Fishing Reports

 

Autumn in the Bay traditionally finds pan-size snapper well up the estuaries. As we move into winter, the pattern changes: fewer fish but seriously bigger. Where the pannies go to and where the mega reds come from is a matter of some interesting speculation. Your guess is as good as mine. After a poor winter followed by delayed spawn, one would expect autumn to break the mould too. But so far, this autumn is shaping up to be super-normal. Up the Waikare inlet, well past Opua, local snapper fishers have been having a ball. Pan-size with a few getting close to 10lb I’ve been told. Up the Kerikeri inlet, locals have been observed getting a feed almost within casting distance of the Rangitane jetty. Others in deeper water seem to be missing out more often than not.. Ashley Patterson who lives up the Te Puna and has fished the area all his life reckons the way to go is to fish the shallows on the incoming tide. Pipi and cockle beds seem to be a favourite feeding ground as autumn snapper put on condition to get through winter. The best fishing seems to be in dirty water. And John Sharp of Opito Bay has found that fresh kahawai is proving to be pretty effective bait. Stays on long enough to survive some of the smaller bait snatchers until a worthy noddy comes along. Apparently the inlet went ballistic on Friday prior to the storm with kahawai cleaning up on anchovies and heaps of birds and snapper feeding on the scraps. Biggest snapper from the Te Puna that Will Sullivan has weighed in at his shop was 7.4kg caught in 3ms of water. And he reckons a good keen Sheila got away with the snapper of the month in March with a nice fish of 8.3kg. Since the snapper are feeding in water as shallow as a few feet, the strategy of depositing a berley sack of crushed shellfish, mash and fish-oil at low tide is well worth a try. Main worry is one of the huge eagle rays that live in the area getting off with the sack. A few rocks in the sack can be a good deterrent. While most are in great condition, a few inedible spent fish are being caught and should be released. If you’re not sure how to recognise a spent snapper, they’re usually slab sided and don’t fight as well as you might expect for their size. If in doubt, toss them out. The Whangaroa Harbour Entrance, Stephensons and Flat Island all feature in recent blue water success stories. Worth a look if you’re up that way. Out west, the kahawai attack is getting pretty serious with some over 10lb being caught. So intense on feeding are the kahawai that Hokianga sprats have been seen leaping up the beach in an attempt to escape. Oops! Wrong way fellers. Talk of “Out of the fat and into the fire”. Tight lines!

 

From Steven Radich

Report type: Saltwater

Report date: 09 April 01