Chenz
13th March 2017, 12:53 PM
Just got back from two weeks on the Shakey Isles and had a ball fishing for trout in Lake Tarawera near Rotorua, Snapper and Scallops in the Kiapera Harbour, Coromandel Coast and the Mercury Islands for Snapper and Kingfish. Caught great fish at every location. Lucky to have brothers-in-law and friends with good boats and good local knowledge. The weather gods wee also on our side with calm seas and no wind to speak of
For anyone planning to go to NZ, take your rods and reels and you will have a ball. First stop Rotorua Lakes. We are looking to buy a place there as Er Indoors is a KIWI and coming up on retirement we want a place to spend a few months a year there. Jigging and trolling as well as fly fishing produced good Rainbows in Lake Tarawera. You can even go to the Hot Water Beach and swim in thermal water that just comes out of the cliff and beach. 15 degrees underneath and 50 degrees on top keeps you hopping around a bit to get comfy
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2017/03/489.jpg (https://imageshack.com/i/pmHMnSVoj)
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2017/03/490.jpg (https://imageshack.com/i/plDRiR7Qj)
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2017/03/491.jpg (https://imageshack.com/i/plUSqlFSj)
Off to the Kaipera harbour north of Auckland. This is one mean stretch of water. It is supposedly the largest harbor in the Southern Hemisphere but also the shallowest which means that the water screaming out between the land and the sandbar that runs for about 10 kilometres down the coast is not to be messed around with. A charter boat had engine trouble trying to cross the bar a few months ago and 3 people are now no longer with us. We stayed inside the bar. We got our limit on both days with fish around the 5-8kg mark caught in less than 7 metres of water. The tides mean that you can really only fish for two hours either side of the change. After that you would need a brick to get to the bottom. This thrown in with a large number of whaler and hammerhead sharks to rip your gear to shreds makes for an enjoyable time on the water. After the Snapper we dredged for scallops as the season was coming to a close and we got our limit in two drags. Tasty entree before the snapper.
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2017/03/492.jpg (https://imageshack.com/i/pofXQtEsj)
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2017/03/493.jpg (https://imageshack.com/i/poq1D134j)
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2017/03/494.jpg (https://imageshack.com/i/plTlQV5Dj)
We finished on the Coromandel out of Matarangi and Cooks Beach. The fishing was again sensational. Snapper and Kingfish were on the chew but not always wanting to come to the boat. We fished on one spot out from the Mercury Islands where the depth went from 80m up to a pinnacle which is two metres under water. The Kingfish here were brutal with any light 20-30lb rigs being claimed. If you upped the line size the bite went off. Soon as we went back to the lighter gear wham bam thank you mam.
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2017/03/495.jpg (https://imageshack.com/i/ponkyhJFj)
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2017/03/496.jpg (https://imageshack.com/i/plas6sP8j)
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2017/03/497.jpg (https://imageshack.com/i/pnjWIloRj)
The fishing there is great - you just have to put up with the Aussie bashing and listening to how good the Ull Blucks are all the time. The beer is good and the food sensational. Hope our bid on the house is successful and we get to spend more time over there. As they say in NZ, Cher Bro, Sweet as Cuz
For anyone planning to go to NZ, take your rods and reels and you will have a ball. First stop Rotorua Lakes. We are looking to buy a place there as Er Indoors is a KIWI and coming up on retirement we want a place to spend a few months a year there. Jigging and trolling as well as fly fishing produced good Rainbows in Lake Tarawera. You can even go to the Hot Water Beach and swim in thermal water that just comes out of the cliff and beach. 15 degrees underneath and 50 degrees on top keeps you hopping around a bit to get comfy
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2017/03/489.jpg (https://imageshack.com/i/pmHMnSVoj)
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2017/03/490.jpg (https://imageshack.com/i/plDRiR7Qj)
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2017/03/491.jpg (https://imageshack.com/i/plUSqlFSj)
Off to the Kaipera harbour north of Auckland. This is one mean stretch of water. It is supposedly the largest harbor in the Southern Hemisphere but also the shallowest which means that the water screaming out between the land and the sandbar that runs for about 10 kilometres down the coast is not to be messed around with. A charter boat had engine trouble trying to cross the bar a few months ago and 3 people are now no longer with us. We stayed inside the bar. We got our limit on both days with fish around the 5-8kg mark caught in less than 7 metres of water. The tides mean that you can really only fish for two hours either side of the change. After that you would need a brick to get to the bottom. This thrown in with a large number of whaler and hammerhead sharks to rip your gear to shreds makes for an enjoyable time on the water. After the Snapper we dredged for scallops as the season was coming to a close and we got our limit in two drags. Tasty entree before the snapper.
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2017/03/492.jpg (https://imageshack.com/i/pofXQtEsj)
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2017/03/493.jpg (https://imageshack.com/i/poq1D134j)
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2017/03/494.jpg (https://imageshack.com/i/plTlQV5Dj)
We finished on the Coromandel out of Matarangi and Cooks Beach. The fishing was again sensational. Snapper and Kingfish were on the chew but not always wanting to come to the boat. We fished on one spot out from the Mercury Islands where the depth went from 80m up to a pinnacle which is two metres under water. The Kingfish here were brutal with any light 20-30lb rigs being claimed. If you upped the line size the bite went off. Soon as we went back to the lighter gear wham bam thank you mam.
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2017/03/495.jpg (https://imageshack.com/i/ponkyhJFj)
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2017/03/496.jpg (https://imageshack.com/i/plas6sP8j)
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2017/03/497.jpg (https://imageshack.com/i/pnjWIloRj)
The fishing there is great - you just have to put up with the Aussie bashing and listening to how good the Ull Blucks are all the time. The beer is good and the food sensational. Hope our bid on the house is successful and we get to spend more time over there. As they say in NZ, Cher Bro, Sweet as Cuz