Big snapper are few and far between

The month leading up to Christmas normally sees some big snapper being caught in the Bream Bay area, but for many anglers this has not been the case, with good-sized pannies more the norm.

Fishing my favourite ‘big snapper’ haunts over the last month has produced fish to 70cm, but the really big boys and girls have been noticeable by their absence – for us anyway.

The exception to the rule has been Camp Waipu Cove-based angler Ivan Penno. A plasterer, Ivan has been fishing from his kayak before work and while he waits for the walls to dry. He has been fishing straight out in front of the Cove producing some nice-sized snapper, the vast majority of which are released with just a few smaller fish kept for dinner.

The surfcasters at Marsden Point are still nailing the occasional trevally with the kahawai patrolling the length of Bream Bay providing some sport for anglers.

Whangarei Harbour at the change of light either end of the day has been producing some nice catches with the snapper in the 35-45cm range with the occasional larger models keeping anglers on their toes. Bait and berley is the preferred method although Snap Fishing Ventures Nik Key and his business partner Josh Newman found some good lure action off Urquharts Bay. Earlier in the day they had enjoyed a successful softbait mission in 10 metres off Ruakaka. Nik says it was a hot bite with the Caveman gold/brown 5” paddletail being the tail colour the fish preferred.


Josh Newman with the results of a productive softbaiting session off Ruakaka recently.

Nik reports there is still some good workup action out deep off the Chicks, out as far as the 80-metre mark. These have at times been fast moving – 10 knots-plus – with whales, dolphins, and gannets in the mix. While he hasn’t seen any, Nik suggested there may well have been tuna in the melees given the speed the action was travelling.

In these situations, Nik says the drop-and-stop method works well as a prospecting tool. A 200g slider armed with Jellybaby tails tend to produce the bigger fish over the conventional curly and straight tail options. Pink has been the go-to colour.

The action at the Mangawhai end of the bay continues to be a little fickle. A regular fishing companion of mine, Kevin Leech, had a couple of mates from the Waikato fishing with him last weekend. Unfortunately, his sounder/plotter spat the dummy, and he was left fishing blind. Starting in 30 metres off the bar, he prospected his way to the deeper water and found the fish in 65 metres, returning with a binful of snapper in the 35-45cm range.

Wayne Radford aboard the charter vessel RnR has had a good run out at the Hen and Chicks as well as off Bream Tail with bait and berley his go-to method. He says the islands have fished consistently well for the last few months.

This is my last report before Xmas. Thanks to everyone who has contributed information. Here’s to a merry Xmas and a fish-filled New Year to you all.

- Grant Dixon