It always pays to check the bite times and be prepared to be in a solid position around this time to give yourself the best chance.  Bite times here:  https://www.catchfishing.pro/bite-times/

The many spots provided around Rakino channel, the Noises and Ahaas have been doing well this week with lots of little current areas holding snapper, similarly around the islands south of Kawau also providing solid sized snapper and some shelter from the wind.

Softbaits have been the choice and working well, just 1/4oz Stingaz jigheads are plenty as the tidal current is moving but not very fast.

Out further there are lots of beautiful pan sized snapper for tables, friends and family.

Great results have been seen from the 50 metre-or-so areas of foul known as ‘the fingers’ and the rises just south of this reef system that can easily be seen on contour maps have fished well also.  On light gear, the Catch tungsten micro jigs proved really deadly this week.

https://www.nzfishingworld.co.nz/posts/tungsten-micro-jigs

Easy to catch too. Drift fishing slowly, with slower lure movements has been highly effective even when the bite seems non-existent, of note has been the Freestyle Kabura with a haltering drop on the way down.

Pause the genuine Catch Kaburas (or new ‘Beady Eye’ version) before they hit the sea floor on their way down, then let their uniquely buoyant skirts do their thing – as you stop the lure they flare and float up looking alive, hold it for a second or 2 then drop a metre, stop and flare those skirts (do nothing), repeat the last say 4 metres before the sea floor out in 40m (colour-metred braid helps here)…let it puff down onto the muddy sea floor, wait a second or two...then slowly wind up and away, the snapper are following and feeding up remarkably high in the water column. The 40mark is simply easy pickings for snapper with good lures presented well.

Bubbling kahawai schools have been frequenting right around Tiri and the Noises this week, check your binos and you should see either the surface, or terns hovering like in the attached picture - keen on picking up a tiny morsel of baitfish, there’re lots of tiny smelt-like baitfish around these areas.

Even Kahawai can be picky so work with them, go with the flow, literally, troll something like a Lil’ Squidwings or microjig (have the hook trailing the lure) at around 5kts from well behind the school then troll around and up alongside rather than through the middle or in the opposite direction. Same direction trolled lures will get struck a LOT more!

Scattering the birds, fish and whatever they’re feeding on also upsets the buffet cart – which can halt the feast. Birds are less likely to get caught in lines and injured by boats whether the birds are above or just below the surface. It’s worth putting out a BIG ol’ lure, kingfish may well in hanging around, close or maybe just hanging back – where your troll starts from. That dedicated 200gm Squidwing setup is perfect – and is usually my first lure set out!

And who knows what else? It’s a food chain after all.

Softbaiters and Live-baiters joining forces? Slow trolling an imitation live-bait (LIVIE curly tail softbait) on a worm hook, weighted with a sinker a few metres in front to get it subsurface - just as you would a live mackerel? 😉

Workups are still about but have moved quite a way out in last few days, maybe just getting herded that way away from the chill of the SE blast.  It’s OK if you have the displacement to get out and back safely, but can be pretty nasty in smaller boats. Beware the morning wooing! i.e. when the wind is with tide, it’s tempting to keep chasing out past Anchorite and just a bit further where there have been some good action stations, lots of kahawai and some good snapper. By afternoon, wind against tide makes for some nasty, and ‘somewhat chilly’ adventures, along with lights out early.

Lining wind and tide up with old school strayliners? Great! Remember top water – try out to the side not just straight behind there is often big boys waiting patiently for a lure to be thrown their way, stickbaits or Squidwings, easy.

Enjoy your Autumn fishing, lot’s of fish, lot’s to see and do out there, the time to enjoy it is now. Wrap up warm and unwrap your favourite lures, and get out there!

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P.S. The Espresso LIVE series is on Catch Facebook covering ‘How to?’ Lure fishing techniques, demonstrations and Pro tips, check them out and there’s a new one every week. Next up this weekend will be ‘How to choose the right rod for you and where you fish, 2 easy steps and check your current rod(s)’.

Here’s where you’ll find them: https://www.facebook.com/catchfishlikeapro/

Cheers, Espresso.

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For Wave Dancer Charters: Visit www.wavedancer.co.nz to make a booking

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