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Fishing ReportsBay of PlentyHi, and welcome to what we hope will be many reports to come in the weeks and months ahead. Without question it’s been one long and mean winter for anglers – one of the worst to practice our beloved sport in living memory. After nearly three months of a consistent diet of wind and rain, the last few weeks have been much kinder. Lots of heretofore grumpy anglers were able to get out on the water albeit mainly inshore waters. Inshore
As mentioned, this is the area of the vast majority of effort – and anglers have generally been well rewarded. Up until last week, this reward has come largely due to prolific terakihi stocks. The silversides have cooperated well with limit catches the norm, many of them nice sized. In addition, pre-spawning gurnard have joined the fray for those out on the sand. Recently snapper have made the scene complete with increasingly more appealing in catch bins. Most are solid school fish of 30-35cm but a few larger fish showing up all the while. This can be seen nowhere better than by surfcasters who have been keen to see such large fish in the breakers. Several fish over 20 pounds have succumbed, two of them to take out local competitions. Early mornings have been best with anchovies painfully tied on hooks and surviving the cast doing the trick. A finicky process but well worth the effort for some finesseful anglers. And finally to complete the inshore scene are the whitebaiters, who also have had their place in the limelight. Some fabulous hauls have emerged from several rivers, many over 10lbs and some even approaching 20 – the best in some years.
Offshore
Very little pressure here for months, almost to the point of marine reserve status! Just lately that has changed somewhat with a handful of boats venturing forth. Last week the boat “Memorymaker” took a group of jigging enthusiasts out for an exciting foray near White Island. They got into some impressive kingi fishing (which has been well documented on this site) with one fish weighed at 31k’s, many in the 20’s released plus an estimated horse of 40 kilos! They finished off with some well roed up hapuka just west of the island for a great day out. Last weekend saw more crews heading north with resultant increased anticipation. Their enthusiasm was unjustified with sloppy seas and difficult fishing. Deepwater produced only a handful of small gemfish and kingis largely had lockjaw. Lots of rats to 12 kilo fish on jigs but the larger fish, save one, off the bite. This one exception was a beaut taken by Auckland angler David Howes. Battling away in shallow water and unfriendly reef systems, David survived the intense 20 minute fight to haul the 46.4 kilo monster aboard. Well done on a fish that will be hard to beat for this species this season. The water is a dirty green with temps only just 14 degrees – the years low. Despite this there are plenty of large bait schools foraging about White Island, mainly English (blue) mackerel in the shallows and rubyfish in the depths. The slimies are full of small squid and juvenile frostfish! Elsewhere terakihi are obliging for those that need the obligatory feed and have failed elsewhere. Can only imagine improvement here as water quality and temperatures improve.
Ranfurly Bank
No recent visits but look for this to change next week, weather permitting. Would expect throngs of hungry but slabby (post spawn) hapuka there at present among all the other available species.
Summary
Great to be back online after a lengthy absence. While this season is young there’s already plenty of enthusiasm shown and good fish landed. Conditions and opportunities should only improve and expand as we march through spring onto the upcoming summer months. Will be back in touch soon From
 PursuitReport type: Saltwater
Report date: 02 October 08
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