Quote: Originally posted by Marligator on 16 June 2006

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If I was to go seriously targeting a big Black marlin in the Bay Of Plenty I would put in a lot of time working Astrolabe Reef and Schooner Rocks, but only if there is good water and the the Kahawai schools are there. Another place would be off the back of Whale Island when the skippies and or meatballs are happening, here I would get the biggest skippy I could or a 10 - 15kg yellowfin, every year there are some huge blacks seem in this area. Also every year there are a number of large blacks seen down off the Motu and all the way to Waihau Bay.

I really would like to live troll a skippy about 4 or 5 kg around those meat balls, may be very surprised what you get, wouldn't say no to a 80 - 100kg yellowfin, although the bronzies could be a problem.

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Astrolabe and Tuhua reef at Mayor Island plus Schooner rocks would be my best bet for big blacks. Seem to be one or two lost there every year. Crack out a over limit sized kingfish as a swimmer bait and slow troll these around all day, would be the best bet. Have a smaller bait for the stripy's just so you don't miss out. One thing i have noticed is there is not alot of blacks hooked in these areas on a regular basis. Alot of boats fish these spots with live kahawai during the year. They come home empty handed many times. The few blacks that are hooked are often on 50lb gear, no match for the 300kg+ blacks that tend to die after the 5hr mark on such tackle. I have seen a few good blacks around astrolabe including the 424kg fish that Crow's Nest caught. I was out the day before and saw that fish or what i thought was that fish. Another black i saw hooked was on a small boat this fish was 300kg+ and sucked down a live kahawai only 100m from where my baits where (gutted). I watched as it tail walked past my boat. The fish had just about spooled them. It had a huge belly of line out, that had them down to 100m of line left on their 50w before they could get the other bait in. It was still jumping only 200m away from them. The line in the end couldn't handle it and popped! And there i was with two baits and 80w's waiting for that fish...bummer! From memory that season saw at least four epic 4hr plus battles from what most think where big black marlin. I guess if you put in the time with big baits and stuck it out in the area you will be rewarded with a bite. But man it is hard to stay when others are doing well on the stripy's and blues out further. Comes down to how much you want to catch one really.

Good luck if you do, but going to Aussie is a better bet haha!

When I fished out of Port Stephens the skipper told me that the Blacks don't raise as well to the teasers as the Stripeys or Blues.

For Blacks in close skipping Gars or Macs or just towing live baits(one on the downrigger two off the riggers) was the thing most of the charter boats were doing.

The Kings does hold Blacks Roddy, Primetime got a couple this year and Harlequin got one too this year all on the King bank I think, all only 180kg fish though. There were a few taken up there last year too, Primetime tagged a 250kg Black then on the King Bank aswell, Reel Passion got a 330kg one on the Hook which is 15miles north of Tom Bowling(not really the Kings) a year or so back. I havent heard of any large ones from up on the banks though.

Thats a Cairns rig Mangre, windon with a short 040 galv single strand wire trace.

If you are going to target a Black live baiting, what would be your set up.

Have any of you guys used single strand wire, as a Black has a very heavy bill.

Would of thought, a wind on set up with a short length of single strand , would be the go.

How do they do this in Cairns.

Back in the 90s I saw two large Blacks in close to Great Barrier - one in 40 meters off Miners Head during the Fitzroy One Base (calm glassy afternoon in late Jan with a lot of bait around) and another in the late 90s off Katherine Bay one morning when we were motoring out towards the Mokes. The one thing in common with both sitings was that both (or the same) fish was tailing with the sea, although I guess that is pretty common with a pelagic. Also had another 'possible' out the back of the Needles when a very large black sickle fin appeared in the set and went from lure to lure before disappearing. 

Quote: Originally posted by sumo the fishwrestler on 16 June 2006

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Yes Adam, the shallow patch and under the light at Karikari are another area of sightings and hook-ups. Once again, the relationship with rat kings, or areas that hold these, seems to be more than coincidental.

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Quote: Originally posted by Roddy on 16 June 2006

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AC, and Adam,

Have there been many blacks caught up at the Three Kings ?

Roddy

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Talking of early black marlin captures John Going on the Kitty Vane got one of 688 lb on November 12th 1974 if memory serves me correctly out at the Poor Knights.

If I was to go seriously targeting a big Black marlin in the Bay Of Plenty I would put in a lot of time working Astrolabe Reef and Schooner Rocks, but only if there is good water and the the Kahawai schools are there. Another place would be off the back of Whale Island when the skippies and or meatballs are happening, here I would get the biggest skippy I could or a 10 - 15kg yellowfin, every year there are some huge blacks seem in this area. Also every year there are a number of large blacks seen down off the Motu and all the way to Waihau Bay.

I really would like to live troll a skippy about 4 or 5 kg around those meat balls, may be very surprised what you get, wouldn't say no to a 80 - 100kg yellowfin, although the bronzies could be a problem.