Fishing Reports

Oh, the signs of summer keep coming inexorably closer!  With each week we’re seeing continually more blue and warmer water being pumped into the Bay but, so far and other than hoards of albacore, no tangible reward.  Elsewhere things are ticking along very nicely, read on ……………..

Inshore

Little change except a little more inconsistency shown – unfortunately taking a cue from White Island.  Both snapper and terakihi are the target species of note with some success being experienced by most anglers on a daily basis.  While the heady days of spring snapper fishing are apparently gone, we are still left with some reasonable fishing at present. 

The fledgling mussel farm out wide off Opotiki is an excellent example of an inshore angler’s life on the water at the moment.  One day the terakihi bite like there’s no tomorrow, the next day its snapper (to 7kgs) with the following a blank on both!  One commonality has been the need to be there early to take advantage of what’s been a morning bite on both species.  Elsewhere things are good at times, pretty hard at others. 

Despite less than ideal conditions the much awaited and anticipated Whakatane Sportfishing Clubs annual Ham Tournament finally got underway after two postponements.  While catches were not startling, the participants enjoyed the comp with many hams now going into Christmas tables.  Water a clean green and over 18 degrees with that surely signaling snapper (and terakihi) spawning time.

Offshore

An interesting place to be just now with plenty going on.  The recent northerlies we’ve experienced (and will all week ahead) has pushed some pretty water into the Bay with none moreso than the White Island area.  Temps went from mid 16’s to mid 18’s in less than three days and remain hovering around this mark currently with plenty of scope for improvement by weeks end.  In an uncanny scenario and as its been nearly all season, the current on the day will be going into the prevailing wind regardless where its coming from and this often is 180 degrees from day to day!!  As anyone will know, current into wind situations always makes fishing tough with little making sense even when successful.

While kingi fishing has been reasonably tough during the mornings (slow but mainly worthwhile) there have been some good sessions enjoyed during the afternoons.  Kingfish have improved on average size with more of the fish we are accustomed to between 15-18 kilos and fewer 10-13 kilo models.  While we didn’t eclipse 30 kilos during the week, many fine fish in the 20’s succumbed to a variety of baits (jigs still mainly off the menu).  “Whopper of the Week” at 27 kilos fell to young James Philson of Auckland although a host of mid 20’s were hard on his heels. 

With water over 18 degrees C they certainly should start the annual ritual of spawning soon as already witnessed by milt spewing males prior to release!  Out in the deep we are seeing some very consistent and good fishing – surprisingly good.  Aside from pleasing numbers of bluenose (most small pups but the odd nice one) hapuka and gemfish there’s been a decent amount of bass as well – extraordinary really for an area that’s hugely devoid of these slow growing fish.  It’s been very general too with boats fishing many areas over a wide locale in different depths (200-300 plus metres) all enjoying success.  That’s what I call good fishing!

Back near shore trevally just starting to show and bite – albeit late.  Reef fish also now biting better led by terakihi but good numbers of hard fighting porae (not dissimilar to snapper thumps at the end of the line) to spice things up.  All in all it’s pretty interesting out at the Smokey isle just now with 3-8 kilo albacore seemingly everywhere in numbers.

Ranfurly Bank

The best spring in living memory continues on into early summer.  We can but hope the superb kingi and bottom fishing experienced over the past months will extrapolate into the game season ahead.  While kingis have just slowed ever so slightly, bottomfishing continues on its unabated rampage in all depths from 40 to over 200 metres of water.  Although most are of average size (10-15k’s), many are also in the trophy category.  Largest bass of the week went a whopping 65 kilos and was followed by a couple more in the 50’s and more still in the 40’s – leviathans in their own right. 

Hapuka in the 30’s are also prevalent as ell as some XOS king terakihi, the kind that bend on both ends when placed in a fish bin!  Puka have become a nuisance value while fishing kingis – how’s that?!?!  At least most landed in sub 60 metres of water can be released. 

Kingi fishing has settled down a little from stupendous to “just” excellent!!  For the first time in weeks, the “Whopper of the Week” only achieved 35 kilos, not 40!  While fish in the 30’s weren’t prolific, fish in the mid to high 20’s were again both bait and jigs proving the undoing of many fine kingfish, not to mention poppers and stickbaits in the shallows. 

Water looks superb here as well with a troll out off the shelf being a viable propositions now for albies with outside chance of a bigeye or, dare I say it, yellowfin tuna.

Summary

The ante goes up in most areas with summer thrusting itself upon us.  Anticipation levels always soar at this time of year with one being no different.  Don’t fight it, go along with the swell!!!  Hopefully next week will bring on even more tangibly full description of an awaited gamefish.  Till then ……….