May is an exciting time for sea fishing in the South Island says Peter Langlands. It is a month in which a range of fish become available along with the seasonal change. Often water temperatures will still be quite high in May and that provides good feeding conditions for a range of larger predatory fish…

Southern bluefin tuna

Over the last 15 years the number of southern bluefin tuna has notably increased around the South Island, and, especially over the last three years, anglers have encountered SBT in close in late April and May along key points on the South Island’s Coast. Fiordland, off Otago Peninsula and offshore from Kaikoura are all likely points where SBT run in close along the coast in May. The fish can be seen at times surface feeding and on the edge of dolphin pods. Looking for bird work ups is another key way to locate SBT, as is looking along the edge of current lines. Trolling with largish lures can be an effective way to cover the water.

Using a sounder to locate the marks of individual fish is another possibility. The location of commercial SBT longliners can also be tracked using AIS technology. Deep drifting large baits combined with chum would also be worth trying. Over the last ten years, catches of SBT have almost doubled and the fishery is on the recovery, yet, in a move towards sustainability, catches are now limited to one fish per person per day.

Southern bluefin tuna compared with a slender tuna. Both are options in May.

Slender tuna

In addition to bluefin, other pelagic fish can be caught in May. While not a culinary prize like bluefin, the slender tuna is a fun species to catch which runs along the South Island’s East Coast in May to early June.

Slender tuna average 5-6 kilograms and are often mistaken for albacore tuna but are distinguished by a shorter pectoral fin. They are typically encountered close inshore, especially around the Otago Peninsula (Tairoa Head) and Kaikoura Peninsula. Slender tuna are often found on the edge of the jack mackerel and barracouta shoals that often come close inshore in May (saltwater flyfishing is an option in this scenario). Large makos will still be around in May and fish up to 350 kilograms have been caught. Certainly, it is that wildcard aspect of chasing pelagics that keeps the fishing exciting.

Large shoals of jack mackerel come close inshore in May around the South Island.

Top of the south kingfish

Another top option is the French Pass and the outer Marlborough Sounds where large kingfish are often encountered in May.

Baitfish shoals will sometimes be tightly stacked up around headlands. These attract the kingfish which start retreating to the edges of reefs after a summer feeding in shallower waters. Both stick- and livebaits are good options here. As a bonus, large snapper, trevally and even ambitious john dory are also taken in May.

Small boat options

May is often characterised by calm weather before the first winter storms arrive (typically in early June). It is a great month for kayak and small boat fishing and one of my favourite times to fish around inshore reefs and harbours. There are plenty of options for kayak fishing in the Marlborough Sounds and nearby Croisille’s Harbour, with a wide range of inshore fish that will often aggressively take soft-baits.

Drift fishing with a sea anchor and a variety of soft-baits is a good tactic when the current is weak around slack tides. In stronger currents, using an anchor and a berley pot is a good option too. Nearby, both Tasman and in particular Golden Bay, there is good kayak fishing in the late autumn and the mussels farms out from Collingwood are a top option as well.

Golden Bay often quietens down over the late autumn after the summer crowds have left, making the angling experience more relaxing. Some good shoals of kahawai and jack mackerel as well as a few late season kingfish and snapper will be encountered. Golden Bay is one of my favourite fishing destinations in the late autumn.

Bank’s Peninsula is also a very good fishing option in May, and often the sea clarity will improve. Over recent years, kayak fishers have done well on catching blue moki around the peninsula with outer Lyttelton Harbour being a favoured location, along with the mussels farms along the peninsula’s northern coastline. May is overall a top month for catching blue moki before the fish slow down and move into deeper waters over the winter months.

Good numbers of large blue moki are caught from reefs around the Banks Peninsula in May.

River mouth kahawai

May can also be a top time for encountering kahawai around river mouths. The river mouths are often quiet and shoals of kahawai will move in. The salmon and trout fishers have left, and it can be a fun time to flyfish for kahawai at the river mouth.

The Waimakariri and Wairau River Mouths are favourites of mine for targeting kahawai over the late autumn, and the kahawai are often in prime condition. Getting some kahawai smoked and vacuum packed to last in the larder for the winter months is a tradition for me in May.

May is often a good month to harvest kahawai at river mouths.

Estuarine flatfish

May is also a good time to target flounder, with yellow belly flounder being common in many estuaries around the South Island, and they’re usually in prime condition.

Set netting is still allowed in some harbours and estuaries over the winter months and flounder can be selectively targeted over late autumn. Line fishing with ghost shrimps or jigged soft-baits is also an option. Overall, drag-netting is one of the most effective methods for catching yellow belly flounder and the large sweeping sandy bays provide for fun drag-netting in late autumn (with Oreti Beach and Pegasus Bay being highly productive locations for drag-netting).

May is a top month for netting flounders in estuaries and upper harbours - a solid feed.

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May 2021 - Peter Langlands
New Zealand Fishing News Magazine.
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