Fishing Reports

As we’re well past the “official” half way mark of summer, in many ways it’s difficult to imagine we’ve had one!  It can start any time it likes!  Before the complaints get too stringent, we best look at what we’ve got and it’s considerable.

Inshore

Pretty much status quo here with few discernable changes; really little since it’s before Christmas.  Some very nice (to 8k’s) snapper coming out of the Rurimas, mainly pan size everywhere else.  Soft plastics, in the hands of savvy anglers, are very lethal and exceeding conventional bait in its effectiveness. 

Terakihi still cooperating well, even to limit proportion, for those who care to target them.  Off the beach in sandy environs its steady pickings for gurnard, fat kahawai, rat kingis and the odd nice snapper.

Offshore

When it comes to kingis, inconsistency still rules.  Despite the very good and consistent fishing we enjoyed pre Christmas (most of December) we’re back to the on again, off again style of fishing.  While all enthusiasts, even jigs, are enjoying some success on some days, there’s certainly no silver bullet out there at the moment.  Fish of all sizes are entering the foray with many of those landed in the pleasing 18-22 kilo category. 

One monumental fish of 156cm was landed, photographed and released – what would that have weighed?!?!  Plenty of trevally and associated reef fish in the shallows around the island with deepwater opportunities continuing to charge on.  Bluenose, mainly modest size, are leading with their numbers although one monumental bass made one angler smile –after some serious grimaces that is! 

The first time angler bested the 60 kilo beast – what will he do for an encore! All in all, pretty reasonable opportunity available at the smokey isle currently with gamefishing about to come into the equation, we hope, more about this later.

Ranfurly Bank

A mixed bag of angling here as per usual led by the numerous bottom species and kingfish.  Both continues to be reasonably to very productive, depending on time of day and the very strong and unpredictable tidal currents there at the moment.  Between enough timber to build an entire subdivision and milk powder, the currents are whipping up a large version of a vanilla milkshake, complete with foam 300mm high! Certainly no place for lack of observation or night travel at the moment!

Kingis, if the current is running the “right” way, have been electrifying.  Anglers wanting to maximise on the fabulous visuals will remove the hooks from their poppers or stickbaits and have a ball – have your video camera ready.  While most fish are small (rats to 12k’s), a few nice ones lurk to challenge anglers when they least expect it.  One excellent example was a superb 40 kilo fish taken by one veteran angler, Malcolm Boyes bested his personal best on a jig after a real slugfest lasting nearly 30 minutes. 

Well done “Bear” on a well deserved catch.  Still a few puka and trumpeter in the shallows but out in 140-180 metres it’s a different scenario with plenty going on.  While the catch is dominated by average (8-12k’s) sized hapuka, there’s enough bass and trumpeter to spice up the catch nicely.  The largest, a very stout and tough fish of 45k’s, tested Nigel Walkers skills and stamina to the max for 20 minutes.  Water quality, like the currents, are highly variable which leads up to ………

Gamefishing

As expected, this summer fishery is being ratcheted up each week although, in our case here, painfully slowly.  The water colour and temperature is quite variable with the best of both off the Motu and again outside White.  Aside from plenty of skippies and a few small albies, there hasn’t been a lot to get excited about – but then there has been little effort put in as well.  Without question the best catch and biggest surprise was the 95.8 kilo Pacific (northern) bluefin tuna taken ten miles north of White. 

This fish defied all odds and has created a lot of talk and even controversy.  With commercial skipper Steve Haddock positively identifying the fish there’s no doubt as to its genus as he’s seen more of them on the deck of “Zambucca” than many of us have had hot meals!  Elsewhere it makes poor reading.  A few marlin are currently off the Motu in 110 metres of stunning looking water, with two marlin taken – one a credible 131kgs, otherwise all eyes are looking to the west where catches off the Mercs and Alderman’s have been great.  16 stripees one day and the BOP’s first blue marlin have indicated what rides lie to the west. They can migrate east anytime they like!

Summary

Summer can manifest itself and shed some of its riches anytime it likes.  Been a slow start but we’re hoping much better things lie around the corner.