Summer's fun all go as snapper run in harbour

Yellowtail Kingfish.

The summer fishing that is always eagerly awaited has taken off, with snapper running in the Waitemata Harbour.

The key to harbour fishing is working the tides and, unlike fishing further out, the small tides are the ones to target as the current will not be so fierce.

Pilchard is the bait of choice and the Rakino Channel is another area that has picked up. Sitting in the current with plenty of berley running out under the boat is producing some good fishing as snapper move through the channel on the tide.

Small kingfish have turned up in large numbers around Crusoe Rock, and casting poppers or stick baits or dead piper around the channel marker buoys at low tide can trigger some good action. On light tackle these battlers are impressive.

Live baits set along the edge of the reef will target larger fish, particularly if kahawai are used. Small baits such as yellowtails or sprats will catch fish, but a larger proportion of small kings will be hooked as they are much more aggressive.

The liveys can be fished either on the seabed with a breakaway sinker attached with dental floss to the swivel, or under a balloon. When on the bottom they are hooked through the nose, and on the surface the hook goes through the back in front of the dorsal fin.

Out in the Firth of Thames some larger snapper are being taken, and whole fresh yellowtail is the top bait for the big ones. This can be fished on one rod, casting the bait well away from the boat and the rod left in the rocket launcher with the drag set lightly and the clicker on to signal a strike.

You want the fish to be able to run with the bait, and you soon know when something takes it.

Freshwater

The runs of trout into the Lake Rotorua tributaries such as the Ngongotaha and Waiteti streams have slowed down, but brown trout can be targeted in the shallows around the stream mouths.

The fish hang around the mouths waiting to run up, and it can be exciting - but challenging - fishing as the angler first spots a cruising fish than casts in front of it.

Bully imitations like a Mrs Simpson or Hamill's Killer work well, as the slower-swimming browns favour bullies while their rainbow cousins like to chase smelt.

Harling and shallow trolling on all the lakes is best at dawn, although Lake Okataina has been the hardest place to catch a fish. As the sun rises and fish move deeper, lines which can get down to 15m are used with lures like the black toby or traffic light.

Tip of the week

When bait fishing a piece of rag tied to the trace helps attract fish. It can be a thin strip of red or yellow cloth about 15cm long tied tightly round the trace.

Bite times

Bite times are 10.30am and 10.55pm today and tomorrow at 11.20am and 11.45pm. These are based on the phase and position of the moon, not tides, and apply to the whole country.

More fishing action can be found on Rheem Outdoors with Geoff , 6.30am Saturdays, TV3, and at www.GTtackle.co.nz.