Wellington - September 2009

Reliable tarakihi

While late winter deepwater fishing is producing lots of groper, bluenose and mid water warehou, it’s the tarakihi that are holding inshore and small boat fishing together.

While the bigger tarakihi can usually be targeted in conjunction with groper fishing or when in 90-metre-plus depths, it is the pan-sized fish that are available to the many smaller boats fishing relatively close to the shore. Wellington tarakihi are available all year round, but particularly in the winter months, when other quality eating fish are scarce.

Small 1/0 or 2/0 hooks work well, especially on flasher rigs made from relatively light trace, armed with a small strip of squid or thin fillet bait. Using lighter outfits (around six kilo, say) will enhance the fight and minimise sinker drift.

Most of the broken reef structures on the south coast at around the 40-metre mark will produce tarakihi, and the use of berley will greatly increase your catch.

Tarakihi are often found in conjunction with blue cod, especially in the early spring months when the bigger blue cod come much closer to the shore.

There is not a great deal happening for surfcasters, except for red cod off the big southern beaches. Whitebait will shortly be running and this may attract kahawai, which have been low in numbers around the bigger river mouths.

Some big spotty sharks (over 10 kilos) are reported from the Kapiti coast. Harbour fishers have been catching warehou from locations near wharf structures.

The seasonal return of gurnard is imminent, and blue moki won’t be far behind.

- © Fairfax NZ News