The 1st Fishing School is a reality! Here it is, the details created to help you, and your mates (let them know) get so much more from your fishing this year, it is time.
5 different classes, small interactive group with expert guidance, whether using your existing fishing equipment or new gear. You’ll learn exactly what to use, how, why and where to catch fish in every season, also see firsthand exclusive underwater footage exposing secrets of snapper and kingfish - exploiting their actions to catch bigger and better fish, consistently. Each class builds on each other, you can attend individual classes, but best of all is to come along to each one, and there’s a special offer for you to do that.
Book your seat, only 30 spots available, first in first served, make 2025 and beyond truly fishing-memorable, whether you are on a PWC, boat or kayak - maximize your enjoyment and significantly improve your every-day fishing success using lures, jigs and soft baits. Any questions, just ask, this is all about hands-on knowledge and expertise.
Summer Snapper - prolific and feeding well, yet a summer slowdown noticed, partly due to the incessant strong wind, perhaps the moons influence? However, there’s a detailed article covering what to do in the latest quarterly issue of the NZ Fishing News' big glossy magazine in the inner Auckland areas – don’t go far to target good healthy snapper (useful especially with that wind!), Rakino, Motuhie, Sargeants, Tamaki strait, even now around the Harbour Bridge areas – and right out over the mud flats and shallows at high tide. Flick a small soft bait 3-5", an imitation crab or shrimp on a 1/4oz jighead, swap out to a magic and hilariously fun micro as well (5-10gm), add a bit of a mud drag, then slow wind back towards you so the jig/soft bait is just above the sea floor. Fish love the opportunity to strike at your hapless little and ideal meal, caught out in ‘the wrong place at the wrong time’ – perfect! And if you along the northern Nth Shore Bays - bump into the birds working just couple of hundred metres offshore the last day or three and have some excellent fun fishing!
Further out over the general gulf areas some epic workups have lit up into their glorious swing of things, mid gulf and right in closer to northern Tiri (the famous Tiri to Kawau area) has seen some excellent action, with multiple whales, such a wonderful sight to see. Our Hauraki Gulf Brydes whales may well be calving, so caution and respect when around these big, beautiful beasts is a particularly good plan. Fish filled workups are worth keeping your eyes on the skies for, while you simply drift fish in 35-40m with 80-150gm inchiku (one of the best all-round snapper lures), whether in your professional hands or with the simple expertise of Rod Holder’s. Or use your skills with ‘big micros’ like 30-50gm using both a slow pitch and slow jig technique – mix it up, but have your other bigger setups at the ready - ready for sounder signs like a bait ball that looms into view (there’s a sounder-specific Fishing School class presented by Simon Batey you don’t want to miss), perfect for an instant drop of a 150-250gm jig for both kingfish and snapper. Lots of kahawai around at times now too – great, grab a couple for sashimi and the smoker, but if you want to try and target snapper and kings more – remember to use a bare assist hook rather than lots of skirt/tassels getting involved – the kahawai tend to hone in on those fascinators rather than the big jig itself. Use one of your old big assist hooks that's had its skirts shredded by fish – cool, use that rather than your beautiful new bling. Slow pitch the big jig up only about 4 winds of the sea floor, back down, 2 or three times for snapper, then all the way from the bottom to the boat/ski speed or mechanically jigged in your best smooth technique for kings. Out by Channel Island area is the go at the mo' for some of this style of fishing action stations! Bedlam. BTW these techniques will be taught in detail at The Fishing School above.
Kingfish – nice! Find them close, and that’s whether you are near of far i.e. close to shorelines e.g. Waiheke and Coromandel. For instance, if you’re heading to the stunning Coromandel for a few days, land-based kingfish, kayak or whatever you have – think kings, not just snapper. Live bait mackerel, top water and of course jigging if you’re in 15m+. Good luck if you hook ‘em up near the mussel farms.
YFT in the gulf? Marlin not far either! If you’re heading to Gt Barrier for a day or three over the next few weeks, how about this: blast out to near LB way, drop a tungsten micro (25-50gm) or kabura 100gm for a couple of snapper for dinner, quick smart, easy, done. Then put out a tuna/kingfish lure and troll the rest of the way, maybe swing in closer to LB, or over past Horn Rock. Then perhaps the following day between LB/GB/Mokes – again a quick snapper drop to ensure fresh dinner, then troll the open waters, in past Miners/Needles either on the way out and or back. Kingfish/tuna/marlin are all after the bait that’s out there right now. What a great way to spend a glorious summer day, and you never know when the reel will burst into song! Bliss. BTW a reliable source has sworn to have seen YFT on the inside of LB, and a nice striped marlin caught in under 60m straight out from Omaha beach.
Now this rig could be the winning ticket in so many scenarios, have you tried it? Add a new secret-weapon approach to your fishing armory for land-based/kayak/ski and boat, worth a quick look.
Quick Bites:
*The recent pleasure of being at the Sulpher Pt ramp and facilities in Tauranga, showed how good these can be, with multiple launch/retrieve lanes, and a drive through boat/trailer fresh water washdown facility, a joy to use. And here’s a quick overview of those huge gnarly looking jellyfish seen around at the moment – not as fierce as they look, but worth noting. 'Ecological domino': Lion’s mane jellyfish return to Tauranga harbour'.
*Snapper still not biting on a stunner summer’s day? Even when they’re on the sounder? Here’s a favourite thing to do. Go ultra-light and truly micro, hopefully you have a very light set, a little spin 1000-2000 reel is ideal (FB page NZ Aji Fishing and light Game has lots of info), doesn’t have to be new, in fact perhaps use an older reel not in use much, spool or just top shot with 5-8lb braid, 8-10lb leader…why, ‘cos you’ll be able to cast those dynamite little 5-10gm lures. Adjust your drag so your inherent and exuberant strike doesn’t snap the light line. Trevally, gurnard, snapper, kahawai will love you for the opportunity, then step back and play away for a while, grinning like a Cheshire cat, test your angling skills, be patient, and you’ll land good fish (with a net) when most others are skunked. All depths of water. Try it, you’ll almost certainly enjoy it.
Let’s get ready to rumble in 2025!
See you at The Fishing School.
Cheers
Espresso!
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