Here is a quick report on Hauraki Gulf fishing for April/May 2023 from Doublerum Charters – resident Gulf Harbour charter boat.
The weather has been a concern lately obviously so fishing in exposed areas has been limited.
We have travelled out wide to Channel Island and Anchorite rock, and it was far from pleasant – which is a shame because those elusive Kingi’s are there for sure – hiding out, as no one can get
out there!
Current conditions have dictated that for the last six weeks, we have mainly been fishing inside the Kawau Channel on anchor, protected from the Easterlies.
The fishing however has been frantic, as one of the other charter skippers quoted – “its very bitey”.
The fish are literally jumping on the hooks and are in much better condition than of previous months, and the milky flesh seems to have all but gone.
To get amongst it we advise making the most of the current, using appropriate sinkers to get to the bottom, aided by plenty of burley (be sure to use the cardboard packaged burley as the less plastic out there the better). Use the wind and tide wisely, set your burley up to run under your boat.
The burley will drift in the current and bring the fish to you. We have been finding two hours before high tide and two hours before low tide seems to be the best for fish
feeding times.
The Kawau channel is on average 18 – 23 meters in depth so anchor and get stuck in.
On the trip out we use Sabiki hooks to catch fresh Mackerel, with the fish being found under the shearwater birds or terns, just off Gulf Harbour or in the Tiri Channel.
We then use a variety of different methods:
- Stray lining big mackerel baits and slabs of Kahawai to catch the bigger fish. Use 3oz ball sinkers on a drift-fish set up and feed it out with the burley.
- Ledger rigs with two hooks to sit just off the back of the boat.
Currently the Snapper are on average around the 35cm – 55cm in length – all day long! We have also found a good number of Trevally about, so catching 6-7 snapper plus a few trevs each, makes for a fine day’s fishing. Add in a few bronze whaler sharks around Kawau for an extra adrenalin rush!
Tight lines!
