The reason current is important is that it stimulates activity. It delivers fresh oxygen to fish, and carries food in many forms. Shellfish like mussels and pipis are filter feeders, sifting plankton from the water, and they will be taking advantage of the currents delivering their dinner. And predators like rays and snapper which prey on shellfish will be on the prowl. Strong current also moves sand, uncovering food like worms which live in the sea floor and are usually well protected. Small fish may have difficulty swimming in powerful currents, making them vulnerable.
The marine food chain starts with nutrients sinking to the sea bed. These may come from decaying life forms like squid which live only months and die in huge numbers, their bodies sinking.
Where currents strike obstacles like the edge of a reef or a rock wall, the nutrients are pushed upward by swirling currents, stimulating blooms of plankton which attract baitfish like pilchards and anchovies. These become prey for creatures such as kahawai, snapper, dolphins and whales.
So when planning a trip, the canny fisherman will study the tide tables and weather. It is important that current and wind are running together, for comfort and for the practical reason that lines will run out the back of the boat. If fishing a reef or rocky structure, the boat will be positioned where the current hits the rocks, not on the other side.
Of course these dynamics will change every six hours when the tide turns.
Strong currents pose problems such as getting a bait down to the bottom. Thick line and large baits have more resistance in the water, requiring heavier weights. Heavier weights then involve stronger line and more powerful rods, and this sort of tackle does not present baits well. The solution is to use ultra-thin line like braid lines, but even then fishing may be impossible at mid-tide, so start when the tide turns and fish until it becomes too difficult. Then move to open areas where the current dissipates, rather than inside a channel or harbour.
The extreme example of planning your fishing around tides is when dropping baits for hapuku in deep water. It can be impossible to hit a single rock 300m below except at slack tide.
Some mid-winter game fishing has seen small-boat anglers catching large bluefin tuna in the Bay of Plenty. There is an annual run of large bluefin up the east coast at this time of year, and fish up to 80kg are being caught by boats fishing out of Waihau Bay and Te Kaha. They are fishing in water from 400m to 1000m deep. These tuna are often accompanied by large albacore tuna which, like the bluefin, can tolerate cooler water than their cousins, the tropical yellowfin and skipjack tuna.
Freshwater
When jigging for trout in deep lakes, a variety of flies can be used. Three hooks are permitted, although some anglers like to use a jig with a single hook as the weight, with two flies above it. When trout are moving into spawning mode, flies with orange or red bodies work well. A good combination is a Red Setter and a Grey Ghost, covering both the bully and smelt imitations.
Tip of the week
Use only as much weight as needed to get to the bottom, but if currents are too strong, one option is to drift. Braid line and a sinker with a short trace with tough baits like fresh mullet or kahawai works well, and lures like jigs or soft baits can also be tried.
Bite times
11am and 11.30pm today and 12pm tomorrow. More fishing action can be found at GTTackle.co.nz.
