always be under them, driving the 
smaller baitfish to the surface.
I target these using small 3-4" 
white softbaits which are the best 
used on a smaller 3/8oz jig head 
and employ a quicker retrieve along 
the surface and the kahawai will 
hit them and put up a good fight.
Make sure you don’t bleed the 
kahawai when cutting it up for 
baits, you want all that juicy scent 
left in the bait to help draw in the 
snapper and I only bleed kahawai 
kept for the smoker.  Our kids 
love smoked kahawai the best and 
keeping a fish or two for the Kilwell 
smoker is always popular at home.
When the tide drops fast and 
you find after a good hour or two 
that the fishing is slow, it pays to 
move spots if you don’t get onto 
fish as they are on the move with 
the receding water.  Sometimes 
the fish use different channels to 
move about the harbour and once 
you locate the spot they are moving 
through, you will find better fishing.
My go to baits to consider buying 
at the shop would be mullet, tuna 
and squid to have as back up over 
fresh kahawai or mullet if you can’t 
get it.  I know a few local anglers 
who fish the Kaipara every month 
and they take a net with them to 
set it out around small creeks for 
mullet, this not only saves money 
but also helps catch more fish.
GREAT FOR KIDS
Harbours are naturally a lot more 
sheltered and easier to get reach in 
boats, so they make a good choice 
for taking the kids along, especially 
as young kids can be susceptible to 
sea sickness.  Over the July school 
holidays I took my younger boys Beau 
and Leo out on the Kaipara in foggy, 
flat calm conditions and they caught 
gurnard, kahawai and small dogfish 
(the highlight of their trip), only ten 
minutes’ drive from the boat ramp.
Being inside a calmer harbour 
means the conditions suit kids better 
and they are happier to stay out 
longer in the boat with the adults.
Over the course of the day, we even 
had a big fur seal come up alongside 
the boat and we drove past flocks of 
resting egrets and spoonbills visiting 
from Australia to show the kids.  
Harbours often surprise and with 
the current price of fuel, are a good 
viable fishing option to consider.
 /FISHINGINGODZONE  55

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