THE water temperature has increased from a week ago but with wide variations from area to area.
Off the Mount Maunganul Main Beach, the temperature has increased from 16C to 17C and similarly off Motiti but, in the Middle Ground and to the east of Motiti, it has increased to 18C, off the Penguins to 19C and off Pukehina to 20C..
A number of charter boat skippers have complained of the sometimes incredibly inconsiderate and dangerous behaviour of other boats, such as passing at great speed too close to an anchored boat.
Beach fishers have continued to be limited by the presence of weed and sharks and now also the increasing numbers of swimmers and surfers in the water.
The odd kontiki operator has had to be warned away from operating where there were many people in the water.
Visiting surfcasters have had little success and most kontiki fishers have been limited to one or twO snapper and the odd gurnard.
Kayak fishers have continued to have some success using, in the main, soft baits, fishing in the dark and landing snapper.
The best fishing times for beach, and just off the beach, fishing have proved generally to be at nightfall, or during the night or at first light in the early morning.
Among boats further out fishing, the first marlin of the New Zealand 2008/09 game fishing season has been landed a striped marlin of 97.1kg.
In Mayor Island waters, there have also been reports of the first yellowfln tuna being weighed in (around 30kg).
Russell Anderson (Bugger) in a party of three anglers on Saturday found it hard fishing at the Six Mile where they were plagued by grey mako and blue sharks taking the baits.
Nevertheless, they did land 15 fish including snapper up to 2.5kg, a couple of good-sized gurnard and some tarakihi.
On Sunday in the same area, they did quite well landing 30 fish, mainly snapper around 1kg but also including a nice 2.3kg tarakihi, some other good tarakihi, good trevally, a few gurnard and one big blue mackerel.
Again they battled sharks and barracouta. They landed one barracouta for use as shark feed.
Grant Curtis (Tigerzeye), around Motiti and Town Point, last Friday found sufficient tarakihi and snapper.
It did look as though the snapper were moving in as the water temperature rose again. On Saturday on Adriana at the Penguins, they targeted kingfish and landed quite a few, including some big ones in the 22.7kg to 27.2kg range.
Russ Hawkins (Fat Boy), on Saturday, had some really good catches of tarakihi, snapper, john dory, gurnard, and blue cod.
The snapper were pan-sized but all the other species were reasonably large. On Sunday at the Mayor Knolls, they had success puka fishing and landed 1~ fish, including bass up to 30kg, -bluenose up to 19kg and gemflsh.
Pleasantly surprised, and with happy customers, they finished fishing early and, on the way. back, noted the presence of quite a number of skipjack tuna.
Brett Keller (Manutere), early last week, found the fishing quite good, particularly around the tide change.
Saturday it was a little harder, and slower, even at Town Point and off Papamoa.
The barracouta too were a bit of a worry.
Sunday it was a good day ’s fishing around Motiti and Town Point.
It was still predominantly tarakihi but more snapper were showing up.
Garth Le Lievre (Deepatar) found the fishing around Motiti last Friday pretty good with largely bigger tarakihi and a few snapper available.
Arch McTainsh (Te Kuia), last Friday three miles from the Entrance, landed 17 fish largely good-sized taraidhi, increasing snapper numbers, and some john dory, gurnard and a kingfish (returned) On Saturday at Mayor, they dropped anchor in a 90m zone and did not need to move, landing as much big fat tarakihi as they wanted and some golden snapper.
There was heaps of skipjack tuna around and, with pipis, they proved to be good bait.
Michael Garrett (Ratahi), on Saturday night and Sunday in the Middle Ground, did quite well with tarakihi and landed quite a few snapper.
~exi weekend, January 9-is, Tauranga Game Fishing Club, National Glass and Penn Tuna Tournament January 3l-February 1, Taurang~ Game Fishing Club, Bridgeman Concrete, Women ’s Tournament. February 7-8, Mount Maunganuj Cosmopolitan Fishing Club, 4 Species (snapper, trevaHy, kahawa; kingfish) contest. February 19-21, Mount Maunganni Sport Fishing Club, Blue Water Classic Tournament.
December 27, Selwyn Smiths Whangamata, striped marlin, 97.1kg, on 37kg line, in Mayor Island waters, from the boat Reel Action.
Weighed in at Whangamata Ocean Sports Club, 6pm, December 27. December 27, Ray Holmes, Mount Maunganui, bass,.
28kg, on 24kg line,:at the Rangitiras, on the boat Ecstasy.
By Pinky Green
Bay of Plenty Times,
Tauranga Bay,New Zealand
