Fishing Reports - Red Hot Winter Fishing...Mokau

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Red Hot Winter Fishing...Mokau

Printed From: The Fishing Website
Category: Saltwater Fishing
Forum Name: Fishing Reports
Forum Description: Share information about your latest fishing trip
URL: https://www.fishing.net.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=139993
Printed Date: 03 Feb 2026 at 12:58pm

Topic: Red Hot Winter Fishing...Mokau

Posted By: Snappa Geoff
Subject: Red Hot Winter Fishing...Mokau
Date Posted: 19 Jun 2025 at 2:15pm

Hi all with winter upon us fishing days are few and far between. An opening came yesterday and with my brother avaliable we made the most of it. Cold as we gear up in wetsuits, jackets, balaclava's, thermals you name it! Then beachlaunch and off we go...First stop was close in at the rivermouth to catch bait. Zilch after fourty minutes i was starting to think of another spot then out on horizon I spotted heaps of birds working. A quick change up to spinners and we charged on out. The Kahawai were thick so we loaded up about fifteen nice ones.. The way we fish thats about the norm for a good session if the Snaps are around.

Off to my spot X and start deploying our Straylines... A quiet start as low tide was 9am we weren't expecting much until the turn. An Hour or so later it was all on! The Snaps were hungry and smashing the fresh Kahawai.... First fish was around the 8kg mark, good start but he went back! Operating two straylines each when they come on requires alot experience in baiting, playing and landing fish after fish without getting tangled etc...I'm not joking in the next three hours we would of caught over twenty fish over 7kg, three of them 9's and one a good 10kg. A few were kept that swallowed hooks

but most released including the biggest..Went through all the baitfish and caught more to carry on. When we catch them like this we are both thinking the same thing of hooking into a whopper, P.B material. Couple of picks of Mick all dressed up for winter holding a few fish. Cheers

Replies:

Posted By: Keith C
Date Posted: 19 Jun 2025 at 4:05pm

Well done. The harbour parking was full right into the late afternoon, so many people made use of that gap in the weather and sea.

Posted By: Fish Addict
Date Posted: 19 Jun 2025 at 5:30pm

Great fishing Geoff, the stuff most of us can only dream about.

Posted By: Got-ya
Date Posted: 19 Jun 2025 at 6:15pm

Thats a great effort well done! That shoreline looks pretty close we would barely be in 12m of water up here at that distance.

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THERE ARE TWO KINDS OF FISHERMAN, THOSE WHO FISH FOR SPORT AND THOSE THAT CATCH SOMETHING.

Posted By: Telecaster
Date Posted: 19 Jun 2025 at 9:05pm

Just epic! I'd love to drag my zodiac down there one day and give it a crack, I guess it's a matter of watching the forecast and pouncing on the opportunity. How does it go down there in spring? What sort of depth are you anchoring in? (I understand if it's a secret) Thumbs Up

Posted By: smudge
Date Posted: 19 Jun 2025 at 9:11pm

Well done Geoff. There was a weather window up here on Tuesday and Wednesday - the first in a looong time. There were some good catches but none that size. PS The CSFC Ice breaker is coming up :)

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Best gurnard fisherman in my street

Posted By: SaltyC
Date Posted: 20 Jun 2025 at 9:21am

Yeah....Nah, Im not jealous at all.........

Love your reports SG

Posted By: Snappa Geoff
Date Posted: 20 Jun 2025 at 3:34pm

[QUOTE=Keith C]Well done. The harbour parking was full right into the late afternoon, so many people made use of that gap in the weather and sea. [/QUOTE Hi Keith, I will probably join ya when Im to old for beachlaunching! Beer

Posted By: Snappa Geoff
Date Posted: 20 Jun 2025 at 3:41pm

Fish Addict wrote:

Great fishing Geoff, the stuff most of us can only dream about.

Hi Fish Addict, thanks for reply. Dream very obtainable if one is prepared to fish out West... Beer

Posted By: Snappa Geoff
Date Posted: 20 Jun 2025 at 3:46pm

Got-ya wrote:

Thats a great effort well done! That shoreline looks pretty close we would barely be in 12m of water up here at that distance.

Hi Got ya, thanks for reply. I have two spots, 10-12m as mentioned and at 18 odd meters for this report... Beer

Posted By: Snappa Geoff
Date Posted: 20 Jun 2025 at 4:01pm

Telecaster wrote:

Just epic! I'd love to drag my zodiac down there one day and give it a crack, I guess it's a matter of watching the forecast and pouncing on the opportunity. How does it go down there in spring? What sort of depth are you anchoring in? (I understand if it's a secret) Thumbs Up

Hi Telecaster, Ok, Spring is the best! The bigger fish come and fatten up for spawning, at least i think they do that. I joined the Forum in 2012 and since then have met some neat people that have dragged there boats here in search of usually there first 20 lb Snap! But If i did the Maths on all enquiry's I get probably one in twenty actually come and the rest like Fish addict said, dream about it. Be keen to show ya me backyard Big smile

Posted By: Snappa Geoff
Date Posted: 20 Jun 2025 at 4:08pm

smudge wrote:

Well done Geoff. There was a weather window up here on Tuesday and Wednesday - the first in a looong time. There were some good catches but none that size. PS The CSFC Ice breaker is coming up :)

Hello Smudge! That weather window was well over due! Wot date is Icebreaker? been a few years.. Bit of a drive for me to prizegiving but Im keen! Beer

Posted By: Snappa Geoff
Date Posted: 20 Jun 2025 at 4:10pm

SaltyC wrote:

Yeah....Nah, Im not jealous at all.........

Love your reports SG

Thanks for the kind words Salty! Happy fishing.. Beer

Posted By: Fish Addict
Date Posted: 20 Jun 2025 at 4:32pm

Snappa Geoff wrote:

Fish Addict wrote:

Great fishing Geoff, the stuff most of us can only dream about.

Hi Fish Addict, thanks for reply. Dream very obtainable if one is prepared to fish out West... Beer

I'm a bit west of you Smile

Posted By: Schecter
Date Posted: 23 Jun 2025 at 8:29am

Well done Geoff. What a epic session. Smile

Posted By: MJ
Date Posted: 24 Jun 2025 at 1:26pm

Excellent fishing Geoff. Big baits, big fish.

Posted By: The Tamure Kid
Date Posted: 24 Jun 2025 at 9:08pm

Another great day on the water, Geoff. Hard work mixed with skill and your unsurpassed local knowledge = big snaps. I'm glad the infrequent weather windows, remoteness from main population centres and difficult access to the sea preserves your fishing paradise, and keeps the dreaming hordes away! If it was easy to get to and fish your back yard the fishery would be destroyed in no time.

Thanks for taking the time to post reports. You're a legend.

Posted By: Snappa Geoff
Date Posted: 25 Jun 2025 at 8:47pm

The Tamure Kid wrote:

Another great day on the water, Geoff. Hard work mixed with skill and your unsurpassed local knowledge = big snaps. I'm glad the infrequent weather windows, remoteness from main population centres and difficult access to the sea preserves your fishing paradise, and keeps the dreaming hordes away! If it was easy to get to and fish your back yard the fishery would be destroyed in no time.

Thanks for taking the time to post reports. You're a legend.

Thanks for replies guys! Totally agree with your coments Lester... The Mokau Bar itself keeps alot of boats away from fishing here. Not the easiest to navigate.. plus the wild westcoast weather keeps you on land for weeks on end when its rough...Update on Hinga- she got out yesterday with freinds, the only boat that did so as the bar was quite big! She only used the methods I taught her, two straylines with fresh big baits and landed a Pb. a 10.00 exact kg Snap. The others on the boat thought at first only sharks would take on her big baits but later were rigging them up to and caught nice snaps... Beer

Posted By: brmbrm
Date Posted: 02 Jul 2025 at 6:45pm

Great stuff Geoff and thanks for the report.

Re the bait. I am still learning up here in Tutukaka. I have found frozen shop-bought bait not much good at all. Been catching some nice koheru recently which seem fantastic as bait (whole, 35cm ish or else half). KY and trevally I have caught but not used so much (until I run out of the koheru).

Do you ever catch bait then freeze for later trip? Or catch then fridge for a few days? Or always catch fresh? Preferred bait = KY or what?

(My last trip I deliberately went out the day before to catch the koheru and thats all. Next day B&B session but the kingis were a bit of a plague :) )

Posted By: Snappa Geoff
Date Posted: 02 Jul 2025 at 8:41pm

brmbrm wrote:

Great stuff Geoff and thanks for the report.

Do you ever catch bait then freeze for later trip? Or catch then fridge for a few days? Or always catch fresh? Preferred bait = KY or what?

(My last trip I deliberately went out the day before to catch the koheru and thats all. Next day B&B session but the kingis were a bit of a plague :) )

Hi Brmbrm, Hardly have ever bought bait apart from a few pillies for catching bait. Have never used Koheru, we dont get them here. They sound great!! I try and have something thawed to take like Kahawai fillets to get started left over from last trip but most times I have nothing apart from a few pillies for Kahawai and Sabikis. Once the fresh bait starts coming on board thats when the fishing hots up every trip.. Ninety percent Im using Kahawai as thats wot is plentiful and easy to catch here. The rest a mixture of Jack macs when they are there, Baracouta, Kingfish good, trevs are rare, and Gurnhard great if your short on all of them.. Also If the weather lets me do two trips over a few days definately leave bait fresh in fridge for up to three days. if not used then in freezer till next trip. Beer

Posted By: brmbrm
Date Posted: 20 Jul 2025 at 11:45pm

HiGeoff: you do not use berley, is that right? I use it, but up here (Tutukaka) it brings the sharks round. Would i be better off without you reckon (big fresh baits thee way to go).

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