How to catch kingfish in Canterbury

The last few seasons have seen an exciting new fishery develop off the Canterbury coastline – casting lures for the mighty yellowtail kingfish. In previous years, these extremely hardfighting sports fish have only made an appearance through the height of summer, with February and March being the ideal months to chase these green and gold torpedoes.

This year has seen the warm water arrive a lot sooner, accompanied by the kingfish, with fish landed as early as November. Better still, the early season fish have been larger on average, with a few fish around the 10kg mark. While not big for kingfish in general terms, the majority that usually turn up are undersized ‘rats’, so to see some bigger models about this early in the season is promising.

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The various mussel farms have been the most productive targets so far this season, although the floating kelp rafts have also produced several good fish.

Casting jigs has been a reliable method, although those putting in the effort with top-water lures have had some outstanding results. As the water warms even further, we should see some larger models turning up, with some excellent fishing on offer for those willing to put in the effort and cover some miles casting at various structures and flotsam.

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Kenepuru fires early

The Kenepuru Sound, a traditional hotspot for mega snapper through the peak of summer, has fired early, with some outstanding fish being taken as early as November. While not present in huge numbers, the size of the fish being caught has more than made up for this. A large portion of the fish caught so far have been well over the magic 20lb (9kg) mark – trophy fish by anyone’s standard.

While the odd fish has been caught during the middle of the day, the anglers putting in the long hours at either end of the day have been the most successful.

Straylining with large, lightly-weighted baits has been the method of choice for these big snapper, with plenty of berley in the water dramatically increasing the chances of a successful trip.

The rest of the ‘Top of the South’ region has continued to fish well, too, with the fishing in Tasman Bay well and truly in full swing. The snapper here have been plentiful and of an excellent average size, although anglers can expect a bit of a tougher time through January as the fish go into spawning mode.

The rest of the Marlborough Sounds has picked up as well, with the start of this season showing far more promise than the last couple.

So, with water temperatures through the roof for this time of year, it is shaping up to be an outstanding snapper season overall –and anglers are hoping the conditions mean a longer season chasing summer species, too.

Mouse rivers start to fire

The onset of summer, along with the longer days and warmer weather, also signals the start of the mouse season in the lower South Island. The abundance of seeds, eggs and other food sources sees the mouse population explode, and some of these rodents inevitably end up in the rivers and lakes, where they become energy-rich meals for predatory trout.

While not predicted to be a huge ‘mouse year’, which can see the numbers expand to plague proportions and fish growing to monumental sizes, there are still good numbers around and the fish are certainly taking advantage of the additional food source. Areas around Fiordland have traditionally been prime areas for targeting fish on mouse patterns, and this season has been no different so far, with the rivers and streams around Manapouri and Te Anau providing some excellent opportunities. Anglers have even been catching fish on spin gear using realistic mouse imitations, as well as those deploying the more traditional fly-fished versions.

The rivers in Central Otago have started to fire, too, with some outstanding fishing to be had, particularly on still, moonlit nights. All of the well-known mouse rivers are fishing well, with some outstanding fishing had by those willing to put in the long hours. Wakatipu Anglers Club members have had some great nights swinging mouse flies on double-handed rods, with catches of superbly-conditioned 2–3.5kg browns being standard fare.

Mouse fishing is certainly a very addictive way of fishing, with the ultra-aggressive surface strikes sure to get the adrenaline pumping. The writer can certainly attest to this, as his first attempt at mouse fishing – which was meant to be a brief, two-hour mission – ended up finishing around 3am, thanks to some truly spectacular fishing!

Egg patterns keep rolling on

The Mackenzie Country canals continue, as always, to produce countless trophy trout, regardless of the season and weather. The allure of these freshwater monsters draws anglers from all over the globe, and the summer period is an ideal time to target these fish while at their most predatory. Soft-baits and other naturalprey imitations are generally the way to go during these warmer months, and are producing plenty of solid specimens.

What is curious about this season is that the fish are still readily taking egg imitations, despite the spawning period finishing months ago. Exactly why the usually fussy trout are still taking patterns that should be foreign to them at this time of year, remains a mystery; some theorise that these big fish need so much extra energy that they find something as nutritious as an egg rolling past their noses impossible to refuse. While a bit of a strange phenomenon, it has certainly opened up plenty of new options for targeting these wary fish, especially during the day when the fish tend to be less active and reluctant to take softbaits. It is also an excellent way to go in windy conditions when soft-baiting can become challenging. The egg-rolling technique does, however, require a reasonable amount of flow, which can be hard to find at times. A dropper rig has been the most effective method, as this keeps the egg clear of the weed and didymo on the bottom, yet provides a reasonably natural presentation.

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   This article is reproduced with permission of   
New Zealand Fishing News

January 2018 - Bruce Helms
Re-publishing elsewhere is prohibited

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