The inshore fishing has definitely started to turn towards winter fishing with the harbour slowing on the snapper front. There's certainly still fish in the harbour but you will need to know where to target them at this time of year. Skull Creek and mangrove areas have fished ok with some reasonably decent fish coming out, mainly in the afternoon and early evening but time is needed to get the best results. The front side of Limestone Island has also produced some great fish and kahawai can be found in this area in good numbers.
Early in the mornings, Parua Bay and Snake Bank are host to kahawai flip-flopping around the place and there is still a reasonable chance of getting a feed of snapper.
A sure sign that the water temps are starting to slump is the arrival of the larger trevally, they have been getting caught all over the show at present with plenty of fish over 4.5kg landed. Out of the harbour and around the entrance is what this time of year is all about, as the fish start to move into more stable waters. Three Mile Reef, Fairway buoy, Ruakaka and Oceans Beach really start to fire up. Some awesome fishing has been experienced in all of these areas over the past week, again with a very mixed bag of fish.
Anchovies are starting to show up all over and the kahawai are there for a free and easy meal, under the work-ups and around the bait balls can also be found some nice snapper and this time of year the XOS kings can also be found gorging themselves.
Live baiting for the kingfish can be a frustrating experience though, a lot of the kahawai are too large for the average kingfish to take.
But then if you put a mackerel out all you seem to get are kahawai. Popper and stick baits can however result in some fantastic surface action and are well worth the effort.
As for trevally, yummy. One of my favorite eating fish by a long stretch and a serious sport fish on light line. They are around in force, in the shallower waters.
Around the shellfish beds and structures can see some fantastic fishing on soft bait, bait and also saltwater fly fishing.
The trick to any fishing at this time of year is getting out there doing it, you certainly can't catch fish sat at home with the fire going.
And to be quite honest, for the next three months or more is what Northland fishing is all about. Big angry fish, coastal inshore waters and nobody to be seen for miles, but shhhh, don't tell too many people.
