Wellington / Kapiti

fishing report

July 17, 2020

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Here's an update after the comp last weekend. The fishing situation has not changed much in a week: Another successful annual fishing comp due to all entrants, my staff, all the generous sponsors and the great Wellington weather! Thanks also to Parrot Dog bar in Lyall bay for an excellent prize giving venue. Everyone who turned up got prizes which was pretty cool! We had 102 entrants fishing over the weekend with 54 boaties, 36 shore anglers, 7 juniors and 5 kids. It was surprising that only 2 kahawai were measured, no blue moki and no kids catches measured...... The snapper wern't biting as well as they have been recently but the blue cod, tarakihi and gurnard fishing was pretty good. I heard there were a heap of kingis caught out west up to an impressive 28kg on the weekend. Hot off the press today - the bluenose are firing at the trench. Well done to all the winners.

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We’ve been out quite a bit over the last couple of weeks, making the most of our weather windows and picking up some good fish.

This snapper season has been undoubtedly one of the best the Wellington region has seen in recent years, and they are still being caught in good sizes and numbers.

Although there will always be big residential moochers in the shallows, sheltering in the weed and foul, it appears that most of the fish have moved out deeper now to around 70 metres.

In particular, Vern’s reef has been producing really good fish. Traditionally a good terakihi spot, it’s been turning up some very nice snapper and trevs lately, again in 70 to 80 metres.

In fact, most of the west coast has been returning some solid results, with the southerly swells rendering the south coast a bit lumpy and tough to get out to the Trench comfortably, the west coast has been a good option from Ohau right up past Kapiti.

Hunter’s has seen some great fishing, and the kayak boys have been pulling several double figure snaps out from Pukerua Bay.

The kingy fishing has also been good, and there are great specimens right in shallow at the moment. We recently put a young lad onto a king that pushed his limits, and with a bit of help from dad he pulled a 15kg fish out of 10 metres just in behind Mana Island.

We also got stuck into some blue mackerel fishing the likes of which I’ve never seen previously, with big fish up to 3 kgs taking most anything on offer. That’s a meaty sized mackerel for the smoker or to be thrown straight back over as live-bait for kingies.

Speaking of live bait, this method is the best ever for catching john dory, and the JD fishing has really started firing up now. Targeting john dory also gives you the chance of scoring a decent snapper or kingy, so it’s often worth the effort.

For a bit more detail on how to catch them check this video article: https://www.nzfishingworld.co.nz/posts/how-to-catch-john-dory-and-why

The other favourite eating fish that has been firing up is the old blue cod, and the cod fishing on the west coast recently has just been outstanding.

Perhaps it was the massive southerly activity that was bad enough to cancel the ferries, that has forced the blue cod around the corner to the west coast up as far as the Makara Fenceline. The big cod are turning up all over the place, including in the harbour. We had some absolutely epic cod fishing last week off the fenceline, with cod up to 3 kilos running like kahawai. Pelagic cod! Didn’t get a jump or tail-walk out of them but they were great in the old frypan.

Good luck over the weekend, tight lines and we look forward to seeing your photos in the comp.

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Cheers

Pete

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Report provided by PETE LAMB FISHING

https://www.petelambfishing.co.nz/

0274439750

Petelamb2@gmail.com

Shop - 15 Kingsford Smith St, Rongotai

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