b'KAYAK FISHINGFISH TARGETSIts now time to think about what species are going to arrive throughout spring. Hawkes Bay has a widely varied water temperature throughout the year, more like Nelson down south rather than the much warmer Taranaki west coast. During the winter months our exposed coast cools down to an icy 11 degrees and takes months to bounce back to above 15 degrees, what I call the golden temperature. My main nemesis: spiny dogfish, move out of the shallows in mass numbers when the 15-degree threshold finally breaks through. Finally, it is timeGurnard are the perfect late for the prime eating species to return. spring target species, being plentiful in the Bay.Around the first week of October snapper reappear from deep water where they have been hiding over winter. Oftenis also one of the only times of year Inumbers so jigging and live baiting can be the first fish to show up are large fishcapture a considerable number on luresa bit risky. It still amazes me how a couta from 810kg and theres always a goodbounced close to the bottom. Smallcan rip through 130lb trace like its cotton.chance one of these will turn up in theLucanus or Sunnaku jigs tend to workNear Christmas the kingfish numbers trail. School snapper begin to populatebest. Usually these are the biggest trevallyincrease, and I begin to mark larger the shallow reefs and plenty more opt toI catch all season, around 45cm - 50cm+.schools. The water often clears right up hunt over the sand. Gurnard are at theirSnapper continue to increase in numberstoo, providing excellent fishing.Snapper, most common with large schools presentand gurnard are at near peak conditiongurnard, and trevally begin to move on the sand where they are feeding onbefore spawning. deeper as water temperatures jump up paddle crabs. A berley trail will usuallyKingfish are my most anticipatedto 18 degrees, heading towards their bring a bunch of tasty carrots in forspecies as fighting a big fish on a yak isspawning grounds. Plenty of school size dinner, with several snapper in between. my favourite type of fishing. Dependingfish are left behind to catch with the odd The water temperatures jump up toon the weather they can turn up inlarge fish choosing to feed in close.around 16 degrees in November andNovember or later in December. The firstLate spring and early summer are one of its all on with most species moving infish onto Napiers Pania reef are mostlythe most exciting times for kayak anglers close to shore. Trevally pop up and aresmall fish around 7085cm. Often I onlyin Hawkes Bay. Each year can be wildly an excellent bycatch on the ledger rigs Imark one or two kingfish and find manydifferent, but one thing remains the same; use for bottom fish. They take a particularparts of the reef full of bait but barrena wide variety of delicious fish species are liking to bullet tuna over most baits. Thisof kingies. Barracouta are still around inencountered.FIGZAn early season kingfish for the writer caught on a jig.56FISHING IN GODZONE NOV/DEC 2022'