Friday 3/1/20 6 - 8pm
Usually a boat fisherman, but sick of being bounced around, wind against or across current, and being showered with spray while moving about.
Last of the outgoing. Steady 15 to 20 knot SSW. A group of maybe 10 "bombers" with a boom box jumping off the end of the wharf. They left before 7.
About 15 fishos struggled manfully, but there was not a lot going on. The end of the wharf was fully occupied so took up a position on the walkway about 3/4's of the way to the wharf. Had a plan and Plan A went well. In about 5 minutes, caught a piper, quite a big one on sabiki. Hooked it thru the nose and sent it back as a livie. It swam around happily for about and hour and a half, and came back still alive and softly croaking, as they do. Plan B was to convert the livie into a john dory or maybe even a king or big snap as a bycatch - FAIL.
Using berley didn't seem to help much. There were very few sprats around and the ones I saw were what looked like small yellow-eyed mullet. Kept fishing with the sabiki rig, hoping to trade up to a jack mack, but the single piper was the only sprat landed.
Next to me a guy hooked a parore but lost it as he lifted it out of the water. Most of the punters went home skunked and cold but were good-humoured about it. An older guy was just having a look and told me he was puzzled about why the fishing from this wharf was so bad. He had fished here himself and his only excitement was being spooled by a big eagle ray. Another guy had recently fished Cornwallis wharf and several days off the rocks at Coromandel (not sure which side) for nix. Urban legend alert: The only success he had heard of off the hard was a group who caught over 20 snapper in the Viaduct before being booted out.
Theories about why the fishing was so bad last night. The water was stirred up by the wind, so probably not the best time for livie fishing? Some of the better fishing is probably among the weedier areas closer to the road. Last night the water was so murky, you couldn't see the weed, so you could lose gear fishing there. Many of the fishermen use ledger rigs with squarish chunks of bait that may block the gape of the hook? Straylines with strip baits may be better? The Orakei wharf is in fairly shallow water. Devonport wharf gives access to deeper water and faster currents.
Overall, enjoyed it. Talking to fisherpeople, whether successful or not, is always a great way to pass the time. And the 360 degree views are worth going for.