Chasing 30's Mokau!

Post Options Post Options   Likes (6) Likes(6)   Quote Snappa Geoff Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: Chasing 30's Mokau!
    Posted: 24 Nov 2018 at 1:13pm
Snappa Geoff View Drop Down
Titanium
Titanium
Avatar

Joined: 23 Jul 2012
Location: mokau
Status: Offline
Points: 6396

Hi All, had another memorable day off the big smoke- Mokau! yesterday afternoon. Firstly regarding fishing the Westcoast from Manakau to down this way where ever you read reports on were to go for Snapper, everyone  seems to have this 50-60 metre mark as the place to be. 

For years iv'e  scratched my head thinking your driving past the best fishing to be had in alot closer. Especially if the 20lb barrier is on the bucket list as it is with most Snapper fisherman if it hasn't been achieved. Still plenty out there but are easier to catch in closer using more effective methods to target them. 

Thats my opinion only. On to the FishingThumbs Up Couldn't  catch bait on Sabiki's  at Favourite spot  so made the decision to head back in by the cliffs where we could see Gannets Bombing a few hundred Metres off shore. It paid off and had ten big Kahawai in the bin before to long! But that was no where near enough as we were to find out later onBig smile out Heids and i went again and set straylines. Quiet until the tide turned then they started hitting the big baits with intent as they build up for Spawning. Smashing a whole fillet and destroying them in twenty odd seconds! 

We were hooking up good fish to 20 lbs and over, all went back apart from some smaller models kept for eating. I was after something bigger so changed over to all big Kahawai Heads and underbelly as baits. Wasn't long before i had a screamer of a run! i let it go and go visualising when the fish might have it engulfed enough to strikeWink 

Let e'm have it and wham it was all on. huge runs, get some back and let e'm go again. Eventually had fish to net, upon lifting thought its a 30 lb da! but upon weighing back in town came up just short. Best Snap for a while and a long fish for Measure Comp. After the last kahawai was used pulled the pin leaving the fish on the bite still. 

First photo is of an unhooked releasing a mid 20's at side of boat charging off leaving a trademark tail splashLOL Other two of the big one i kept on boat and at home after cleaning boat with Heids. Cheers All....


Back to Top
Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Johnny Watson Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24 Nov 2018 at 1:24pm
Johnny Watson View Drop Down
Platinum
Platinum


Joined: 20 Sep 2011
Status: Offline
Points: 1271
Awesome reort Geoff and congrats on the big snapper!!!
Back to Top
Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote White snake Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24 Nov 2018 at 1:24pm
White snake View Drop Down
Gold
Gold


Joined: 16 Nov 2015
Status: Offline
Points: 753
Top effort geoff.i made the trip up couple weeks ago and couldint believe the condition of the fish.managed one at 10.3 kg and some real nice 5 to 6kg fish.Had dolphins and gannets around us most of the day.What a truly amazing fisherie you have at your back door step.
Back to Top
Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote The Tamure Kid Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24 Nov 2018 at 2:08pm
The Tamure Kid View Drop Down
Titanium
Titanium


Joined: 25 Aug 2015
Location: Auckland
Status: Offline
Points: 4817
Great report to read on a shi^^y Saturday afternoon, Geoff. Massive snaps, well done.
I have always wondered that about the fishing out west, re the depth. I know guys who've been on charters out of Kawhia and Raglan and they are given massive sinkers to stop tangles and hold the bottom in that depth, doesn't appeal really.Each to their own, as they say. But I know i'd rather be in your little Mac catching donkeys than miles out at sea in 60m.
Back to Top
Post Options Post Options   Likes (1) Likes(1)   Quote Snappa Geoff Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 25 Nov 2018 at 6:45am
Snappa Geoff View Drop Down
Titanium
Titanium
Avatar

Joined: 23 Jul 2012
Location: mokau
Status: Offline
Points: 6396
Originally posted by The Tamure Kid The Tamure Kid wrote:

Great report to read on a shi^^y Saturday afternoon, Geoff. Massive snaps, well done.
I have always wondered that about the fishing out west, re the depth. I know guys who've been on charters out of Kawhia and Raglan and they are given massive sinkers to stop tangles and hold the bottom in that depth, doesn't appeal really.Each to their own, as they say. But I know i'd rather be in your little Mac catching donkeys than miles out at sea in 60m.
Thanks TTK, I did that, took another Forum Member out on Mac last weekend! A post is due anytime. Should be a great read!Beer
Back to Top
Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote robdunk Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 25 Nov 2018 at 8:31am
robdunk View Drop Down
Silver
Silver


Joined: 24 May 2010
Status: Offline
Points: 360
Awesome fish, what would your PB be?
Back to Top
Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Snappa Geoff Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 25 Nov 2018 at 9:03am
Snappa Geoff View Drop Down
Titanium
Titanium
Avatar

Joined: 23 Jul 2012
Location: mokau
Status: Offline
Points: 6396
Originally posted by robdunk robdunk wrote:

Awesome fish, what would your PB be?
15.7 kg's, caught in 2006 and a few mid 14 kg's over the following years. Beer
Back to Top
Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote feeder Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 25 Nov 2018 at 3:45pm
feeder View Drop Down
Titanium
Titanium
Avatar

Joined: 17 Aug 2004
Status: Offline
Points: 3138
Great fish Geoff.
 
Geoff was hoping to fish the Kawhia Snappa Casha comp on Friday /Saturday but despite best efforts could not get a ticket (it sold out some time ago) there was a capacity field of 280 odd anglers, he would have blitzed the winning fish by a good margin and taken second place as well.
Bugger.
 
Cheers
The only bar to frequent is the Kawhia Bar
Back to Top
Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Snappa Geoff Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 25 Nov 2018 at 5:35pm
Snappa Geoff View Drop Down
Titanium
Titanium
Avatar

Joined: 23 Jul 2012
Location: mokau
Status: Offline
Points: 6396
Originally posted by feeder feeder wrote:

Great fish Geoff.
 
Geoff was hoping to fish the Kawhia Snappa Casha comp on Friday /Saturday but despite best efforts could not get a ticket (it sold out some time ago) there was a capacity field of 280 odd anglers, he would have blitzed the winning fish by a good margin and taken second place as well.
Bugger.
 
Cheers
Thanks for the kind words Dennis! Heids may of got 2ndBig smile Got to be in to win though. Tried buying tickets a day after they went on sale in Sponsors Shops but all goneCry Three Boat loads of Kawhia Guys Fished Mokau for it. They stayed below me, I showed them my fish, blew them away, then came all the offers of I'll weigh it in and go ya halfs etcLOL
Back to Top
Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Muzzfishing Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29 Nov 2018 at 6:13pm
Muzzfishing View Drop Down
Platinum
Platinum
Avatar

Joined: 17 Jul 2002
Location: Cambridge NZ
Status: Offline
Points: 2550
Wow Geoff there is some huge Snaps down your way. Thats a good looking Snapper.Thumbs Up

    A Good Skipper Keeps the water on the outside of the boat.
Back to Top
Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote CrayZfish Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30 Nov 2018 at 10:18am
CrayZfish View Drop Down
Gold
Gold
Avatar

Joined: 11 Apr 2017
Location: Te Toro
Status: Offline
Points: 832
Love the monster Snapper down there Geoff, they all look like giant pannies, not much colour and no ugly lumps from smashing shellfish.
 
Are they all like that or do you get some gnarly red buggers with the big foreheads??
 
Why choose either diving or fishing when you can do both. Besides crayfish tail is very good bait!!
Back to Top
Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Snappa Geoff Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 01 Dec 2018 at 6:20am
Snappa Geoff View Drop Down
Titanium
Titanium
Avatar

Joined: 23 Jul 2012
Location: mokau
Status: Offline
Points: 6396
Originally posted by CrayZfish CrayZfish wrote:

Love the monster Snapper down there Geoff, they all look like giant pannies, not much colour and no ugly lumps from smashing shellfish.
 
Are they all like that or do you get some gnarly red buggers with the big foreheads??
 
Hi Stephen, Only ever caught a few with a lump, but they still the job done smashing shellfish! The big one in this post had decent size Paua shells crushed up digesting in its guts. One i got a few weeks back had a freshly eaten crayfish with a tail around 30mm wide.Beer
Back to Top
Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Marligator Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 01 Dec 2018 at 6:32am
Marligator View Drop Down
Titanium
Titanium


Joined: 07 Sep 2004
Location: Papamoa
Status: Offline
Points: 6162
Great fish Geoff what is the water clarity like where you fish and in along the coast, if it is fairly poor most of the time then this will explain why they are not darker in colour and look more like pannies. My understanding as to why our east coast shallower water snapper are much darker and redder is because the water is generally clearer allowing more light to penetrate deeper (quite possibly the UV light is the issue) and the fish get sun burnt. I know over in Oz when they first started fish farming snapper all the snapper were like what we would call kelpies and of very little value, they had to develop a new way of doing things, I am not sure whether they have shade cloth or have deeper nets, bt they have got it sorted.
Back to Top
Post Options Post Options   Likes (1) Likes(1)   Quote kitno Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 01 Dec 2018 at 8:06am
kitno View Drop Down
Titanium
Titanium


Joined: 06 Sep 2015
Location: Papamoa
Status: Offline
Points: 11922
Checkout the size of it's gob in the last pic.
Top 10 finish
2024 Grunter Hunter.
Back to Top
Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Snappa Geoff Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 01 Dec 2018 at 1:37pm
Snappa Geoff View Drop Down
Titanium
Titanium
Avatar

Joined: 23 Jul 2012
Location: mokau
Status: Offline
Points: 6396
Originally posted by Marligator Marligator wrote:

Great fish Geoff what is the water clarity like where you fish and in along the coast, if it is fairly poor most of the time then this will explain why they are not darker in colour and look more like pannies. My understanding as to why our east coast shallower water snapper are much darker and redder is because the water is generally clearer allowing more light to penetrate deeper (quite possibly the UV light is the issue) and the fish get sun burnt. I know over in Oz when they first started fish farming snapper all the snapper were like what we would call kelpies and of very little value, they had to develop a new way of doing things, I am not sure whether they have shade cloth or have deeper nets, bt they have got it sorted.
Hi Marligator, the water where i fish is 80% of the time a little murky as i'm off two river mouths. When it rains heavy they are brown, pushing it out to sea. So your theory would be spot on! Only Caught a hand full of bigger Snaps over the years here the darker red, and its like spot the odd one out!Beer
Back to Top
Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Marligator Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 01 Dec 2018 at 2:11pm
Marligator View Drop Down
Titanium
Titanium


Joined: 07 Sep 2004
Location: Papamoa
Status: Offline
Points: 6162
Geoff thought that would be the case, are you fishing up between the Mokau and Awakino rivers a lot of the time.
Back to Top
Forum Jump
Forum Permissions View Drop Down


This page was generated in 0.648 seconds.

Fishing Reports Visit Reports

Saltwater Fishing Reports
Top of the South Fishing Report - 07/03/24

20lb-ers off the beach, in the kayak, and out deep As we officially move from... Read More >

07 Mar 2024
Saltwater Fishing Reports
Northland Fishing Report - 07/03/24

Outstanding inshore fishing It’s official, summer is over, and what a great summer it has... Read More >

07 Mar 2024
Saltwater Fishing Reports
Manukau/West Coast Fishing Report - 07/03/24

Great condition and large... just not many of them! It has been an unusual end... Read More >

07 Mar 2024
Freshwater Fishing Reports
Canterbury Fishing Report - 07/03/24

Finally, a salmon run! Freshwater Finally we have a salmon run! At the time of... Read More >

07 Mar 2024
Fishing bite times Fishing bite times

Major Bites

Minor Bites

Major Bites

Minor Bites