BOP Spring 2014

So when will we get rid of these insistent incessant westerlies?!? Even a strong northerly would be a welcome change of pace although no more welcoming out on the water. Equinox winds are something we just have to live with every spring in New Zealand but this year we are getting force-fed a bunch of the stuff!

Hopefully it will soon rid this nuisance out of the system and we can get on with a more regular and settled situation leading into summer. Still, there have been a few windows which some astute or lucky anglers have identified and acted upon to good effect, read on……….

Inshore

As per normal, this gets the most pressure at all times – especially now with so much wind around. Not many are keen, or able, to venture further afield and I certainly can’t blame them. For starters, and probably most importantly, the near shore fishing is quite productive – and getting better. Why charge around the ocean burning up fuel and getting beat out when there is plenty of good flat water fishing on your doorstep!?!

Snapper, despite cold water that’s showing no signs of warming up, putting on an increasingly consistent show in many areas. The ever popular (and ever so close) Rurima rocks are kicking out some nice catches – limits in some instances. While mainly school fish from just legal to a couple of kilos, there’s been a few nice ones to 7 kg or even a little more. The best thing about all this is that these fish are being caught on all manner of enticements and over a wide area of depths and bottom terrain. Translation: there is a lot of hungry fish out there!

If need be there’s been some decent fishing for tarakihi, gurnard and kahawai in support as well. While things don’t look too rosy on the weather front at the moment, perhaps the weekend will deliver better news. For those with a competitive streak the Whakatane Sportfishing Club will attempt to return its heretofore postponed popular Fish Fever Tournament, first one of many upcoming contests for the season ahead.

Offshore

Not many spreading the wings and, as stated previously, for good reasons. Aside from the boisterous conditions and resultant sea states, the fishing just isn’t that flash. In saying that there’s been very little pressure so could well be better than what we perceive. Here are a few observations from the last week: while water remains cold at sub 16° C, it is a nice colour at clean blue.

Despite this cold water flying fish are arriving in numbers as well is token numbers of sunfish and moderate sized (40 – 60 KG’s) mako sharks. Bottom fishing of all types in all depths has been slow at best, non-existent at worst. Even the normally reliable tarakihi have been aloof. Kingfish is the shining light by far but there has been a recurring theme all season – don’t be early!

Morning fishing has been most difficult and really a waste of time. Come 12.30 to 1 o’clock it’s all go as someone slipped the feeding switch! Kingi’s go absolutely nuts with all manner of enticements finding favour in all depths from surface marauders slamming stick baits to 400 g jigs being scoffed in a mere 25 m of water to livies these being taken and 100 m – it’s just all go!

Sleeping in at the moment is not a bad option! Whopper of the week? Whangarei angler Scott Buchanan’s 28 kg fatty taken on a jig.

Ranfurly Bank

Good to see a few boats getting out there with some decent reports coming through. Bottomfish have been steady with a nice mix of hapuka, trumpeter and king tarakihi in the shallows (140 – 160 m) with bluenose and Bass favouring the deeper water – some of the latter in excess of 40 kg.

Kingi’s have somewhat mimicked their White Island cousins by largely favouring the afternoons. While nothing over 30 kg has been landed this week, the average size has been a pleasing 20+ kgs. With prevailing weather patterns it will be hit and miss on getting to the distant outpost but results should reward those astute anglers.

Summary

As one can read, our biggest problem currently is (and has been) wind. I feel once we get rid of that pest, or even change direction, things will improve dramatically. Have to believe we are working our way out of the Equinox scenario – can’t come soon enough. Catch up with you again next week………