Whangarei Harbour

While it’s cooled off noticeably in recent weeks, there’s still top-notch fishing to be had, especially on the Takahiwai-side banks. High tide’s providing the best opportunity with fish to six kilograms taken in as little as a metre of water. Clearly, in these shallows, straylining is the method of choice.

With the anchovy run still in full force out near the entrance, it’s no trouble to find action if you time things right. The Mad Mile’s offering acres of kahawai and, of course, the predators like kingfish if you can tempt them out of the bait balls. Look for snapper following the action slightly behind and down in the water column.

Bream Bay Coast and out wider

Softbait and slow-jig enthusiasts will find their fill in 18-metres of water, over the sand adjacent to the Waipu Golf Course.

Unfortunately, the cooler water has also seen the appearance of barracouta on the deeper reefs. Even so, the kingfish are fat, plentiful and well worth the effort on reefs like Lachlan’s and North Reef, if you can haul them away from the bronzies. As usual, 80 to 100-metres is the golden number.

A great white encounter

An interesting story involves one of Warren’s customers and a great white shark.

While hitting hapuka in 250-metres outside the Poor Knights, the angler’s dropper rig mysteriously stopped descending only 15-metres or so under the boat. The culprit soon made an appearance, circling the boat with the puka rig hanging from the corner of its mouth. And this was the end of the display. Briefly disappearing into the depths, the shark’s next trick would be a full aerial display close enough to the boat to wet its passengers.

Estimated to be 10 feet in length, it’s likely the fish was a juvenile male, white shark. Marine scientist Clinton Duffy suggests these young fellahs are relatively common on the Northland coast. It’s also worth reminding anglers they are a protected species.

Doubtless Bay, Kari Kari Beach and Rangaunu

The short answer for the Kari Kari Peninsular is that it’s going off up there right now.

Doubtless Bay’s flat calm with birds working, while reports from the Houhora side sound insane.

Warren’s brother fished 35 to 40-metres over the mud with 1/2 to 1-ounce straylines, and although marks on the sounder were poor, the quantity of six to nine-kilogram snapper they caught was described as “ridiculous”.

This is typical for June, as the fish will be piling on weight to get through Winter and fatten up for spawning. Angler’s filleting their catch will find the flesh noticeably fatter than usual, coating the knife blade and causing it to stick slightly, rather than slide easily through when skinning. And the taste, well… : )

The shallows of Rangaunu are equally productive for those who know how to work the tide. When the wind and current align in your favour as little as one to two metres of water, adjacent a food source, will produce the goods. Warren even reports hand feeding snapper recently in the harbour’s more secluded corners.

Gamefishing

While the marlin fishing has pretty much wrapped up, there’s still sword-fishing as an option from the back of the Knights all the way to North Cape. Accidental bycatch of bluenose is a bonus.

Rumours of a bluefin run are circulating this weekend so it’s probably worth keeping your ears pricked and the boat gassed ready to go on a moment’s notice!

About Warren Hay Marine

Warren Hay Marine operates two dealerships: one in 27 Rewa Rewa Road, Whangarei and a recently acquired second location in Opua, Bay of Islands.

Warren is a very keen and experienced angler, splitting his time between the Whangarei office, the Bay of Islands and more recreational pursuits in Doubtless Bay.

Visit www.warrenhaymarine.co.nz to get hold of Warren and the team