Hi, trust me spring is doing its best to be sprung but mother nature keeps throwing these raining, windy days at us, she can be good like that.
Here we are into November, a great time of the year for fishing, both fresh and salt water fishing are really coming into their own right now.
On the local trout scene the rivers and streams are looking an absolute picture and are a joy to fish. For no more than the price of a night out, you can get yourself a nice wee spinning set and get out in the evenings after work and have a ball. This time of the year the insects are hatching and at the change of light the trout rise to these to feed and you can be there to cast a spinner at then, hook up, and go home with a nice trout for the table, or smoker.
In the Rotorua area the fishing has been a wee bit patchy, that’s according to my info, and that is from a charter skipper who is out on the water every day. Glenn tells me the best performing lake is Rotoiti of the three main trophy ones; however for consistency he says you can’t beat Lake Rotorua itself.
Further to the south to Taupo, the rivers are in great condition at the moment, with all the new spring growth they look an absolute picture. As around here, the insects are starting to hatch so get out the imitive pattern flies and spinners and you should be in. Out on the lake the early morning harling is still producing some nice fish and during the day when the sun is higher the trolling and jigging has been fair to good.
To the sea. If you get a chance to go and fish the west coast at this time of the year, don’t turn it down. I went out on a trip on the Clansman the other day and it was great, organised by local fisho, Denchy, it was not a great day weather wise and the sea was a bit scruffy, but the fishing was steady all day and we all came home with a limit bag of snapper in great condition. We fished slightly north of Kawhia entrance in about 60 metres of water. I took with me the local hoof man, Johan Buys, it was his first time out on the coast and he said the experience was awesome.
Up to the Coromandel, some are saying it is a bit patchy but most are doing very very well. Over the next few weeks it will just keep getting better and better. Local fisho Alex Bruce has been up there a couple of times lately and caught his limit both times, not one fish over of course, we all know you can trust Alex, some of them were up around the ten to twelve pound mark, very nice mate.
Over the ranges to the Mercury Bay area, John Ellwood owner and skipper of the charter boat, the Whai, has been experiencing some excellent fishing up there recently. John tells me most places are fishing well with good numbers of snapper in excellent condition. A couple of spots worth mentioning are the western end of Opito Bay, and the patches of foul ground just off Peach Grove Bay on the southern end of Great Mercury.
Over in the Bay of Plenty, we went out to Motiti the other day and had a scallop dive, the scallops were a bit sparse and the condition of them was not great, ‘but’, still very tasty I must say. We then took the grandies down to the foul ground off the knoll for a snapper fish, both of them, Lathem and Eden got a fish or two each and were very happy. Mitch then took the boat out on Sunday night and got some nice snapper off the knoll on Monday morning.
For those who like to fish from the shore they tell me some nice snapper are being caught off the beach at Papamoa.
Now this coming weekend is Matamata Fishing Clubs big November comp, the 5th and 6th, make sure you come along, if you are not a club member get joined up now at Sportsworld, its only $45 a year for a family to enjoy ten comps a season. We have an amazing line up of sponsors for November, the major one is J Swap Contractors, on Sunday night at the weigh in we will be auctioning off a trip to Mayor Island on their luxury launch Savana City, the trip will be for five people and it will be an overnighter, sounds like a bit of you and ya mates, then be there for the auction.
Happy fishing, Bungey
PS: We have a huge range of new fishing gear just arrived, including shimano baitrunner combo’s for just $239.00 with nylon on ready to go and stay that big snapper.