Tauranga Harbour Kingfish Season

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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote FishMan Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 25 Jun 2019 at 6:36am
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Great pic. The epitome of NZ saltfly summertime happiness
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Marligator Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26 Jun 2019 at 12:21pm
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Mudfish M - Out of interest did you keep a note of the number of stingrays you see on the flats each day you go out as well. There could also be a link between a decline in stingray numbers and kingfish numbers you are seeing.
 
I am not a fly fisherman, but what was interesting was that I went down the harbour a number of times and fished around the end of the container wharf chasing Jack Macks for live baits very early in the morning and there were always a number of kingys on the surface around the end piles which would I am sure would take a fly. Might be something for you guys to think about next summer, might have a bit of fun getting them away from the piles though.
 
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Mudfish marquand Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26 Jun 2019 at 2:13pm
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Good afternoon Marligator. Many thanks for your comments. I will answer you in two posts because my computer freezes if the message is long.
 
I do keep records of the numbers of short tails seen, dates, times, tides, locations, number of riders, and so on. I'm a boring old bugger who carries a waterproof notepad with me so I don't have to leave it to memory. The number of short tail stingrays has remained much the same over the past five or six years. Fewer of them are carrying riders and generally those that do are carrying fewer. During the hotter summer months, I was still seeing short tails, but rarely seeing riders. Temperature perhaps. One day I saw 50 to 60 short tails and none were carrying kings but about a third of them were catching medium size kahawai. That is the first time I have seen this.
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Mudfish marquand Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26 Jun 2019 at 2:24pm
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The north end of the container wharf is a hot spot for kings and I have caught them there on live mackies both at anchor and slow trolling. A few guys specialise in fishing for them there from small boats and I am sure that you know them. The outside wall of the Sulphur Point Marina is another hot spot. What lights my candle is wading for them and at the end of Popper Point, I can wade out and cast into the channel edge halfway between the marina entrance and Popper Point, for the last of the outgoing and first of the incoming. Holding onto them there is something else but I have been successful there. The big problem around wharf piles is losing gear, hooks are cheap, but flylines are around $150.00. Thanks for your comments and I look forward to meeting you. Is your boat Marligator? Cheers
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Mudfish marquand Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26 Jun 2019 at 2:32pm
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Two posts ago, should read ....a third of them were carrying medium size kahawai.......(not catching). Cheers
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Marligator Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26 Jun 2019 at 3:37pm
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Dick, Yes my boat is called Marligator a 5.8m AMF. I presume you are the same Dick Marquand who wrote the article in the 1978 Australian Modern Fishing on the Fiordland Bluefin Tuna and Thresher Sharks. I loved that article and still have a scanned copy of it. 
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Mudfish marquand Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26 Jun 2019 at 3:53pm
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Yeah, one and the same. Still have all the old game gear, right up to 60kg. I've seen your boat at the Sulphur Point ramp and you have gone past when I have been fly fishing at the end of southern end of the "ankle breaker." Look forward to catching up with you sometime. The kings here are a bit bigger than the ones we used to catch in Fiordland. Cheers
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Marligator Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26 Jun 2019 at 4:08pm
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Yes it will be good to catch up sometime Dick and I bet the kingys are a bit bigger alright.
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Coastbusters Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 22 Aug 2019 at 5:57pm
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Hi Dick, I heard rumours that kingfish were back on the bite in the harbour at the moment because of whitebait coming in. Lots of kahawai too. Is there any truth in that?
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote bigred1 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 22 Aug 2019 at 9:40pm
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Evening all,
This maybe not the correct place to ask as I'm not after a kingy... but can anyone help me catch anything in the habour? I've put a lot of time into fishing outside and found a few spots (Marligator also kindly proved a spot close to the entrance and I try to save it as a last resort when all else fails as it is not my spot) so I am usually happy nowadays, but this weekend I have a fishing mad 11 year old coming to stay and the weather is not looking good outside. Any advice would be appreciated---I'm not after your spots---just some leads, as I usually focus on going outside. Boat name Big Red 1(a red 5.7 mac---no secret squirrel stuff here). Thanks, Frank.
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Coastbusters Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 22 Aug 2019 at 11:08pm
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I only ever fish in the harbour, and pretty much only during sunny afternoons, so I'm not a serious fisho. But I find that generally if you put heaps of berley out the kahawai will find you. It will take a while but they will. Big ones too this time of year. Anywhere really. Cast or strayline big baits out the back of the boat and drop a sabiki with slivers of squid on and you will get some if you have lots of berley. The sabiki will get loads after a while. This weekend you will want to be out of the strong wind. From looking at the forecast for wind direction, down in Hunters Creek might be calm, by the old Rangiwaea wharf or tucked in behind the big container wharf by sulphur point. You would get plenty of kahawai there. Berley berley berley! Have fun. I might see you out there!
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Mudfish marquand Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 23 Aug 2019 at 6:21am
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Sorry for the late response. I'm struggling at the moment. Last three outings for a total of no touches, not seeing much at all. No diving birds, or bait fish. If I was using a boat, I would anchor up on the edge of a sandflat so that the tide takes your burley into deeper water and burley up big time. Weather has been crappy, but the tide times are getting better, well for my fishing spot anyway. Cheers
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote bigred1 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 23 Aug 2019 at 7:11am
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Thanks for the responses, maybe my lack of patience is the biggest hurdle to overcome. I will throw out a heap of burly and just wait it out for a change. In a perverse way it is encouraging when other people mention they are struggling too. Cheers. 
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Mudfish marquand Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 23 Aug 2019 at 7:48am
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Hi Coastbusters. I don't know why I am not seeing more evidence of white bait feeding kahawai. Saw some definite action a few weeks ago at the channel edge close to the bottom of the tide. Where I fish, I used to see the flocks of terns and gulls on kahawai schools against the darker background of the Mount. Haven't seen this sort of action over the last three months. I do see the odd purse seiner heading out through the entrance to target schooling fish offshore. I wonder if there is a connection. Cheers
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Coastbusters Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26 Aug 2019 at 4:00pm
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How did you get on Skoolinfish?
Did you get into the harbour at the weekend? The mornings looked bearable but rough. More importantly, did you catch anything?
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote bigred1 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26 Aug 2019 at 6:00pm
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I did not go fishing (too windy-the other kid would've been alright but my youngest child is not so keen, so I try to pick the days for him now). That said next Sunday is looking good, and scallop season starts too.
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Coastbusters Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 27 Aug 2019 at 7:44pm
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Totally agree. When you are taking kids out it has to be a memorable occasion for them for all the right reasons. Nice weather, flat water, let them have a drive of the boat, no seasickness, lots of snacks and maybe catch a fish or 2 as a bonus.
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Coastbusters Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 28 Aug 2019 at 11:12pm
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Hi Dick, I was talking to someone today who was at the marina at the weekend. He said kahawai were smashing any lures they threw at them, even kingfish lures! He thinks it was because whitebait were running. Have you seen much evidence of it yet? I am hoping to get out this weekend. I'll maybe try Te Puna mouth to see if there are any kahawai feeding on whitebait there. What do you think?
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Mudfish marquand Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29 Aug 2019 at 5:20am
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Hi Coastbusters. I have only seen evidence of kahawai feeding on what I believe were whitebait once just before low tide at the edge of the Otumoetai Channel recently. I usually see kahawai smashing whitebait around the Wairoa Channel, but not yet this season. That I haven't seen it doesn't mean that it's not happening, it's got to be. I'm heading out this morning further up the harbour with a bunch of wader clad swoffing mates so may have something to report later. Tight lines.
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Coastbusters Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29 Aug 2019 at 7:44am
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I know the kingfish are renowned for being in the harbour in summer, but I would have thought they would be in on the whitebait action too?
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