Fishing Reports

After weeks (months) of great weather with just the odd blip here and there, we’ve finally struck a beauty nor east storm.  While it’s hugely impacted on fishing effort and movements, it certainly can’t be hurting prospects after it’s over.  The further north one was, the more impact (read that wind).  With relatively little pressure even before the blow, it’s been difficult to keep tabs on things.  So few boats fishing this season, guess the economics are still biting.  Problem is if you need to know how a certain area is fishing, you need to go check it out yourself with little information available.

Doubtless Bay – Cape Karikari

Some great looking water here but still no skippies (and I mean none) and precious few marlin.  Water temps are over 19 degrees C so anything could still happen, even at this late stage.  No shortage of bait, dolphin and big gannet workups to heat the blood but no major players.  Snapper continue to cooperate in limit proportions in many areas, terrain and depth.

Garden Patch - Pins

Decent water but nobody home for trollers.  Bottomfishing at both areas good as long as you don’t arrive to a marauding pod of killer whales.  They can (are) be very aggressive and you’ll be lucky to get an intact fish through them, regardless of how good the fishing is.  Watching mothers tracking their young ones how to steal fish doesn’t bode well for the future in this regard!  Nearly straight bluenose at the Pins with a nice mixture back on the “Patch” in shallower water.

GreatExhibition Bay

As one gets closer to North Cape, the water inexplicably deteriorates.  Both colour and temp drops right out but could change at any time.  Good snapper prospects throughout plus kingis and puka further out.

Surville Cliffs - “The Hook” – “Compass Rose”

Nothing doing in any respect except bottomfishing.  Little pressure to be fair.

Three Kings Islands – Princess Group

Some very nice fishing available here if the banks are off limits due to inclement weather.  Some brilliant kingi action as well as huge (some to 7k’s) trevally, good snapper one would want.  Surprisingly enough the kingis often play fair and are easily landed, despite some very nasty country below.  Fish between 15-20 kilos commonplace, to 30 not unexpected.  Some of the beautifully coloured snapper are well over 10lbs and full of fight.  Bait fishing for koheru been very consistent in Norwest Bay most every morning.

King Bank

Still the place to be for a marlin, if you are there on the right day.  Inconsistency has been the hallmark of this season from the beginning and things haven’t changed.  Multiple strikes on stripeys of mixed sizes can happen on any given day with lively koheru the bait of choice.  A three or four fish day is entirely possible followed by nothing for a week!  Such is the nature of this beast – you pay for your “one day wonders”!  On the positive side of the ledger both the kingi and bottomfishing has improved here.  Again, jigs and bait are proving to be equal opportunity enticements with some bass to 30k’s and kingis to 25k’s plus.  Still some mahi mahi seen (but not caught) feeding on saury.  Expect something special here before it’s all over.  Still huge quantities of skippies live here – the only place in fact.

Summary

With so few boats fishing this season it will continue to be difficult to access the opportunities at hand.  Water temps and colour still very favourable so anything can still happen anywhere, anytime is the feeling.  If those Whangaruru fish find their way to the King Bank all hell could break loose, we can but cross our fingers we don’t run out of time to prove this theory.  In the meantime other species are cooperating well, even improving as we slide inexorably toward winter.  Till next week …….