Hauraki Gulf
fishing report
April 27, 2023
March 23, 2023
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Anchovy season! And it's on Fire.
Here, there – back there…way over there. Then suddenly gone,where?
Whether you like them on your pizza or not, the fish fraternity goes bonkers over anchovies.
So it really pays to keep your 2 piece softbait rod and a handy tackle bag always at the ready, especially at this time of year.
Anchovy schools are easy to spot, with white terns are often diving and flitting after these tasty morsels.
Sometimes, even without birds, you can make out a big blackish mass that looks like a cloud shadow – but not, or just see the mass on your sounder.
Seeing kingfish dorsal fins lurking the coastlines oh-so near anchovies huddled into areas like Army Bay, Browns Bay, Gardners Gap…gets the heart racing.
Inshore, offshore – an anchovy school can be hounded for days on end, periodic skirmishes out from shorelines (and further out), all over the place, like pop up flash mobs.
Birds are usually with, near, or diving on them, or perhaps if there are just groups of birds sitting waiting around – there’ll be anchovies somewhere near.
Expect kahawai. Small, medium and large, snapper are also in tow, oh, and kingfish.
Yes often smaller kingi models, but on light gear, simply the best thing since bait-free fishing was invented. Some big kingies are lurking on the north side of Whangaparaoa peninsula – by the reefs there.
Even kahawai can be frustratingly one-eyed when chasing anchovies so fast easy hookups are not a given, in fact being completely ignored with incredulous looks from the fishermen lined up along the beach throwing out all sorts earlier this week (like whole and half pilchard, big treble hooked trolling lures, even softbaits, all virtually ignored, except the anchovy-like microjigs, fish on, fish on!
Such a brilliant anchovy imitating lure, perfect for this style, ideal including Aji fishing - the renowned Pocket Rocket . Being denser tungsten they’ll cast that extra distance often required to get right in amongst the action as it moves in and around.
This is an incredibly powerful fishing weapon for its size, capable of catching trophy sized snapper despite it's small appearance. Why is it SO GOOD? Find out more details HERE
It helps to tail rig your microjigs (probably the best lure to use in this situation), tie your leader to the jig itself at the opposite end to the hook, having the hook trailing behind the lure, so your speed retrieves work even better.
Have a look at today’s reel on Catch Fishing Facebook – it shows all.
The 25gm Pocket Rocket is ideal if your using say the almost standard 20lb leaderand braid, but going lighter to 10lb and 10lb leader you’ll be able to cast the tasty and ultra-tempting baby anchovy 32gm Pocket Rocket further than ever before! You’ll catch a lot of fish.
Get ready right NOW for your next fishing thrills, Catch 2 piece softbait rod, your shoulder tackle bag, simply match the hatch with a Pocket Rocket and you’re on!
Captain Espresso
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