My Account
Fishing this time of year can be very productive both in close and out wide.
Targeting snapper is made easier by their natural urge to feed up before the colder months set in. The result is some amazing fishing to be had over a range of different techniques. Trusty bait and berley definitely heats up at this time of year with all species responding well to scent and the promise of a feed.
Land based fishers have been doing really well this autumn catching good sized fish on the change of light around the bays from the rock and beach.
Whangaparaoa Bay has also been providing its fair share of reliable fishing with fishers catching with bait and jigs alike, just drifting in 15m over the sand. There are a lot of small fish in our gulf that will also make their presence known in a berley trail so if you’re having trouble catching fish worth keeping, try upsizing your hooks to 7/0 or bigger.
Alternatively use big baits like mullet or Kahawai fillets and don’t be afraid to go really big! Doing this allows more time for the larger snapper to come in for a look, ultimately resulting in more chances of hooking the big one.
Baitfish such as pilchards and mackerel have been moving into the gulf, sparking the first of this year’s Hauraki work ups. This is really exciting! The Auckland based charter boats have been filling their bins daily from the 50m mark targeting these schooling fish and the snapper that sit below them. The area between Anchorite Rock and Horn Rock nicknamed “the squiggles” has been the go to of recent. There is no form of fishing that is more awe inspiring then sitting next to a vortex of falling gannets. This mass feeding frenzy opens up some really cool opportunities to target big fish. The mayhem of a work up attracts an array of species from all around. By deploying big softbaits or large profile metal lures, you can use the reckless feeding habits of the fish below you to your advantage.
There is lots of food but there is also lots of competition! Bigger fish won’t think twice about grabbing something they think they can eat because due to the nature of a work up, if they don’t eat it, something else will! The results of work up fishing can be truly epic, but make sure not to lose your head in the chaos. Always keep a tally on caught fish as not to breach your daily take limit, and be respectful to fish that you plan on releasing.
