Snapper back on the bite

The snapper are back on the bite, feeding up again after the usual scatter following the end of the spring spawning season. 

North and northwest areas produced for us in the past few weeks on various marks ranging from 20-40 metres. Once found on the bite, the healthy west coast pan-size snapper will eat most baits with squid keeping the bite going should it slow during a change of tide, wind or rain. 

At this time of year, as you’re travelling to your first mark, it’s advisable to stop on any resting gannets on the surface as the snapper are usually still on the bite below. Any workup you encounter is also worth anchoring on and fishing through the kahawai to the bottom for the bigger models below. Stay there until you bin up or the bite goes cold and forces a move.

The kingfish have moved in over most of the structure now; you just have to get them in quickly ahead of the sharks!

Gurnard have been fewer in numbers at these depths as the snapper and kahawai are getting to the baits first. Bigger snapper are in close in the shallower depths of 15 metres or less, where straylining fresh butterflied mackerel baits are nailing the biggest models. And you don’t have to go too far from home either! 

Jack mackerel are most often found in 20-30m outside the bar, with #10 sabiki’s working well.

Kingfish are now on all the structures. It’s just a matter of striking the right times to get the schools of keeper kingfish and not endless rats. As soon as you hook up, be sure to skull drag the keeper models in, as the sharks are there and ready to feed in the blink of an eye most times.

Out wide, the marlin fishing has been a bit slow, with good bait sign hard to find. The warmer water seems to move around, so you sometimes have to cover some ground to find it. The warmest water on our last trip was found up north at 65 meters so expect the unexpected.

Tight lines,

Murray Monds
Reel Action Raglan Charters
Ph  027 903 0312