aside it works a treat and has been a fave of mine for over 25 years. Early mornings, still calm, frosty even and the changing of the shifts takes place on the reef below. The perfect time to hunt if you are big snapper and the perfect time to catch one if you are a keen angler. The next few months out here will be good and I'll post some fresh dates up on our webpage for upcoming trips out to the Barrier.

Colville was really firing a month ago and we basically beelined it for the area each day the weather and large tide flow allowed. Big snapper, kingis and all sorts of "mixed" came home daily but it has slowed down now and the sharks have moved in again. There are hundreds in the channel and they rule the roost nipping off entire fish or brutally disecting the fish below the head. It can get pretty frustrating but worth it if the snapper fishing is good.

They are mostly school sharks but this season we have seen more and more makos in the Gulf and around Colville. The school sharks get released as do the makos occasionally with a tag in them but tags aren't free so we dont throw money away needlessly. There is not much scrap in them with a usually deep fight that is normally pretty quickly over if they dont nip you off.

Closer to home the sand and mud out behind Tiri and north of the Noises has been pretty good but the size is down a bit over the last month. The fish seem to have left the Auckland channels and headed out here making an easy shot close to home and relatively sheltered if the wind gets up. Stay out of the Telecom Cable area when in this area and keep an eye out for incoming ships full of flat screen TVs hahaa. Up a line from here to falt Rock will produce a feed over the next month or so as Whangaparaoa Bay empties out and if its just a feed you are after then give it a shot.

The odd bigger fish pops up from time to time along with the occasional kingi amoung the bait schools and we run livebaits pretty much everywhere we go for dory and kingies. Its easy to run them out of the way and you'd be a mug not too. You might as well increase your chances eh?

Keep safe and check our webpage for trip details. We still cater for individuals and small groups as well as larger corporate groups but the keen guys are planning the overnighters or 2-3 nights away on the other side of the Gulf as the next 4 months is time to hit it for a moocher.

Churr

Damo

www.charterconnection.co.nz 

Where fishing is catching!©