Well the plan was a 5am launch at hadfields with me mate steve (usual landbase partner in crime - and a lurker on here) in aim of getting on to the kings again after last weeks antics and well a couple of txts from keenas at 430am got us thinking to give the upper harbour a go instead.

Launched at bayswater and before long found ourselves up at kauri pt. Binned the heavy gear and decided today was light tackle day. All quiet until the tide turned and then plenty of action with a few 30cm ish snappes coming to the boat along with a 40cm one which put up a great fight on my lil 3.5kg setup.

Things got pretty quiet so we moved back towards baywater and setup at spot x. Before long the fish bin was being filled again with more 30cm'ish snappes plus one at 47cm again on the 3.5kg setup and well that one was an awesome wee fight. Think i'm converted on this light tackle stuff when fishing the shallows and cant wait to get back out there.

Back at the ramp just after 9 with a good feed for the weekend.

Plenty of sheltered spots up that way and looks like we took the right option.

Good fishing JK. 47cm is a great pannie! They are fat little huas full of shellfish!

Yeah - if you use the light gear, you definately get bigger snaps (and more of them)  You have to watch out for the big kings, rays and sharks on light gear though (sometimes the rays can be a pain as they waste valuable fishing time).

Was that the 2-4mtr, 7-8mtr, or 20mtr spotX. I got 2 good snaps at the 20mtr mark on the way out to Motohuie. Did you noticed how the fish are way lighter in colour if you take them from the shallows compared to the deeper water?

Good fishing guys, it shows that you dont have to go to the Barrier to catch nice fish. Light gear seems to be the order of the day to catch the bigger ones. Maybe you concentrate more with light gear as well, otherwise you will make a mistake and you dont often get a second chance.

Good report, the wind should be better tomorrow morning.

What was the wind like at Kauri Pt NN. Uncomfortable or just passable?

It was mint this morning at KP.

What boat were u in numbnuts?

we were in lil yellow fibreglass thing on northen end of the hole, got there about 5 but bailed off just b4 8am

roath...come into work mate and ill show you a few

nice report jk, bayswater will have some majice happening shortly if not allready

In mid to late February you can get 8-15lb's in the 2-4mtr mark. Try your light gear on them JK and hang on...!

Here are the 2 snaps I got at Stanley point before going out into 30knt winds in the Motohuie. Got another 6 about the same size there (should of stayed in the comfort of the inner harbour).

fish dish, wasnt too bad but wpould have got worse with wind against the tide
jk ,was in a 4.9 marco with a grey canopy ,fished the ammo wharf then moved up to the small bay at kauri pt

sounds like ya had a ball JK . . .  well little 'Shimmer' cracked it this morning. On location for sunrise and what a morning . .  bite time started at about 5.40 am and was still going when we departed at 9 . . wicked session with fish up to 7 kg being landed! lots of rat kings but no hookups on them as they just weren't interested in anything i had to offer.

will go into a bit more detail tomorrow and put up a photo or 2