Last Wednesday and Thursday saw local boats out 60m west at the ‘Trench’ successfully catch four marlin. Boats Paraphernalia, Flying Dutchman and Attitude (2) were the successful vessels.
It was January 1989 that angler Malcolm Cowie out of Manu Bay, in a small open tinnie, caught a marlin that really got the Raglan Billfish Game fishing seasons going.
Raglan Sports Fishing Club has recorded a number of great catches, fishes tagged and released since then.
It is darkest Africa off our coast each season, we are still learning what is out there, like the last few season with good recorded catches of mahimahi. All species of tuna of good size are caught too.
Raglan has no depth off the coast where these fish are caught – we are not in the Waihau Bay league where there is a huge drop off close in shore. Many of our fish are taking lures in just 40 metres of water.
The Hubert Billfish Tournament has been running for several seasons now. Supporting sponsors are the Raglan Sports Fishing Club and Top Catch Tackle and Bait Shop in Hamilton.
It was upon the death of their father that Barbara and Graham Hubert’s family decided to provide a Fishing Club trophy and money to promote sport fishing out of Raglan.
The Hubert competition runs for each years fishing season. It has been very successful – getting more game boats out on the water each year. This year the prize is $3000 cash, plus fishing tackle to the value of $1000 from Top Catch.
The Tournament is run under IGFA rules and further details are available from the Raglan Sports Fishing Club.
CURRENT LOCAL AREA FISHING REPORT:
Snapper, kahawai and gurnard are still being caught in good numbers along our coastline at the 40m mark. Not a lot of size in the snapper, all 2/3kgs. Certainly there is plenty of good size kahawai. Water temperatures are 20 degrees. Tuna, now at 60m plus, and they along with the billfish will be working closer to our shores over the next few weeks. Crayfish abound along the shores at the back of the mountain and out on Jacksons and Aotea reefs. Flounder are still up the harbour, try some of the secluded Bays like Kirks Bay at the entrance of the Narrows. Kayaker’s have reported seeing big kingies (they think) chasing fish just in the last two hours of daylight in the bays opposite the town. I am not surprised to hear this as we had one last week down in Lorenzen Bay.
Remember Sunday the 29th January is the Manu Bay fishing day and in February the 19th to the 26th is the Rollo’s Mixed Classic – both run by the Raglan Sports Fishing Club.
Again play it safe and get out on that water.
The Raglan Wharf Seagull.
Make sure to also check out the Manu Bay fishing tournament held Sunday 29 January in Raglan see Raglan Sports Fishing Club for more details.
