Fishing and anchoring spots for a multi day trip
Printed From: The Fishing Website
Category: Saltwater Fishing
Forum Name: The Briny Bar
Forum Description: The place for general chat on saltwater fishing!
URL: https://www.fishing.net.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=138350
Printed Date: 28 Apr 2025 at 3:54am
Topic: Fishing and anchoring spots for a multi day trip
Posted By: Sufishent
Subject: Fishing and anchoring spots for a multi day trip
Date Posted: 29 Mar 2024 at 12:28pm
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Hi all, I'll be helping "crew" a launch from Opua Marina in the BOI back to Westhaven Marina in a couple of weeks. There will be 6x on board - 1x a real skipper (thank goodness) and the 5x keen fishos (and beer drinkers) The plan is to take 5 or so days getting the boat back to Auckland (weather permitting) and, as none of us have fished these parts of the coast (bits here and there of course) we were looking for some hints as to good places to drop a line and then find a calm spot to anchor overnight. Not specifically looking for secret Spot X's but hoping for some guidance of area to try for a fish on the trip. I don't think we'll be trolling lures but the boat does have that gear on board. We're all 60+ so not as athletic as we used to be, so jigging for Kingis all day isn't on the do-able list. Cheers ------------- You can never have enough fishing tackle |
Replies:
Posted By: MB
Date Posted: 29 Mar 2024 at 1:00pm
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For overnight anchorage, Whangaruru, Tutukaka and Whangarei Harbours come to mind. I'm not up to date on the fishing, but you won't struggle to catch snapper anywhere on that coastline. I know the fish are still in the harbours too. |
Posted By: smudge
Date Posted: 29 Mar 2024 at 2:48pm
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I only know the Manukau well Suffy but the 50m depth around little Barrier, just outside the cable zone of course, could be worth a drift through
------------- Best gurnard fisherman in my street |
Posted By: rowboat bob
Date Posted: 29 Mar 2024 at 3:20pm
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You have to stay at Whangamumu Harbour |
Posted By: rowboat bob
Date Posted: 29 Mar 2024 at 3:23pm
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Posted By: rowboat bob
Date Posted: 29 Mar 2024 at 3:24pm
| Trying to post a photo off the internet , doesnt seem to work |
Posted By: v8-coupe
Date Posted: 29 Mar 2024 at 3:39pm
  ------------- Legasea Legend Member |
rowboat bob wrote:Posted By: Pcj
Date Posted: 29 Mar 2024 at 5:01pm
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Whangamumu is a must visit. ------------- "Times up" |
Posted By: Sufishent
Date Posted: 30 Mar 2024 at 9:40am
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Thanks for the suggestion - looks great. I do note though that it is in the middle of a no fishing zone :( https://www.nrc.govt.nz/environment/coast/marine-protection-areas/" rel="nofollow - https://www.nrc.govt.nz/environment/coast/marine-protection-areas/ Can't wait to go and try some new spots
------------- You can never have enough fishing tackle |
Posted By: MB
Date Posted: 30 Mar 2024 at 9:43am
| Looks like a commercial no fishing zone. Maybe someone local can comment. |
Posted By: Pcj
Date Posted: 30 Mar 2024 at 10:53am
 https://www.nrc.govt.nz/news/2023/september/environment-court-confirms-no-take-fishing-areas-in-northland/
New no-take fishing areas have been formally adopted by Northland Regional Council following an Environment Court decision that confirmed all fishing – including recreational – is no longer permitted from Maunganui Bay (Deep Water Cove) to Oporua (Oke Bay) in the Bay of Islands as well as around the Mimiwhangata peninsula. ------------- "Times up" |
Posted By: MB
Date Posted: 30 Mar 2024 at 11:11am
| Cheers Pcj. |
Posted By: SaltyC
Date Posted: 30 Mar 2024 at 12:19pm
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Whangamumu is a great overnight anchorage in almost all conditions. An easterly swell can put an uncomfortable roll through the whole bay though. In NE and SE winds you can tuck up just inside the entrance on the corresponding side although beware of the rocks on the southern side. Moving south the next good spot is Whangaruru, good shelter at the top of the harbour and in a real blow you can get up on the northern side of the island at the very top. Be aware though that you need to watch the low tide depth and swinging room and some of the channels are very narrow. Best anchor spots are on the northern and eastern sides. A SE swell of any reasonable size will put a roll through all of the harbour though and that can make for an uncomfortable night. Mimiwhangata is a very nice anchorage in the right conditions (pretty much easterly through south to west sou west), but becareful of the rocks in the middle and it shallows up quite quickly near the beach itself (ask BA about that!) Tutukaka obviously has a marina you can get an overnight berth in, but if you don't want to use the marina, and we usually don't, you can anchor in 3 places that are all good depending on the weather, Two of them are a little clogged with moorings now though. The first bay on the northern side is a good spot with good holding. Pacific bay and Kowharewa bay on the southern side are both very good but you have to "insert" youself amongst the moorings. We normally tuck up in Kowharewa amongst the moorings near where the old ski lane was. Whangarei is good just inside the entance in Urquharts Bay and you can navigate the channels (carefully!) to get up into the Parua Bay area as well or as far as the basin. Be careful though, lots of sand banks and sand islands and the channel are quite narrow at low tide. I havent spent much time here, usually steam passed. After that you are into the gulf and Kawau etc etc etc. There are a few other places you can tuck up behind islands on the coast itself between Tutukaka and the BoI but they require really calm settled weather if you want a peaceful night. A really enjoyable coast to cruise, have a great time! |
Posted By: Pcj
Date Posted: 30 Mar 2024 at 1:12pm
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Missed one SaltyC Liegh Harbour head of the bay and if there local liners onboard they will tell you which mooring to use. Last time with the boy(15yr old) We had drinkies with them and unbeknown to me boy was having a sleigh one or 2. Then they came onboard for dinner,no it wasnt fish.
------------- "Times up" |
Posted By: Sufishent
Date Posted: 30 Mar 2024 at 3:37pm
Brilliant - thanks ------------- You can never have enough fishing tackle |
Posted By: Phantom Menace
Date Posted: 30 Mar 2024 at 6:12pm
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This post has reminded me I’ve got a copy of Pickmeres Atlas somewhere. He spent his life sailing and surveying Northlands East coast. Each chart includes notes on anchorages. I think I’ll go find it and see what he said. |
Posted By: Pcj
Date Posted: 30 Mar 2024 at 6:46pm
------------- "Times up" |
Posted By: Phantom Menace
Date Posted: 30 Mar 2024 at 7:13pm
| Yeah I was not thinking about navigating by them but more about his notes on anchorage in different winds and safe passages. Those would still apply today. (With the exception of expanded mooring fields and stuff like that ) |
Posted By: Pcj
Date Posted: 30 Mar 2024 at 7:29pm
------------- "Times up" |
Posted By: SaltyC
Date Posted: 31 Mar 2024 at 10:55am
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the RAYC book is invaluable if you are new to that coast and has been regularly updated over the years. Pickmere's Atlas is just an absolute treasure. I value my copy highly, it is great for those little out of the way anchorages and some of the detail on small passages and is really the best still for navigating the Kerikeri inlet up to the stone store. But really the accuracy and detail in his coastal maps is just outstanding. A couple of great fishing books, a little dated now but still great resources are "The Northland Coast" and "The Hauraki Gulf" by Wiiliam (Bill) Owens. They both have great sections on navigating, anchorages and, of course, fishing areas. Along with Pickmere they were my bibles when we first ventured north on the coast in the early 1990's.
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Posted By: Phantom Menace
Date Posted: 31 Mar 2024 at 11:43am
 Here’s Pickmeres notes on Whangamumu. |
Posted By: shaneg
Date Posted: 02 Apr 2024 at 9:57pm
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Ok Steve … here’s my thoughts. All depends on weather and options available and are plenty BOI to Auckland. I’d reverse engineer it. Assume you have 4-5 days. Don’t actually need that … but assuming gunna take your time and fish a bit. Last night do kawau , good anchorages including mansion house or bay further up where they used to do Furuno. Day before you could do Leigh harbour or Mangawhai but leave Mangawhai alone if easterly or low tide. Leigh is good anchorage and has pub with good food easy walk up road. 3rd night I’d be going into Tuts and getting a marina should one be available. Otherwise inside of poor knights but make sure take plenty of insect repellent as lot of mozzies, same as if venture out as far as Mokes these both good options if wind is low or from east . First night (or second if do whangamumu), I’d be going into whangaruru. Good place and can catch snapper in harbour at anchor. If 4 day trip would actually skip whangamumu and fish way down wider from Brett down to whangaruru on first day. Chance of marlin trolling, or dropping off there puka, and closer down round outside bland bay really good snapper and kings. Brett also be good fishing on your way out. Bland bay no good if easterly and swell pushing in. You can anchor in there as well but poor holding and lumpy compared to inside whangaruru… which I really love. Very fishy lots of options re anchoring in whangaruru. You can likely even pick up a mooring off beach inside bland bay on harbour side. As most won’t be there. And you can have a rum and catch few snapper safe and sound. Sounds like great trip. Hope weather plays ball for you.
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