Catch Custom IRT200 spin reel, Kensei 150 slow pitch rod, snapper on!
That regular monthly calm-day around the full moon is today, school holidays for many – might be a few days taken off the weekly work site, and off out to see the sights of the gulf. Good times.
Limited days of fishing for sure when there’re 60kt winds, yes even landbased has been very limited, and although some days of fishing coincide with a soft winter bite other days certainly don’t! Day trips from Auckland landing some superb spectacles in terms of workup wonders out wider in the gulf, heart pumping and adrenaline filled as always especially top of Coromandel way, and not too far outside the gulf winter hapuka no less.
The big muddy, no not the westie Manukau harbour but Waitemata and inner gulf with all the rain runoff discolouration, the water viz near zero. Once the water clears fishing should be better, past the full moon as well. Seabirds, terns and even solo foraging gannets have been cruising the edge of the muddy inshore water line and the clearer water over the past few days, sometimes close to shore – a good and obvious hint from nature. Fish the clearer edge of these water colour changes while the rain wanes and as the water clears.
Silver linings like mirror-skinned frost fish are being caught out wider in the gulf, but so are their shiny cousins the dreaded ‘couta. Not on the popularity list of many anglers, ‘couta cause havoc to tackle and tempers too. Avoiding bite offs with a short bite leader (6” or 15cm should do) of heavier leader PE coated stainless wire is a good option especially when using bigger jigs and lures. The cord is flexible enough (even though rated at 450lb) to be tied with a uni-knot, for instance, to the lure then to a swivel – ready for your mainline. When you reel in a ‘couta and it gets near the boat, do not put hands/fingers anywhere near them, take a moment and de-hook using equipment, they often shake their heads unexpectedly and the front teeth will shred your skin like wet tissue paper, it’s the infection that’ll get you, a bite from them can get nasty, fast. Warning, warning danger Will Robinson.
Winter fishing, yes less of it, but it can be highly rewarding when the calm comes – you just need to get out of bed nice and early and get out there in amongst it and experience it. A bit of preparation in the days beforehand can help beat the changeable weather. Typically calmer weather breaks move rapidly across this thin little island of ours, so still waters can arrive hours earlier or later than expected – being ready with a bit of flexibility goes a long way. Calm waters at the centre of low pressure systems are short sharp, but usually sweet! Fish on.
Revel in pure winter lure fishing.
Espresso.
