Geoff Thomas: Rule for success: Location, location, location

The best place to find snapper is close around the rocks. Photo / Martin Sykes

The best place to find snapper is close around the rocks, which is good news for shore-based fishermen as well as those in small boats. It is more about small numbers of quality fish than large numbers, but some surprisingly big specimens can be hooked.

When rock fishing the biggest snapper come from remote locations such as the Coromandel coast, the Far North coast and the eastern Bay of Plenty. But close to Auckland fish can be found along the east coast bays, and for boaties around the shoreline of all the islands.

Some places which have been firing are on the eastern side of Rakino Island, the shallows around Kawau Island, the bottom end of Waiheke Island, the Noises and the Ahaa's, where snapper to 5 kilos have been reported.

For the rock angler, casting floating baits of fresh mullet, jack mackerel, kahawai or pilchards will all work. Berley will also increase the chances of success; while for those in boats or kayaks a soft bait cast into the wash, or a floating bait straylined down a berley trail is the way to go. Fish do not feed as aggressively as in summer and a tough bait like fresh fillets will hold to the hook better than pilchards and you can allow a snapper to chew on it before striking.

Choosing the location is important, and as with all fishing local knowledge in invaluable. But if fishing a new area a visit at low tide will reveal details of the underwater topography. The elements to look for are channels, weed beds and currents. A point protruding from the shore will always hold more fish than a sheltered bay nearby.

After heavy rain the freshwater which runs off into the sea can create a barrier to snapper and it may be necessary to move out to water around 10 metres deep, rather than working right in close.

Those using lures like soft baits have an advantage in that they are covering more water as they slowly work along the shoreline, which compensates for the lack of berley. A quiet, stealthy approach is important which is where kayaks bring an advantage. The cold, unstable weather of mid-winter makes the safety precautions even more important than in summer; with lifejackets, warm clothing and a hand-held VHF radio or cellphone in a waterproof cover standard equipment. But they certainly catch fish, like those fishing from jet-skis which are becoming more popular for their ease of transport, launching and speed across the water.

Stormy weather helps the trout fishermen and the blow a week ago is just what the fly fishermen in Rotorua were waiting for. It stirs up the water along the shoreline, and even small runnels where rainwater runs down into the lakes will attract trout.

Like sea fishing, it is all about water movement. Lack of streams entering the big lakes - Rotoiti, Tarawera and Okataina - concentrates shoreline angling for large spawning trout on sections of the beach, where the fish return to the point where they were released as fingerlings two and a half years earlier. Of course these are well known, and competition among anglers becomes fierce when the fish are running in large numbers. Some trophy rainbows to 6kg have been taken from Okataina and Rotoiti, with the Tarawera fish smaller.

At Lake Taupo it is the opposite. There are so many tributary streams that rain triggers a run of fresh trout, and the stream mouths and lower reaches usually fish well. The quality of trout is reported to be an improvement on recent years when size and condition were disappointing.

Large brown trout are still being hooked in the Tongariro, which is very late in the season, and local fishermen are predicting a late run this year with spawning runs continuing through to October.

When the water is coloured downstream fishing with large wet flies or nymphing with glo-bugs are recommended, and as the streams clear small imitations of naturals come into their own.

The trout-fishing season ends on Wednesday, with some water closing, and a new licence will be needed from July 1.

Conditions were ideal on the Tongariro River last weekend, with trout to 2kg caught.

More fishing action can be found on Rheem Outdoors with Geoff, 5pm TV3, and on the new internet television channel, www.FishnHunt.Tv.