Blue cod in Auckland? Newbie question
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=140040
Printed Date: 28 Jan 2026 at 2:33pm
Topic: Blue cod in Auckland? Newbie question
Posted By: rtl18
Subject: Blue cod in Auckland? Newbie question
Date Posted: 18 Oct 2025 at 3:55pm
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Hi all! Been out fishing recently, and have been super lucky to come home with some great blue cod (four)! I didn't really go far out and stayed within inner Waitemata Harbour. Is this common? I always thought Auckland was just too warm for blue cod so this was surprising to me, especially since this wasn't anywhere flash. Has anyone come home with such a haul on the regular or was this just pure luck? Thanks!
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Replies:
Posted By: smudge
Date Posted: 19 Oct 2025 at 11:14am
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I 've caught them from time to time usually too small but have caught a couple over one kg. I'm sure there must be areas that hold them in order to sustain a population because they aren't the kind of fish I expect to be just passing through. ------------- Best gurnard fisherman in my street |
Posted By: Pcj
Date Posted: 19 Oct 2025 at 11:27am
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Have caught them back of Rakino,usually around 300mm tasty.Not big in numbers though
------------- "Times up" |
Posted By: rtl18
Date Posted: 21 Oct 2025 at 10:25pm
| Thanks for sharing guys! Glad to hear others have caught them too and it’s not unusual. Hoping for more on the next trip out! |
Posted By: focus
Date Posted: 22 Oct 2025 at 1:37pm
| there is a size limit so be careful |
Posted By: smudge
Date Posted: 22 Oct 2025 at 6:54pm
There certainly is and for Auckland it is 30cm. A tad small IMO but legal is legal. One thing and it may be just me but I don't think the blue cod up this way are as tasty as the SI ones. Any thoughts? ------------- Best gurnard fisherman in my street |
focus wrote:Posted By: Phantom Menace
Date Posted: 23 Oct 2025 at 10:24am
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I've seen them from time to time while spearfishing but they've all been borderline legal so I've left them alone. Gut hooked one on a fishhook one day and it was just legal so we ate it - and yes, the SI ones taste better. IMO SI Butterfish / Greenbone also tastebetter than those around the upper North Island and they also get bigger the further south you go. (I do like NI Butterfish but the SI ones are a bit nicer)
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Posted By: focus
Date Posted: 23 Oct 2025 at 11:44am
| get quite a few further north biggest so far is 45cm. i still prefer snapper but friends think it is the best fish to eat |
Posted By: Alan L
Date Posted: 23 Oct 2025 at 7:32pm
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It makes a nice change, but I do prefer gurnard to cod. But I have one friend (don't have too many) who totally rates them. Nothing wrong with them at all. We get quite a few on our reefy areas sth of Napier. 33cm is the legal for us. They can get quite big and fight well. Have done well on them on small plastics - but they scoff anything. Alan
------------- Legasea Legend member |
Posted By: Kandrew
Date Posted: 23 Oct 2025 at 8:03pm
Caught this on the south side of the Whangaparaoa peninsula a few years back, tasted great too me.
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Posted By: beachouse
Date Posted: 25 Oct 2025 at 7:52am
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We have caught some good sized blue cod in same area and around the same time of year. I was surprised at the time. I think there is a small window where they aren't in competition with snapper for bait. It's not too warm for them as I've caught lots on reefs in Northland. They just don't get as big imo. |
Posted By: rtl18
Date Posted: 04 Nov 2025 at 8:27pm
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Awesome, thanks for sharing your findings team! I would personally love to see more blue cod around, its such a tasty fish. We prefer them a little smaller to be honest as it fits the steamer a lot better. This was last weekend, probably the biggest of the lot so far! As for the previous trips out where we got a bunch, the average size was 35cm. I should also add, nothing too special with the rigs, just a good old ledger and pilchards for bait. I keep the bottom hook quite low to the ground so maybe it helps?
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Posted By: beachouse
Date Posted: 05 Nov 2025 at 6:43am
| That's a nice fish. I think the low bottom hook definitely helps. We often run one off near the sinker with a smaller hook. It's usually that one that picks up blue cod and gurnard. Again I think it's a competition thing. Also makes sense with where those fish approach the ledger rig. |
Posted By: Mc Tool
Date Posted: 28 Nov 2025 at 10:09am
yeah , thats about right for round here .....(.Im assuming that is a 2L bottle )  Seriously tho , I dont think there is much point in taking blue cod at 30cm , even at 33 there is significantly more meat . Being as we give a fair bit away if there is extra Im not to hung up on body count and tend to hang out for something 37-8 + cm. ------------- I wish I was young again .... Id be heaps smarter than this time |