Fishing Reports
Eastern Bay of Plenty
Eastern Bay of Plenty
This will be a briefer update rather than a comprehensive report. Little has changed in most areas since the last report but enough to make this worth a read.
A recent local event just reiterates the old adage “fish your feet first!” After taking two clients marlin fishing for two days, Lance Goodhue onboard “Rampage” fared much like everyone else recently – miserably.
With great weather he plyed the waters from Whakatane to 30 miles north of White Island and all points in between. After dropping those purists off at 5.30pm, he loaded up at 7.00pm and took off again, this time with more realistic bluenose fishers.
At 7.20 and only 5 miles out a large fish was hooked, nearly emptying a 50W of it’s 24k line. 45 minutes thereafter a nice fish was alongside, subsequently gaffed and taken to the weigh station just on dusk. The result, a beautiful 214kg black marlin; we’re obviously all going too far over the horizon!
Waihou Bay
The watercolour, and predictably the fishing, has gone decidedly downhill in the last few days. After enjoying fabulous water for over two months and fairly consistent fishing for the past three weeks, things have come to a grinding halt on the offshore trolling scene. Boats have been travelling well out to find blue water, some days to nearly 20 miles. Despite large fleets of boats there has only been one to three marlin strikes each day and they mainly stripees. One interesting sidelight is the boat “Kneecapped” who boated three broadbill one night off Cape Runaway. These fish were all weighed and totalled a little over 100kgs. A feat to be applauded or castigated? – You be the judge. Otherwise many boats plying these eastern waters have resorted to bottom fishing (both hapuka and snapper) and diving, all reports fair to good. Ranfurly Bank
Water is patchy there, both in colour and temperature. Green 17 degree water can be bordered by 20 degree cobalt blue – and go back again within a couple of miles. Kingis are keen to please up top although quality is largely among the missing. Some nice sized bass (to 57kg) have been landed recently in 140 – 150 metres of water with the average size 10-25 kgs. Trolling potential exists there but if you find good water stay with it – you certainly can’t assume it’s everywhere. White Island
Bluenose fishing has picked up a notch while kingis have slumped. Several large makos (2-300kgs) have made kingis wary and difficult to hook, let alone get to the boat. A few marlin landed recently in the Tauranga One Base to the NW of the Volkner Rocks. Summary
Little else has changed on the inshore front since last report. This could likely be a turning point for the season, what’s left of it. The next week or two will be critical to what happens from here on out – watch this space.
The watercolour, and predictably the fishing, has gone decidedly downhill in the last few days. After enjoying fabulous water for over two months and fairly consistent fishing for the past three weeks, things have come to a grinding halt on the offshore trolling scene. Boats have been travelling well out to find blue water, some days to nearly 20 miles. Despite large fleets of boats there has only been one to three marlin strikes each day and they mainly stripees. One interesting sidelight is the boat “Kneecapped” who boated three broadbill one night off Cape Runaway. These fish were all weighed and totalled a little over 100kgs. A feat to be applauded or castigated? – You be the judge. Otherwise many boats plying these eastern waters have resorted to bottom fishing (both hapuka and snapper) and diving, all reports fair to good. Ranfurly Bank
Water is patchy there, both in colour and temperature. Green 17 degree water can be bordered by 20 degree cobalt blue – and go back again within a couple of miles. Kingis are keen to please up top although quality is largely among the missing. Some nice sized bass (to 57kg) have been landed recently in 140 – 150 metres of water with the average size 10-25 kgs. Trolling potential exists there but if you find good water stay with it – you certainly can’t assume it’s everywhere. White Island
Bluenose fishing has picked up a notch while kingis have slumped. Several large makos (2-300kgs) have made kingis wary and difficult to hook, let alone get to the boat. A few marlin landed recently in the Tauranga One Base to the NW of the Volkner Rocks. Summary
Little else has changed on the inshore front since last report. This could likely be a turning point for the season, what’s left of it. The next week or two will be critical to what happens from here on out – watch this space.
From 
Pursuit
PursuitReport type: Saltwater
Report date: 13 March 02
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