WTF – 24 November 2017
Workups of โBiblical proportionsโ was how several days of fishing the Hauraki Gulf have been described this week.
Fewer kahawai on the western side of the gulf recently, somewhat startling when you see the surface action with dolphins hunting in packs all over the place, gannets following the dolphins and hurtling into the water at break-neck speed trying their fishing luck, the swarms of gannets sometimes stretching for well over a kilometre in the air, even a whale or two in the mix down below.
Kingfish also were conspicuous by their relative absence the past few days, that will definitely not last – speed jigging bigger jigs (200-400gms) has been the go and the current moon phase gives the thumbs up too.
Big gurnard and the odd good cod โ usually found away from the tumult of workups but in the general area โ a bit like the snapper now and then, there are only so many snapper, and they can only swim so fast, many are simply spread out over wide areas feeding on the sea floor nowhere near all the fuss towards the surface in 45m. Inner areas <20m are starting to pick up in terms of snapper numbers fast now as the sea temperature reaches that magical 18c.
Simple drift fishing has been an excellent and highly rewarding way to catch a variety of fish species over a few hours, without the need to find diving birds and the โaction stationsโ at all, the main thing is to be out there!
Good weather, great fishing โ what more could we ask for.
Enjoy.
Espresso.
