Tamaterau wrote: Hi Smudge, Not sure where your workmate is based but kayak fishing is definitely the go in the harbour. I kayak fished for years before getting a boat and did way better in a yak than boat. So here’s the go: nuclear chook curly tail gulps, fish morning or late arvo. You need the tide to be moving. High tide, fish the flats, 2-5m of water. A decent sounder let’s you find where the fish are feeding. Low tide outgoing can be great in the back eddies, 5-7m on the corners of the banks as the fish move out of the shallows and load up. Softies are the go as they tend to get the worthwhile fish ( there’s a heap of pickers around if using bait). There are bigger fish about but mostly in the 35-45cm range. Later season you get 55cm + jobs. Quiet from now through mid-jan as they spawn out in bream bay but after that it’s insanely easy fishing. Kayaks are great as they are stealthy so you can fish very shallow. The deep channels are barren. Overfalls often hold schools of small trevally. Harbour currents can run at 3-5knots so you do need to be fit. Drift, don’t anchor. That should get him started.

Reel Deal wrote:  Tamaterau some good there !👍  How did everyone get on today..? Pearler conditions.  My pots were empty so moved to bream rocks and picked up 9 snapper ,2 trevally, 1 kawahai. Found a suitable rock to fish and the bite was warming up nicely then 4 boats parked around me within talking distance and divers and spears dropped below me. Think I picked the wrong spot! Filleted and time to head to the ramp. Relaxing cruise checking out all the different types and styles of vessels enjoying the day too.

Nice positive report and beautiful photos MB.

krow wrote: MBThat was me who found you Saturday.

Me and Missus got out on the water today. Total catch was 4 nice pannie snapper, 3 of which were caught by my wife in quick succession on MY rod while i was busy trying to unravel a helluvah birdsnest on her reel . I caught mine straight after handing her rod back and  then the fish disappeared. 

hope this comes out as I am still restricted to typing in a little box to the right of screen….after a days fishing with some newbies, i popped into a Whangarei harbour bay for a fillet. Newbies dropped a few lines as some snapper marks showed on sounder in 8m water. As filleting they hooked a few small snapper then a mackerel. That made me cast an eye over my rod selection. Strongest was 10kg and it was strayline rigged with running sinker leader and 2 x 4 bar hooks so popped hooks through mackerel lip and dropped overboard. Carried on filleting and after 20mins heard a few clicks from the real then a strong purrr. It stopped then off it went again. Grabbed rod and pulled up tight. Rods lines etc were everywhere and the fish wanted to fight battle on otherside of boat so had rod tip underwater going underboat and i got railled twice. Now picking it for a shark as shallow water Kingi fight wasn’t what I’m used to. Finally after near spooling and having to go to sunset on drag to stop that happening. the green and yellow striped fish came along side, then it was the turn of a newbie crew member to try his best to pull hook with multiple gaff strikes at the line. So gaffed it myself. Nice addition to snapper and gurnard catch.  Cut into slabs and neighbour slow smoked it over night for the price of a few slabs his way. Win win win. 

Awesome Reel Deal! Whangarei Harbour at it's best.

Reel Deal wrote: you could row a dingy out into that harbour, land good snaps up to 10 pound snapper and 30 pound kingfish with some skill. I heard of people 2 days ago getting limits of snaps to 10 pounds in an hour anchored just a few hundred meters from shore. I over nighted on hen and chicks night before last with some awesome hot softbait action. I’m starting to get a feel for the place👍😁