Sunday, May 20th: I'm walking my dogs around Beach Rd Onerahi, its 6.15 am, a runabout comes out from the ramp at the end of Port Rd, sun is just coming up, no wind, flat-calm, a stunning vista! As the runabout passes the Onerahi jetty, one fisherman yells loudly: "YAHOO-OOO!",
They open the throttles, flat out heading for the entrance. Yahoo indeed, we are so lucky to live with such a magnificent resource on our doorstep.
Water temperatures have dropped and harbour fishing has slowed. However, there's still an occasional snapper being caught, along with a few kahawhai, trevally and kingfish. Recently a very good kingfish was caught on a cut bait near the yellow bouy. The area from Urqharts Bay out through the entrance and Busby Point will likely hold a few kings through the winter. Also, very recently some good snapper have been caught out from One Tree Point.
The 'Mad Mile' has been providing some good-quality snapper fishing. A couple of guys I know were recently in this area, saw some surface kahawhai action, used lures but caught nothing so, while drifting, dropped over strayline baits, two drifts - 14 snapper of very good size. Three Mile Reef is another area that has been producing good-quality snapper recently. Out over the sand in front of the Refinery/Powerstation in 16 to 18 metres is worth a look. Also, the Hen and Chicks, with burley and big fresh baits for big snapper, smaller hooks and oily baits will work well for trevally to good sizes.
As the water temperature drops, terakihi will come on the bite in depths of 50 metres or more. Also, hapuka will come on the bite, and trevally catches will increase.
During May, gamefishing has been pretty good, particularly for striped marlin. At times, surface action, involving schooling marlin, has been very exciting.
