Temps are dropping steadily—most notably sea temperatures—which is triggering some excellent feeding times, particularly for snapper. While the temp still isn’t low enough for hibernation mode to kick in, using your jigs and bigger soft baits can result in some epic sessions.

Big jigs, slow-pitched, can put you onto some excellent snapper. Sure, using smaller jigs in shallower water is generally the right approach, but don’t forget to upsize your ideas when heading out deeper.

My normal rule of thumb for jig weight is: two times the depth in metres = weight in grams, especially to start with (given certain assumptions around drift speed, current, and rod setup). So, in 40 metres, start with 80g jigs.

But when the going is good—particularly out amongst the epic autumn workups currently happening in 50m, or even just drifting over the open gulf areas in 35–45m—it can really pay dividends to go up in both weight and size of your jig. For example, a 200g jig can be just what the snapper are looking for to bulk up in autumn. Standard jigging, a long fall motion, a high-lift slow pitch, or even a slow mechanical jig up several metres can really spark some big snapper into an aggressive attack at this time of year.

So, when the opportunity presents—or even if you're just curious to see what’s down there—think big, and go big, all fall.

To wrap up the fishing, that full moon last weekend waved its wand alright. There were some thumper workups out in 50m on the eastern side of the Gulf leading up to it, and those migrating snapper are now in numbers going through the gates on both sides of Great Barrier Island. They're easily found—an exploratory inchiku drop or just scanning for sounder sign will do.

Right on the full moon, what looked like every white tern in the Hauraki Gulf, along with thousands of petrels, swooped in and jockeyed for position, circling and eyeballing what must have been large schools of baitfish just offshore. It was like every bird had received the text or email that there was a major party going on along the Bays.

But that wacky full moon put the kibosh on the monumental gathering! Weird and wonderful at the same time—glorious to see such birdlife fill the skies with the promise of imminent fishing mayhem—but like a dud firework, it fizzled. We were left watching and waiting—a fleeting moment of unfulfilled thrills. I guess the thousands of birds battling the wind to stay aloft felt the same—frustrated.

That’s fishing!

However, some good snapper have been caught in and around the mussel farms. A short, sharp bite over the full moon, but expect longer bite times this coming long Easter weekend. Now, with the moon in a better frame, the frenzy out there beckons. Be amongst it if you can—once the wild weather passes, check that forecast.