Far North on Fire  

Reports to hand indicate sea surface temperatures are now approaching 17°C. Another degree and the snapper will start to spawn. With the spawning cycle now in full swing, the best snapper fishing of the year is upon us. Whether on sand or foul is the question of the moment. Reports suggest both can fire with foul grounds more consistent. Locations of interest out of Houhora include both Farmer and Stanley Points. Further south, the length and breadth of Cape Karikari are worthy of attention with the shallow sands and fouls of both Puwheke and Tokerau Beach regions that rarely disappoint. If last year is anything to go by, expect Puwheke to fall off once the commercial guys get into full swing. For Mangonui-based operators, Puketutu Island at the bottom of Tokerau and Chucks Cove are likely fishing spots.

For those with the opportunity to work out of Parengarenga Harbour, the shallow reefs running out from the beaches of Great Exhibition Bay are about as good as money in the bank. And south of Berghan’s Point, both the sand and fouls of Taupo and Tauranga Bays are certainly worth a close look.

While the weather remains bright and clear, expect day fishing to be tough with dawn and dusk near certainties if snapper are about. Berley up to let them know you’re a-waiting a few big reds. And expect average size to have dropped since last year – one of the inescapable consequences of a quota management system that favours bio-mass as a measure of fisheries health. No room in such a system to encourage the growth of big breeders.