The weather in the last few weeks has been either diabolical or bloody marvellous.
When it’s been stunning, every man and his dog have been out on the water with varying degrees of success.
Fishing out of Omaha has been like nothing I have ever experienced before. For me, fillets from snapper in the 35-45 cm range are the perfect size, yet in the last month, I have caught at most four that size. What has been weird is that every snapper has been 50 – 75 cm, fish I would normally release or keep a few to put in the smoker.
This winter is very different from when areas that always hold a few fish are absolutely barren, and even fishing close in on the foul where the sounder is showing fish, they just don’t want to take a soft bait or lure; only big cuts of fresh bait will they take. What makes it weirder is that they are not competing for food. They simply pick, chew, and swallow a big bait. Softer baits such as pilchards are only picked at by reef fish, with the odd hook-up on trevally.
Talking to others at the ramp, they are all finding the same, whether they are out wide and deep fishing under the work ups, it’s just something none of us has ever experienced before. The key to catching a feed is habitat, fresh bait, and patience. The rocks and reef will always hold fish along with bait fish. Catching bait fish, don’t be shy and cut them up, either use the whole or cut them in two. Most people think they need a sinker to get the bait to the bottom. By using big baits, they sink, and, most importantly, they give no resistance when a fish picks them up. To prove the point, the mate who fishes with me insists on using a sinker, not only does he constantly get snagged, but when we share out the seven snapper, he hadn’t caught one.
Fishing in the inner gulf has been quite different, and again this winter is somewhat different to years past. You don’t need to head out wide to find work-ups. The Rakino and Motuihe channels, and directly out from Islington Bay, consistently have small work-ups of small springer kahawai and bait fish mid-water.
There are plenty of pannie snapper to the north of A buoy, it’s been fishing best on an incoming tide with an easterly wind. Further up the Rangitoto channel, fish the outgoing tide back into the foul just north of Coast Guard Bay, which has some really nice snapper lurking in the foul.
Probably my best go-to spot in winter is the vast area of rock and foul on the western side of Browns Island. You need an incoming tide with a north-to-north east wind to hold the boat so the stern is facing up the Tamaki River. Anchor just outside of casting distance from the foul, as your burly trail will draw the fish out. Again, big fresh baits work really well, as there will be a lot of pickers about.
Even though it's cold, take care and ice down your catch, as winter snapper are stunning eating, as they are full of body fat, which also makes them stunning to smoke. One thing you will notice when filleting the fish is the fat sticking to the blade of the knife. Wipe the blade after every stroke, and you will find it a lot easier, particularly when skinning the fish.
It may be a bit cold on those stunning winter mornings, it's well worth getting out on the water. But if things aren’t working, try thinking outside the square or look in places you have never been before, as it is the best way to build up a database of knowledge to draw on.
