Harvey Clark: Warmer seas mean more snapper

From Doubtless Bay south to the top of Coromandel, the snapper fishing has been improving as the sea warms up. The schools are now forming in the outer Hauraki Gulf in preparation for their spawning runs into coastal and harbour waters.

In Doubtless Bay, pan-sized snapper are being taken off Taipa, Cable Bay, Coopers Beach, and from boats in the channel off the wharf in Mangonui Harbour.

"With the weather improving, a lot of people are going out now and all are reporting reasonable catches, particularly with the new, soft-plastic baits," says Chris Penney at Coopers Beach Sports.

In the Bay of Islands, as elsewhere, locals are awaiting a wind change - a sou'wester to bring the fish back on the bite. As the saying goes, "A sou'wester turns them on, a sou'easter turns them off. "

Phil Andrews, who specialises in the inner bay from the Ninepin to the Hole in the Rock, says the technique getting the best catches is straylining close in with no weights and big baits, particularly around the Hole in the Rock. He describes the bay fishing as "generally fair".

Closer to home the action has been sporadic, but Auckland boat-fishers should try the Motuihe Channel, where charter skipper Eugen de Bruyn (Sea Genie) caught "a dozen nice snapper" early on Thursday morning.

He was out there at 5.30 - "You've got to work on it early to get the fish. Bite time lasted about an hour. The female snapper were in full roe, hopefully indicating an earlier spawning season."

Further out, he recommends the Ahaaha Rocks and around the Noises this weekend. This wide area, one of the Hauraki Gulf's top fishing spots, is rich in kelp beds, food life and broken, rocky foul providing good shelter for snapper, and sometimes fishes well in September for pre-spawning fish before they migrate into the inner gulf.

Also getting into the action is Allan Merrett from RnR Charters, who specialises at the Mokohinaus and Hen and Chickens, where he's had three snapper of 5.4kg, one of 6.6kg and a granddaddy of 9.7kg (21.5lb).

Warming sea temperatures have been bringing the fish on the bite, he says, and interference from barracouta has all but disappeared. He's been drifting on the edge of the Maori Rocks in 40m to 50m and the snapper "have been hammering pilchards and squid and running with the baits".

He also recommends fishing off the lighthouse on the Mokes and around Coppermine Reef off the Hen and Chickens.

Pleasure skipper Lee Wynard, who fishes four to five times a week in My Mistress, has also been having a good run in the outer gulf from Great Barrier to Coromandel, especially around a reef in 40m off the southern coast of Great Barrier, where he had an excellent catch averaging 4.5kg with the biggest 6.3kg.

He's also been picking up hapuku of 10-15kg in 70m off Arid Island on the eastern side of the Barrier. Closer to Auckland, he's heard of catches improving at Gannet Rock, and he's seen big kahawai workups off the bottom end of Waiheke.

Charter skipper Lance Paniora, from Smokin' Reels, has been doing well around Colville and from Channel Island to the top of Coromandel, and that's where he'll be this weekend.

"If you're fishing local waters, then use plenty of berley and show lots of patience and you'll get a feed. The bigger snapper are now out deeper and they'll be coming in once spawning gets underway in October. The sea temperature needs to be 18C and it's about 15C at the moment."