Too much commercial pressure on the fishery I think.  Last time I was out, in early December, I visited several spots during a day and half of fishing, and used berley, soft plastics, bait and slow jigs, and I only got two barracuda, two john Dory, one terakihi, and 8 legal blue cod over the 30 cm mark, and a couple of kahawai. I got no legal snapper, but caught lots of undersize models, and only got the John Dory because they ate the small blue cods caught on the line.  It seems there is a a lot of small blue cod at most popular spots in the Tauranga area, so when they all get bigger it might be worthwhile fishing for them. When I pulled up the pick to head back from Steeles reef, on the morning of the second day, there was a gill netter pulling up about a mile of net just outside the reef, and then he proceeded to pick up another gill net a bit further out.  At the same time, there were 3 purse seiners all working between Mayor & Karewa.  When I returned to the Bridge marina, MAF were doing a recreational catch survey, and when I bemoaned how hard it usually is in Tauranga, he told me not to feel bad, as most other recreational fishers were struggling, and even the charter boats were only getting single digit catches for a days fishing.

 

That is why I am planning to tow my boat North for my next outing, even though Tauranga is a lot closer, it has been a waste of fuel for the last 5 trips.