Whangarei Harbour report.

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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Reel Deal Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14 May 2024 at 8:32pm
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Titanium
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A dory would have been welcome our way. I didn’t see so many fish in the harbour on the sounder on way out on low but high had them in numbers in usual spots- might just stay inside next triip for a change 
The gods do not subtract from the allotted span of men's lives the hours spent on fishing - Assyrian Proverb
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote krow Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 May 2024 at 8:56pm
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Titanium
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Was out again today in Bream Bay. Found the Pilchard boat as it was loading the catch but despite the many pilchards spilling out and some floating away (came on board for use later Big smile ) They also invited us to take a net full of live ones. Very much appreciated but I wasn't expecting to need a live bait tank and thus it was left behind and we couldn't keep them alive in buckets. Us and all the others around couldn't get a snapper bite. One boat even tried jigging but nup. 
Tried a few of my other spots and although a bit of sign about nothing was working. Settled for a stop and burley in same spot as Tuesday even though limited sign. Nice having fresh pilchards. Bit more challenging getting past the Kahawai this time but slow and steady was the day. Nothing big and bite finally started in earnest when we could only keep 2 more so left them to it. Weather was better than forecast. No JD's today. 

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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote MB Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 May 2024 at 9:33pm
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Titanium
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Sounds like mixed fortunes out there today. The only time I've fished behind a pilchard boat, we filled the chilly bin in about 20 minutes! Anyway, thanks for the update, I did the right thing for a change today and watched my son play football, so no fishing for me.
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote krow Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03 Jun 2024 at 8:53pm
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Out again today in Bream bay after being on call Saturday and Sunday. I believe fishing was hard for most on the weekend. We started fairly steady in 38m drifting with baits mostly but the bigger fish were on soft plastics.and had 11 in the bin by lunch but struggled to improve on that after the breeze changed to more SW taking the next 3 hours to get 3 more. Moved in closer and burley did the job. Released everything under 35 and the number released was (I think) slightly less than kept.  Best 61.5cm. Dolphins over a huge area. hundreds of happy gannets and pilchards not so happy. 
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (3) Likes(3)   Quote Reel Deal Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17 Sep 2024 at 3:29pm
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Got boat serviced so as coast guard tells me the most boat assists are the trip after a service. Thought I’d  have a burn up the harbour as rougher out in the bay for a fish.  Saw impressive marks on sounder pretty much all the way up to the heads.  Wife and I dropped baits and boom. Smallest was 44cm largest 56cm. Kawhia trevally and an undersized kingy and we were done in 1.5 hours and home we went. Boat ran well and trim small issue looks solved so thumbs up to Kamo outboard services. Best price in town too. Took longer to fillet than to catch. One fish the biggest on the milky side. Can’t wait to eat all so can get out again �£
The gods do not subtract from the allotted span of men's lives the hours spent on fishing - Assyrian Proverb
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Stefan Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26 Aug 2026 at 6:18am
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Looks like its been awhile since anyone posted here. I went out over the weekend and fished off the Old Woman. Its been more years than I care to admit since I last fished there. I used to catch plenty of Tarakihi. Used all the old tricks, my favorite rig with the hook close to the bottom, tuatua's, squid, pilchards had Burley out and moved spots three times. Not one Tarakihi, thats a sad state of affairs. Maybe it was an off day but i sincerely hope they haven't disappeared, does anyone still catch them there?
Lots of small snapper about which was a good sign but that was not the target species
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote krow Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26 Aug 2026 at 8:21pm
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Yeah I too have been unable to get a tarakihi in my "usual" spots off The old woman. Have to go to my puka spots at the bream knolls now. 
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote smudge Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 28 Aug 2026 at 6:13am
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Sad, I think there is no doubt the tarakihi stocks are way below what they should be
Best gurnard fisherman in my street
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Tzer Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 28 Aug 2026 at 2:12pm
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Originally posted by smudge smudge wrote:

Sad, I think there is no doubt the tarakihi stocks are way below what they should be

And yet our tarakihi fishery down here is great, there wouldn’t be boat that goes out here with say 3 anglers that’s doesn’t or wouldn’t catch their limit, even our snapper fishery is getting better year on year. Possibly one thing we have here more than any where else is the amount of foul ground much of it is lucky to see but a few boats each fishing such spots.
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (1) Likes(1)   Quote smudge Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 28 Aug 2026 at 5:47pm
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Originally posted by Tzer Tzer wrote:

Originally posted by smudge smudge wrote:

Sad, I think there is no doubt the tarakihi stocks are way below what they should be

And yet our tarakihi fishery down here is great, there wouldn’t be boat that goes out here with say 3 anglers that’s doesn’t or wouldn’t catch their limit, even our snapper fishery is getting better year on year. Possibly one thing we have here more than any where else is the amount of foul ground much of it is lucky to see but a few boats each fishing such spots.

That's good to know Craig. We had an amazing day fishing with you many years ago and there was certainly no shortage of anything. We asked and you delivered. Wayno and his mate Barry who are both very good friends of mine from Whakatane also seem to have no problem catching them. Different story further north from what I hear.

Best gurnard fisherman in my street
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (1) Likes(1)   Quote Tzer Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 28 Aug 2026 at 6:50pm
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Originally posted by smudge smudge wrote:

Originally posted by Tzer Tzer wrote:

Originally posted by smudge smudge wrote:

Sad, I think there is no doubt the tarakihi stocks are way below what they should be

And yet our tarakihi fishery down here is great, there wouldn’t be boat that goes out here with say 3 anglers that’s doesn’t or wouldn’t catch their limit, even our snapper fishery is getting better year on year. Possibly one thing we have here more than any where else is the amount of foul ground much of it is lucky to see but a few boats each fishing such spots.


That's good to know Craig. We had an amazing day fishing with you many years ago and there was certainly no shortage of anything. We asked and you delivered. Wayno and his mate Barry who are both very good friends of mine from Whakatane also seem to have no problem catching them. Different story further north from what I hear.



Your welcome anytime your down here smudge. Makes you wonder if warmer inshore waters has something do with low tarakihi numbers up that way, it's wrong to continually blame commercial.
Below pic is from our last trip, done and dusted in half an hour with limit for 2 people.
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote krow Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29 Aug 2026 at 9:36pm
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180 +m is where I've had to be lately. A lot less low foul around these parts and some of it shallower that looks like Tarakihi ground has red snapper instead. 
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