Fishing Reports

There’s no place like home – where have you heard that before?!!?  Been well over three months since “PURSUIT” felt the relatively chilly waters of the BOP under her keel but it’s a nice feeling to come back over the Whakatane bar (and have some depth underneath us!).

While fishing has been sparse, it’s mainly a function of effort.  Timing the small windows of decent weather hasn’t been easy and they don’t last long.  Also nearly the entire block of effort has been in near shore waters with hardly anyone going further afield these days.

Inshore

Plenty of effort and action (over 90 boats out one day last week) for those wanting to have some time on the water.  As always, the attention is leveled almost solely at snapper but why not?  They are in good numbers, reasonable size and in many different locales/depths.  Seems like most every boat returning to port has at least the obligatory feed if not a good catch. 

Must be a good number of reds around since there are decent catches coming in from a variety of different depths (15 to over 50 metres), a variety of techniques and different bottom terrain.  While not many big fish coming in (a few over five kilos), the average is pleasing at around 1 1/2k size.  Complimenting the snapper have been good catches of gurnard on the sand (some over a kilo) as well as plenty of nice sized kahawai.  If history repeats itself, expect this action to last another two or three weeks before tailing off – we’ll see.

Offshore

Very little pressure here with just the rare visit out to White Island.  Deepwater bottomfishing has been difficult with just a few small bluenose and the odd nice puka over 20 kilos.  Terakihi rule this form of fishing, both in the depths and closer to the island itself.  This time of year sees some XOS pink mao mao available on a regular basis. 

Don’t know where they live the rest of the year but these maximum sized specimens (some approaching 2 kilos) are commonplace now.  Placing these soft but white fleshed fish straight into a thick ice slurry yields beauty fillets to be enjoyed by all.  Some nice big trevally also appear as a by-catch.  Kingis are biting well with two problems. 

Everywhere else but the Volkner Rocks they are prolific but small and ever so lean.  Some nice big fish available at the Rocks but they are eaten, in their entirety within minutes, by hoards of hungry bronzies!  Unusual and scary to have this problem in mid winter.  Generally the cooler water slows them right down but not now.

Ranfurly Bank

No reports but this will change soon.  Typically this time of year is very productive.  Get the weather right and you’re in for a great trip which can include not only a wide array of bottom species and kingfish but also large albacore on the troll.

Summary

As always, it would appear that the lure of a warm lounge and a negative mindset has robbed a good number of anglers some great opportunity over the cooler months.  Get the weather right and you’re in for a lot of excitement and/or plenty of fresh fillets for the family.  Over the next couple weeks we have several openings to join existing groups going to the legendary Ranfurly Banks.  If anyone is keen to join in please contact this writer and we’ll make it happen.  Till next time ……….