regionalREVIEWS
Coromandel/Tairua Source: Carl Muir www.EpicAdventures.co.nz
ell there are still plenty of
trolling, once again a striped marlin
marlin around and some
choosing to devour the Bonze Apache,
big kingfish to boot. We
in black over orange skirt. The angler
had some good fun over the weekend
Darren Cade who has been watching
fishing the Tairua Ladies comp, and the
our website for the last two years and
crew we assembled took out 1st, 2nd
in the end he just had to come and
and 3rd kingfish regular fisho Hayley
get into some kingfish action! The
Bonnici taking out biggest fish overall
stripey came from some very good bait
with this 23.5kg kingfish, caught in
sign in on the 100m line close to the
front of a big audience of other boats
Aldermen Islands very close to Tairua.
fishing the comp, and awesome effort! Well done Hayley!
The stripey was an added bonus and Darren managed to get his arms
It was an awesome week building
well and truly stretched on some solid
up to the comp and we managed to
kingfish in his three days of fishing.
bag another striped marlin on the
For more from the last week check our report and photos here.
new Senator from an hours worth of
Hauraki Gulf Source: Grant Bittle ‘Espresso’ www.catch.org.nz
ow what a wonderful fish-
Workups have been few and far
ing season this has been,
between over the past month or so
models are around, using lighter gear
and it continues. Good
further rout, but nothing lasts forever
and watching a youngster catch a king
healthy snapper are still in the 10-20m
good or bad and the sea ‘n sky vortex
is thoroughly rewarding even if the fish
depths all around the edges of the gulf
of gannets is a happening thing again –
is undersize and released, the thrill just
and the big sleepy volcano, with every
much to the pleasure of storm chasing
lasts and lasts.
type size shape and species of fish too
fishermen. Mostly though I’d keep
– like kingfish, kahawai, mako, thresher,
the gas budget for multiple close-in
on lightweight jigheads (1/2oz say)
even orcas in so shallow they must be
evening or morning fishing sessions
anywhere around islands and channels
scratching their bellies!
rather than the gas burner of heading
between islands, a flick of a popper at
out to 50m depths.
marker buoys or over surface schools of
The moons influence has been strong
gulf. Excellent fun even if lots of smaller
My pick – a morning drift with softies
and around that full moon the fishing
Skippies have returned and are out
various fish – again all in close, and keep
generally slows, but when the moon
east of Flat rock which are great fun to
your eyes peeled, you’ll see the anchovy
calms down along with the wind, the
catch surface trolling a tiny lure as you
schools in numbers (and some prawns!)
inner channels have been the place to
would for kahawai. Kingfish, well they
right into very shallow water – no
be rather than ‘out wide’ in the gulf
seem to be popping up pretty much
wonder all the big fish are there! That’ll
burning lots of gas leaving the best
everywhere, and near every marker
tell you what’s working bait or imitation
fishing behind.
pole or buoy in the entire harbor and
bait wise ay.
24 www.nzfisher.co.nz