Are we there yet, are we there yet? Summer, and fishing that is?

Well surprisingly the waters around the edges of the gulf have cleared very well

during the last few relatively calmer days, some are crystal clear, the full moon has passed, snapper kingfish and more should be well on the bite! Yes indeed water clearing after a storm or two often means some excellent fishing to be had, and with yet another wild weather event imminent, the fish will be feeling the need to feed right now.

For those keen on inner areas – that line between and dirty water run-off and clearer waters, within a few hundred metres of shore, some within landbased casting distance is a good place to be casting around a nice little 5” softbait or microjig. Low tide early morning and late evening – a nice time for a discovery style stroll along a shoreline with some lighter landbased approaches – a microjig or small softbait, even a micro-stickbait (25-35gm) can be surprisingly effective. If you’re wandering along a shoreline with overhanging trees, pohutukawas etc – nice spot to throw out a surface splash (imitating a dropping cicada for instance) lure around that deadly shadow/sunlight zone. Midday high tides all good for this over the next few days.

Yes those anchovies and other tiny tasty morsels are schooling all over the show now, out deeper, in closer (like Gardners Gap) – and no matter where they are there are usually some bigger fish eyeing any weaklings up, or simply waiting for the magical flick of the switch bite time.

So make the most of Mother Nature’s signs pointing you to the fish – surface birds, surface splashes, a misinterpreted ‘malfunctioning sounder blocking out’ (anchovy school) and cast around your offerings on the drift, troll around for a while and see if kahawai will strike your lure, super fun on light gear with reverse rigged microjig (tie leader to the lure with the hook trailing behind). If the action seems to be moving along fast, here there, then way over there, here’s few things to try. Don’t chase the leading edge just drift the area as the schools move around you, the bigger predators are often it tow and simply hanging around looking for their opportunity – your random lonesome lure, woohoo easy-money for the snapper or king. Have a bigger lure being looked after by Rod Holder alone while you cast about, something like a big 100-200gm Squidwing semi-dragging along behind (half to one wind up) looking like a spent squid, a soft easy motion = lurking snapper.

Kingfish are ready and waiting, jigs, topwater, livebait, trolled bibbed divers – all highly effective in their own right, it’s only up to what you want to do – and of course what the kings are after at that time, find the fish then tempt them with your best and simply ‘Let The Fish Be The Judge’… and DISCO, hold on tight!

Keen on getting even more out of your bait-free fishing – here’s an opportunity:

The Stables Sports Bar 5/707 Whangaparaoa rd, Arkles Bay

Ph 09-424 2266 STABLES or

FISH CITY ALBANY Ph. 09 476 4282

Tuesday February 21^st, 6-7pm

Learn the 2 top techniques, the 2 essentials for fishing success and see what fish actually see as you move different lures and softbaits in the water tank on display.

How to choose lures weights and a whole lot more!

There’ll be jigs, lures and softbaits available on the night too.

Our shout, it’s FREE! See you there. Captain Espresso

A very warm and welcoming Merry Christmas to you, what a year 2022!

From epic sights David Attenborough would be proud of – multiple whales of several species including a rare baby Humpback feeding on big bait-balls in the local gulf with more cruising around up the coast to the Hen and Chicks makes for idyllic life experiences and fantastic fishing to boot. The big game season was a cracker and this next season is already underway with short-billed spearfish, albacore, yellow fin tuna, mahimahi, striped and blue marlin all being caught this past week in the North Island! No wonder – sea temps are still well up above normal and not just surface temperatures, down to 200m it’s 2 degrees warmer and has been for the past 2 years. This year looks like similar temperatures will prevail so expect the changes seen over the last couple of years of fishing to continue wherever around the country you are or are wetting a line.

Snapper fishing this Spring has been turning up a lot of good size fish,

some have been in below average condition and with breeding the next topic on the agenda for them you can expect a general slow-down in overall bite, but inshore areas are perking up big time, good tidings. The inner harbour shallower areas are slowly but surely filling up with snapper, great news for softbaiters and microjiggers getting in amongst some exciting snapper action, including those wonderfully cheeky spots like under the Auckland harbour bridge (watch out for those bungy jumpers), the boat-busy Tamaki strait, and more inner areas providing surprisingly good snapper fishing. An effective goto technique in these areas is dragging a softbait or microjig along with the odd lift behind your ski/kayak/boat… a surprisingly successful method to catch snapper over the next month or so.  That giveaway ‘smoke’ trail of mud, a flailing barely alive softbait just gradually moving along presents easy pickings for snapper with their noses down grubbing around for morsels like little aquatic kunekune pigs in the mud. You can fish a long way out the back of the drift like this. Smaller 5inch softbaits and micros up to about 20gms are ideal. Don’t forget – the better your menu selection, the more fish will strike whether they’re after a big meal or just a little after dinner mint 😉, they’ll soon let you know.

Further out into the open gulf it’s business as usual – simply superb days when the bite is on, the ‘rest’ periods are stretching out a bit now but wow some epic snapper and kingfish battles to be had whether simply out drifting the 35-45m depths (birds overhead or not) or targeting some of the reefs around southern Flat Rock, Tiri tiri, Happy Jacks and eastern Waiheke.

So did you reach a goal or two in your fishing this year? A personal best perhaps or simply enjoying fishing for good food for the family like the excellent kingfish, gurnard, dory, kahawai and mackerel. Whether you’ve already added a tick or not – what’s on your fishing list now? In terms of tackle – will it be some self-Santa or potluck under the pine tree. What adventures are in your sights…land based off the mighty 90mile amongst crashing surf

and salt spray ready for whole snapper over a BBQ, or deep drops into the lightless abyss for truly the outstanding taste of bluenose, bass, puka, swordfish? Maybe a troll around for albacore YFT, mahi and marlin, how about freshwater fishin’ fly time or a little jig, or how about more MMA with almost hand to hand battling big kings whether topwater or jigging – every which way is all good. Inexpensive thrills no matter what the experience or age level with catching kahawai too – what magic memories have you yet to make?

Coaching seminars on softbaiting and slow pitch were a massive hit, various in-person and online presentations were almost overwhelming this year – the knowledge sharing, the crazy-good buzz on the night, the learning and individual application, genuine information put to immediate use judging by the pictures received after each venue! And isn’t that what it’s about, getting more out of lure fishing by catching better fish. Thank you for the amazing and positive receptions around the country with hundreds-thousands of people learning, sharing and progressing their bait free fishing – thank you so much, truly gratifying. There’s more coaching planned next year with several already in the pipeline, and why not let me know if you’re keen to host one so we can make it happen in a format tailored specifically to you. Some of the passionate people and places around the country supporting our fishing habit in a good way: Smart Marine, Trev Terry Marine, Smart Marine, Wanganui Marine Services, Waikato Sport Fishing Club, North Shore Kayak club, Fish City Albany and Hamilton, the continued and much appreciated support from real deals like Manukau Yaks, Yakazulu Kayak, the always enjoyable NZ Fishing News and NZ Fishing World online, the Hutchwilco Boat Show, and many more.

Stuck for Christmas ideas: here’s the Catch CATALOGUE to help you out with ideas.

Have a fun and safe time over the holidays, fish ‘em when you can, and if you see me out ‘n about whether on the water or not, do give me a wave and say g’day.

Cheers, have a very Merry Christmas.

Espresso.

www.catchfishing.pro

Slow pitch strikes on camera, coaching seminars, kayak fishing extra, hot bite and when it’s not – what to do and more, this week’s Espresso Report via video definitely worth a good look!

BTW regular mid-arvo inshore workups south side of Whangaparaoa peninsula for the past few days around 3pm, and solid kahawai hounding shorelines on the northern side as well, must be something going on! I would expect action to increase very soon south of Flat Rock in the very near future, think gannets, dolphins and snapper, keep a watchful eye on the sky there.

So much is on in the lead up to Christmas with more fishing competitions and better fishing weather means great fishing is on the menu, check out the video on Catch Fishing Facebook today for the lowdown.

Espresso.

Early birds ‘n bees alright – and snapper, here, there and everywhere!?

The influx of Spring action is well underway, yet traditionally it isn’t until sometime around these first 2 weeks in October that workups and snapper start appearing more regularly closer to Auckland itself, yet for the past 4 weeks or so this type of action has already been underway. October is normally the windy month so we have a truly mixed bag of fishing factors going on right now.

Productive workups have been all over the show, from thumping action out past Anchorite to more spreadout style with smaller pods of dolphins and groups of gannets closer in around the 40m mark off northern Waiheke, but surprisingly also right down into the Firth, although somewhat fewer snapper naturally enough at this stage of play. Even the bottom end of Waiheke not far from ever popular Auckland ramps has been seeing it’s fair share of snapper action. Kayakers have also been having a good time close in under the radar, some good reports of not having to go far to find good fish.

These workups especially the smaller ones popping up all around the gulf are a great sign of fish activity below that otherwise we may not cotton-on to, so if you see any group of birds, actively feeding or just waiting – definitely check the area out with an exploratory cast or two – ideal for that little microjig  whether zinc alloy for a slower fluttering fall, the solid performing allrounder of a  lead 20gm or the faster falling heavy yet smaller tungsten micros. The water temperature is on the incline, so over the next few weeks expect even more excitement especially with snapper. The usual variety of lures at hand is still a good idea though, there may or may not be a good bite going on when, and where you decide to go fishing, and it can shut down quickly for hours. Small, medium and large lures adjusting to the bite are the go, but also important is the action you impart from an aggressive high lift softbait action, to a just-moving slow wind (of most lures), flicks the strike switch ON when otherwise there’s no rod bending going on.

Expect 4 seasons in a day, and similar bite intensity, prepare accordingly and you will enjoy those hookups and all that follows including beautiful fillets of fresh fish, you caught. Bliss.

LURE FISHING EFFECTIVELY, NOVICE TO PRO!

Increasing your lure fishing knowledge, technique and application of your fishing skills are on! Last weekend’s event in Whanganui was EPIC. What a night with so many people learning and sharing real world fishing knowledge with the simple mutual aim of catching better fish, 100% bait free. There’s a quick video summary on this weeks’ Catch Fishing Facebook page and my personal Facebook (Grant Bittle Capt Espresso) and more – yes it was GREAT! More seminars are coming, with an encore due to popular demand in Taupo on Saturday night of labour Weekend (October 22^nd), North Shore Kayaks on October 26^th, open days at Fish City Hamilton and KP Marine Wellington after that, there’s also a Hibiscus Coast Ladies competition on 11/12 November. With even more lure fishing seminars are in the pipeline!

…is YOUR club/store/trade group/business after some great practical fishing information for novice or seasoned angler, with a bit of entertainment for good measure? Contact me asap so you don’t miss out this summer.

Have an enjoyable and productive time either fishing or enjoying your preparation for the next big fishin’ mission under that big bright night light, full moon Sunday!

Espresso.

Grant@Catchfishing.co.nz

Captainespresso007@gmail.com

Spring snapper start?

Wild and dramatic changes typify weather in Spring, hail to sunscreen

and back, similarly the fortunes of fishing. Snapper fishing is warming up, it is a process with both epic days and temporary setbacks – however the early signs are superb.

Several whales in the outer gulf are feeding on krill but others and larger pods of common dolphins are hunting high-energy baitfish – an absolute bonanza for Spring fishing when the big hunt is on. These epic workups move around a lot, so one day here, the next over there, maybe 20nm away in any direction. Expectations are high for continued action around the outer channels, the Colville, Craddock and Jellicoe where there has been some very perky fishing scenes this past week, a good place to be and keep an eye on. Out over the open grazing snapper fields closer in, the middle ground, there have been some temporary gulf inhabitants like the amazing looking frost fish. It’s a slower bite fishing the middle ground right now, but still good pannies are to be caught with a slow drift and a slow steady retrieve. The pale, white almost mushy flesh of some snapper compared to others is generally a sign of poor nutrition and subsequent condition, nothing wrong with eating them.

Bigger slow pitch jigs will come even more into their own as Spring progresses, more fish and more competition for food can mean very aggressive fish feeding. So when the bite is on, forget about the mild mannered Freestyle Kaburas (ideal for when it’s a slow bite but can be counter-productive when the amp is turned up) go for good hard metal lures, and well designed slow pitch jigs like the BOSS , Double Trouble or Deep-V  the strikes are intense and the fish size impressive. Combined with either the Kensei150g or the new upsized Kensei250g Slow Pitch rod the next level of fishing adventure and enjoyment is here.

Tick tock the Spring clock and with it the thrills and adventures of fine weather fishing are upon us, sure not every day but the good ones are increasing, preparation is key.

Whanganui Hot Spot! If you’re if the area on Sept 30 – great news, a 100% lure fishing seminar is ON! Marine Services Whanganui, Sept 30^th, 6pm. Whether you are a novice or experienced angler – there’s always plenty to add to your fishing knowledge about how and where to use slow pitch jigs and softbaits for kingfish, ‘puka, snapper, cod. Come along and see for yourself what the different jigs and lures look like when you move them in the jig tank i.e. what the fish actually see, and 50m down as well – a real gamechanger! It’s free too. Half a chance – see you there.

Cheers