The Espresso Report October 17, 2019

Gulf waters have blended into all new pastel-like colours of various shades with the high winds from all points of the compass.  As the sediment filled water clears, once the wilder side of Spring cools its heels, the fishing should be well worth waiting for!

Prior to this most recent big blow the fishing intensity was brought right to our feet, literally along many shorelines of the inner gulf, Waiheke, North Shore Bays, western Rakino and Rangitoto along with several more depending on the day. The intense and readily seen workups marauding around at high speed produced lots of  big kahawai, some good snapper and good kingfish too. Many of these fish may remain in those areas rather than continuing the perpetual chase, worth targeting with a little softbait on a lightweight jighead.

Fishing may take a backseat for many boat owners while the wind rattles shed windows, however it presents an ideal opportunity to get even more out of your fishing conquests this summer – sit back and relax with other likeminded anglers at one or more of the many fishing seminars being offered at this time of year. Certainly a better way to spend an hour or so mid-week after work than enduring some program on TV. Gather up some credible information, from basic guidelines to professional tips, smiles a mile wide from epic fishing successes are back in style.

Big male snapper will undoubtedly be swarming in under the radar of white caps right now, reinforcements swimming in from out in the winter depths joining those that never left the scene. Kingfish and kahawai are eyeing up the baitfish schools alongside the happy dolphins that literally jump for joy out there, and so it was when a large pod of common dolphins cruised past western Rangitoto on a sojourn around the volcano, with ever hopeful birds in tow above waiting for their dinner opportunity.

There is much to look forward to, expectations of increased workup activity in the 35m mark and when the whales join in, the fishing scene will be out of this world!

When the action is hot, big hard body lures/big jigs are an excellent choice, fast, heavy, less undersize fish caught – choosing a lure suited to the scenario provides extra rewards. Things like trying a big jig with no flasher and a single assist hook, it can help reduce too many kahawai hook-ups when you’re targeting other fish like bigger snapper below. Also when you feel a kahawai hit as the jig drops through midwater don’t strike, let it continue to descend it may well be a kahawai striking the lure itself and not the hook or it was able to spit the large hook out before it set. Conversely when the fish are playing hard to get, there’re a number of simple changes that make a massive difference – a fish bin, or a bin with fish in! Get the gear most suited to your style of fishing, when and where you go fishing and its fresh fish for dinner 😊

Inshore hard lures? Try something like a micro jig whether light (zinc alloy), medium (lead) or heavy (tungsten) to suit water depth, drift speed, current, desired hang time, and ‘bait’ size. Or throw down a micro inchiku! Of course the lighter your rod, line/leader and reel – the more spectacular the thrills.

Enjoy your Spring fishing.

Espresso

And before you ask about that new shaped lure in the cover image…. Just watch this space 🙂