Bay of Islands

fishing report

January 26, 2022

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This year we are really in the right place at the right time for game fishing. The season has been on fire, with plenty of fish around including some good blues. Out past the Nine-pin starting in anywhere from 130 metres there are good numbers of fish around all the way to the ninepin trench where the action has really been pretty intense, with double hookups, blue’s and plenty of stripeys lighting up the action.

***195kg blue being towed back to base***

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With the game fishing so good, we decided to head out for a day take some time off work, and withing short order we were rewarded with a 195kg blue marlin for my son Kaleb after a wicked one- hour battle on standup gear.

It’s the highlight for me so far this year, and a great achievement for Kaleb with only the two of us on board. The smoker awaits eagerly.

There are a lot of boats out there, so make sure you keep your VHF radio on, as there’s a few oblivious skippers driving right over the top of people hooked up and playing fish!

On the snapper side, we are still catching the odd snapper still in spawn mode, with the Centre Foul and Mita's firing, it doesn't take long to get a good feed live bait and the new black label softbaits from Catch have been very successful, either first thing in the morning or on tide changes.

The kingfish have started to show up in the bait schools in good number's, with a few over that 20kg mark.

As per usual, getting the fish up can be a big problem due to big numbers of bronzies.

Any of the main reefs and off the northern side of Battleship Rock is a good place to try there are lots of baitfish hanging around the 35mtr mark.

The live bait have been a bit patchy after the big eruption in Tonga, and very dirty water but it is clear now and everything is kicking off.

Over the next month, the fish will start to move out a bit deeper, but many will hang around and keep feeding on the bait schools and the huge amount of food we have in here to keep them happy.

Out wide it has been an amazing season with some huge catches, so if you were ever going to see the Bay at its best, now is the time.

I hope to get out there and have another crack at a big one soon myself!

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Be safe, tight lines

Regards Darren

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This report provided by Darren Knapping, Days Out Fishing Charters

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