A pretty good game season is winding down, and there are still acres of skippies out the front for the winter bait freezer stocks to be filled.

  There’s also some very good broadbill and blue nose captures for those running wide.

    The highlight of the last few months must be Snapper, and big ones at that! From the boat or from the land, the size of the fish in winter conditioning mode and hard on the chew has been spectacular.

    We have not had a session without a fish over 60cm.

Hooks straightened, busted off, reefed, burnt thumbs - they are a fantastic sport fish.

    The best we know of is a 95cm fish from 140m while live baiting for kingfish, but there have been plenty of fish in close to the coast and around the islands in the 7 and 8kg range.

    Whilst big baits have been good, small sections of pillie and the like have accounted for some very nice fish.

    Skutes and softbaits have been a reliable lure source as well.

Regular beach fishers are not missing out either, with those dedicated to the late evenings and early mornings achieving limit catches from Waihi to Matata - they’re everywhere.

    The changeable weather patterns have made it tricky for us weekend warriors, but some accurate trip planning has found the fish.

  The harbour is still chock full of piper, jack macs and small kahawai, and snapper to 2kg are still being found up in the shallows.

Very good trevally are also all over the pipi bed.

  The weed is gone, so fishing is way more enjoyable.

 The best few months of the year are coming up, so get out there.

  Tight Lines.