Although snapper fishing may be patchy, this summer has been all about marlin fishing, with the Sky Tower in the background.

This is a good time to catch kingfish. These magnificent sport fish are found everywhere from North Cape to the Marlborough Sounds, and even further south, with some spotted by paua divers at the Chatham Islands.

Proposed changes around "foolish" rules that regulate spot prizes at community and recreational events have been welcomed by the Problem Gambling Foundation as well as event organisers.

Anglers are catching a range of fish species rarely seen along the Western Bay coastline, while others are disappearing.

Oyster lovers from Bluff to Auckland have been waiting for this day, the frenzy has started. Salty, succulent and totally addictive - all Kiwi oyster-lovers look forward to the start of March when "Bluffies", the creme de la creme of the shellfish world, come into season.

There could be some fish hooks in the way prizes are allocated in future but the organisers of the southern hemisphere's biggest snapper contest say it will definitely be held again next year.

A visit to the wharves at Orakei or Devonport or Cornwallis reveals that for many of today's youngsters the magic is still the same.

Nick Boulgaris just wanted to bring home some fish for tea.

A kayak or dinghy is the best option for catching snapper at the moment, because fishing in a few metres of water is producing better results than out in the deep.

A fishing outing turned into a 45-minute struggle with a shark in the surf for six Whitianga men.

An expedition to one of the deepest ocean trenches has discovered a new species of fish and another not previously caught in the southwest Pacific.

The big one didn't get away from 7-year-old Hunter Scott, whose 133kg striped marlin is the talk of the Bay of Islands Swordfish Club.

A shark attacked as Steve Clark was struggling underwater against a kingfish on the end of his spear. He didn't see it coming, but he quickly saw the damage it did.

Fishing can often be unrewarding at this time, but the crayfish, scallops and fish are still there and the diver ventures into their domain.

Dead fish, most of them snapper, have washed up on beaches in one of the most beautiful and popular holiday spots in the country.