Reef fishing

The tarakihi and snapper tend to school around the edges of foul, and cross over’s between sand and mud. We have a range of different options at all of the areas we fish, and if we aren’t catching fish, we will keep moving until we find fish which are interested in feeding. Be assured that we make it our personal mission to put our clients onto the fish.

Reef fishing for tarakihi and snapper can vary dramatically in the technique and finesse required to catch them. Often they will be feeding so hard, it is almost impossible not to catch them! On other days however, when they are feeding more tentatively more finesse is required, and this is where the smaller hooks and baits come into their own. We generally recommend 3/0 hooks for all bottom fishing, as they are big enough to handle a good amount of pressure if a hapuka or kingfish eat the bait, but are small enough to fit in the tarakihi’s mouths. We recommend ledger rigs for bottom fishing as we will generally be fishing in anything between 30m – 90m depending on where the feeding fish are located. 10oz sinkers are a minimum with 12oz sinkers being more commonly used.
On the way back to Tauranga, you can fillet your fish, or have the deckhands assist, as they are more than happy to show you the ropes. Tarakihi and snapper are fantastic eating fish, so make sure you bring some ice and a chilly bin in the warmer weather to keep the flesh in the best possible condition.

If you are looking for a fun day fishing on the water out of Tauranga, contact us today, and we will be happy to help you arrange a reef fishing trip to suit your needs.
Enjoy reef fishing for tarakihi, snapper, John Dory, trevally, kingfish, kahawai, gurnard, pink mao mao, red snapper, porae. Reef fishing is a great way to dinner while having some fun.