Southern Hauraki Gulf

Cooler water requires technique changes

Brendan McWilliams caught this magnificent 13.3kg (31.5lb) snapper off Rakino in the Hauraki Gulf, his biggest to date, and a hard target to beat.

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Scrounging around in the inner Waitemata Harbour can still provide some reasonable fishing.

The upper harbour is hard work, but if you can get up into some good foul like Meola Reef or the Bean Rock foul, you will still get some action on snapper. Some of the inner-harbour trevally spots are also starting to work – the breakwater at Okahu Bay can be one of the better options. The Rangitoto Channel is slowing up, but once again, out from the channel on the lava foul at Flax Point and around the lighthouse has been fairly consistent. The key ingredients are a running tide and lots of berley.

The Motuihe side continues to fish on par with the Crusoe Rock area – both favourites. Some kingies are still being taken in this area, as well as at Pakatoa Reef. Livebaits are getting harder to find as the baitfish leave the inner harbour shallows. I have had some glowing reports from the East Coast Bays, with snapper up to 5kg not uncommon on the Castor Bay foul and out from the Browns Bay Reef. Snapper will be conditioning themselves for winter and putting on a good layer of fat.

Stray-lining at the Noises continues to be very consistent, with the gutways and exits from the islands holding plenty of snapper and also some nice autumn john dory. This can be a good time to livebait for the larger kingfish that hang on a little longer than the smaller, more migratory fish. Soft-baiters are still earning their keep; many are moving over to the natural colours and slowing the action of their lures to entice the less aggressive cool-water snapper. 

Over June we will be sliding our baits into cooler, clearer water, so careful and quiet fishing activity is a must. Running baits over midwater foul – such as Reef 14 at the Ahaas and the Noises foul – will work well. Going further out, if the weather allows, should afford the option of drift-fishing, but you will have to know your spots as there is little bird activity at this time of the year.

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