Wellington legend Pete Lamb speaks to NZ Fishing World on the current fishing opportunities in and around the Wellington Kapiti region plus his expectations and plans for the coming weekend.

Bonus audio on Pete Lamb's beach fishing success with NZFW sponsor product Fishbites

A summarised transcript of the above interview discussion and fishing report from Pete Lamb

“Living in Kapiti most of the time, I've noticed some excellent beach fishing around the Kapiti coast.”

“The fishing here has significantly improved in the last few years. From being almost barren about five years ago, it's now prime snapper territory. Even during the winter, which was previously unheard of, we're catching snapper off the shore. Just a couple of weeks ago a mate of mine caught five in one night before I got mine and lost five, in early September, which is astonishing.

“As a result, the industry has seen growth. We're selling more surfcasting gear and introducing more people to the sport. We're also helping them upgrade their equipment and teaching them new techniques. I've been conducting surfcasting charters, aiming to help people catch their first snapper.

“For bookings, people can visit our website or simply call or text us.

“Nowadays, especially during the winter, there's an expectation of catching snapper, which wasn't the case before.

“They're now present all year round. While they might be a bit more elusive in the winter than in the summer, there are still some sizable catches. Additionally, there seems to be an increase in trevally and large blue mackerel. Often, when we're boat fishing, we catch more of these large blues than kahawai.

“On the south coast, catches of blue cod and terakihi are consistent. On the west coast, it's more varied, with colder water species like warehou and blue mackerel becoming more prevalent.

“Kingfish haven't been as abundant in the last couple of years. We do a lot of inshore fishing around Mana and down to Makara. While we used to catch a lot of kingfish, they've been scarce recently. However, Kapiti offers a different experience. It's warmer, less windy, and there's an abundance of snapper and kingfish. Softbaits and slowjigs work exceptionally well in Kapiti.

“We're approaching the season when kingfish start moving into the harbour. Shore fishermen have been using the slide baiting technique with great success, especially in places like Oriental Bay. This method has revolutionised kingfish fishing, especially around the harbour. With the current nor‘westerlies, I anticipate the water will warm up soon, making it ideal for fishing.

“The weather forecast suggests calm conditions on the south coast for the next couple of days, followed by southerlies over the weekend. This should make the west coast fishable. There are still a few puka around, but many have migrated to spawning grounds. Deep water fishing in the trench has yielded blue nose, bass, and puka. The trench is a popular spot due to its potential for big catches.

“North Westerlies often make the West Coast challenging for fishing. However, when conditions are calm, the fishing is excellent.

“Another surfcasting hotspot in Wellington is Palliser Bay. The number of snapper here is remarkable. We're also expecting a significant influx of moki soon.

“Palliser Bay offers consistent fishing, making it ideal for both new and experienced anglers. I'm planning to head over in the next few days, hoping to catch some early season moki