Bay of Islands
fishing report
July 23, 2021
After a good spell off the water, and a nice winter holiday, we finally got the boat back on the water all repowered and ready to go . The Bay is in full winter mode so the fishing is sometimes slow, and they can take a bit of work to get on the bite, but once you do connect and get it all right the fish are usually in excellent condition for both eating or returning.
It has been a mixed bag recently, with good fish out in the 40 to 50 metre area.
We’ve found the best fishing is around the small bait schools out in the middle ground, and our best results have come from using either micro jigs, or live bait.
Micro jigs are often underestimated for go-to fishing, but we have caught some real donkeys using this method, and they are also effective on a wide range of other species including trevally, kingfish and john dory.
There's some reasonable kingfish hanging on the reef edges, with some good snapper a bit further away from the bait schools feeding along the bottom.
Up in the shallows, the incoming tide has to be the better bite with good fish right up in the shallow water straylining and drifting, with the new Catch black label soft baits are working a treat .
Fishing around the outer islands, and drift fishing with big soft baits has worked really well too.
Either casting ahead of the drift or simply dragging along the bottom can be equally effective.
If you’re using the latter method, be careful not to hook the bottom once you get over the rougher stuff. Over the sand, just leave the rod in the holder and adjust your drag back a bit.
Trying to get a tank full of live bait is sometimes a challenge at the moment, they are a bit patchy but over the Kemp passage there has been some good slimey, and jack mackerel schools a holding.
Out wider, these cold snaps will start to bring the puka and other deepwater fish out of the super deep and up into the shallower more easily reached depths.
If you are heading out wide be extra careful to check the weather as it has a bad tendency to change very quickly.
Be safe out there, tight lines
Darren
https://www.fishingdaysout.co.nz/
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