There are plenty of snapper and kahawai close to the target size around at the moment, as sea temperatures creep up. This helps spark the snapper fishing, and it is nudging 17C in the Hauraki Gulf. As a result fish are being caught between the Noises and Tiritiri Matangi Island and along the edges of the channels, along with kahawai, trevally and John Dory.
Some large kahawai are being hooked under the birds out in the gulf, continuing the pattern of last summer. The hottest fishing is off the west coast where snapper are at 50m in large numbers. Anywhere from Mokau in North Taranaki to Dargaville, good snapper can be caught when boats can get out, or by sending longlines off the beach on electric kontikis. A snapper weighing 13.6kg was reported caught off Mokau, which is a popular beach with fishermen using electrically powered kontikis to take longlines out off the beach. The kontikis can reach a kilometre offshore, and regularly bring in large snapper on the 25 hooks.
Fresh mullet is always a top bait on the west coast and fresh-caught kahawai is also good on the kontiki longlines. It is not necessary to use large baits on the longlines, in fact small, square chunks are better. If they are hooked with the skin side down, as it is pulled over the sand and out to sea the flesh side will be protected.
At Raglan the snapper fishing has also been red hot, with people easily filling their 10-fish bag. The most popular rig for fishing from a boat off the coast is the old-fashioned ledger rig, with a sinker at the bottom. Recurved or mutsu-style hooks are used, and the fish basically hook themselves so it is important to wait until the weight comes on the line before striking.
Sharks can be a problem on the west coast and when they turn up there is no option but to shift to another spot.
In Northland the best fishing is coming from the sand in shallow water in the evenings, like off Tokerau Beach in Doubtless Bay, and everywhere from Bream Bay to Leigh. Drifting with lures like soft baits or free-style kaburas works well. If using bait, anchoring and dropping berley is more popular.
Fresh water
At Lake Taupo harling with smelt imitations is producing fish in the early morning and evening. The Tongariro River is holding a lot of kelts, which are trout in poor condition after spawning and are returning to the lake, but there are also some nice fish being taken.
Whitebait catches in the lower Waikato River have slowed but it has been one of the best seasons in many years, according to experienced whitebaiters.
