April Simply the Best? Snapper party-on, getting your micro jigs in deep trouble!

Feel that cool change? So do the fish, how good, very good!

Kingfish, fighting fit and all over the place!

Nature’s momentum never stops as you know and right now the momentum is on our side, it’s a great time to take advantage of it. Our unique fishing paradise has a diverse range of fish this month of the year in particular, you can satisfy so many different types of fishing adventure dreams right from the Auckland harbour bridge to beyond Gt Barrier island, all along the scale of fish size, species, inshore and offshore, light to heavy tackle from mackerel all the way up to the mighty big game like marlin. April is a stunning month to get the fix, whatever tickles your fishing fancy.

Surface life showing signs of fish underneath has been moving around a lot, jostling for position by the looks, and the past week out from the many Auckland city areas it has seemingly quietened down, but like an iceberg, most is still underneath just out of sight. Some excellent fishing expeditions by kayak staying close to home and shorelines using both day and night excursions are doing the business with good snapper, some trevally and even a few kingfish in the mix to really test the skills too! Jigs have been surprisingly effective and remember you can slow pitch most terminal tackle effectively, so it’s worth mixing it up in terms of soft bait and other lures you may have in your tackle box, because as the saying goes, ‘action is everything’.

On out a little deeper, the mussel farms in the Firth for instance have been producing some really well conditioned snapper, stunning specimens, perhaps not to the delight of the mussel farmers themselves, but certainly to those finding and landing the fish, nice fat healthy snapper, with very few if any ‘milky-fleshed’ ones, excellent. Landing snapper hooked in mussel farms can be a real challenge, so much so that a class coming up at the next series of The Fishing School may be devoted to successful techniques to use.

April, epic snapper time!

Further out into deeper waters of the gulf and up along the coast, expect to see some epic workups with spectacular sights and sounds rewarding those anglers chasing the dragon, these impressive events could even increase in intensity around about now, the need to feed before winter being triggered. So, prepare yourself and gear now while there are a few wild weather days ahead on the forecast, especially if you’ve been out enjoying fishing lately. When the excitement of the day drops the adrenaline and energy reserves follow suit, it’s easy to put off a few basics that’ll dampen the thrill of the next fishin’ mission.  A bit of lube here ‘n there, definitely fresh leader even if it looks good, the knots are probably not. Batteries on charge, tackle re-sorted and ready to rock. Making use of the windy days makes all the difference to success and enjoyment factor on the actual fishing day, better than watching TV.

Expect to see some big action at the gulf’s gates, eyes peeled on the way out at the top of the Firth and the Jellicoe channel, then, if necessary, onwards to the Colville and Craddock, game face on.

And of course, there is still big game to test your mettle out that bit further - unless you've already hooked up on a yellow fin tuna (YFT) out from Waiheke/Noises area, yes indeed, wonderful stuff! Troll, soft bait or even micro jig them. April is also great time to have another crack at striped marlin out from Gt Barrier before they turn their tails and head to their winter hangouts well north of New Zealand. The Fishing School’s last class in the current series was on catching big game solo with the K.I.S.S. approach along with adaptations that make the end game particularly enjoyable, and successful. And speaking of enjoyable, thank you to everyone, to all those that came along and joined in at The Fishing school, as well as those who helped make it a resounding success, like James and Mason at Farnley’s Yamaha in particular, equally as passionate. This recent series of fishing classes has ignited even more demand to learn – so please stay in touch directly (email: fishingcoachpro.com ) so you and your fishing mates don’t miss out, stay informed.

And here’s an Espresso Pearl to add to your fishing, perhaps there’s fish sign on your sounder, it may be baitfish, you could be in deep water – using the old truism of ‘find the bait, find the fish’ here’s something that could be just the ticket to put fish in the bin, good fish.

Getting your micro jigs into deep trouble.

So, basically as soon as you see your chance with good weather, make it happen, there’ll be plenty of time over winter to work, go to meetings, be on site and whatever else that keeps us from fishing. Reminisce about that wonderful day out catching fish in April like it was your birthday, the right time to enjoy yourself.

Cheers

WWII 'Pirates' in NZ

Espresso.

P.S. Some WWII history involving Motuhie Island.