Snapper seem to be in early breeding mode but can still befound almost anywhere, not everywhere, but in most depths right now so whatever your preferred style of big red fishing is, you have a good chance of success.

Inner channels haven’t been hitting the headlines, but theyare off and running!

Big game fishing for recreational anglers has just hit the early start button as well – with short billed spearfish and yellow fin tuna (YFT)caught. These fish have been on the east side of the North Island, no doubt the Westies will be getting into some monster arrivals imminently.

Kingfish have obliged rather well of late, especially during the snapper ‘just say no’ period of the past several days (albeit changing now though thankfully). Kahawai, some days you can hardly believe how many there are, other days they’re more like a unicorn. They have been surface schooling around Channel Island in numbers, and they were quite happy this week with nary a kingfish in sight.

That can change in the blink of an eye, and when it does itwill be top water and jigging mayhem.

Some smaller kingfish models in and around the Kawau and Flat Rock area are worth targeting, but they can be very picky at times as to what will make them bite, a few different approaches can tip the scales in yourfavour. Try a very small stick bait – 20gm style, an easy lollipop when hunger isn’t the main motivator.

Even a tiny 25gm inchiku can make the day – whether inclose, or fishing the blue mackerel bait schools out in 50m+, the kings are patrolling out there and a slowly wafting inchiku or tiny tungsten micro jig isnot only highly effective, it is highly addictive!

An addictive way to catch kingfish alright – just use your soft bait gear, 30lb leader and have an absolute whale-of-a-time, back and forth battles with the mighty green machine. Let the fish tire using the drag judiciously so that once boat side all has been prepared for a quick shot cradled, tiny jig in mouth, smile and click!

Then eased back into the water when releasing. Exciting and highly memorable stuff. No foul ground to bust off out over most of the gulf so light leader and light tackle are a magic formula.

Empty workups. A lot of workups last week with no fish underneath – yes it often happens i.e. workups and no fish! What the fish is going on?! Here’s a few things that can have an influence on workup success.

1.     Workups that are fast moving may just be smaller bait balls getting chased - and winning, looks good to us but too fast and no food coming down to attract other fish like snapper well  below

2.     There are only so many snapper to go around and not all workups can contain them at times

3.     Snapper are a bit like us when it comes to workups – uninvited guests. Dolphins, gannets and baitfish are usually the dominant members, the rest including humans are hangers on

4.     The workup can look amazing as gannets dive atspeed headlong, but as per the attached sounder picture – what they are eating maybe only right on the surface, small and fleeting – no real fish other thanthese surface aperitifs served to gannets and a few lucky dolphins

5.     Snapper are not the only fish in the sea, usingsnapper catching techniques can limit your day’s overall catch, perhaps targetkingfish, kahawai, mackerel and gurnard instead of just snapper?

Christmas hustle and bustle is upon the land and with only 2+weeks left before many businesses shut down the pace is spiralling, best get inwell before the last minute panic, out of stock, can’t deliver till next year,traffic at a standstill type of scenario.

Those Christmas holiday days of fun with family friends, sea and sunshine are unfolding in front of us, coming, ready or not!

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Enjoy your fishing.

Espresso.

Visit www.wavedancer.co.nz to make a booking.

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