SPOT C: WELLINGTON REEF A large reefy area with lots of habitat and food. An excellent place to be prowling with a kayak or small boat. Fish the drop offs where the reef drops from 3-5m to 9-12m. Snapper will often be hunting these edges and patiently working a berley trail here with unweighted baits is the way to score a good bag of fish. Big snapper have been hooked here over the years (not always landed mind you) so be prepared especially if you are fishing the change of light or decide to have a night fish here. While I know kingfish patrol this area I haven’t put in the time to slow troll live baits, but I don’t doubt they would score you fish. Jack mackerel are abundant here, so using live bait while anchored is effective. Given the shallow nature of the whole reef system, use the heavier gear/leaders in case it’s more than just a John dory that engulfs your bait. Outgoing tides can be good here as the water exits the Orewa estuary and sweeps out towards the headland. The little corridor between the rocks of the reef and Army Bay is a popular spot for spear fishers so keep a sharp eye out here. The tidal flow helps spread your berley over larger areas and attracts piper and kahawai as well as snapper and kingfish. I sometimes fish lures here which can be successful, however it’s really a favourite bait and berley spot for many fishers. SPOT D: TIRI CHANNEL Water flows out of the Waitemata, up the coast and funnels through the Tiri Channel. The channel is a good place to drift ledger rigs and softbaits, but the western edges here do a bit better with lures especially when fishing the drop offs from 12m to 20m deeper channel. Early mornings using a stickbait over the cooler months when the bronzies have thinned out is the best time to hook and land kingfish. Softbaits drifted off the northern bays (like Tindalls) in the late afternoon in autumn can score nice eating fish especially when the bait is present. Feature 40 FISHING IN GODZONE MAGAZINE
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