Fishing in The Coromandel
THE COROMANDEL - A Fisherman's Paradise
| With around 400km's of coastline and over 100 offshore islands, The Coromandel is one of New Zealand's favourite marine playgrounds. It boasts some of the country's best quality and variety of fishing within a relatively small area. With an East and West Coast, plenty of bays and islands for protection you can be sure that on most days you will find somewhere to fish. No matter what your interest whether it is surfcasting from the beach for Kahawai, sitting amongst mussel farms catching a feed of Snapper, live baiting for Kingfish around current swept headlands or heading further a field to chase that elusive Marlin or Tuna, The Coromandel pretty much has it all. There's also a regular calendar of fishing competitions to chance your arm against other anglers. While The Coromandel has a great fishery, it is a relative small area and is fragile place to be respected and preserved for the future. Make sure that future generations get a chance to appreciate the great fishing that we have - only take enough for a feed and follow size and catch limits. The currents and isolation that produce some of our great fishing can also challenge the accomplished boaty, so make sure your boat has all the necessary safety equipment and always check weather and tide details. Here is a quick tour around The Coromandel to give you a few idea's on where to go to catch a feed, OR you can always go with a guided operator who will be happy to share his knowledge and provide everything you need. |
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Thames
A great place to stop and grab some bait, tackle and some tucker for your fishing trip
Thames Coast
Some great rocky outcrops to surfcast from for Snapper, especially from November through to May when the snapper are in close. There are always kahawai around so don't forget to try throwing a few spinning lures around too.
There's even the odd kingfish lurking around closer to Coromandel town so even try a small kahawai livebait and you might be surprised at some of the big fish that come down the coast here
There's a half dozen boat ramps scattered down the coast and the boat fishing in the Firth of Thames produces some great snapper fishing right throughout. Use your sounder to find fish on the bottom or fish the mussel beds in the middle of the Firth. Just remember to check tide and weather details.
Coromandel Harbour
The Mussel Farms are always a popular choice and attract all sizes of snapper. Pilchards are often the flavour of the day.
Launch from Sugarloaf down Te Kouma Bay Road or Long Bay or book one of the many charter boats or mussel barges operating in the area.
The harbour is a haven for trevally, kahawai and kingfish so trolling small lures around points and islands can produce some good fish
There are often big schools of birds working around the islands, so try jigging underneath them for snapper
Colville to Fletchers Bay
We are back into some good land based fishing territory here with great snapper fishing and big kingfish close to shore. The road follows the coast along most of the West Coast so there are plenty of places to get out and have a fish.
Some of New Zealand's most scenic camp grounds are located here so stick around and relax along this relatively untouched coastline.
Port Jackson and Fletchers Bay on the very tip of the Peninsula are accessible via dirt roads so small boats only can be towed into the area. Colville Channel can be very rough but there is some very productive fishing in the Channel, particularly for pelagic fish around Channel Island.
Stony Bay to Kennedy's Bay
This is rugged coastline interrupted by quiet, picturesque bays. Big snapper and kingfish are regularly caught here.
A handful of local charter operators work this area and their local knowledge can be invaluable.
Mercury Bay and Islands
Some of The Coromandel's most diverse fishing can be found here
For bigger boats the Red Mercury Islands are the best place to strayline for big snapper. There are big snapper galore and in the summer months the gamefishing fleet heads out in search of albacore, yellowfin and marlin
For the avid diver the "Mercs" also produce some of the best crayfishing on The Coromandel
There are reefs galore which make fishing for terakihi productive, but there are plenty of rocks loitering just under the surface to make sure you get hold of a Marine chart for the area
For the land-based angler Whangapoua through to Opito Bay has some great rock based fishing. The winter months in particular often produce some big snapper from the rocks.
Whitianga and Kuaotunu both have good places to launch a boat from and there is a great variety of charter boats available from Whitianga.
The area around Hahei is a no-go area for fisherman due to its marine reserve. No fish or shellfish can be taken from Hahei
Tairua to Whangamata
Castle Rock holds plenty of trevally and kahawai and the occasional kingfish. The reefs out from it produce terakihi and the odd hapuka. Bonito, squid and shellfish are all good baits to use in these waters.
The offshore Alderman Islands are worth the trip just for the sightseeing but produce big snapper, crayfish and some good reef fishing for golden snapper, terahki and hapuka. Many of the charters boats visit these waters if your own boat is to small to get out there.
Watchman Rock and Slipper Island are closer options that still produce great fishing.
Tairua, Pauanui and Whangamata all have charter fleets and boat ramps. For boaties be careful crossing the Tairua bar if the wind is from the East or there is a big swell running.
For the land-based angler the beaches often hold good fish, particularly during winter and the wharves often turn up some surprises - try live baiting and you can be sure the odd John Dory will turn up.
What's good for your soul?