Geoff Thomas: Snapper running hot on west coast

A small squid is excellent bait when the snapper are preparing to spawn and it also makes sense to mix baits.

Fishing in Northland waters has been slow, with snapper hard to find on the west coast and easier on the other side. But as you go south it improves and both coasts are fishing well.

Right now it's best in deep water, and the western side of the inner Hauraki Gulf is more rewarding than the bottom end of Waiheke Island.

From the worm beds between Rakino Island and Tiri all the way up to Takatu Point and further north is where the most snapper are holding. Sometimes work-ups can be located but not every day, and looking for sign on the fish-finder is a good option, then anchoring and putting out berley and waiting for a bite.

Squid is always popular but it makes sense to mix baits, with a chunk of pilchard on one hook and a cube of squid on the other. This applies to any rig, and the pillie sends out fragments as it's taken and the squid hangs on the hook better.

On the west coast the snapper fishing is hot, and when weather allows the fish coming from 50m are in good numbers and sizes. The traditional dropper or ledger rig with chunks of bait above a heavy sinker always produces on this coast, and anglers rarely use any other approach. School sharks can be a problem, attacking baits and breaking gear, and the only option is to move.

Another feature of the spring fishing is the appearance of baby hapuku in the gulf and the Firth of Thames. The occasional one has been caught north of Gannet Rock and in deep water off Coromandel township. Two years ago quite a few 'puka pups, as they're called, were reported, something not seen for many years. Hapuku are slow-growing and populations easily decimated by fishing pressure, which is why they're regarded as a deepwater species. They were common in shallow water but have long gone except for isolated areas such as Fiordland and the Chathams, where 10kg to 15kg fish can still be caught in the shallows.

In the top half of the North Island the daily hapuka limit is five, with no minimum size limit. A close relative, the spotted black groper, is protected.

Freshwater

The whitebait season finishes today, recent reports indicating good catches on the Waikato River. And the tributary streams and rivers in the Rotorua and Taupo districts open to fishing tomorrow. At Taupo, the upper Tongariro is the main water that attracts anglers, after being closed all winter to allow trout to spawn.

Near Rotorua the upper sections of the Ngongotaha Stream above SH5, the Waiteti Stream above Hamurana Rd and the Utuhina Stream between Devon Rd and Pukehangi Rd all open to fishing. The warm summer weather has triggered runs of brown trout up the streams much earlier, and the Fish and Game trap on the Ngongotaha has recorded browns averaging 3kg, with one of 6kg.

Tip of the week

Canny fishermen will catch fresh bait such as jack mackerel and send down a fillet or strip, knowing they usually land the biggest snapper.

Bite times

Bite times are 10.20am and 10.50pm today, and tomorrow at 11.15am and 11.40pm. These are based on the moon, not tides, and apply to the whole country. More fishing action can be found on Rheem Outdoors with Geoff , 6.30 am Saturdays, TV3, and at www.GTtackle.co.nz.