This trip had been coming a long time, with a crazy amount of easterlies in recent months and the only small windows available not lining up with other commitments. Unfortunately, this meant a severe lack of my favourite style of fishing, casting big soft baits into moderately shallow water. The boat show also landed right in the middle of a big fat high for a couple of days!
Finally, a window opened up, and we were off!
Launching at Gulf Harbour at a casual time of 7:30 am on a Thursday meant zero boat traffic. There were only three other trailers in the car park. Unless it’s a weekend or holiday period or absolute glass calm conditions, the large expanse of the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park can be devoid of boat traffic. You see some passing launches, a few commercial boats fishing or on their way to fish, and a few token recreational boats. Today was no different, and it’s pretty calming travelling along while most people are at work or, worse, stuck in traffic.
Date: Thursday, May 26th.
Launched – Gulf Habour
Sunrise: 7:18 am
Low Tide: 9:46 am
High Tide 3:58 pm
Tide 2.5 metre
Water Temp – 19′
Moon – Half moon, rising to a new moon May 1st
Best Bite time – 10:15-11:15 am, the first hour of the incoming tide
Biggest snapper: approx 67cm or approx 5kg
The number of fish caught: 33, kept 11 between 3 anglers
Most productive soft bait: Gulp! 9″ Jerk Shad Slimed.
Overall conditions: glassy, 5-10 knots of wind.
Depths fished: 3-20 metres.
We aimed to fish some ground we hadn’t fished before, which is not always easy in the Hauraki Gulf, but we managed to find some productive pockets mixed in with some ground that clearly wouldn’t make it happen. Still, we preserved and came away with a good result, some nice fish released and enough food for myself and buddies Darren Marmont and Sam Vincent Connolly.
With the stunning conditions and Gin clear water, dark natural colours were the pick of the day, Gulp! Slimed 9″ Jerk Shad out fishing everything 2-1. I like to fish big baits as I believe they enhance your opportunity to catch an XXL snapper, and they won’t stop you from catching smaller ones for food either. The action on the 9″ Gulp Jerk Shad is second to none. It’s simply the best soft bait for catching big snapper.
My three leading picks are 9″ Gulp! Is Slimed, Pilchard and Yakka. And I also run Lime Tiger, New Penny and Pink Shine for variety. And we also don’t leave without Gulp! 6″ Grubs in New Penny and Orange Belly Shrimp.
With Sam needing to be back at the ramp by 5 pm, we vacated the grounds and headed for home, passing a couple of very small sporadic workups on the way back. Dolphins, gannets and no doubt snapper on the bottom.
With more strong easterlies forecast for this week, it’s doubtful I will be out for a couple of weeks now.
Bring on some settled winter weather, please!
