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The spring and summer have been unkind to Auckland's sea-fishers. The Hauraki Gulf, claimed to be the best snapper fishery in the world, is experiencing its leanest catches in years. Cooler water temperatures and unsuitable weather have dominated.
But that's fishin'. And it means anglers are now paying their dues for all those good times. Improvements in catch rates are expected now the weather is settling. The season is about six weeks behind normal.
The pessimists say it won't get any better because of the El Nino weather pattern. Optimists claim the late season means an Indian summer to come, with much better fishing. In tougher snapper seasons, some recreational fishers try to pull a fast one on the charter boats by tracking them, anchoring close and fishing their water, spoiling it for everybody with their arrogance and lack of sportsmanship. Such fishers are parasites.
Where to go in the next few days? The Waitemata Harbour is fishing well for pan-sized snapper and that's probably the best place to visit, especially just inside North Head, off Torpedo Bay, up to the Chelsea refinery, around Meola Reef and in the deeper channels.
Skippers Eugen de Bruyn (Sea Genie) and Alan Viskovich (Cobalt Charters) recommend these spots for school snapper of 2kg-3kg using light tackle and moving around. The fishing can be a lot of fun in these easily accessible areas for small boats, beginners and children.
Small snapper dominate the harbours at this time of year and might stay later because of the late summer - normally they pull out in March - and it is a great way to get kids hooked on a pastime that should stay with them for their lives. Just be sure lifejackets are worn.
It is the same story on the Manukau Harbour, which is full of small school snapper with enough bigger ones among them to get a reasonable feed. Beginners who do not have boats should try off the Cornwallis wharf for two hours after low tide using shellfish baits bound to the hooks with elastic thread. De Bruyn also reports quite good fishing from the bottom of Waiheke Island down to Pakatoa Island, especially for kingfish in the 15kg to 17kg range, and Viskovich says a trip to Little Barrier could be worthwhile because good snapper have been close to shore.
In the outer gulf the fishing has been better. Skipper Allan Merrett from RnR Charters reports some "awesome" action with kingfish at the Mokohinaus, over the pins between Maori Rocks and Burgess Reef. He's been catching them on pink and white and lumo green and white jigs.
He's also had some 9kg-plus (20lb) snapper and says patience and persistence are required to catch them, using big baits and drifting over 60m-70m depths.
Generally, however, the Hauraki Gulf fishing this season has been, in the words of Viskovich, "a very half-hearted affair".
In the Far North, the marlin season has moved into top gear and boats based at Whangarei, Tutukaka, the Bay of Islands and Doubtless Bay are having excellent sport.
"The marlin catches are right up there with those of the previous seasons," says Chris Small from the Bay of Islands. "There are plenty of big blues and stripeys and the occasional black marlin. Orange and black lures are working well."
