Bay of Plenty

fishing report

March 11, 2022

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The easterlies and subsequent swell over the past week have made it a bit tough to get out regularly of late. Game fishing continues through for a few months yet, and so far a pretty good season has seen everything from spearfish to blues on deck.

There’s a pretty full tournament schedule for the remainder of March, including:

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HYNDS PIPE SYSTEMS: Briefing 18th March, Fishing Saturday 19th

WISH 4 FISH TOURNANMENT: Briefing Thursday 24th , Fishing Friday 25th-26h March

WESTERN BAY SERVICES FISHING TOURNAMENT: Briefing Sunday 27th , Fishing Monday 28th-30th March

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Check out the Tauranga Sport Fishing Club for more details HERE:

…and the Whakatane MegaMarch Tournament HERE

There have been the usual skippies around this year though, not as big as last years’s models, out wider past the Penguin Rise and beyond.

There are some good kings about, and the topwater crew are growing in numbers and bagging some really good fish if you are looking for an alternative method of fishing to jigging and towing livies.

Snapper fishing has been a bit off and on, although we have mostly been concentrating on terakihi over the deeper reef systems, but the harbour is still fishing really well for snapper at the moment.

Last year the snapper season was a boomer as far as longevity goes, and we can hopefully expect the same again this year fishing well into winter with the warmer water temps around.

A lot of success in the harbour is coming at night, so getting out in the dark is often the answer.

There are plenty of good snapper and kingies in the harbour channels, and around the entrance.

For kings, dropping or slow slow trolling using live mackerel has been successful, and out at Mayor Island, the Tuhua Reef has fished well with big blue koheru making the best live baits you can get (you can catch them on really wee microjigs or tiny softbaits as well as small baited hooks)..

Fishing with these usually results in instantly getting smashed by kings, and they are also excellent pitch baits for marlin.

Deep drops going have been pretty good, with a few nice puka coming off the south east Mayor Knolls in around 200 - 240 metres, but more commonly at the moment gemfish are on the munch, and they are a lovely eating fish smoked or cooked in batter despite their reputation for being oily.

Snapper fishing off the sand in the shallower water off Matakana and Papamoa still productive. Drifting or using soft baits, or strayline you should do ok if they are feeding on the incoming tide waxing moon, and outgoing waning.

One of our friends got busted off by a huge snapper in only 3 metres of water the other night, so night fishing, or at least fishing the change of light is usually a good practice.

Cheers

Russ