Fishing Reports

Most of the fishing throughout this region is in a state of flux with the only consistent aspect binding them together is inconsistency itself!  While there has been some good fishing, there’s been far more difficult or even nonexistent times.  Showing signs of recovery after the wheels generally falling off over Labour Day weekend, the soueasterlies we suffered for a few days set things into negative territory again. 

Generally water temps are slowly climbing with jellyfish, flying fish and sun fish everyday occurrences now.  Spring is really trying to pass the batten onto summer but it’s not happening just now with seemingly a long way to go.  Not even sure December will herald significant changes but three weeks is an eternity in this game.

Inshore

The Bay’s most easily accessible and heavily fished area is not especially plentiful now.  A few good stories are currently counterbalanced by many of the other kind.  A sprinkling of snapper and terakihi, often caught at the same possie, have made some boaties palatable. 

Deeper water (35m) off Matata seems to be reasonably productive although don’t hold your breath for any quality.  Closer to shore there are plenty of fat kahawai and gurnard awaiting to take up the slack.  So, a few fish most everywhere but no “mother lode” fishing anywhere. 

Offshore

In two words, inconsistent and difficult – read that frustrating.  Things looked like being on the improve early in the week but then slacked off badly on kingis mid week before improving again later in the week.  A trend on bite times has been early (pre 9 am) and again mid to late afternoon.  The middle of the day has been tough going on anything but rats. 

The fish have shown a preference to live baits although jigs have their times, especially in the depths (80 metres plus).  If numbers haven’t been there the quality has been with a near 20 kilo average of late.  Whopper of the week went to Mainland veteran angler Bob Le Lievre with his 29 ½ kilo fish, sling weighed and then released – well done Bob.  Auckland contractor Norman James was not far behind with his personal best. 

As we creep closer to spawning we’re predictably seeing more highly conditioned fish, some real barrels looking more like a yellowfin than a yellowtail!  Without doubt the best is yet to come as temperatures increase leading up to summer.  Out in the deep there has been some success, modest as it has been.  Early again in the name of the game with proceedings getting real tough after 9am. 

Mixed catches of small bluenose, gemfish, hapuka and junior bass have satiated early risers.  The shallows (50 – 60 metres of water) are becoming quite consistent, kicking out a nice line of terakihi with good support from porae, golden snapper and decent sized pinkies.  An unusually large number of spotted or Japanese gurnard have also made their presence felt. 

Their fillets are succulent but you’ll need to avoid their hypodermic needle spines in the process – care is required to the utmost when dealing with these curiously beautiful creatures.  A decent bunch of albacore (7-10kgs) was also recently tapped into near the East Arm of the Trench, eight (8) miles soueast of White in water that was far from ideal – greenish and just 15 degrees C.

Ranfurly Bank

Interesting times in this easterly outpost.  Kingis seem ill affected by cold green water and are still biting their heads off.  Jigging has been the choice of enticements although a well presented bait is also doing the business.  There have been many superb fish landed over 25 kilos – and mainly released.  The depths (80 metres plus) are far out fishing the shallows currently but that should change soon.  “Whopper of the week” ended in a dead heat with 38 kilo fish landed by “Enchanter” angler Brad Gardiner and “Cascade” visiting Japanese fishermen. 

As always, stories of 40 kilos plus fish lost (even at boat side) abound.  Such is the quality of the fishing here at the moment.  On the other hand we have bottomfishing!  Normally very reliable, the wheels have inexplicably fallen off here!  While a few nice bass (up to 56 kilos by Gareth Frederick) have pleased anglers, the normally prolific hapuka have gone into hiding.  All visiting boats are currently working extremely hard to scratch up token catches.  That situation should change soon but currently very hard work.  Better looking water out to the north of the bank although no albies landed of late.

Waihou Bay

Been getting a lot of pressure of late as both weather cooperates and visitors arrive in numbers.  Bottomfishing for terakihi and snapper has been steady with plenty of nice fish returning to batches and campsites.  Kingis have been very tough although a couple monsters have succumbed. 

A visiting Australian angler has been superbly guided to a fabulous World Record catch of 32.7 kilos on 8 kilo tippet – a truly amazing feat.  Another nearby as impressive catch came to one of the Randrup boys with his 37 ½ kilo specimen, landed while slow trolling around the Cape Rocks.  The latter would have to be one of the largest (the largest?) kingfish taken here ever.  Well done to both anglers for their superb captures.  Otherwise it’s been a steady diet of rats and couta!

Summary

While things have impressed significantly from the Labour Day weekend debacle, fishing is challenging in most corners to say the least.  Treading water is the first description of the fishing at the moment as we all wait patiently for the water to improve in both temperature and quality.  Till next week………………