I've just returned from a six-day trip diving and fishing off the "Whai" out of Whitianga with nine others, enjoying a fantastic time under the guidance of our skipper, John. The diving was excellent, though crayfish were sparse over a large area, and the fishing was satisfactory, ensuring everyone returned with a decent feed of snapper, the largest being a 5.2kg catch on the spear.

During my time away, I've learned that harbour fishing has been excellent in the late evening, particularly in shallow waters just a few meters deep along the banks, yielding mostly nice-sized pannies and occasionally larger ones near 3kg. Further offshore, the Albacore west of the Penguin Shoals have been fruitful, with catches up to 10kg, alongside plenty of skipjack tuna up to 3kg in the same areas.

The Mount Sport Fishing Club's "Blue Water Classic" boasted a prize pool close to $70,000. The first day's rough seas confined some vessels to the harbour, but the subsequent two days offered great conditions, allowing for a significant number of sharks and striped marlin to be tagged and released, with 14 sharks tagged from memory. It was unusual that only one kingfish was weighed in.

The event was enhanced by numerous lucky angler draws for species not caught, contributing to a fantastic atmosphere. Having been away for a week, I haven't fished locally, but the forecast for this weekend is promising after experiencing squally showers and winds over 30 knots. It's an excellent opportunity to make the most of the calm seas and enjoy to the fullest.

Russ Hawkins

Fat Boy Charters