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THE FISHING PAPER & HUNTING NEWS
NELSON / TASMAN / GOLDEN BAY - fishing guide 2015
TASMAN BAY
1 Sandy Bay Beach This is a very tidal area with good flounder fishing on the incoming evening tide. Paddle crabs are also plentiful with snapper cruising the area at the top of the tide.
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2 Split Apple Rock
Land based access from the Kaiteriteri road via Stephens Bay. Beach and rock fishing onto a sandy bottom. Snapper and kahawai are the main species taken. Use ledger and flasher rigs with a variety of bait.
Snapper, kahawai, trevally, yellow-eyed mullet and mackerel.
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Some land based fishing is possible but it is largely boat access. Fish in close, with light tackle for tarakihi, kahawai and snapper. Berley essential.
3 Anawera Point
24 Outflow Pipe
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25 Atawhai Drive and QE II Drive Intersection.
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Cast to the channel. Good site for school snapper in spring then again in late summer to mid autumn. Kahawai and small trevally are also caught here. Best time is the incoming tide, fishing through top and on back of tide.
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26 Boulder Bank
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26A – Closer in to the Boulder Bank in shallow water use plenty of berley and try straylining and flasher rigs on incoming and outgoing tide. Best fishing time tends to be at mid tide at the change of light at dawn or dusk. Use a variety of baits for snapper and try drop-shotting soft baits. Expect
4 Kaka Island At the mouth of Kaiteriteri Bay is a set of rocks and the small island. Fishing these areas early in the spring and again later in autumn can produce snapper of reasonable size.
5 Stephens Bay Surfcasting for kahawai, yelloweyed mullet, mackerel and in spring and late summer snapper. Good spot for dinghy fishing – strayline evening & early morning. Flasher rigs good with shellfish bait.
7 Riwaka River Outflow and Estuary The estuary is ideal for flounder set netting and evening spear fishing. Paddle crabs are abundant and plenty of cockles can be found around here too. It’s no deeper than a metre at low tide.
8 Oyster Beds Use short tows when dredging because in close there are a lot of stones that can foul your dredge. Good snapper area.
9 The Kumeras Surfcasting for snapper late summer to autumn. Year round for kahawai and flounder.
10 The 20 Metre Line This is good in early to late spring where large snapper are often caught on setlines. Gurnard, greyboy, rig and kahawai in late spring and early summer. A lot of spiny dogfish and carpet sharks so avoid berley, but drift using straylines and slow jigs. Pink and white Jitterbugs a good spring choice. At times, red cod are abundant late winter through spring. Albacore tuna
spoon shaped sinkers that are easier to jiggle free from between rocks. Big eagle rays are often caught here. It’s also worth spinning for kahawai and kingfish.
27 Marybank Flounder on edges of main channel. Use either set nets or spearfishing with light at night.
Deeper water creates different current patterns meaning this area fishes best on an incoming tide and has excellent results at the change of light. Fish the edge of the drop-off for snapper, trevally, blue cod, yellow-eyed mullet, mackerel and kingfish. Kingfish are often taken from here on live bait and lures. Drift fish or kayak up to 300m offshore for snapper, kahawai and gurnard.
G D IN ITE SH B FI HI O PR
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Situated at the back of Pepin Island, this spot provides sheltered fishing during
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sou’westerlies. An area of shallow reef runs onto a sandy bottom. Fish in close for snapper and kingfish, or over the sand for gurnard.
33 West Delaware Bay
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Late summer for snapper, gurnard, kahawai, mullet and mackerel. A good spot for set lining for gurnard particularly in late winter.
34 Delaware Bay Drift fishing for gurnard, particularly good in winter, but you’ll also pick up the occasional large snapper in summer. Try ledger rig or slow retrieve of soft bait or lure from the bottom. Rig caught in spring.
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11 Port Motueka Great spot for catching baitfish like yellow-eyed mullet before moving down the coast to target snapper. Pacific oysters are also plentiful along this coast.
12 Moutere Bluff – inshore Snapper in shallow water from September then again from mid summer and on to autumn. A lot of pannies but big snapper also.
12a. Moutere Inlet Spearing flounder in channels low tide through winter.
13 Kina Beach This beautiful stretch of beach is quite secluded and easy access is offered from the Coastal Highway. An ideal picnic area, Kina Beach provides easy surfcasting conditions. Fish through the top of the tide for kahawai, snapper and rig. Fishes best on a mid-tide approaching dusk.
26a
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19 over summer and autumn when water temperature high – troll albacore lures 6-8kts. Will take Rapalas and long jigs. Black Magic albie lures hot choice.
26b
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14 Moutere Bluffs offshore On the 10 metre line. Fishes well in spring then again in early autumn for snapper. During October and 22 November expect rig and year round for gurnard.
15 Ruby Bay Early spring through summer for snapper fishing the change of light in the morning. In close, they go off the bite at daybreak. Mainly school snapper.
16 Mapua Channel The old wharf offers safe fishing for youngsters, but currents can be strong so heavy running rigs are advised. Boat fishing for kahawai, and in spring and again from late summer this is a good snapper spot. Big snapper in shallow!
17 Rabbit Island – surfcasting Spring and again late summer through to autumn for snapper, kahawai, spiny dogfish and greyboys. Look for gutters where shellfish exist and fish incoming tide. Good electric kontiki spot. Large rays are also common off the beach.
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20 Monaco Tidal Flats A good set net area for flounder late autumn – mid winter. Pannie snapper spring through to late autumn.
A popular snapper spot from spring until mid December. Fish the change of light in the morning in 6-8m at anchor, with good berley trail and strayline and variety of baits. Gurnard and kahawai are also common along here – take slow jigs or flasher rigs while drifting. December can bring plagues of juvenile school sharks, so don’t berley if they are present.
19 Oyster Island All the back channels offer school snapper in late spring then again from midsummer through until autumn. Kahawai, yellow-eyed mullet and mackerel are also often caught here. Strayline on shallow banks on incoming tide - sunrise.
Large area of foul where dredge dumps waste is for good spring and summer school snapper, kahawai, yellow-eyed mullet, and greyboy, plus occasional rig. Gurnard are caught here year round.
22 Mussel Beds Off Airport A good snapper spot from early spring through to early summer. Historically some large fish have been landed here.
PAINT & MAINTENANCE
FISHING
CLOTHING
36 & 37 Whangamoa Head to Grahams Point
41 Moncrieff Reserve Both land based and boat fishing for spring and autumn snapper, with kahawai in late autumn.
42 Old Wharf
Blue cod, tarakihi off reefs and foul areas year round. Snapper and gurnard in spring to autumn in more open water. Fish the 30-metre mark in spring for large snapper and gurnard. This is also a popular set line area. Drift using
Land based summer fishing for snapper and kahawai.
43 Main Beach Okiwi Bay A tidal area where land based fishing during summer can result in catches of snapper, mullet and kahawai.
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23 Back Beach This is one of Nelson’s premier surfcasting spots fishing for snapper, kahawai and yellow-eyed mullet. The incoming tide produces the best results, however the back tide is also worth trying. This is a highly popular early morning fishing spot, however a half tide at the change of light in the evening also a good time.
Late spring for large snapper by fishing the change of light at dusk – then again mid to late autumn. Fish the edge of the foul using stray lines, slow jigs or flasher rigs. This is good kingfish country in late spring then again in mid to late summer.
www.okiwi.co.nz - 03 576 5006
21 Tasman Bay
18 Rabbit Island – boat fishing
35 East Delaware Bay
Located on the western side of the Marlborough Sounds facing Tasman Bay in peaceful Okiwi Bay, is a small, friendly holiday park and lodge. This is the perfect setting for a relaxed or active holiday. Explore the native bush or rugged coastline, laze in one of the many secluded bays or enjoy the riches of the sea with excellent fishing, scalloping and diving.
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From spring until late autumn all bays and coves around mussel farms produce snapper, kahawai and trevally. The area between the islands and the cable at the entrance to Squally Cove is the main scallop bed. North of the cable is a limited oyster bed. Good kayak fishing.
Catch me if you can!
26c
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39 Croisilles Harbour Banks Any of the banks sloping into the main channel produce great gurnard fishing in autumn and winter. Good kayak fishing.
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40 Squally Cove
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Blue cod all year round with snapper from spring through to late autumn. Kahawai and kingfish can also be found in spring and autumn. Good kayak fishing. Trolling from here to 30m mark in summer may pick up albacore tuna.
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32 Pier Cove
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38 Cape Soucis
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A popular kayak fishing area where in late summer through to autumn you can expect snapper and the occasional tarakihi. Boat fishing good with anchor and berley, strayline, flashers, softbaits and slow jigs cast close to rocks. Troll close for kingfish.
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straylines and slow jigs.
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MAIN SPRING/AUTUMN SNAPPER TERRITORY
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Surfcasting for snapper and kahawai, if you can get access to the shore. Popular kayak spot – fish around Pepin Island or paddle out near Marine Reserve for snapper, kahawai and gurnard. Good setlining area. A number of large snapper taken by kayakers here.
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30 Cable Bay
31 Pepin Island
28 & 29 Radio Mast to The Glen
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6 Spat Farm A prime kingfish spot through spring and again from late summer into autumn. Snapper are also caught at these times. Year round species include kahawai, mackerel, mullet and gurnard. Kingfish Hint – cruise outside of the farm and cast a subsurface lure or stick baits, then make a quick retrieve. Will also take Jitterbugs cast and retrieved. After a while the fish may become lure shy so use the lure to tease them toward the boat, then switch to speed jigging. Kingfish are very curious and an old paint tin with a few nuts and bolts, shaken beneath the water surface may also bring them over for a look.
snapper, kahawai, trevally, blue cod, kingfish, barracouta, spiny dogfish, thresher sharks and carpet sharks. Troll for kingies mid to late spring and early autumn. Popular spearfishing and kayak destination. 26B – Offshore from the Boulder Bank in deeper water around the 20 metre mark. Anchor up and use plenty of berley. Use stray lines, ledgers and soft baits targeting snapper and trevally. If spiny dogs become a problem move into shallower water or drift fish using Jitterbugs or other slow jigs. This is also a prime setline spot in early spring for large snapper. Rig are also common here. Good kayak fishing 300m from shore for gurnard and school snapper. 26C – Landbased from the Boulder Bank. Access from Boulder Bank Drive. This is an extremely rocky bottom so be prepared to lose some gear. Try using
ALBACORE TUNA Albacore tuna often come into Tasman Bay over summer and early autumn when water temperatures are high and food is abundant. Look for current lines around 20m – 30m and troll albie lures at 6-8 knots. Look for areas of baitfish, fish activity, birds working and blue water. Tuna tend to rise to surface feed with the sun, so mid-morning onwards can be productive.
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