Fishing Reports

While it’s always a pleasure being in this part of Gods country, the main ingredient is obviously lacking.  With kingis, snapper and a whole host of bottomfish biting their heads off, marlin are decidedly missing. Not only is there no apparent concentration anywhere, the stragglers are few and far between.

Inshore

Although there have been a few hard luck stories in the near shore arena from those fishing in the middle of bright, sunny days, in general it’s been excellent.  Doubtless bay has been consistent on good numbers of pan sized snapper plus plenty of nice kahawai (2-3kgs), a few kingis, trevally and John Dory to add some spice to the catch. 

Cape Karikari has been fair but around the corner towards Rangaputa and Houhora are shining with some very nice sized snapper.  On up the coast there has been some excellent fishing as well, especially on either end of the day when the suns rays are low on the horizon.  Around the corner both Tom Bowling and Spirits Bay have been great with 30 – 40 metres being the depth of interest.  No reports from Cape Maria van Diemen just lately but that will change.

Doubtless Bay – Cape Karikari

The odd marlin stumbled across, mainly in the 140-160 metre depth.  Again, they are anything but plentiful; you can get lucky through here.  A current distinct lack of skippies here in an unusual twist.

Garden Patch

Without doubt, the best of a mystifying deal.  Some of the prettiest and warmest water around just now.  Indeed, Bruce Smith of “Striker” fame landed a beaut (15kgs) mahimahi and saw other larger ones at the time.  This would be the first of this species landed anywhere in the Far North for a fortnight or more.  The odd blue marlin still lurks here as well.  While anything but prolific, a few stripees inhabit the area as well with most boats seeing, if not hooking, one or two each day. 

A couple smallish broadbill have been taken here with decent number of makos around as well.  Bottomfishing has also been quite consistent with some big spawning female bluenose the main target.  Plenty of smaller males along with a few bass and puka of mixed sized compliment the catch.  Not a bad area to be looking regardless of what you’re looking for. 

Great Exhibition Bay – North Cape

Plenty of skippies across this expanse of water with the occasional marlin thrown in.  Several shots and one landing came out of water as shallow as 45 metres and no more than 140.  Cooler, greener water doesn’t seem to matter.

Surville Cliffs – The Hook

The “Hook” still has a few marlin on the occasional day with some boat capitalizing on this.  Why they are there is a mystery with a total void of skippies or much other bait for that matter.  Some boats trolling bungey cords in conjunction with their marlin lures have drawn blanks for entire days of effort here – hard to believe.  Bottomfishing not bad on 150-250 metres of water here with a near even mixture of puka and bass averaging 20 kilos.

Middlesex Bank

By far the best and most consistent of the two main banks.  Water is cold but colour pretty good with kingis and bottomfish superb.  Kingfish, particularly using large jigs (400-500 grams), have yielded well with some nice quality evident.  “Enchanter”, with a group of jig enthusiasts, scored five over 30k’s and two over 35 with 37 the largest for a visiting Australian angler.  Despite chilly environs, there’s still the odd marlin about as evidenced by a 112kg specimen landed in, check this, 15.9 degree C water!  No wonder the fish never jumped or did anything of note during the relatively short battle – poor thing was freezing!

King Bank

The “poor cousin” bank is just that in a real turnaround.  Although the water temp is a degree warmer than the Middlesex and, accordingly, gives one a better chance at a billfish, few have taken advantage of this recently.  This bank is more prone to tidal change with water jumping sometimes three degrees or more in an hour or two.  If you happen to be there at that time you could score, otherwise forget it.  Kingis are biting very well in a number of different areas on this bank – that’s the good news.  The bad is quality.  While you’ll be hooked up all day good luck on cracking the 25 kilo barrier with few over 20 at the moment.  To counter this is some good bottomfishing dominated by bass and king terakihi.

Three kings – Princes Group

For some reason, you can currently write off the latter!  Despite some effort put in, none has done any good on kingis there where usually they would excel.  Should change but when? And more importantly why is it so poor now?  Back at Great Island things are better with a few nice kingis and trevally to keep anglers entertained.  On the downside is also good numbers of tope and couta!  Koheru patchy.

Summary

With some nice weather forecast, there should be some more effort with unfettered conditions this coming week.  Until then ……………..