Local bays of Auckland.

Most days lately seem to be cold damp and windy – uninviting to most humans warm indoors, but now and then a fish and bird eruption takes place, within eyesight of Rangitoto and other bays like Kawakawa.

If you want to shelter in close, remember squid fishing is in prime time at the moment, and throwing a few squid jigs around the weed edges can be very productive even during daylight. Squid hate current, so try and find a spot where the weed meets the sand along a shoreline that has no running tidal influence.

It is a great way to shelter and try something a bit different, often with tasty results. Most of the bays around Kawau will hold these guys, so keep it as an option maybe?

This week again just when it looked like the winter doldrums would set in – BOOM! Thousands of birds, uncountable fish in various concentrated mosh pits of action. Everything from cormorants to terns, petrels to gulls, inshore gannets joining in as well after the various fish species like snapper, kahawai, mackerel and anchovies boiling the surface upwards.

Smart combatants – a lot of the time spent in Marine Reserves and No Fishing Zones and buzzing around Naval vessels and others looking after the cables below (perhaps fish have an app), so spectacularly just there yet out of reach, but only for a while.

Areas of western Rangtito right over to Long Bay have been buzzing in bursts the past few days and some around Kawakawa bay area too – lots of big kahawai and many more of the beautiful ‘Coke bottle’ sized models flashing around at high speed, great to look at as a fish, and fantastic in so many others – smoked, sashimi, cerviche plus being a whole mountain of fun to catch too. Even when the furore hasn’t  been visible there has been fish patrolling all around the edges, the shallows – watching kingfish lurking literally at your feet while many Aucklanders enjoy walking their dogs along the walkways and paths. Landbased or kayak fishing too – easy.

The southerly wind and rising tidal current has put a dampener on workup chasing lately, but with the air temp and sea temps dropping fast like a cellphone over the side, the workups will be aggressive and intense out there, dolphins need to keep their body temp up, same as ours 36c! And they’re out there swimming in this. Workups are on for sure, so when that wind drops enough it’ll be typical full moon winter stuff, boom or bust, fast and furious no doubt.

Daylight hours are getting longer, lots of fishing that can be done in all sorts of ways and it’s always appreciated by friends and family, freshly caught fish on the table.

Have a great week and enjoy your fishing adventures whatever they may be.

Cheers, Captain Espresso.

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

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