BOP Spring Report

Amazing what a few decent days of weather can accomplish! And in all manner of different aspects.  Mentally, not having those incessant westerlies lashing away at you is huge.  Getting more anglers out on the water with the distinctly better chance at success at virtually anywhere they want to go, uninhabited and compromised by the wind, is also a huge plus.  Many more stories about which most all make good reading ……………..please read on

Inshore

Little difference here accept a lot more anglers enjoying themselves doing what they’ve largely been prevented from doing! To be fair, fishing is getting a little more consistent right across the board with the two major players, snapper and terakihi, coming to the fore – often at the same time and places.  This provides for a nice diversity, both on the end of the line and on the dinner table.  While no monster reds have appeared just yet, the average size and condition factor improve by the week.  The recently held “Fish Fever” tournament run by local Whakatane Sportfishing Club yield some good results for the 135 participating anglers. 

Top snapper was a near eight kilo specimen with many others weighed in as well.  In true exemplary fashion, good numbers of plump silversided terakihi and crimson succulent gurnard also graced the scales in a representation of what’s on top in local waters.  A few trevs are also being landed as bycatch although they are all minis under two kgs.  While many anglers made their way west, a few did amble east.  Word has it there is some decent fishing for both terakihi and snapper off the mussel farm located off Opotiki.  All in all some gratifying and consistent fishing inshore these days – great to see a lot of happy anglers with stories to match.

Offshore

Some interesting, and also diversified, happenings out wide.  For starters, the deepwater fishing is abysmal!  Despite numerous sessions in a variety of areas and depths by several boats over several days the results have all been the same – miserable!  Very few bluenose (pups at that) but otherwise just gemfish, rubyfish and frostfish – virtually no puka or bass.  Sure this will (has to) change but as of now, the braid brigade is sole out of luck. 

That’s pretty much where the bad news begins and ends with most everything else going well.  Was some excitement with albacore a couple days to the west of White with a number of boats cashing in on the bonanza.  Multiple strikes were common with a few pushing 20 kgs but most in the 10-12k category.  Back closer to the island the quality of the kingfish hit a new high, if not numbers.  A number (at least six) of kingis over 30 kilos were landed and all released after sling weighing.  Largest lot was a 41 kilo brute landed, tagged and photographed by visiting Australian anglers Arman Cokun.

While the fishing isn’t nearly as consistently good as it had been, the quality has obviously gone up a number of notches.  The condition factors still vary greatly with anything from barrels through to slabs.  Jigging is producing better than we’ve seen for a couple of seasons at White with some nice catches coming in on the iron.  Shallow water around the island has been a mixed bag, good one day and pretty tough the next. 

Some nice trevally (pushing 5kgs) are becoming more commonplace as a bycatch while going for other reef fish led by terakihi but followed closely by porae, some thumpers also to 5 kilos.  As an added bonus some very nice albacore were found just west of White for a couple days.  Although most were in the 10-12 kilo category, several pushed 20k’s – a nice longfin in anybodies book.  Water a very clear green, nearly blue at a solid 16 degrees C.

Ranfurly Bank

Pretty good fishing but certainly not epic like last spring there.  Kingis biting well only in the deep (140-150 metres) with the shallows barren except for rats – hence no top water action yet.  The odd nice kingfish has been landed but most in the upper teens.  Although recent visitors have been solely targeting kingis, bottomfish have become a large bycatch – almost nuisance value at some possies!  Average sized hapuka and trumpeter plus a few bass are prevalent.  Can but imagine what the catch would be like if they were targeted – sure we’ll find out soon!

Summary

Have we finally broken the back of the westerly equinox winds?  It would appear so after nearly two months.  Over a week without them would indicate so, and if so, good riddance!  With some settled weather we might just be able to start enjoying out beloved sport again in its true form, not holding onto the rail in grim death!  With better weather ahead we’re bound to see increasingly better catches.  Be back in touch soon with hopefully some good stories from all quarters.