Dream run on range of species

Well, the dream run in the Top of the South Island continues. Good weather and warm water out west mean those who have managed to get out have been able to have some success with a range of gamefish species.

I towed the boat to Westport last week for the day, but with timing and tides I did not head too far out. Although there were no marlin to be seen, we still managed to get three southern bluefin tuna which was a great way to spend the day. I have a few videos of the trip on my social media pages if anyone is interested in seeing Westport. 

For those who are not into gamefishing, Tasman Bay has still been fishing very well and is full of life at the moment, with baitfish everywhere. The odd albacore is still being caught, but the water temperatures are high and generally are a bit warm for albacore.

This tasty southern bluefin tuna was taken out from Westport last week.

There are still plenty of snapper about and we should be able to catch them at the bottom end of Tasman Bay for another six weeks or so yet all going well. The fish are in good condition too, they have gone well past spawning and are back feeding up and putting condition on. Lots of gurnard are being caught at the moment too, and they are certainly a great addition to the fish bin. 

The Dawnbreakers fishing club has the Snapper Cup fishing competition which starts on Friday, March 14 and runs over the weekend. It is normally a great event, there are some great prizes, and it is a fundraising event for Coastguard Nelson as well. There are still a few days left before entries close so jump onto the Dawnbreakers website and join up. You don’t need to be a club member either.  

So if you were still wondering if the fish are still out there and whether you should go for a fish or not, get out there and into it as it will certainly be worth the effort. 

Cheers!

Dan Govier 

[email protected]