North Island, New Zealand Fishing Report Today

Kia ora, it’s Artificial Lure here with your North Island fishing report.

We’ll start up north. Around the Bay of Islands and out of Tutukaka, the morning high tide has been lining up nicely with first light, giving snapper fishos a good bite window in 10–25 metres. A soft, glassy start has been common this week with light offshore breezes, building to a bit of sea breeze and chop mid‑afternoon. Sunrise is just after seven, sunset a touch before five, so your prime bite times are those first and last two hours of light around the turns of the tide.

Snapper have been the main show inshore. Anglers running 3–5 inch soft baits in natural browns and pinks on light jig heads over the sand and foul have been putting good pans and the odd 60‑plus into the bin. Straylined baits have still done the damage: fresh kahawai slabs, pilchard, and bonito cubes are the standouts. Berley on the sand in 12–18 metres off places like Whale Rock and closer in to the Ninepin has been drawing fish right up the trail.

Kingfish activity has picked up around the usual haunts – markers, reefs, and headlands. Live mackerel slow‑trolled around prominent structure, or dropped down on the pins, has produced some solid fish. For lure fishos, 80–120 g mechanical jigs in blue/silver or green/yellow and mid‑sized stickbaits worked just subsurface have been reliable. Workups have been sporadic but where gannets and dolphins are found on the mid‑harbour bait schools, there have been school kings and good snapper underneath.

Down off the Hauraki Gulf and East Coast Bays, cooler mornings with light southwesterlies have had the harbour pretty calm early before the afternoon sea breeze kicks in. The bigger bite has been on the incoming around the edges of the channels and over the worm beds. Micro‑jigs in the 10–30 g range and small fluttering slow‑pitch jigs have been accounting for mixed bags of snapper, kahawai, and the odd gurnard. Fresh jack mackerel and squid baits fish well here when the wind is up and lure control gets tricky.

West coast missions out of places like Raglan and the Manukau need a close eye on the bar and forecast, but when the swell has eased back, the 40–60 metre line has given up good snapper and juvenile puka. Ledger rigs with salted bonito and squid have been doing the business, and there have been reports of solid kahawai schools on the surface – perfect for both the smoker and livebait tanks.

A couple of hotspots to circle on the chart right now:

• Off Cape Brett in 25–40 metres: good snapper numbers and by‑catch of kahawai on soft baits and lightly weighted baits, especially around the morning high.

• The workups and worm beds out from Tiritiri Matangi down towards the middle gulf: when the birds are on, micro‑jigs and lightly weighted soft baits are getting hit on the drop.

Overall, fish activity has been best around the tide changes, particularly when that lines up with dawn or dusk and a bit of current. Keep your rigs light, your presentations natural, and don’t be afraid to move if you’re not getting bites within 20–30 minutes.

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This is Artificial Lure with your North Island fishing report.

A settled high is parked over the North Island today, giving most coasts light winds and clear skies. MetService has light variable winds in the morning, tending sea breeze in the afternoon, with only a slight chop for the Hauraki Gulf, Bay of Plenty and the Far North. Air temps are cruising in the mid-teens to low 20s, so it’s a really comfortable day to be on the water.

Sunrise was around twenty past seven, with sunset just after five in the evening, so your prime bite windows are the classic dawn and dusk change-of-light periods. NIWA’s tide tables for Auckland show a mid‑morning high and late‑afternoon low, with decent movement through the middle of the day. On the east coast, especially the inner gulf and Bay of Plenty, that run‑in tide over the morning has been the key.

Local tackle shops around Auckland and Whangārei report snapper still feeding well in 10–25 metres, especially over broken foul and shell. Most fish are pannies in the 35–45 cm range, with the odd bigger model nudging 60 cm. Workups are patchy but when the kahawai push bait up, there are gannets on top and snapper underneath.

Soft-baiters have been doing well with 4–5 inch jerk shads and paddle tails in natural baitfish colours – nuclear chicken, bruised banana, and pilchard patterns all getting bites. A 3/8 to 1/2 oz jighead has been about right in the current. Straylining fresh bait is still deadly: pilchard, mullet, and fresh kahawai slabs drifting lightly weighted back into the burley trail are producing consistent tables of fish.

For those microjigging, 20–40 g lures in pink, blue and lumo worked slowly near the bottom have found snapper, trevally and the odd john dory on reefs off Kawau, Little Barrier and Mayor Island. Tauranga and Whakatāne charters report solid kingfish on the deeper reefs, mostly schoolies but a few brutes. Live mackerel and koheru are top baits, with mechanical jigs in blue/silver or green/gold also producing when the current is humming.

On the west coast, when the bar conditions allow, charter skippers out of Manukau and Kaipara say the snapper are holding a bit wider, with gurnard and school shark mixed in the bins. Fresh kahawai cubes and squid on ledger rigs are doing the damage there.

A couple of hot spots to circle on the map today:

• Hauraki Gulf inner reefs around Waiheke and Motuihe channels – great for snapper on the incoming, especially flicking soft-baits along the edges of the banks.

• Bay of Plenty reef systems like Penguin Shoals and the inshore pins off Motiti – good mixed bags of snapper, terakihi and kingfish for those fishing jigs and livebaits.

Overall fish activity has been described by local skippers as “steady rather than on fire” – you’ve got to move a bit, watch your sounder, and make the most of those current changes. Keep your leaders light, your presentations natural, and don’t be afraid to drop down a hook size if the bite’s tentative.

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Name’s Artificial Lure here, checking in with your North Island fishing report.

Up north around the Bay of Islands and out to Tutukaka, a gentle high‑pressure system has settled in. Light southwest winds, a bit of cloud drifting through, and afternoon temps sitting mid‑teens to high teens. Offshore the swell is a tidy 1–1.5 metres, with calmer stuff in the bays. Sunrise was around twenty‑past seven this morning, sunset about quarter to five this arvo, giving a short, sharp bite window either side of those times.

Tides on both coasts are running moderate – a morning low and a solid afternoon push. The best action has lined up with the incoming: first two hours of the flood and the top of the tide have been the go. In the harbours, that moving water has really switched the fish on around channel edges and current lines.

Snapper have been the main story. In the Hauraki Gulf and off Kawau, pannies to 45 cm have been coming aboard in good numbers on the mid‑depth reef systems. Soft‑baiters doing well with 4–5 inch jerk shads in natural pilchard and new‑penny colours, rigged on 3/8 oz jig heads. Bait fishos drifting stray‑lined pilchard and fresh kahawai cubes back into the berley trail are also filling bins, especially on that afternoon tide.

Out wider, off Whangaparaoa and Tairua, the workups have been patchy but when the gannets and dolphins gang up, there are some better snapper and the odd kingfish underneath. Micro‑jigs in 20–40 g, silver or blue, dropped straight through the sign and worked with short lifts, have been deadly. Live mackerel slow‑trolled around those same bait schools are picking up solid kings for those putting in the time.

On the west coast, when the bar has played ball, anglers off Raglan and Manukau have reported good mixed bags: snapper, gurnard, and a few trevally on long traces with squid and salted bonito. The colour change line has been a hot zone; anything with scent has helped in that slightly murkier water.

Land‑based, a couple of hot spots worth a mention:

– The rocks around Mahurangi and out toward Tawharanui have held nice evening snapper on whole pillies and floating baits with minimal weight.

– Down the line, the ledges around Coromandel town have produced decent fish on the dusk change‑of‑light, with squid baits and smaller hooks doing the damage when the bite’s been finicky.

Best baits right now: fresh kahawai, squid, and pilchard. Best lures: natural‑tone soft baits, 20–40 g micro‑jigs, and small slow‑pitch jigs worked close to the bottom over sign. Keep your leader tidy and drop your weight as light as the drift allows; the fish are responding to a subtle presentation rather than heavy hardware.

In general, fish activity has lifted around the stronger tide phases, then tapered off during slack water. If you can, plan your session to straddle the change of light and a tide change – that’s when most of the better catches have been reported across the Gulf and the northern harbours.

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Kia ora, Artificial Lure here with your North Island fishing report.

We’ll start with the conditions. Around the upper North Island the day’s been mild and settled: light to moderate south‑westerlies easing through the morning, a bit of high cloud but plenty of blue patches, and afternoon temperatures in the mid‑teens to high teens. Coastal sea temps are sitting around the mid‑teens as well, which is keeping the winter bite ticking over.

Tides on the east coast have been classic winter middles: a decent morning incoming and a handy evening outgoing, giving you two solid bite windows. The best action has lined up an hour either side of the turn, especially around the low when the current backs off over the reefs and pins. First light has been just after 7am, with last light around 5pm, and those edges of the day are absolutely worth setting the alarm for.

Fish activity has been surprisingly lively for this time of year. In the Hauraki Gulf and along the eastern bays, pannie snapper have been hanging on the 12–18 metre foul and over scattered shell. Most fish are in that 32–40cm range, with the odd 50cm model mixed in. Out a bit deeper, over 35–45 metres, there have been good hauls of table‑sized snapper for those willing to do a few drifts.

Kahawai schools have been working bait on the surface off the harbour mouths and prominent headlands, especially when the tide starts to push. They’re a great option if you’ve got kids or just want some easy action. Gurnard are starting to feature on the sand in the inner harbours and channels, and there have been a few solid trevally turning up around wharf pylons and over sand‑mud fringes where the burley’s been flowing.

In terms of what’s working, soft‑baits continue to do the damage. Five‑inch jerk shads and paddle tails in natural baitfish colours – think blues, browns, and motor‑oil style hues – fished on 3/8 to 1/2oz jig heads have been deadly when hopped slowly near the bottom. For those fishing bait, fresh is king: slimy mackerel, kahawai strips, and squid are all producing. Smaller baits on lighter traces are out‑fishing big slabs; it’s that typical winter “less is more” pattern.

Micro‑jigs in the 20–40g range are well worth a go over the mid‑depth foul. Slow, fluttery actions are getting eaten by snapper, trevally, and the better‑sized kahawai. If you’re into stray‑lining, an unweighted or very lightly weighted pilchard or fresh strip bait drifting back in the berley trail has been deadly in close around the rocks.

A couple of hot spots to put on your list:

• The outer Hauraki Gulf reef edges and pins, especially the transition from foul to sand in 15–25 metres. Drift those lines with soft‑baits or micro‑jigs and watch the sounder for bait stacks and arches tight to the bottom.

• East Coast rock ledges and headlands north of Auckland, where wash meets deeper water. A steady berley trail and unweighted baits lobbed into the whitewater have been producing solid snapper and the odd trophy fish for the patient.

Inner harbours aren’t to be ignored either. Working the channel edges on the outgoing with small baits and light gear has been turning up tidy snapper and some very respectable gurnard for the chilly‑bin.

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Kia ora, Artificial Lure here with your North Island fishing report.

We’ve got a classic winter pattern settling over the Island today. Light to moderate westerlies for most regions, easing in the bays, with a cool, clear start and cloud building this afternoon. Overnight temps are chilly, but the calmer seas are giving boaties a decent window. MetService has sunrise around 7:30 in the north and sunset just before 5:10, so that bite time around dawn and the last hour of light is prime.

Tides on both coasts are running handy for a morning mission: low around mid‑morning and a mid‑afternoon high on the east, with the west side roughly an hour behind. That incoming tide has been the trigger, especially where current pushes bait over reef edges and into the work‑ups.

Snapper fishing has been steady rather than red hot, but the quality is there. Inner Hauraki Gulf and Bream Bay have been producing good pannies with the odd 50–60 cm model when the current picks up. Most fish are sitting in 12–20 metres, with a few bigger moochers tight to structure in 6–10 metres. Off the west coast bars, snapper numbers are down on summer, but the fish that are there are solid.

Kingfish are still hanging around the headlands, pins, and markers. Not huge numbers, but enough to keep you interested if you commit the time. Think strong current, bait on the sounder, and you’re in the game. Kahawai schools are popping up off the beaches and in the harbours, especially around change of light, and trevally are nosing about over shell and foul for those fishing soft baits or small baits patiently.

Best lures at the moment:

- For snapper: 3–5 inch softbaits in natural baitfish or motor‑oil colours on 1/4–1/2 oz jig heads, and 20–40 g slow‑pitch jigs in pink, orange, or gold.

- For kings: mechanical jigs around 80–150 g in blue/chrome or green, and stickbaits worked hard over pins.

- For kahawai and trevally: small metal slices and micro‑jigs around 10–25 g.

Top baits:

- Fresh squid, mullet, or bonito strips for snapper.

- Live mackerel or kahawai for kingfish around markers and headlands.

- Small cubes of pilchard or shellfish baits for trevally on lighter gear.

Couple of hot spots to put on the list:

- The Hauraki Gulf work‑up belt between Tiritiri Matangi and Kawau Island when birds are up and dolphins are pushing bait. Get slightly up‑current of the action and fish softbaits or slow jigs down the sides of the work‑up rather than right in the middle.

- Bream Bay, particularly off Sail Rock and the reefs north of it in 15–25 metres. Slow drifting with softbaits and lightly weighted straylines has been producing a nice mix of snapper and the odd king.

Harbours like Manukau, Kaipara, and Tauranga are still worth a crack on the last of the outgoing and first of the incoming tide, especially along channel edges and where banks drop into deeper water. Use lighter traces and smaller baits if the bite is tentative in the cold water.

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Kia ora, this is Artificial Lure with your North Island fishing report.

We’ve got a settled early‑winter pattern over much of the North Island today: cool mornings, light southerlies easing to gentle variable breezes on both coasts, and mostly clear skies with the odd coastal shower. MetService has overnight lows near 6–8 degrees inland and daytime highs around 14–16 along the coasts, with seas generally slight to moderate. Sunrise was around twenty past seven this morning, with sunset just after five, giving a short but tidy bite window at both ends of the day.

NIWA’s tide tables show mid‑morning highs and late‑afternoon lows on both the Hauraki Gulf and Bay of Plenty coasts today, which lines up nicely with that change‑of‑light period. The incoming tide around the Gulf has been the standout for snapper, while the last hour of the outgoing has fired for kahawai and gurnard off the west coast beaches.

Reports from local tackle shops around Auckland and Whangārei say the snapper are still holding in 15–25 metres, with pannies in the 32–45 cm range common and the odd bigger model nudging 60 cm taken on soft‑baits and stray‑lined baits. Out wider, workups have been patchy but when they’ve popped up under gannets, anglers are finding mixed bags of snapper and kahawai, with a few kingfish cruising the edges. Bay of Plenty charters out of Tauranga and Whakatāne are talking about good hauls of tarakihi on the reefs, plus some solid trevally and the occasional john dory.

Fish activity has been classic winter mode: short, intense bite times. The best action has been:

- First hour of light on the incoming in 10–18 metres up the inner Gulf

- Mid‑tide over reef structure for tarakihi and trevally

- Late‑arvo outgoing on the west coast for kahawai and gurnard in the surf gutters

For lures, keep it subtle and natural. Inshore snapper are loving 3–5 inch soft‑baits in natural baitfish and bruised pilchard colours on 3/8–1/2 oz jig heads. Micro‑jigs and slow‑pitch jigs in 20–60 grams, in pink, blue and gold, are doing the damage under workups and over reef country. Kingfish hunters are having success with 80–120 gram mechanical jigs in green and chrome, and live‑baited mackerel around marker buoys and reef edges.

Bait fishos should stick with the classics: fresh mullet, squid, pilchard and bonito cubes on a stray‑line rig over foul ground, and small shellfish or prawn baits for tarakihi and trevally. On the west coast beaches, bonito and mullet strips on pulley or clipped‑down rigs are turning up good kahawai and some nice table‑sized snapper when the surf settles.

Couple of hot spots to put on the list:

- Around Auckland, the worm beds and nearby edges in 12–18 metres between Rangitoto and Motutapu have been producing steady snapper on soft‑baits and lightly weighted baits, especially on the incoming around dawn.

- In the Bay of Plenty, the reefs off Motiti Island are fishing well for tarakihi, trevally and a few solid snapper, with micro‑jigs and small baits fished just off the bottom doing the trick.

If you’re heading out, fish light, fish early, and pay attention to that tide change – the winter fish are there, you just need to be on the spot when they switch on.

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Kia ora, Artificial Lure here with your North Island fishing report.

We’ve got a classic early‑winter pattern settling in across most of the motu. MetService has light to moderate south‑westerlies for much of the North Island coast today, easing in the evening, with a cool, fairly clear day and only the odd shower sliding through the west. That means fishable seas on the east coast and a bit more lump on the western bars, especially around the Manukau and Waikato.

Sunrise was around twenty‑to‑seven this morning and sunset will be just after five, so the *bite windows* have been those first two hours of light and the last hour before dark. On the harbours, the outgoing tide in the morning and the first push of the incoming this afternoon have been the go.

Around the **Hauraki Gulf and outer Gulf islands**, the workups have been smaller but consistent. Local charter skippers are still putting clients onto pannies in the 32–40 cm range with the odd 50+ snapper coming off the deeper edges in 35–45 m. Gannets and dolphins are picking on small anchovy schools; soft‑baits in natural baitfish colours and 40–60 g kabura/slider jigs are out‑fishing plain ledger rigs. Micro‑jigs in 20–40 g are also nailing mid‑water kahawai.

In **Auckland harbours**, snapper numbers have thinned in the very shallows, but there are still solid fish on the channels and shell banks. Pilchard cubes and fresh kahawai strips are the standout baits, with stray‑lined unweighted baits doing best when the current slackens. A few carrot‑sized gurnard are coming from muddy bottoms in 8–12 m, especially on the Manukau.

Up north around **Bay of Islands and the Far North**, the inshore snapper are holding over reef and foul from 15–30 m. There have been reports of good hauls of legal snapper with a handful of fish nudging 60 cm on lightly weighted baits sitting back in the berley trail. Kingfish are still buzzing the points and pinnacles; live mackerel slow‑trolled around current lines are producing 10–15 kg kings, with a few bigger hoodlums mixed in. Topwater stickbaits in blue‑silver and mackerel patterns are worth a thrash if the wind drops.

Over in **Bay of Plenty**, boats off Tauranga and Whakatāne have been picking up mixed bags: snapper, trevally, kahawai and the occasional john dory. Slow‑pitch jigs and inchiku‑style lures are consistent in 40–60 m. Fresh squid and mullet baits are also doing damage on the reef edges.

Hot spot number one: **The Noises to Rakino line in the inner Hauraki Gulf**. Work that 18–24 m zone with 5‑inch soft‑baits on 3/8–½ oz jig heads, drifting with the wind and current lined up. Keep an eye out for bird sign and nervous water – often the better fish are sitting under the kahawai.

Hot spot number two: **Cape Brett and the Ninepin area in the Bay of Islands**. Fish livebaits around the wash and current edges for kingfish, then slide out a berley bomb and stray‑line for snapper on the afternoon incoming tide.

Best lures today:

- Natural‑coloured soft‑baits (pilchard, anchovy, bruised banana)

- 40–60 g slider/kabura jigs in orange, pink, and glow

- Medium stickbaits and poppers for kings when the surface comes alive

Best baits:

- Fresh pilchard, squid, and mackerel

- Fresh kahawai strips and mullet cubes for gurnard and mooching snaps

Fish activity is classic winter – fewer rats, more quality if you put in the effort, fish the bite times, and keep that berley going.

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Kia ora, Artificial Lure here with your North Island fishing report.

We’ll start with the **weather**. MetService is calling it a settled late-autumn pattern over much of the North Island today: light to moderate westerlies, clearer skies on the east coasts, a bit more cloud and chop on the west. According to MetService marine forecasts, coastal winds are mostly under 15 knots this afternoon, easing this evening, with a slight to moderate sea and small swell on both coasts. That’s good news for inshore missions.

Sunrise was around twenty past seven and sunset will be just after five, according to NIWA’s sun tables. That gives you short but productive bite windows, especially **first light** and the **last hour of the day**.

Tides: LINZ tide tables show mid‑morning highs on the east coast today and afternoon highs on the west. Around Auckland and the Hauraki Gulf, the incoming has been fishing best lately, with a nice push of current over the reef edges. On the west coast bars, most skippers are timing their crossings close to high for safety and cleaner water.

Recent action: Local reports from Auckland and Bay of Plenty charter skippers say **snapper** are still very much on the chew in 15–35 metres, with pannies in good numbers and the odd solid fish into the mid‑teens of pounds. Off the Bay of Islands, skippers are talking about consistent **kingfish** on the deeper pins and reefs, plus plenty of **kahawai** and **trevally** in the current lines. Taranaki and the west coast have been turning over some nice **gurnard**, school sharks, and a few late‑season snapper on the sand.

Lures and bait: Over the last week, soft‑baiters around the Hauraki Gulf have been doing damage with **5‑ to 7‑inch jerk shads** in natural pilchard and bruised banana colours, fished on 3/8 to 1/2 oz jig heads. Slow‑pitch jigs in the 40–100 gram range, especially pink, orange, and lumo, are working well on deeper snapper and trevally. Kingfish crews are having success with **stickbaits** in blue‑silver and live baits like **koheru, jack macks, and piper** under balloons.

If you’re running bait, local tackle shops are all saying the same thing: **fresh is best**. Freshly caught kahawai or jack mackerel cut baits, whole pilchards, and squid strips are accounting for most of the bigger snapper and gurnard. On the beaches, small baits on lighter traces are picking up more bites than big bulky offerings.

A couple of hot spots to think about:

- **Hauraki Gulf – Motuihe Channel and the Cable Zone edges**: When the tide starts to move, snapper have been lining up along the contour changes. Drift with soft baits or micro‑jigs; watch your sounder and stick with the bait sign.

- **Bay of Islands – around Whale Rock and the outer reefs**: Good sign of kingfish and snapper on the pressure edges. Drop a livey down for kings or slow‑pitch for snapper and trevally. Early and late in the day have been the prime bite times.

Inshore land‑based fishers on the east coast ledges report steady snapper and kahawai just on dark using unweighted baits and small metal lures flicked into the wash.

That’s your North Island fishing wrap from Artificial Lure. Thanks for tuning in, and don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss a report.

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Kia ora team, Artificial Lure here with your North Island fishing report.

We’ve got classic winter conditions on the motu today. Around Auckland and the upper North Island, it’s a cool, mostly settled day: light south–southwesterly breezes, a few showers inland, clearer over the Gulf, and afternoon temps sitting in the low to mid-teens. Down the line toward Bay of Plenty and Hawke’s Bay, winds are a touch fresher offshore, but still very fishable between the fronts.

Tides around the Hauraki Gulf and east coast are running mid-sized. Think a pre-dawn low, filling through the morning, with a solid mid‑day high, then draining again into the evening. That incoming tide this morning and the first of the outgoing this arvo are your key bite windows. On the west coast bars, the ebb is still nasty this time of year, so pick the top of the tide and watch the swell.

Sunrise has been late and lazy, just after seven, with an early sunset before six, so your “golden hours” are tight but productive. Dawn change-of-light on the incoming has been firing, and the last hour before dark on the start of the outgoing is worth staying out for, especially in the harbours.

Fish activity has been proper winter mode but steady if you fish smart. Snapper are schooled up in 25–45 metres over foul and mud/shell. Smaller pannies are still about in the inner Hauraki and Tauranga Harbour channels, but the better fish are holding on deeper edges and reefs. Expect modest numbers but nicer size when you find them. Kahawai workups are looser than summer but still popping up under gannet sign where bait is pushed by tide lines. Gurnard are making a stronger showing across the firths and west coast sand, a good backup when snapper go sulky. A few winter kings are still cruising the pins and markers for those willing to put in the effort with heavier gear.

Recent catches reported in local tackle shops and on the ramps include snapper in the 35–45 cm range in good numbers, with the odd 60+ fish off deeper pins, plus plenty of plate-sized gurnard and solid kahawai around the kilo-and-a-half mark. The kingies that are coming in tend to be solid—mid to high teens—rather than rats.

Lure-wise, soft-baits and slow jigs are still king. Go for 4–5 inch paddle tails and jerk shads in natural baitfish patterns: pilchard, anchovy, and motor‑oil colours are doing the damage in the clearer winter water. Lighter jig heads on the drift over sign have been taking the more tentative bites. For slow jigs, 60–100 g in pink, orange, and lumo green are solid choices over 30–40 m. On the bait front, you can’t beat fresh: strip baits of kahawai and mullet, or whole pilchards with the tails trimmed so they don’t spin. Smaller baits, frequent changes—winter fish are picky but reward persistence.

Couple of hot spots to think about:

– **Hauraki Gulf – Motuihe and Rakino Channels**: Work the edges of the channels on the incoming, especially around the tide turns. Soft-baits on the drift have been picking up a nice mix of snapper and kahawai. If the bite slows, drop a stray-lined pilchard back into the berley trail.

– **Bay of Plenty – Matakana Island and Aerial Reef area**: The channel edges along Matakana have been producing gurnard and pannies on small baits. Out wider, the reef structure is still holding snapper and the odd kingfish—ideal for slow jigs worked just off the bottom.

For land-based fishos, the North Shore and eastern rocks—places like Whangaparaoa ledges—have been giving up snapper and kahawai around the dawn high, especially when there’s a bit of colour in the water and a light onshore pushing bait in.

That’s it from me today. Thanks for tuning in, and don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss a session with Artificial Lure.

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Kia ora, this is Artificial Lure with your North Island fishing report.

Around the upper North Island, we’re sitting under a settled high with light variable winds in many areas this morning, tending seabreeze in the afternoon. Expect calm to slight seas and good visibility. MetService reports patchy cloud but plenty of clear patches, so it’s a good day to be on the water. Sunrise was around twenty past seven, sunset just after five, giving a short but punchy bite window at dawn and again late arvo.

Tides around the Hauraki Gulf and East Coast are running mid‑range today, with a decent morning incoming pushing bait up onto the edges, and an afternoon outgoing that’s been firing up the channels. Local tide boards and Coastguard notices point to stronger flow on the headlands and reef points, so plan your drifts and anchor jobs to make the most of that moving water.

Snapper have been the main story. Inshore, inner‑gulf patches in 8–15 metres have produced pannies to the mid‑40s on soft‑baits and straylined baits, especially over foul and shell. Out a bit wider, the 30–45 metre line has seen better numbers of solid fish, with a few larger models mixed in. Recent club comps and tackle shop chat from Auckland through to the Bay of Plenty all mention consistent snapper bins, plus the odd by‑catch of kahawai and trevally.

On the lure front, small to mid‑size soft‑baits in natural baitfish colours have been hot: think motor‑oil, new penny, and anchovy‑style patterns worked close to the bottom. Slow‑pitch jigs in 40–80 grams, pinks, oranges, and golds, are doing damage over the deeper pins. For bait fishos, fresh is best: pilchards, squid, and fresh kahawai or mullet cubes, lightly weighted and allowed to waft back in the burley trail.

Kingfish action has been patchy but worth the effort around the offshore reefs, markers, and workups. Live jack mackerel and kahawai slow‑trolled or dropped on the edges of structure are your best shot, with a few fish also taken on mechanical jigs and topwater stickbaits when bait schools are pushed to the surface.

Couple of hotspot ideas for you:

• Hauraki Gulf – the worm beds and surrounding foul off Auckland have held steady snapper schools, with birds picking and gannets occasionally dropping on anchovy and pilchard workups. Drift these areas with soft‑baits and slow jigs for a good shot at a mixed bag.

• Bay of Plenty – inshore reefs and sand edges off Tauranga and Matakana Island have been turning over pannies and the odd solid snapper on the change of light. Fish the tide changes with a solid burley trail and unweighted baits, and keep a livebait out for a cruising king.

Overall fish activity has been best around the top and bottom of the tide, lining up nicely with dawn and dusk. Midday has been quieter in the clearer water, so go lighter on trace and more natural with your presentations if you’re stuck fishing the middle of the day.

That’s your North Island report from Artificial Lure. Thanks for tuning in, and don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss a session on the water.

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