Fishing Reports

Paparazzi Pizza

A pizza topping loved by some, yet loathed by others, Anchovies sure are on the most popular Specials Menu in the Hauraki Gulf right now, and have been since my last report. The feeding on Anchovies in workups at times has been blitzkrieg and simply a spectacle to behold, these ones from within a Snapper and yes that's Rangitoto in the backround. Tracking the movement of schools of various fish species in the Gulf is both an art and a science, fortunately though with the quantity and quality of fish out there, most can get a very good feed without hunting workups or with too much trouble now, the Snapper especially are back in force, spreading out all over the Gulf, and closer by the day to Downtown. The big male Snapper are a force to be reckoned with, judging by their impressive fighting skills recently, well above their weight class! The female Snapper are edging their way in increasing numbers too, but are not ready to spawn just yet judging by their (lack of) roe colour, although the Scallops out there are big plump and ready.

I’ll often get asked, where are the fish? Well most times I go out, I take a fresh look, whether it’s the style of fishing for the day I would like to experience, or the area, but most importantly to find where some good fish are… I don’t hold onto any secret Spot X’s, just simply try and tune in to Mother Nature. And so it is with most of my drift fishing especially, I endeavour to drift where I can catch the fish I’m after. This sometimes means travelling and looking around a lot of the Gulf not ‘waiting it out’ somewhere, if the fish aren’t below the boat and biting, I move (hopefully) to where they are. After all I enjoy action fishing adventures, thrills, excitement, as there are so many different and awe inspiring sights to be had, the vast array of life is very special at times. Perhaps this year we’ll get to see the huge Manta Rays again, metres across in their wing-span, and the faster than a speeding bullet Skipjack Tuna, or perhaps Marlin will come back to visit the Tiri environs again. Speaking of which here’s a bit of footage catching a Marlin just a few months ago, and wouldn’t you know it, already there are fresh reports this week of billfish sightings way out wide http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q6cTgkack1s

Back inside the Gulf may the Couta leave for distant shores as the feeding and breeding of house sized Whales ramps up with the ever-smiling antics of Dolphins somersaulting close by, just ‘cos they can. Seals will be sunning themselves while leisurely reclining on the surface with complete disregard to stress, or the mysterious Mako’s with their alluring and shiny dark suits catapulting skyward just metres from the boat on occasion testing the nerves, or being near spooled by the marauding Kingfish out there (yes they are in the outer reef areas already)...who knows what is in store for us all out on our next venture.

Snapper Catcher

Slow retrieval style is king at catching right now like this nice pannie who couldn’t resist the new Catch Glowing Gecko on the Catch 1oz Glowing Torpedo swimming slowly away from it, it just HAD to hit it, even at slack tide with no bite happening. So whatever you prefer, whether soft plastics, slow jigs, flappy bits of squid dangling on a flasher rig…motion is causing the commotion. Unfortunately there are still the Couta, especially in the eastern Gulf, and there are some HUGE ones at that, I must admit I did enjoy catching a few on the ultra light tackle, some barn-burning runs from these slippery silvery monsters. But a move of just a hundred metres or so was enough to leave them to their toothy grin, and mine to mine with the Big Red fish thumping like the mosh-pit at a Metallica concert.

One of the most glorious sights out there are the Whales, the past week I have been fortunate enough not only to see them, but hang-out with them while they go about their daily activities. These water-based mammoths gorge themselves on the massive schools of tiny pizza toppings, taking in vast amounts in one gigantic mouthful. Naturally most other fish (and humans) are happy to be pals with their biggest buddy at these times, the fish catching (by people, Gannets, Dolphins, Couta, Kingfish, Sharks) is prolific and fast paced action is assured. By remaining in the area some of the larger Gulf Snapper home-in, in fact some of the better 16lb+ Snapper I’ve caught in the Gulf over the past few years have been in proximity to the bigger creatures. So I treat the big guns with due respect and awe, turn my sounder off, slow down and maintain my lower rung on the food chain with little interference. Around the 40-4m depth has been the place to be.

Workup fishing is all on now – certainly some favourite action, but not necessary. The Snapper schools are quite plentiful throughout most of the Gulf, the trick is finding the ones that are keen to feed, or enticing them to strike – even if they do just say no! Remember to try the slow retrieve approach...

Mid afternoon has been a great time to be fishing out in the Gulf and this will no doubt continue, nice for those with an aversion to super early starts. The evening bite has been very good too, great news now that the days are longer, daylight saving has kicked in which seems to mean evenings are now for getting out doing stuff after work instead of hibernating inside staring mindlessly at ‘reality’ (?) TV.

Johnny come-lately

Yes JDs, not the drink, but lots of tasty John Dory everywhere, in close, in the middle and out wide. A welcome ‘by-catch’ on soft plastics, Rod Holder caught this one with the Catch Jolly Roger 3oz and Green Anchovy just drifting along on smooth seas, also well targeted with a live bait, by sending your sabiki rig down to grab a few…if anchored or drifting put the livie back down on a heavily weighted ledger or flasher rig so it can’t swim around too much and Johnnie can engulf it more easily. And it surely has to be one of the most prized table fish, any style you fancy.Whether targeted from the shore, in a boat or a Yak, even in just a few meters of water, from a tiny tinny along the coast they can  be caught in good numbers at the moment. And no bones! For those into raw fish, sashimi, sushi etc..JD is perfect.

So many wonderful fishing reports, pictures, smiling faces, happy kids and parents, over the school holidays too recently, nothing like a smiling young angler catching fish ay! All over the place people are out there getting into it, taking great pictures just like seasoned photographers and sharing the good oil of where the fish are being caught in your area on the f.net forums. The ever popular Rangitoto area and Motuhie channels are now holding the early male Snapper too. Burley up a storm and go old school straylining seems to be achieving the most success around there.

The Catch Patch.

Special thanks to the all new Catch Glowing Gecko’s, the new kid on the Snapper catching front, filling so many fish bins, wolfed down on the drop when the Snapper are feeding hard, and teased and grabbed by the bigger Snapper with a slow retrieve – mainly due to the extra-ordinary wiggly/swimming bits making it come alive, and when swimming away up from Snapper – they just can’t help themselves, especially the bigger ones, usually a few fish succumb to this technique – over the ‘barren' areas of the Gulf, just while drifting along, and the vhf is crackling with grumbles of ‘no fish’ or just a few tiddlers, or waiting for the bite to happen, tide to change or what -have-you.

So in essence burley the in-close areas to spark up the bite, drift the open areas using a slow retrieve, or go storm chasing, it’s ALL GOOD  !

Cheers!

Espresso.

P.S. Top Catch Whangaparaoa always in the know, now have the next level of soft baiting with Catch Soft Plastics and SP specific hooks, including the new Glowing Gecko. Enjoy.