KEY POINTS:
If you've had a hard time hooking a fish lately, you're not alone.
Researchers at the Takapuna boat ramp on Auckland's North Shore last Saturday checked 21 boats. Catch - two snapper and one john dory. There were similar scenes at other ramps.
On the Manukau that morning we took home some good-sized gurnard and scallops. Many of the shellfish are still in intermediate stage, about half the roes a pale pink rather than the bright orange of peak condition. The season should open later, in line with the new east coast timing.
The National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research has just completed a survey of recreational fishing on the west coast. Numbers back up anecdotal evidence - about 10 per cent of amateur fishing effort is applied to the west coast, 90 per cent on the east. Obviously that is largely down to weather, with high surf limiting opportunities on the west.
Niwa's aerial and boat ramp surveys show that main effort is concentrated around Auckland, Hamilton and New Plymouth, with the area north of the Hokianga largely deserted. Some 90 per cent of the snapper catch is taken by boat, the land-based catch largely kahawai.
Niwa and MFish are reviewing their survey methods so as to get a better handle on the size of the recreational catch, a much-disputed figure.
It is becoming of greater importance as court cases ensue about stock levels, quota and access rights.
A new-model telephone survey will be conducted next year. An earlier survey is inaccurate, most agree. Boat ramp counts and aerial overflights to count boats will continue, with much more effort being put into establishing a more accurate picture but it will be two years before that data becomes available.
Web cameras are being set up at some boat ramps to help gauge the level of fishing effort.
The kite fishers at the west coast town of Mokau have been doing extremely well in recent weeks, taking snapper up to 14kg. Multiple hook-ups of 10kg fish have been common.
Locals say it's the best fishing for years and it's been consistently good. These big fish will move north soon but Auckland kite fishing expert Paul Barnes said they will not cross the Manukau mouth, stopping at Karioitahi.
Barnes has run two successful "how-to" days on Muriwai Beach lately, with kite-fishing in light easterly winds producing bins full of snapper in the 1.5-3.5kg range as well as good-sized gurnard and some tope and sand sharks. "They were the best demos I've done, everyone got fish to take home," he said. He plans more. See his website at www.fishingkites.co.nz
At the Bay of Islands, charter operator Captain Bucko reports an influx of snapper in the 5kg range but the large summer schools are yet to arrive. The fish are taking baits and soft plastics but dusk is best bite time.
There are plenty of mullet in the shallows.
Kingies are rat-sized, other than at Cape Brett. Hapuku averaging 8-10kg are being caught on the outer reefs at around 75 metres, Bucko said.
The water temperature was between 15.5C and 16.3C, Bucko predicting that continuing northerly winds would push in warmer water and perhaps bring on the spawning soon.
There have been lots of john dory in the Bay. Kite fishers are also doing well off Ruakaka, as are the boaties.
Around Auckland, snapper are in the Rangitoto and Motuihe Channels finally. They are pan-size and good eating but nothing big. There have been few kahawai about.
