Fishing Reports

 

This last week has been a great one so far as the fishing goes. It has provided a good patch of relatively fishable weather and but for a few days, we have been able to get out wide and put the groups onto really nice fish and lots of them. Mila and her group of Yugoslavian friends had a great trip, with close to limit bags each last week and after such a great day booked again. They weren’t so fortunate on the next trip, with only smaller snapper and trevally going home with them. There was however a rather nice john dory taken also. It is very frustrating not to be able to get to the fish because of the conditions. A trip last week saw us get blown out of our location after a few hours of good fishing by the easterly that built to around 40 knots. The crew we had on board did well to tolerate it for as long as they did. It is pretty hard to keep fishing when the guys are having trouble standing up and keeping breakfast down. We ended up having to steam into the lee of Tiri and try to catch a few smaller pannies. Tough break, but the morning was good to us and we had already secured a good slurry full of fish, so we weren’t terribly disappointed with the result. The JD’s have been showing up in better numbers around the traps and can easily be targeted whilst snapper fishing. Use plenty of lead to keep the yellowtail livies in one spot and away from other gear in the water. Speaking of yellowtail and other such species, a regular client of ours and accomplished angler, Peter Gray (a.k.a. The Earl) recently landed a jack mackerel that measured over ½ a metre long and provided sport on the lighter gear he was using. Fairly rare catch a jack mack. of this size and I’m told it was enjoyed smoked. Peter also secured a bag of good snapper as did most of the others on board. The last few days have given us ideal conditions to get out to one of our favourite haunts. Fishing in about 40 metres of water has been favourable with us. The extra depth and the small amount of bottom structure have contributed to the fish feeding for most of the day. In fact yesterday, there were only a couple of 20 minute periods that the fish weren’t coming aboard! There was a lot of fish around the 35-40cm mark and Graeme Truman landed the biggest of around 3-4 kg. He and a lot of our clients fish with 6kg line and this is proving to be very successful. We occasionally pull a few really good gurnard from out of this patch but the snapper have been feeding so vigorously that the slow, old gurnard doesn’t have a hope of getting in on a feed. Speaking of feed, it is still the Lolago squid and NZ pilchard combination that is the most consistent. Skipjack, be it salted or unsalted, is also fishing quite well but nothing like the other 2 baits on the menu. Strips of yellowtail also got attention in a major way yesterday and a few good table fish fell to them. The Bait Station has a good deal on all sorts of bait and runs regular specials. Check out the pots of salted bonito next time you’re in the shop. Actually got a good deal on NZ pilchards at the moment too if you are prepared to save some money and buy in a bulk box. Great that they are free flow and not all muntered together in a block. Don’t forget we are running the new card promotion at present. All you have to do is collect all 8 different fish cards and you will get a free trip! You can collect your first card for free at The Bait Station when you make a purchase. The rest you can collect as you do trips with us. On some trips we even offer extra cards as a bonus for heaviest fish, weirdest fish, longest fish or some other type of bonus prize. There has been a good response so far and one chap told us his kids were sticking them on the fridge for him after every trip! Right, onto locations we will try out over the next few days (if the weather will behave itself). The back of Tiri has been slow and I have not done well around here for a wee while. That area of foul out the back there may just get another serious look before I raise my hands in the air and give up on it. We see the signs but the fish have been shy the last few times we’ve tried it. North of the island, out in 35-40 metres, is worth a look and a drift if the birds are working. Dawn out here is worth a shot if you can be bothered. School sharks are around and are not bad fodder for the fish and chips if you fillet them right away. The kingfish should be well and truly established on the reefs on the northern side of Whangaparaoa by now and also around Tiri. We have been livebaiting on the days that we are in a suitable location, but to date we have not had too much success. Well nothing to really get the blood pumping anyway. The southeastern corner of the peninsula has been patchy and we have been driving straight past and onto other locations. The Rakino Channel should produce a fish or 2 this weekend and the channels inside the island are fishing well. Have a look around the area off Home Bay and inside Maria Island if you get out that far. The Rangi Channel is doing OK but watch out for the shipping. The Flat Rock Special works well in this sort of current and we are still having huge success with this rig. Just to clarify to all the conspiracy theorists out there and in the Fishing.net.nz chat room, this rig does actually exist and is not a “biscuit” or “carrot” to get people to go fishing with us. We won’t be telling lies and using biscuits and carrots for bait! Over towards Motutapu and off the back of Rangitoto, in about 20 metres, a slowing current produced very little until the tide slackened right off. We caught a few nice snapper to around 8lb and a couple of big kahawai in a few minutes then nothing. We waited it out a wee while longer and then moved off to green pastures. There are a lot of worm beds and a few patches of broken foul over this way and often a good look around and a bit of patience is required. Dusk and dawn could see you fill up this time of year. Try drifting a fillet of a large NZ pillie down on enough weight to reach the bottom. On the light gear, this is a great way to fish and often the fish will hit the bait on the way down. Very important to use the sharpest hooks you can get and we are hot on the VMC, snapper steelheads and the salmon steelheads. Super sharp, strong and the hook up rates are better. A lot of tackle shops don’t stock them but I’m sure they will catch on sooner or later. Flat Rock, well I’ve almost forgotten what it looks like. We haven’t been that far up for a while now and haven’t needed to. It is a real Doctor Jekyll and Mr Hyde sort of place. Often you will struggle to catch a snapper but go back the next day and you could set a new record. It’s a huge area of foul and the current whips around and though it, making it home to some big fish. In a few weeks we are off to chase down a few big kingies on an overnight trip. Livebating, jigging and towing our favourite Rapalas will be on the agenda. Give us a bell on (09) 426 0604 or (025) 244 6346 if you wish to go on the casuals list or book the boat for your group. We have a stag do on tomorrow and I wonder how much fishing is going to be done? Visit the chat room and tell us your secrets. You might get a biscuit. Damian Clayton THE CHARTER CONNECTION LTD

 

From A Charter Connection...

Report type: Saltwater

Report date: 18 January 02