Conditions on the Manukau Bar on Saturday 2nd December were perfect for a 7am crossing.

I was off to the 35 metre mark for a set of the boat longline. Several big gurnard and a large kahawhai were the result of the first set along with 5 or 6 small grey sharks.

I didn't catch any snapper. There was only one thing for it.

I had heard reports of large snapper being caught at the 60 metre mark, about nine kilometres offshore.

The set there attracted more gurnard and a larger lemonfish. No snapper.

I headed back into Hamiltons Gap, just off the breakers in about eight metres and fished with Target Snapper Hooks on the rods.

I re-snelled the appendages on the hooks and included a bit of red and green flasher material as an attractant. The snapper loved them.

I caught three snapper, more gurnard and a trevally in about half an hour. This was while I was waiting for low tide and a return over the bar and home.

I finished up with a nice mixed bag and the bin was full. The pictures aren't great but one shows a hook in a snapper.

I use a Kodak DC 3200 cheapy digital from Dick Smiths about $400, but its hard taking photos of yourself.

Regards Paul Major

Merv Goland called in on Tuesday evening to weigh in his catch. He had been using his Flexiwing Dropper Rig on the beach.

This was Mervs first fishing trip for a few weeks as he has just had a hip joint replaced.

Merv didn't have any trouble setting his rig despite his recent operation and put out one set of 11 hooks baited with kahawai and caught 10 gurnard and one kahawai for his effort. A 100% strike rate!

The best gurnard weighed in at 1.34kg.

Great news - the gurnard catch submitted for a record claim has now been ratified by the IGFA.

The record is for a 1.58kg gurnard caught on 6kg line. It was landed by Phillip Pearpoint on Porangahau Beach. Phillip is from Turners Sportsworld in Fielding.

Christmas is only two weeks away and the moki haven't arrived yet. I was talking to the trawler operators earlier in the week and they are only getting the odd moki in their nets.

It appears, like all the other species of fish, they are going to be about six weeks late.

Regarding MSA rule 91. In the Porangahau Bay area we are a little different than the rest of NZ.

We have a Taiapure in place from Blackhead Lighthouse in the north to Te Paerahi Point in the south. This means that there is NO net fishing allowed in between these two points.

No trawlers should be inside that line, hence kite and kontiki fishers should not have to worry about this new rule of the MSA.

Despite this, all kite and kontiki fishers should make every effort to have their gear clearly marked using a flag or similar.

Don't forget our FREE fishing competition over the Christmas Holidays.

Snapper - 1st Prize is a Flexiwing Conversion Kit courtesy of Paul's Fishing Kites.

Gurnard - 1st prize Okuma Surfcasting Rod and reel.

See us at the shop for more details.

Regards John Pothan

I went kite fishing at Simpsons Beach on the Coromandel Peninsula two weeks ago. I took my Big Dropper Rig and put out one set of ten hooks. I caught four snapper using mullet for bait.

There was a moderate westerly blowing at the time and an incoming tide.

I arrived at the Pakiri Beach about 12:00 noon last Sunday.

It was full of surfers so I went for a long walk down the beach to get away from them.

I must remember to take more drinking water next time, heavy stuff after a while.

With a very light and fickle northwestely wind it took 30 minutes to get the big kite up, but as always there was no stopping it once it hit that 30 foot mark.

I set the Bottom Longline Rig and it went straight out.

The first set of 25 hooks baited with squid produced nothing. The second set of 25 hooks and surprise, only the one fish, but at least it was a john dory. The john dory was very nice too.

Till next time, cheers Michael

I took my 12 year old young fella out for a days fishing on Tuesday. We went to Cornwallis Beach inside the Manukau Harbour. We had a great day but lost a lot of gear. BEWARE of the offshore oyster bars around 300 to 400 metres from the beach.

We set the Big Dropper Rig out four times and caught one snapper around 30cm long. I was using salted mullet for bait and decided it was best to only put out 10 hooks instead of the full 20. This was a good decision as it turned out.

Overall not a good result, but a great way for a dad and his boy to spend the day. I don't think I will go back there again, but will be try somewhere else next time.

Merry Christmas to you all from us. Jhonathon Appleby

Recent fishing reports indicate good sized snapper have moved in very close to Auckland.

Deane Coyle was fishing out off Takapuna on Wednesday night and between him and his mate they caught 11 snapper in an hour or two. All the snapper weighed between two and four kilos. Deane was very pleased to report the Target Snapper Hooks caught the biggest fish and all were lip hooked.

Deane and his mate Dean, were were drift fishing from a dinghy. Deane did note that the boats that were anchored were not catching as good sized fish as those who were drifting.

This could be a good weekend to try out the Floating Bead Traces on your kite rig. If the moving baits are proving more attractive to the snapper then try putting a couple of floating traces out in amongst your normal traces. The moving baits are attractive to kahawai, kingfish, trevally and john dory as well. You never know what you might catch.

Simpsons Beach is just a stones throw north of Whitianga on SH 25, Coromandel. It is a sheltered beach that is about 2 kilometres long. Both ends of the beach are good for surfcasting off the rocks.

If you want to use a kite or kontiki on this beach, keep about 200 metres up from the southern end and at least 800 metres off the northern end due to rocks and snags.

From Whitianga you go over a small one lane bridge, take the first road on your right. This leads to beach and you can nearly fish out of your car here. If you continue further on SH25 you will find there is a car park and toilets near the beach. Do not use your kite or kontiki any further north than this. If you fish from here the your gear must go straight out or to your right only. There is a boat ramp at the northern end of the beach.

I have fished this beach many times with a Dropper Rig. You can catch all sorts here, snapper, gurnard, kahawai and even kingfish although I haven't caught the latter.....yet.

Regards Kerry Rowe

If you have any information about a beach you kite fish from, please use the following link to fill in the details

http://www.fishingkites.co.nz/beachreport.htm