One thing I havn't got my head around is what time of year is good for what fish. Obviously the general is obvious, summer vs winter, but generally I see the fishing being not great at the start of summer and not bad at the start of winter.
At the moment I am loving ocean beach (wairarapa) as it has been guaranteed fish, easy winter red cod.
Last spring though I spent heaps of time at spots around Welly harbour that I thought were very promising, but came home empty handed most of the time.
I'm quite happy to reel in red cod through the winter. I get the biggest buzz from catching snapper and gurnard, but tarakihi, blue cod, blue moki, and trevally all equal a great days fishing in my mind.
So when is the right time to target these fish?
Re: Seasoned Wisdom
Posted by Hangler on 25/6/2013, 7:56 pm, in reply to "Seasoned Wisdom"
If you are catching fish then why bother with targets. Enjoy the day and be happy with whatever you take home. That has been the motto that has kept me glued to the sport for around sixty years, and it hasn't let me down yet and the joy has never waned. Who could possibly ask for more?
Can't wait for the red cod to put in a real show here in Hawke's Bay. This recent severe storm must have dropped the sea temperature so with luck it should be any day now. Pearl fish are already here in good numbers so I can't see fish being off the menu for many weeks over the winter.
Re: Seasoned Wisdom
Posted by Wellyfisher on 25/6/2013, 8:33 pm, in reply to "Re: Seasoned Wisdom"
I hear what you're saying hangler, but the other part of the sport I love is the hunt. Going after something specific, often putting in huge hours if not months to catch a target.
The main goal is to bring home any fish to keep the family happy. But for me it's about being next to the ocean plotting what fish I want to catch, what bait/rig to use etc, and just generally being in the great outdoors.
Quote: and just generally being in the great outdoors.
There is no finer reward, what ends up in the creel is a wonderful, priceless bonus.
Re: Seasoned Wisdom
Posted by rondo on 26/6/2013, 6:51 pm, in reply to "Seasoned Wisdom"
I find myself asking a similar question about targeting fish, though I agree wholeheartedly with enjoying the great outdoors first and foremost (because I also return home empty handed often yet keep going back!)I've been wondering if I can turn my tried and true red cod spot into a moki spot when I head out in July. I think the question at least mine anyway relates to habitat -what can I expect to find living in the same place and at what time of year? If I can catch red cod at this rock that I have been visiting occasionally for 4 years(in January I caught the most ever, surprising me), kahawai (not many),gurnard(1) in July I want to try it for moki using mussel for bait and darkness. I have seen moki netted there but is the time of year all wrong? and what else may be lurking around this rock and weed? or the sandy beach right beside it, at this time of year or any other. I have been on the hunt for information on which species frequent different kind of areas. http://www.niwa.co.nz/gallery/diagram-an-estuarine-and-coastal-system is the only thing I have found that even comes close, but not what I was after. Not a great answer sorry I do not have the seasoned wisdom, only more questions
Most of the local beaches in the Napier area are much of a muchness. I usually set up with end tackle that cover the two most likely specie to be caught: gurnard and kahawai. My bait is pretty standard, a headless anchovy tied with bait elastic (not bait cotton) so the gut cavity juices can leach out.
This rig is ideal for general fishing, admittedly I am not likely to take a lemon but I do have a lot of success. Sometimes I get the surprise of trev taking the bait, or very large YEM or a couta. I do not complain about such a happening as I am fishing and I am being successful. I know this set up works well and I am happy with my catch rate. However, now the sea temperatures are dropping, I intend to introduce a second hook, slightly smaller, and target red cod, this is called the Wessex rig. Having discovered they are excellent table fare, I also intend to target spiny backs. Some anglers hate both species, I don't they are fish, and with little cooking knowledge, both make damn good eating.
We don't really have natural rock outcrops other than the town reef, so I don't fish for Moki. They are available but just targeting one specie holds little appeal. I now have three good rods so for serious fishing over the colder months I will be using the third rod with whole green prawns.
A local torpedo fisher, a guy who is always very generous with up to the minute information, told me this bait can work well in the winter. Lemons are quite happy to accept a prawn cocktail as a main course. Another small change I am going to try is use a small tippet of squid skirt, just a five centimetre sliver as an added extra to my baits. The lovely strip of white flesh acts as an attractor the same way as beads and orange floats do.
I don't know if any of this information is of any relevance to fishing the Wellington coastline, all I can say is Napier is reckoned to be a hard place to fish. Over the last two years I have no complaints whatsoever, fish taken surfcasting figure regularly on my menu and I have no issues over fishing the local beaches.
On days when I have non fishy company, I then take the torpedo. This has proved great entertainment for us all and I have learnt a lot from the experience. The fish I catch a kilometre off shore, in the right conditions, will usually show up close in shore. This was proved to me when one afternoon my son-in-law and I had a very welcome surprise of landing a Kingfish on the kontiki. About three days later the sea behind the Napier aquarium was alive with Kingfish smashing into bait fish no more that eighty to one hundred metres off the beach. I guess the lesson behind this is always expect the unexpected, the joy of fishing is you just never know what may take the bait of the very next cast.
Re: Seasoned Wisdom
Posted by Tim on 26/6/2013, 9:31 pm, in reply to "Seasoned Wisdom"
First of all, consider joining WSAC or at the very least head along to their weigh ins which will give you a good handle on what is being caught throughout the season.
You'll find the sea takes a long time to warm up and cool down so the fishing early season can be slow and still fire late in the season, even though the weather is warm/cold.
You'll find red cod and spotty sharks around most of the year. If you are fishing the wairarapa for cod consider baiting one rod with crab.
Moki generally disappear around May/June and don't return until Sept/Oct. The initial run at this time can provide the best fishing for big moki as they feed up post spawn. They then settle into the reefs for the rest of the summer. Use mussels or crabs.
Gurnard are around most of the time but prefer clean, calm water off the beach which is why winter fishing will be hard for them as the continuous southerlies really mess up the beaches. You will find them at their best around November on the big open beaches in the wairarapa.
The same applies for blue cod though they prefer to be close to rocks and weed or some type of shelter, the bigger ones will move in close in spring.
Snapper prefer the warmer water temps and are best targeted in the harbour and west coast though paliser bay will throw up a few from time to time.
Now and through spring would be a good time to try for trevally in the harbour and on the west coast.
Tarakihi seem to be around most of the time, once you have sussed out how and where to catch them in the harbour, they can be relatively easy to come by. Night time is best.
Hunt out a copy of "A red cod and a conger eel" I think Steve has them for sale at Steves Fishing, if not he will know where you can get one. This book will fill your head with info and ideas for fishing the Wellington area. Highly reccomended!!The snapper don't know where the car park is! Sometimes it is better to travel than to arrive.
We are planning to target moki at the Blackhead lighthouse. Gary you know the area fairly well, there are plenty of rocks and sandy channels, ideal terrain but are they present through winter? Sounds like Sept, Oct, may be better. Can anyone enlighten me please? Have lost a few good fish here and there but still on a moki duck. Speared plenty there and taikura but not over winter. Thanks anybody.
Januay, May and August in Napier. Should be the same there. Dive in and have a look Fringsy. lol.The snapper don't know where the car park is! Sometimes it is better to travel than to arrive.
Go and see Steve or Felix at Steves Fishing in Wellington. They are both shore comp contenders.The snapper don't know where the car park is! Sometimes it is better to travel than to arrive.
on 25/6/2013, 4:08 pm
