The sea temperatures are colder than at this time last year, with water down to 12 degrees. This slows the fishing, but hopefully that is as cold as it gets this year.
Snapper to 3kg are reported from the foul in Islington Bay at Rangitoto Island, casting floating baits down a berley trail.
Large tarakihi are being taken in 50 metres out of Pakiri Beach, so there are plenty of options for those wanting to brave the winter conditions.
Kahawai are thick in the Manukau Harbour and can be a nuisance when trying to drop baits for gurnard. "One solution is to do away with bright flashers and go back to ledger rigs with plain recurved hooks baited with chunks of dark skippy or kahawai," advised one seasoned Manukau fisherman.
Reports from Thames indicate fishing has been hard on the west coast of the Coromandel Peninsula.
The snapper are there, but they feed for only a short time in the cold temperatures.
A hapuku weighing 19kg caught out off Great Barrier was found to have a hook in its stomach. The hook had rusted out and was surrounded by a ball of gristle, but the fish was reported to be in good condition; which adds evidence to the value of releasing fish even if they have a hook deep in the guts. Just cut the line close to the mouth.
Trevally up to 8kg are being taken in the Northland harbours, and land-based anglers are catching some big snapper from the rocks. The fish follow crayfish into the shallows, and a fresh jack mackerel bait works well when floated out among the kelp.
The same approach is paying dividends at Little Barrier and Great Barrier Islands and the Horn Rock reef, where snapper to 8kg can be taken from the shallows when the weather allows boats to get out.
Snapper fishing has become patchy in the Bay of Plenty, but a nice albacore of 18.4kg was taken while trolling about halfway between Whakatane and White Island. Surfcasters and those sending out torpedoes with long-lines are doing well off beaches along the bay coast, with school snapper and gurnard the main catch; and fishing with a fire on the beach is a pleasant way to spend an evening.
The broadbill swordfish fishery off the northern coast will come to an end this month as the fish migrate to warm tropical waters to spawn.
Freshwater
The Rotorua lakes are all extremely high, and there is some good fly fishing along the shore of Lake Rerewhakaaitu but a dinghy is useful for reaching good spots. At Lake Taupo, the trout are in good condition, with a lot in the 45-50cm range.
Trollers on the lake early in the morning are catching fish, but the best time to be on the water is when a low pressure system arrives, which is quite common at present.
Tip of the week
Kahawai are underrated when it comes to eating. Like all fish, they should be kept on ice when caught, and many anglers believe in bleeding them by slicing the wrist of the tail, or the throat. Their fillets can be treated like any white-fleshed fish and gently pan-fried.
Bite times
Bite times today are 7.45am and 8.10pm, and tomorrow at 8.30am and 9pm. These are based on the moon phase and position, not tides, so apply to the whole country. More fishing action can be found at www.GTtackle.co.nz.
