This is turning out to be one of those years when nothing surprises me anymore.
Is it just that more people than ever are out fishing, plus the effect of social media? Never before have there been so many marlin and yellowfin tuna being caught not only on the East Coast but also on the West Coast and even as far south as the South Island. If this is global warming, bring it on!
With the weather fairly stable, take advantage of it for the next six weeks. From then on, with the colder water, we will see a gradual change in the fish’s movements and feeding habits. As of now, snapper are full-on feeding to regain their condition and build up body fat to carry them over the winter months.
Right across the Hauraki Gulf from South of Little Barrier to the Firth of Thames, the snappers are spread out, feeding on worms, crabs, and shellfish. Workups this summer are smaller than usual, as are the size of the Kahawai. Out in deeper water, those chasing them on lures and soft baits have to move about and hunt the fish down as they are mainly spread out, not in big schools. Small 3-4 soft baits and jigs have been most effective whereas the 7-7 inch are pulling the bigger fish out from the rocks and kelp-covered reefs.
The number and size of the schools of anchovies have got to be seen to be believed. Only once in my lifetime of fishing have I ever seen a school of yellow-fin tuna in the inner gulf, yet this year, a number have been caught as close in as Rangitoto light the Noises, even off Takapuna beach. They are not big fish, mostly around the 10-15 kg mark.
You don’t need to go far to catch a feed. Snapper feeding up ready for winter is close in around the foul just to the north of the lighthouse, right the way along the shore to the east, and even right up in the shallows of Gardeners Gap. It’s well worth having a look close in on Administration Bay when heading to the Noises; if the anchovies are there, drift with small silver jigs or white/ blue 3-inch lightly weighted soft baits. I recently had a quick fish on the small lumps of rock at the northern end of Chelternen Beach, nothing flash but just nice eating pannies.
Around the Ahaahas and Noises area, when the tide is going on the slack, move in close to the rocks and foul, tossing out small baits on floaters [ no sinkers] or working soft baits on the edge of the foul. Once the current picks up 15-23 meters is where the snapper seems to be holding. The hot spot has been on the edge of the drop-off slightly to the south of Zeno Rock. Kingfish of all sizes are lurking around right in close to the rocks and reefs, and my go-to spot to catch a few bigger snapper and target kingfish is on the rocky foul reef that extends out from the southern end of Durville Rock. [area 5 spot 1, page 130].
One spot that has consistently been fishing well, especially on the incoming tide at the change of light, is slightly to the west of the entrance of Bayswater Marina. Stay clear of the fairway.
Omaha has been challenging at times with snapper holding in a range of depths, no great volume of fish showing on the sounder but good size fish. Fishing off Ti Point in 21 meters on the start, I chop up a few handfuls of ground bait, and periodically, I toss it over so I get a wide spread across the bottom. I have never seen so many juvenile kingfish as this year, and last weekend, I nailed a few of the biggest blue koherus I have seen. Not only are they stunning bait, but they are also some of the best sushimi and smoked fish in the ocean.
Just out on the sand in front of the surf club in around 13-14 meters, stray lining has been producing snapper in the 34-42 cm mark but also a number of beautiful fat trevally again ideal for sashimi or smoking. Never toss the heads or frames away. I freeze them and cut the heads in half, then the area around the gill plate, so you end up with three big baits. Plus, the frames get broken up for burly, it looks ridiculous, but these big baits, when tossed back in the burly trail, have regularly hooking snapper up in the 23-pound mark.
No matter where or how you fish, be it with family or mates, make the most of the last bit of summer and get out on the water.
