Waihi/Whangamata September 2009

Tarakihi tips

When southeasterlies abated and torrential rain ceased, fish were plentiful.

Kahawai, a few snapper, plentiful tarakihi and increasing amounts of good gurnard were evident in most catches. Surfcasters were limited mainly to kahawai, gurnard and the occasional trevally, although the weather substantially reduced those who braved the elements. Kontiki exponents produced much the same as surfcasters, with the addition of the occasional good snapper.

Potting for crayfish has been remarkable, according to some, with a report of one person having a catch of thirty-odd fish one morning, with the excess presumably being returned.

Poor weather was responsible for only one report on Mayor Island fishing. The report was from a seven-metre vessel overnighting at Mayor. Apparently they experienced zilch for most of the time, then got amongst good kingies at Twin Beaches. On their return they weighed three of them, with the heaviest going over twenty kilos.

As with most cases when kingie fishing is tough, live bait led to success.

The early part of the month saw good snapper taken north of Slipper Island and around Shoe Island, along with tarakihi. Anglers wishing to target both mostly had to move, as seldom were both species found together.

And although they were found together southeast of Slipper, late in the month tarakihi predominated, with persistent small snapper a problem.

The edges of the Thirty-six have provided good tarakihi catches, along with the occasional pup ‘puka around the sixty-metre depth. Hapuku will now be found on the shallower foul ground at fifty metres.

South of Whangamata, all spots have produced good catches of tarakihi, although increasing numbers of small snapper (along with barracouta) are frustrating at times.
Some fishermen have been complaining about poor catches from boats I have seen anchored on the top of the foul, fishing the down-current side of the structure. My preference is to anchor up-current of the structure and fish back into the leading edge. This works for me, anyway.

Another tip: when fishing tarakihi with a Ledger Rig, ensure your sinker is close as possible to the bottom loop.

Tarakihi are bottom feeders and have a preference for the hook nearest the bottom.

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