Water temperature key to finding fish

The reduced limit bag and larger minimum size are now in force, so it is important to handle correctly fish being released. Hold the fish gently with a wet towel, and use pliers to remove the hook.

Winter is starting to bite, but the snapper can still be found.

Snapper can still be found around Auckland, but they are only in patches and the best way to find them is to look for changes in the temperature of the water.

Some good bags of snapper are coming from the pins between Motuihe and Browns Islands - plenty of berley is the key.

Cast floating baits down a berley trail into weed-covered, rocky terrain.

This approach has also been bringing results close to shore from the Takapuna cliffs to Castor Bay and around the Noises, the David Rocks and the Ahaahas.

Anglers using soft baits and drifting the channels between the small islands and rocks are also picking up fish, and small grub-type tails up to size 5/0 in orange-brown colours are proving successful.

One theory is that the snapper are feeding on small crayfish and this lure makes a reasonable imitation.

On the northern side of Rangitoto Island the story is the same, but you have to be out early as it is all over by 8am.

Casting soft plastics into the shallows and around rocks and reefs should improve as winter takes hold., particularly in places such as Kawau Island, Takatu Point, the bottom end of Waiheke Island and further afield at the Moko Hinau group and Little Barrier and Great Barrier Island, and the Mercury group.

At Little Barrier, Great Barrier and Horn Rock, straylining hard against the weed line or the rocks has produced some good fish when the tide turns in the early morning.

Metal jigs and slow jigs have also been producing, as have large fresh baits.

The schools of snapper have moved out into deeper water and there are good numbers of fish in 55m between Horn Rock and Little Barrier.

Fishing generally has been reasonable at times in Kawau Bay and at the bottom end of Waiheke on the northern side of Shag Rock and Gannet Rock out to 50m deep.

Fresh water
Trout fishing is also moving into winter mode at Rotorua and Taupo, with fly fishing at small stream mouths improving, and harling and shallow trolling producing fish in the early mornings and evenings.

As the trout move into spawning mode, red-bodied flies and lures come into their own.

On Lake Okataina, fishing booby flies at the Log Pool continues to produce, and there are also fish at the Dogger Bank where the same method works well.

The moon is rising, and when the moon is very bright fishing small rips is hard, and better results usually come from casting into deep water.

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

Tip of the week
Soft bait tackle with braid line can be used for light tackle harbour fishing. The baits are easily cast, and a short trace of 4kg monofilament can be added on the end of the braid. It should be no longer than the rod, or it becomes awkward when casting. A 5/0 or 6/0 single hook with a quarter ounce ball sinker running down hard against the hook completes the terminal tackle. When a bite is felt the fish should be allowed to run with the bait, as snapper will mouth the bait and move away before swallowing it. So fish with the drag on the reel set lightly, then wait until the fish runs steadily and tighten the drag and wind the reel to set the hook.

Bite times
Bite times are 3:05am and 3:30pm tomorrow and 3:55am and 4:20pm on Sunday. These are based on the phase and position of the moon, not tides, and apply to the whole country.