Fishing Reports

 

The doom and gloom that characterised the early game-fishing season is now only a memory. March and April have seen some choice fishing out wide. So hot in fact that seasonal tallies now approach those of previous years. At the Whangaroa Club, pin beakies include a 273kg Black, a 280 kg Blue, and a 222.8kg Broadbill. The best stripey weighed in at 125.4 kg. All fish were caught on 37kg line. The best mako to date tipped the scales at 137.6kg with the top kingfish caught on 24kg weighing 30.6kg and the best yellow-fin tuna making 45.6kg. As well as landing this great yellow-fin, junior lady fisher, Katherine Ure also managed a 151.8kg Blue Shark on 24kg. Both fish are pending NZ junior records. A 92.4 kg big-eye tuna caught early in the season by Justin Bramwell is being claimed as both a NZ and a world junior record for this rare species of tuna. Some outstanding contest performances include the 120.8kg stripey and the 149.8kg blue caught in the annual Ladies competition as well as a stripey of 135kg and a blue of 207.4 kg caught during the "One Base" tournament. The Small Boats comp' was wrecked by the weather, with the heaviest fish, a meritorious 10.2kg snapper caught by Russel Loving. The Club cleaned up in The Nationals, winning the Air New Zealand Trophy for the most points. Prime contributor was Primetime, with 29 marlin either tagged or landed during the contest. The staggering season to date catch list of Primetime, skippered by John Gregory, includes 2 albacore, 6 blue marlin, 5 broadbill, 42 mako sharks, 68 striped marlin, 3 yellow-fin tuna and 44 yellowtail kingfish. Closer to home, Bay of Island's Club pin swordfish include a 268.4kg Blue, a 270.8kg Broadbill and a 135.4kg Striped Marlin. The best yellow-fin bent the needle at a formidable 62.6kg with the top kingfish weighing 32.4kg. Junior angler Alice Rowe landed the top mako of 239.8kg while the outstanding catch by Clive Reed on Harlequin of a 123kg striped marlin on 3kg line is absolutely unbelievable. The latter has been claimed as a world record for the line-weight. Some recent contest features include the 210.6 and 193.4kg blues landed during The Ladies Tournament, the 122.2kg striped marlin landed during The Chartered Club's Tournament and the 108.2kg stripey taken during the outstanding Riviera Club contest. Now that the peak of the season is over, the colour of the water appears irrelevant. Marlin appear to be spawning with schools of up to twenty stripeys being regularly observed frolicking offshore in pea- green water. Huge schools of bait- fish, including skipjack, kahawai, pilchards and anchovies are now in close. At present, surprise, surprise, these stripeys are showing little interest in even live baits. Perhaps it's time to dive in with a spear gun. Tight lines!

 

From Steven Radich

Report type: Saltwater

Report date: 29 April 02