Big gamers, medium gamers and small gamers – it is time to play the game, the fish are certainly keen to mix it up! And with big tides, that full moon a
Pocket Rocket micros = summer fish catching!
week away yet, tropical storm warnings and Auckland borders getting relaxed a bit, sounds like Mother Nature’s got a few of her own ideas – so how’s it shaping up for fishin’?
Snapper – plenty of snapper feeding well enough and they’re spreading out, swimming in and around all sorts of places, so it’s really your choice of where you want to fish for them almost, not just where the snapper ‘usually’ are. So right now is a great time for prospecting, some new ‘cheeky’ areas with the stealth of a kayak for instance makes for some highly entertaining fishing, all sorts of places whether inner city areas or further afield and more remote. It is amazing where some great snapper can be found about now like Narrow Neck, perhaps a bit early for right up by Hobsonville – but worth a look? Fish your 5” softbait hard on the bottom has been a good technique this past week, not much movement, just drifting on and along the bottom, get ready for a gentle take…snapper time! The normal channels are looking much better – Motuhie, Rangitoto which is good since traditionally by the time Christmas arrives – snapper will be starting their summer holidays a bit too. So make hay while the sun shines, only a couple of weeks to go. Workups are flitting around out in the gulf – easy enough just to head out, check the bino’s, avoid the no fishing zones and you’re away laughing along with the dolphins whales gannets, and the rest of the chain gang. If no real surface action, no worries – an easy drift fish while using your tackle box’s smaller jigs, little inchiku, little slow pitch, smaller slow jigs all on your favourite rod and reel. Slow retrieval, disco!
Kingfish seemed to take a bit of a holiday last week, plenty around but probably a result of the very little current, and some rather still days, too still if you know what I mean, lovely, calm, serene but a soft bite…but wait…that tidal current swings into force now, those kings have got to be frenzying up. Jigs, stick baits, poppers, land-based or any other style of ‘base’ – boat ski yak drone kite – those big green machines are waiting for you to come out and play! It’s your duty. Pick of the jigs – Double Trouble whether slow pitch rigged or mechanical-jig rigged has been catching them at Flat Rock, and outwards, or a tasty looking big 10” Livie softbait.
Figure 2 Days Out Fishing Charters in the stunning BOI – Darren Knapping
If you’re heading north especially Aucklanders who love to fish – or you’re just up there enjoying the Bay of Islands – here’s a great fishing charter thoroughly worth going on @Darren Knapping and Fishing Days Out. Highly recommended for a great day out fishing in the stunning BOI, walk on, walk off, walk around, hassle free fishing – gotta be good for you!
Softbaits. Store your different softbaits seperately, even similar compounds –
Figure 3 Great snapper fishing, Bay of Islands, Darren Knapping.
there are many ingredients and some just don’t get along well at all. Even octopus skirts, kabura skirts, rubber bands, rubber mats can all interact when you’re not looking, don’t let them turn into a gooey mess.
Christmas Shopping Bargain? This Saturday 11th December 10am-4pm, Catch Fishing is having it’s annual showroom sale located at 12B Piermark Drive, Albany, Auckland clearing some used rod and reel sets off the charter boat, (reels have recently been serviced), demo rod and reel combos, some end of lines, lures and softbaits with packaging damage, samples, and lots of other bargains…..you do need to wear a mask, and be double vaccinated to visit the showroom.
Lastly – those beautiful evenings we are graced with now, what an amazing time to be out for an evening fish in the boat or kayak, or good for a bit of land-based prospecting around the coastline with a softbait or microjig on your softbait rod . Summer 😊, enjoy!
