Fishing: East Cape becomes summer’s latest blue marlin paradise

This 301kg blue marlin caught by angler Don Hammond from the Huia boat Kneecapt was one of 10 caught.

The hot gamefishing season continues, with the East Cape possibly the hottest area in the past fortnight with anglers hauling in blue marlin in record size and numbers.

Three fell in the space of a few hours to Ian Kimvig from Waimana near Opotiki on his new boat No Doubt adding to a total of 45 of the tropical pelagics caught near the East Cape and reported at the Waihau Bay Sportsfishing Club this summer.

Kimvig had just tagged and released one blue early this week and restarted trolling when a second fish hooked up, also tagged. A third was taken later in the afternoon, believed to be a first triple for New Zealand waters. Most summers, three would be an average all-up total.

Biggest of the 25 fish weighed and the 15 tagged and released is a 301kg fish taken on 37kg line by angler Don Haddon on the Huia, Auckland boat Kneecapt during the NZ Big-Game Fishing Council nationals.

On Wednesday Waihau Bay secretary Christine Fraser caught a 23.3kg wahoo - usually found around the mid-Pacific Islands - for which an all-up New Zealand record claim will be made. Game fishing clubs are also recording unusually high numbers of other tropical species, including shortbilled spearfish and dolphin fish or mahimahi.

The reason is the prolonged spell of warm and settled weather, with water temperatures off Waihau Bay still around 22.5C. There are skipjack schools galore and striped marlin are also being caught in numbers.

The snapper fishing around Auckland has been hot, with the coast of Matiatia at Waiheke Island and the Sargent's Channel the best areas for bigger fish.

The problem for many anglers has been the number of "throwbacks", juveniles under the 27cm limit. These schooling fish can deplete bait without returning a dinner.

Best methods of avoiding the throwbacks are to avoid the use of small hooks and flasher rigs, and to use as light a sinker as is necessary to get to the bottom. Use one 8/0 hook, no keeper.

To ensure no throwbacks, use the Paul Barnes-designed ready-tied hook with wire appendage available at most tackle stores.

These prevent anything undersize from swallowing the bait and almost all fish will be lip-hooked for easy removal.

Some anglers doubt their effectiveness overall but at this time of year when the snapper are feeding aggressively bite rate is constant so that is of no consequence.

Best method around Waiheke and Caruso Rock is straylining with 6kg line with a light sinker running straight to the bait, no swivel or trace, just a double at the end of the mainline if you prefer. Use whole pilchards or baby squid as bait.

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The settled weather is also providing good trout fishing in the central North Island. Deep trolling and jigging are producing good fish on Lake Rotoiti.

On Taupo those using downriggers well out on the lake have been scoring healthy maiden fish around 2kg, which suggests a good spawning season to come. River fishing has been harder, but there are good browns being taken on the Tongariro at night.

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The Ministry of Fisheries continues to troll through applications for the four positions on a new recreational advisory panel.

Discussion continues with the NZ Recreational Fishing Council on rule changes to catch methods and bag limits.

The paua industry is responding to concern about poaching of the resource by planning a bar coding method of following the shellfish from the water to point-of-sale. it will make it easier for MFish to identify paua taken illegally.

The ministry is also considering limiting the amount of paua a non-commercial gatherer can keep: There is thought that a restriction of three days' limit - 30 shellfish - on amateurs will make it simpler to identify and prosecute poachers.