Fishing spots: Plenty here to fill a Cook book

By PETER JESSUP

"I have named it the Bay of Islands because of the great number which line its shores, these helping to form several safe and commodious harbours wherein is room and depth of water for any number of shipping."

So wrote Captain James Cook upon sailing into the bay in 1769.

He might have added "and fishing opportunities galore".

History, via elderly Maori, tells of huge snapper caught easily from the shoreline on rudimentary gear including bent nails. Before the arrival of the Europeans, Maori used wood or shell hooks, snaring all species up to large sharks.

They also had flax nets, the length of which surprised the Europeans. Sir Joseph Banks describes some as having been "not less than five fathoms [9m] in depth and its length not less than 400 fathoms [730m]".

Banks commented that "fishing seems to be the chief business in this part of the country. About all their towns are an abundance of nets laid upon small heaps like haycocks and almost every house you go into has nets in the making."

Cockles, rock oysters, tuatua, pipi, scallops, mussels and horse mussels were and still are found all round the bay, a great food source for fish.

Maori netted flounder in sheltered bays, rays and dogfish in the open sandy bays, trevally, porae and parore around the estuaries.

The fish stocks today are estimated to be perhaps 40 per cent of what they were in those days.

But the bay, because of its rugged volcanic shore and seabed, the shelter afforded by the islands and the numerous estuary systems, remains an important breeding ground for many species, a haven for juveniles and an attraction for the bigger predators.

Those islands, and the shape and formation of the bay, afford protection from wind and swell in all but the harshest of easterlies. And over the summer it doesn't matter whether you have a boat, or what size boat it is: quite often the fish are right in on the shore and around the rocky headlands.

They can be shy and skittery during the day because sometimes the bay is just too flat and calm and clear - they can see your line lying in the water. Early morning and evening are best times for rock or beach-fishing, especially on a rising tide high about 9am or 9pm.

Some of the most effective fishing is done from small dinghies. These offer the advantage of being able to get in close on the rocks, straylining baits into the wash. And fishing in those conditions, in shallow water, it is necessary to keep noise, including water slap on the boat, to a minimum. Small boats are ideal.

When the sun is up it's necessary to head to deeper water. On the outside of the bay are some stunning drop-offs and groups of underwater pins and lumps that cause serious upwellings. These provide plankton near the surface which attracts baitfish, and they in turn attract the predators.

Deepwater species tarakihi and hapuku are taken right up to Christmas by those who know where to go. From late December through to May it's snapper country, with big kingfish cruising through chasing the bait schools.

The water temperature off the bay has been climbing steadily to around 22C in recent days and albacore tuna are showing up in numbers, good signs for the gamefish season. In recent years the first marlin have been taken as early as November but this season has started slowly, with sightings and an occasional hook-up but no fish boated. The experts predict this will mean a season going into June.

Meanwhile, the snapper fishing has been going off and you don't need a big boat to get big fish.

Tapeka Pt has been producing fish up to 10kg on a rising tide in the evening. And the stretch of beach along the Waitangi golf course has also turned up regular good catches, though not to the same size.

Bay of Islands Swordfish Club bar manager Derek Gerritsen grew up in the area, fishes regularly in his time off and, given his returns, had no problems sharing some of his favourite possies.

Freshly caught bait works best from the shore or boats, he reckons, so get down to the local wharfs at high tide for that.

Tapeka Pt

Walk around from the boat ramp at low tide and fish across the high. Split jack mackerel is the best bait. Kahawai are regulars and big kings show up during the day.

Waitangi golf course foreshore

Walk the beach; change of light is the best time. Straylining is the best method, no weight needed.

Rawhiti

Paihia golf course

Kerikeri Inlet


Any number of opportunities around the inlet, with pan-size snapper prevalent. Taputahi possibly the pick of spots.

Island ledges

Pick an island easily reached by kayak. They abound, with rock ledges dropping to deep water. Most produce fish. Pick a ledge with a current running between land. Bird activity is a good indicator of the presence of baitfish and their bigger cousins.

Warren Hay, of the Whangarei boating retailer that carries his name, has been fishing Bay of Islands waters since he was a kid. He rates it as one of the most spectacular fishing grounds in the world, offering all manner of species across a range of water depths and conditions.

Whale Rock

Fishes extremely well over the summer months, Hay says. He recommends whole pilchards or, even better, live jack mackerel for big snapper and kingfish.

The rock is best fished in the evening, drift-fishing with the current. It's towards the outside the bay, though, and a weather-watch must be kept. Hot summer days can produce stiff afternoon winds that can change conditions rapidly.

Bird Rock

It is "one of those places that scream 'fish', " says Hay. Speed-jigging for kingies is good here, the big pelagics being attracted by the baitfish schools. Follow the diving gannets to locate feeding schools. Jig mid-stream for kingies, on the bottom about 200m behind the work-ups for snapper. Anchor in close to the rock and use plenty of berley to bring snapper around or drift past, straylining with whole squid or pilchards.

Hapuku Rock

This offers deeper water and a ledger rig works here. Anchoring and drifting are both effective methods. Fresh strips of barracouta make good bait. Use squid for the big grouper; they will also take live baitfish such as jack mackerel.

Red Head

Off Okahu Island is one of Hay's favourite spots. Best fished on the incoming tide in the evening. Big baits are the trick here: a whole mackerel or a half bonito head is a sure dinner for a big snapper.

Waiwiri Rock

An abundance of school fish. Berley up and attract their big brothers, with straylining the best method. Kahawai are just about always in the wash around the steep underwater cliffs. Fresh strips of kahawai make great bait.

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