Hi Team,

The water temperatures are on the rise, and with a bit of settled weather, the snapper scouts are starting to show up, presenting a mix of males and females. The bite times have been short but intense, with sizable fish congregating mid-water on the edges of the main reefs, Centre Foul, Mitas Foul, and along the 45 to 50-meter areas between Nine Pin and Whale Rock. Live mackerel and slimeys have been our top choices for chasing the bigger fish, while the 10-inch soft baits have been effective for either kingfish or mid-water snapper.

When the gannets have been feeding out in the middle, it has typically been very early, so by 7:30 am they have settled down. However, drifting up current, you can usually find some good fish hanging along. Sliders and the smaller anchovy jigs have been producing well.

On the kingfish front, there are plenty around, but avoiding the sharks has been a challenge. If you get sharked, the best course of action is to move on, as it will be near impossible to beat them. Cape Brett and along The Dog have some sizable fish, but they are tricky to get out, so leading them into a bit deeper water has been an effective strategy. The reefs on the outside of Bird Rock have been hot spots for jigging.

For bait fish, the area off Russell Point has both slimeys and mackerel. Try to get there early, as the sunlight can be detrimental, and the change of light bite has been excellent.

As a final note, with summer just around the corner, don't forget to get your boat serviced and run through all your safety gear, checking for expiry dates and ensuring everything is adequate for your intended destinations.

Tight lines,

Regards,Darren