Thursday 15th December
Since mid winter, I hadn't caught any really big kahawai. Today however, I did. Two big kahawai, a nice snapper and some smaller kahawai and mackerel kept my belly full.
Wednesday, 14 December 2016
Kahawai Fishing Whangarei Harbour
Saturday 3rd December
I went down to the Onerahi wharf hoping to catch my first fish of the summer. Using squid for bait, I caught 19 kahawai and a decent Mackerel. Trevally, snapper and eagle Ray were also caught.
I went down to the Onerahi wharf hoping to catch my first fish of the summer. Using squid for bait, I caught 19 kahawai and a decent Mackerel. Trevally, snapper and eagle Ray were also caught.
Tuesday, 19 July 2016
Whangarei East Coast Rock Fishing
Tuesday 19th July 2016
I only had 25 minutes to fish before dark and before the tide came in too much so I had to be quick. I put half a pillie on my line and cast it out into the swell. I cut up some chunks and threw them in as berley. My bait got hit and I pulled in a large kahawai. Every line was getting hit and I went home happy with two big kahawai. Loads of kahawai everywhere.
Aidan
I only had 25 minutes to fish before dark and before the tide came in too much so I had to be quick. I put half a pillie on my line and cast it out into the swell. I cut up some chunks and threw them in as berley. My bait got hit and I pulled in a large kahawai. Every line was getting hit and I went home happy with two big kahawai. Loads of kahawai everywhere.
Aidan
Saturday, 16 July 2016
Eeling Tips
July 2016
Now that it's winter and the fishing in the harbour isn't so good, I've been doing quite a bit of eeling in nearby rivers and creeks. The good thing about eeling over fishing is that it doesn't matter what time of year you do it. Around New Zealand there are two types of freshwater eel; the silverbelly longfin and the shortfin. The more commonly caught is the silverbelly longfin but their numbers are slowly declining due to commercial eelers and dams which stops them from getting to the sea to breed. The shortfins are more unusual to catch but are at least concern. The way to tell the two species apart is the longfins have a longer dorsal fin and their skin wrinkles once it begins to die or is dead. Also the shortfins are a more olivey green colour and are smaller than the longfin. The way to catch them is to get a bit of bait, ( meat is best ), just put it on a plain hook, ( circle hook is best because that will stop some of the eels from swallowing it ). If there is current you may want a little sinker but it can get stuck in rocks and logs so that is the only negative side of using a sinker. You just need a little handline or rod and it will work. Pour coarse salt on the eel to humanely kill it.
My next post will be on where to find eels and what to do when you spot one. ( for people who have never eeled before ).
Now that it's winter and the fishing in the harbour isn't so good, I've been doing quite a bit of eeling in nearby rivers and creeks. The good thing about eeling over fishing is that it doesn't matter what time of year you do it. Around New Zealand there are two types of freshwater eel; the silverbelly longfin and the shortfin. The more commonly caught is the silverbelly longfin but their numbers are slowly declining due to commercial eelers and dams which stops them from getting to the sea to breed. The shortfins are more unusual to catch but are at least concern. The way to tell the two species apart is the longfins have a longer dorsal fin and their skin wrinkles once it begins to die or is dead. Also the shortfins are a more olivey green colour and are smaller than the longfin. The way to catch them is to get a bit of bait, ( meat is best ), just put it on a plain hook, ( circle hook is best because that will stop some of the eels from swallowing it ). If there is current you may want a little sinker but it can get stuck in rocks and logs so that is the only negative side of using a sinker. You just need a little handline or rod and it will work. Pour coarse salt on the eel to humanely kill it.
My next post will be on where to find eels and what to do when you spot one. ( for people who have never eeled before ).
Thursday, 2 June 2016
Early Winter Fish Onerahi
Friday 3rd June 2016
I went down onto the Onerahi wharf this morning to have a winter fish. The fishing was appalling, I caught one tiny snapper and apart from that got pretty much no bites. I think I'll stick to the eeling now during the winter.
Aidan
I went down onto the Onerahi wharf this morning to have a winter fish. The fishing was appalling, I caught one tiny snapper and apart from that got pretty much no bites. I think I'll stick to the eeling now during the winter.
Aidan
Sunday, 1 May 2016
Bloody Shags
Saturday 30th April 2016
Went for a morning fish on the Onerahi wharf. I went out in blusterous conditions looking for a meal. I had put on a whole small Jack Mackerel and as soon as it hit the water so something hit it. Unfortunately it didn't hit the hook and I pulled in a bare hook. Next time the same thing happened but the elusive fish generously left the head. The next time I put on half a mackerel and a sinker and pulled a snapper up alongside the wharf. The snapper would have been around 32cms and as it pulled my line deeper it suddenly went all heavy, as I got it up to the surface I found a bloody shag tearing this fish apart and eventually pulling it off the hook. After some bad words, I stormed off home.
Aidan
Went for a morning fish on the Onerahi wharf. I went out in blusterous conditions looking for a meal. I had put on a whole small Jack Mackerel and as soon as it hit the water so something hit it. Unfortunately it didn't hit the hook and I pulled in a bare hook. Next time the same thing happened but the elusive fish generously left the head. The next time I put on half a mackerel and a sinker and pulled a snapper up alongside the wharf. The snapper would have been around 32cms and as it pulled my line deeper it suddenly went all heavy, as I got it up to the surface I found a bloody shag tearing this fish apart and eventually pulling it off the hook. After some bad words, I stormed off home.
Aidan
Saturday, 30 April 2016
Feeding Frenzies at Change of Light
Friday 29th April
My second fish today was much better than my first. I could see splashing just out from the wharf. I went down sinker-less and hoped for the best. As I came down I saw magnificent sight. The water bubbling with fish and sharks, dolphins and birds surrounding them. Big trevally shot past the jetty and I caught three enormous mackerel. There's an eerie feeling down on the wharf just as it gets dark.
Aidan
My second fish today was much better than my first. I could see splashing just out from the wharf. I went down sinker-less and hoped for the best. As I came down I saw magnificent sight. The water bubbling with fish and sharks, dolphins and birds surrounding them. Big trevally shot past the jetty and I caught three enormous mackerel. There's an eerie feeling down on the wharf just as it gets dark.
Aidan
Spotties and Stingrays
Friday 29th April
I went for a fish this morning on the Onerahi Wharf. I only caught one mackerel for lunch but that was alright. Lots of spotties but none were good eating size ( yes they taste fine ) and a huge short-tailed stingray which kept trying to poach my bait. For lunch I had fried mackerel fillets in white bread with mayonnaise and lemon juice. Delicious. Snapper and kahawai seem to be gone already.
Aidan
I went for a fish this morning on the Onerahi Wharf. I only caught one mackerel for lunch but that was alright. Lots of spotties but none were good eating size ( yes they taste fine ) and a huge short-tailed stingray which kept trying to poach my bait. For lunch I had fried mackerel fillets in white bread with mayonnaise and lemon juice. Delicious. Snapper and kahawai seem to be gone already.
Aidan
Extreme Octopus Fishing
Thursday 28th April
My fish today was extremely quick but packed with excitement. I headed down to the Onerahi wharf hoping for a Mackerel or Kahawai. Instead I ended up coming home with an octopus. The way to kill them is to stab them a couple of times between the eyes and that kills them almost instantly. My fish was cut short to only about half an hour but it was still definitely worth it.
Aidan
My fish today was extremely quick but packed with excitement. I headed down to the Onerahi wharf hoping for a Mackerel or Kahawai. Instead I ended up coming home with an octopus. The way to kill them is to stab them a couple of times between the eyes and that kills them almost instantly. My fish was cut short to only about half an hour but it was still definitely worth it.
Aidan
Onerahi Wharf Morning Fish
Tuesday 26th April
I went for a a half day fish on the Onerahi Wharf this morning. No big snapper around so focused on Jack Mackerel, they're a reliable lunch and taste just like kahawai. Caught three around 23 centimetres and was pleased with that. There were a couple of tiny kingies around but that was all the excitement there was. The fishing standards are deteriorating dramatically as winter approaches.
Aidan
I went for a a half day fish on the Onerahi Wharf this morning. No big snapper around so focused on Jack Mackerel, they're a reliable lunch and taste just like kahawai. Caught three around 23 centimetres and was pleased with that. There were a couple of tiny kingies around but that was all the excitement there was. The fishing standards are deteriorating dramatically as winter approaches.
Aidan
Parua Bay Fishing
Sunday 17th April
I went for a fish off the Parua Bay wharf for an afternoon fish, at first there were only small snapper which kept on swallowing the hooks which was extremely frustrating. There were three kingies around, one undersize and two definitely legal. I put on a whole semi-live JM and the smaller one played with it for a while but was never really interested. Caught one good Jack Mackerel and a legal snapper so I definitely can't complain. Enjoyable still afternoon in the fog, mist and rain.
Aidan
I went for a fish off the Parua Bay wharf for an afternoon fish, at first there were only small snapper which kept on swallowing the hooks which was extremely frustrating. There were three kingies around, one undersize and two definitely legal. I put on a whole semi-live JM and the smaller one played with it for a while but was never really interested. Caught one good Jack Mackerel and a legal snapper so I definitely can't complain. Enjoyable still afternoon in the fog, mist and rain.
Aidan
Monday, 11 April 2016
Onerahi Wharf Fishing
Tuesday 29th March 2016
I spent an entire morning fishing off the Onerahi wharf in Whangarei. I caught dozens of under size snapper. I put out a live blue koheru and when I pulled it in it was dead and had small teeth marks in it, much too small for a shark. ( Any ideas ). But I caught four good sized jack mackerel and filleted them and had them for lunch. There was a very small rat kingie around when I first arrived but it didn't stay for long. McKenzie is definitely better at the moment.
Aidan
I spent an entire morning fishing off the Onerahi wharf in Whangarei. I caught dozens of under size snapper. I put out a live blue koheru and when I pulled it in it was dead and had small teeth marks in it, much too small for a shark. ( Any ideas ). But I caught four good sized jack mackerel and filleted them and had them for lunch. There was a very small rat kingie around when I first arrived but it didn't stay for long. McKenzie is definitely better at the moment.
Aidan
Sunday, 27 March 2016
Inner and Outer Harbour
Sunday 27th March 2016
I went for a late afternoon fish in the inner and outer Whangarei harbour with three other guys today. The boat caught a rat kingie, a legal trevally, a leatherjacket ( creamfish they do NOT taste nice ), and heaps of under size snapper. Also something just like the fish or stingray last night which snapped the line today too. Really nice afternoon fishing.
I went for a late afternoon fish in the inner and outer Whangarei harbour with three other guys today. The boat caught a rat kingie, a legal trevally, a leatherjacket ( creamfish they do NOT taste nice ), and heaps of under size snapper. Also something just like the fish or stingray last night which snapped the line today too. Really nice afternoon fishing.
Whale Bay Evening Fish
Saturday 26th March 2016
I went for an early evening fish down the left end of Whale Bay on the Tutukaka Coast. I used jack mackerel for bait and it didn't take long for me to be hauling in snapper which were only just under the limit. I put a whole mackerel on and cast it out into the swell. Something picked it up and ran with it. I put my finger on the spool and the line just burnt my finger and kept on going. I COULD DO NOTHING! It eventually took me to ground and broke my line. I have no idea what it could have been but I suspect a big stingray. There was no sign of a fin so I don't think it was a shark. I didn't have any spare hooks so I only had a short fish.
I went for an early evening fish down the left end of Whale Bay on the Tutukaka Coast. I used jack mackerel for bait and it didn't take long for me to be hauling in snapper which were only just under the limit. I put a whole mackerel on and cast it out into the swell. Something picked it up and ran with it. I put my finger on the spool and the line just burnt my finger and kept on going. I COULD DO NOTHING! It eventually took me to ground and broke my line. I have no idea what it could have been but I suspect a big stingray. There was no sign of a fin so I don't think it was a shark. I didn't have any spare hooks so I only had a short fish.
Friday, 25 March 2016
McKenzie Bay Fishing
Friday 25th March 2016
I went for a half day fish off McK Bay this pm, last week there were heaps of bait fish and kingies around so I thought I'd give it ago again today. I got there and there were loads of piper, I caught several and some Jack Mackerel which I used as a livey. My first one got chewed up badly. I'm not too sure what happened to my second one I cast him into the inner channel and the line got sliced, probably a little school shark. Anyway I got a nice snapper and kahawai. Again didn't manage to hook a kingie. Lots of fish around snapper, trevally, kahawai, piper, JMs, sweep, blue maomao and kingies. I also saw a large eagle ray.
I've also noticed it's best to put tiny squares of bait on to catch the piper.
I went for a half day fish off McK Bay this pm, last week there were heaps of bait fish and kingies around so I thought I'd give it ago again today. I got there and there were loads of piper, I caught several and some Jack Mackerel which I used as a livey. My first one got chewed up badly. I'm not too sure what happened to my second one I cast him into the inner channel and the line got sliced, probably a little school shark. Anyway I got a nice snapper and kahawai. Again didn't manage to hook a kingie. Lots of fish around snapper, trevally, kahawai, piper, JMs, sweep, blue maomao and kingies. I also saw a large eagle ray.
I've also noticed it's best to put tiny squares of bait on to catch the piper.
Thursday, 24 March 2016
March Wharf Fishing
Sunday 20th March 2016
I went for an afternoon fish off the McKenzie Bay wharf out in Whangarei heads. There were heaps of bait fish around and I caught lots of good size jack mackerel for bait and the smoker. I put one on as a livey as there were heaps of kingies around but they just weren't interested. I got a sea-going kahawai on the livey but couldn't hook a king. Plenty of piper around too. I caught small blue mackerel which is actually a type of little tuna. Some under size snapper mostly between 23 and 28 centimetres. It was a grim and rainy day. It's on these sort of days the piper really bite hard. Definitely still good fishing in the harbour.
I went for an afternoon fish off the McKenzie Bay wharf out in Whangarei heads. There were heaps of bait fish around and I caught lots of good size jack mackerel for bait and the smoker. I put one on as a livey as there were heaps of kingies around but they just weren't interested. I got a sea-going kahawai on the livey but couldn't hook a king. Plenty of piper around too. I caught small blue mackerel which is actually a type of little tuna. Some under size snapper mostly between 23 and 28 centimetres. It was a grim and rainy day. It's on these sort of days the piper really bite hard. Definitely still good fishing in the harbour.
Wednesday, 23 March 2016
Introduction
Hi everyone this will just be a blog about fishing ( mostly in New Zealand ) reports and tips about what will give you a better chance to bring home the big one.
Feel free to post fishing reports or anything about recent fishing
Cheers Aidan
Feel free to post fishing reports or anything about recent fishing
Cheers Aidan
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