Hauraki Gulf Fishing Report - 181219

  • General Saltwater, Auckland and The Hauraki Gulf

Let your summer fishing adventures commence! 

The New Zealand Christmas trees are bursting with their abundant red-nose blossoms; the tuis are dive-bombing wood pigeons just for kicks, the summer months are upon us and summer fishing style is well underway. 

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Both east and west coasts of the North Island have claimed a marlin, so the big gamers are on notice while the local snapper are breeding. Kingfish are doing what kingfish do – opening eyes wide with their incredible power on the end of the line whether jigging or top-water.

With the wild winds over the past several days abating, the stars are aligning for some great fishing leading up to Christmas, whatever species you prefer to target. The inner channels are primed and ready for those wily small watercraft to quietly drift along striking those short snapper takes of soft baits or micro jigs. Rangitoto channel, Rakino surrounds, Motuihe channel, the downtown area of the container terminal and along Tamaki Strait are all great options right now. Try fishing them with a light jighead (e.g. a 1/4oz Stingaz) with a four-inch white curly tail 'Livie' along the seafloor. Use sharp, short rod lifts and then pause for a few seconds on the bottom ready for that strike. 

Further out in the gulf there is an open playground to explore and enjoy whatever may be presented to you by Mother Nature at the time. Bait schools have been in good supply over the western side of the gulf near Kawau. Similarly, the kingfish have been following close behind dodging some whales. Snapper do spend a lot of time not feeding at present, but a little silvery tidbit tips the scales on their daily fasting times. When they turn on the bite, swap out those little morsels for bigger much more erratic actioned lures and target those bigger snapper – a BetaBug or Double Trouble style lure is a perfect example. 

Have you made plans for new fishing thrills in 2020? See you out there! Snapper kingfish and maybe a big game fish or two as well… let your adventures unfold, 2020 is but the blink of a fishes eye away. 

Merry Christmas! And will you look at that, the forecast for the 25th is very fishy.

Cheers,

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