Fishing Reports

 

The snapper are around in good numbers in the Tiri area at present. The weather has been good and anglers are enjoying some great fishing. On most days we’ve been getting bag limits of snapper. The phase of the moon and the time of the tide seem to make a big difference as to when and how the snapper are biting. Quite often we’ve had to move 3 or 4 times during the day and locate another school of fish. Pilchards and squid are still the go, so far as bait goes. However, snapper hardly ever turn their noses up at a piece of skipjack (bonito) and we have also seen the liberal use of salted baits such as mackerel, mullet, pilchards and sardines. When the fish are hot on the bite, they will eat almost any bait you send down to them. It’s those times when the bite is soft and shy that we use NZ pilchards and our favourite, Lologo squid. This imported squid from California or San Pedro has a firmer body and is pale to look at. I was told by a leading bait supplier, that the pinkish NZ squid we often see, have been slurried, then frozen - instead of going into a blast freezer to prevent the ink from leaching into the skin of the squid. Believe what you want, but we are finding the Lolago squid to be better. NZ pilchards are definitely the best and don’t seem to turn into mush after thawing, as we’ve been finding with the South African pillies. You pay a little more for them but as they say you pay for quality. It’s just a shame so many kingfish are taken as by-catch in the process. Motuora Island is picking up in leaps and bounds, as it does at this time of year. We have had 2 great days out in Whangaparaoa Bay and up towards Kawau Island recently. Both days started off a little slow but turned out to be very good in the end. The turn of the tide and an hour or so each side of it was the time it all happened and both our groups enjoyed snapper up to 16lb. Flat rock has been very patchy and around Little Barrier as well, so I’ve heard. You are probably driving over the fish on the way out, as we are getting some great snapper within 20-30 minutes of the marina. Over towards the Noisies was a little slower the other day and this saw us having a look down towards Motutapu and Rangitoto, but finding it very hard going everywhere. When we went back to the Tiri Passage, the group of 7 ended up getting a limit of snapper in 2 hours, as well as securing a few gurnard and kahawai. Shearers Rock and the foul behind Tiri is still a bit slow, but the signs are starting to show more fish in the area. It’s a great time to target a big snapper at dawn or dusk around the black buoy or one of the many reef structures out there. Big skipjack baits or a bundle of pilchards can turn up some good size snapper from this area, as they move into spawn. Another area to target a big snapper would be around the Ahhaas and the back of the Noisies. It would help to go early and midweek if you can manage it, as all the boats tearing around on the weekend and anchor chain rattling on the bottom can spook those bigger fish off the bite. They get big because they are cautious. However, it’s that time of year when there are a lot of aggressively feeding snapper around and sometimes caution goes out the window. The groups who have come out as work do’s and social club outings have been having a ball, and most have booked again for a Christmas outing. Bruce and his group from Gilmours had a great day on the weekend, as did a few of the painters from Gloss Boats at Gulf Harbour. Book your group now as the diary is starting to fill up. The casuals trip we had on Saturday did very well in pretty windy conditions. They secured a bag limit early and got to go home happy, albeit a little cold and wet. These guys worked hard in the trying conditions, making it a great day. Well done guys. Evening fishing is going well. Not having to go far means you are getting more time fishing and less time travelling. And the fish are only a hop, skip and a jump from the marina. Some nice pannies and a few bigger fish were caught last night, along with a school shark and a few kahawai. One angler was hooked up solidly for a wee while but knot failure caused the loss of what was behaving like a big snapper. The bigger fish can find any weakness in the gear so it’s important to get it right and avoid that sinking feeling you get as the line parts company. Sharp hooks are also essential and I keep an eye on peoples hooks during the day as the points on some of the cheaper hooks can quickly become blunt when you are catching a lot of fish. Speaking of hooks, Jim Scott, an avid fisherman and one of the head honchos for Shimano in New Zealand, gave me a box of the new VMC hooks to try. The 5/0 octopus style hooks we used held their point all day. They were Snapper Steelheads and any good tackle shop should have them. Attached to our Flat Rock Special, they formed a great rig for snapper and those on board not using the rig were quick to change, as the hook up was much greater than other rigs being used. The Gulf Harbour Fishing Tournament is on this weekend (10-11th) and is bound to be a huge success again. Tickets are $60 per angler and I have a few places left for the day trips, as part of our team has pulled out late due to a major medical drama and left us short. You can come along and fish a day or both days with or without a ticket if you wish, but we will be departing early and returning early for the weigh in. We target certain species and average weight snapper. If you haven’t got a ticket there is still time to join the team and get registered, or give us a ring on (09) 426 0604 or (025) 244 6346 to enquire about the day trips. You can’t win a prize if you haven’t got a ticket and some of the spot prizes are excellent. We also have a new email address as the ISP we were using has ceased to operate as of last Friday, so I’ll update the details page on this site and give it to you here. deepsea@clear.net.nz We will have the summer newsletter finished soon so if you would like a copy emailed to you, email us now and we can send it on completion. Alternatively, send us your postal address and we can post it to you. The fish are here so lets go fishing. Join the casuals list by emailing us, or get a group together and enjoy a day out with friends. Fish on! Damian Clayton THE CHARTER CONNECTION LTD

 

From A Charter Connection...

Report type: Saltwater

Report date: 05 November 01