Moontide Fishing Episode 1 is out now! How good is this, a locally fished, made and produced TV program, epic stuff and well worth a watch. Congratulations to everyone involved, impressive stuff and it just goes to show what can be achieved with passionate people making it happen right here. Whatย 
better way to witness and learn the moonโs influence on your fishing (and more) than to sit back, relax and watch some excellent snapper fishing on TV?! Epic.
(Moon Tide Fishing, Episode 1 | Mฤori Television (maoritelevision.com)
Out wider in local Hauraki Gulf thereโs been some good action to get the heart pumping, some reasonable size workups in 50m but thereโs also been some main events i.e. thumping great workups hammering in for half an hour or more, a bit further north this week, no need for binos style, easily seen from a few coastal golf courses diverting the attention of golfers between hooks of another kind. When the need to feed is on, itโs round โem up time and the time is now.
It canโt be long now for the sea temps to near their minimum for the year, hugging the heals of the plummeting air temps around NZ this week yet thereโs still good fishing to be had. Southerly quarter winds can really put the dampener on the enthusiasm for getting out from under the duvet but keep an eye on that forecast, not too far on the event horizon are a smattering of those beautifully clear air days, cloudless, sunny and warm โ once the sun is well up with appropriate clothing on (Aucklanders!). It is now officially winter and with it a few stunning days are heading our way and what better way to enjoy than enjoying a day hooking up on hard charging winter fish.
At this time of year, particularly for snapper โ they can be disinterested in feeding a lot of the time, but with a bit of cunning, or trial and error, you can get them to succumb to your wiles. Much lighter leader particularly if you are drift fishing relatively open areas can turn a nah into a yeah. Reducing from 20lb to 10lb for instance can make a massive difference in attention. Microjigging comes into itโs own, whether zinc alloy for lightweight, lead for most, tungsten for deeper fish with itโs higher density. There are many whitebait/smelt being devoured out there, in the relative shallows in particular so similar small easy-to-eat morsels get the attention of many good sized snapper that would otherwise be a yawning yeah-nah and let it slide by. Little grubbing softbaits, curly tails gradually, slowly, but continuously up and away from bottom feeding snapper can get them to follow like a dangling carrot, just make sure they can take a bite, slow to a stopโฆ.bite-strike.
How about a nice small top water stick bait, micro-style?! A little 20gm or 35gm job, like the Zingaz , shore based, surf based, boat, skiโฆa nice little baby pillie flapping about on the surface? Easy action no masterful technique or gear required โ too good to pass up for fish lurking nearby, like one of those โbite sizeโ chocolate bars/Moro/Snickers to us โฆ kahawai, kingfish, snapperโฆwhat have you got? Ideal in a bit of the lee, throw in a few shadows, smooth-ish water, prime fish time ๐
Espresso.
