Fishing: Cold blast chases fish to warmer waters

The water temperature has dropped markedly from the Bay of Plenty to North Cape after the southerly blast, and the fishing has changed markedly with it.

The big pelagic predators are heading north, with schools of skipjack delaying the departure of some striped marlin off Whakatane.

But far more are headed to the tip of New Zealand, meaning the game fishing is hot only from the Cape to the Three Kings.

There were two notable catches in the past week. Rolf Masfen on Predator landed a 171kg stripey on 8kg line, and Guy Jacobsen on Outer Limits brought in a 133.6kg stripey on 4kg line. A world record claim is under consideration for the latter.

The Cape and Kings are fishing well, and the total of game fish as recorded by the NZ Big Game Fishing Council through its members is sure to be well in excess of recent seasons. Part of the reason was the settled weather through February/March when west coast anglers enjoyed a bonanza.

Are those fish there all the time, and did we catch so many simply because we were able to get out? Or did more fish travel down the west coast? Some theorise that the fish which were feeding off the west are now off the east coast before departing to the tropics.

The bottom fishing has been good from the Bay of Islands north, snapper catches not so good further south. Snapper in the 8kg range have been common from the Cavallis north in deeper water, with big work-ups of kahawai and birds.

The kahawai are the larger or ocean-going variety - a good catch on light tackle.

There are big fish off the beach from Parengarenga to the Rangaunu Harbour, with fresh squid the good bait in deeper water and shellfish better off the beach or rocks.

Doug McColl from Coopers Beach Sports reports kahawai work-ups in Doubtless Bay too, with snapper feeding beneath.

Tokerau Beach is fishing well in the evening, both from boats and for surfcasters. Kingfish averaging around 12-15kg are still being taken in numbers off the wharf at Mangonui and the snapper fishing just out from the harbour has been good, McColl said.

The Whangaroa club held its Classic Boats contest last weekend with two marlin tagged and released and two weighed, Sally Lay aboard Christina taking the big prize.

The 103-year-old Little Hinemoa, owned by Jeff Knight of Kerikeri, was the oldest entrant of 18 and all bar two of the vessels spent the weekend trolling as testament to their condition.

South of the Bay of Islands the colder water has turned the fishing tougher. A good sign comes off the sounder and there's plenty of bait fish about, but the snapper are less aggressive.

The Rangitoto Channel and inner harbour fishing has slowed.

Good catches have been taken drift-fishing in the Firth of Thames in mid-water, says Lance Paniora on Smokin' Reels.

On the Manukau, bigger gurnard are moving in as the snapper move out. Use flasher rigs - yellow seems to be hot - with cubed baits of pilchard or bonito.

The temperature average from February to June determines the size of the snapper "recruitment" from larvae to juvenile.

This number can vary by a factor of six or more, perhaps by as much as 2 million-18 million fish.

While the December spawning was fraught with terrible weather, it appears many fish were still spawning well into April - snapper are serial spawners and will keep going while good conditions prevail.

But this latest cold change, with snow bringing freezing winds and fresh melt to river mouths and the water temperature dropping rapidly from as high as 23 to as low as 19, will change things.

The fish will head to deeper water as baitfish schools decline. A switch of tactics may be required, to bigger hooks and bigger, bloodier baits, but berley remains a must.