Northern Hauraki Gulf - June 2010

Maverix produces big fish

The Maverix 6kg fishing contest, held in April out of Gulf Harbour Whangaparaoa, was fished in some atrocious conditions.

However, some of the fish that came to the scales were a testament to the angling skills of the participants (full results are elsewhere in this issue). The Mokes produced the winning snapper (11.651kg) for Wayne Radford on RnR, while Shawn Eberley shows that you don’t have to go far to catch winning fish by catching the winning 15.3kg kingfish from the end of Whangaparaoa.

With the cooler weather, most of the kings have disappeared from the gulf, but snapper, tarakihi, trevally, kahawai and ‘puka pups will be around.
The Mokohinau group will have snapper on the deep pins where the current flow is strong. If anchoring, a good berley trail will improve your chances. Drifting the foul grounds will also produce snapper, along with other species. While on the drift, keep an eye on the sounder for school activity. Out on the deeper grounds hapuku will also be on the menu.

Great Barrier, although slower, has snapper on both coasts. Fish the Broken Islands in close with a steady berley trail. The snapper are not huge, but are willing to take a bait, be it soft-plastic or real.
The east coast around the southern side of Arid Island fishes well on the drift, whilst the foul between Mona and Harotaonga Bays is always worth a shot. ‘Puka pups will be showing up on Miners Reef, along with red snapper and tarakihi.

Te Tatoki Point on Little Barrier will have snapper and trevally, but you will need to berley and fish along the edge of the weed.

I don’t like the chances of kingfish at Horn Rock, but the snapper should be willing. Fish the edges of the foul. If you have a chart-plotter, it is easier to pick up the contour lines (the northern end is best).
Kawau will still have snapper around the coast, particularly on the ocean side. Takatu Point, Fairchild Reef and Challenger are your best bets.

Fishing just off the edges of Flat Rock should also produce the goods. Plenty of kahawai are in the shallows around the rock itself.

- © Fairfax NZ News