Thread: Abel Tasman fishing

G'day team, can anyone give me some pointers on fishing the Abel Tasman area from a boat? My boat is not real big and I would be by myself so it would have to be a glass day for me to go out wide. Last year I trolled quite a bit around the mussel farms in the hopes of a kingy but all I caught was bloody sharks, and a kahawai that was only twice the size of the lure. Pretty keen on snaps, gurnard, and kingys. Managed to pull up a few small snaps by getting in close to the rocks near torrent bay but all undersize. Was flying blind really as don't know the area very well. I got onto some schools using the fish finder but each time they turned out to be kahawai. Any tips or pointers would be greatly appreciated. Will be based out of torrent bay from 5-9 December. Cheers

Find current and burly for snaps and gurnard and also sharks unfortunatly.
Kings like nice clear blue water so that is largely weather dependant.

Around xmas snaps spawn which can make them difficult to find/catch but every year is different.

Sometimes they can pretty much only be caught on a longline for whatever reason.

Closer to the time I should have some intel....I know an old bloke who nets and longlines out of kaiterryterry

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Thanks VC, I'm wondering if it's worth setting up a longline? I have a couple hundred metres of 200lb (?) mono so I could make up some leaders easy enough and couple of bouys and anchors should do the trick. What's the ideal time to leave one out? Would be horrified if I came back to a whole heap of young snaps dead on the line.

I try not to leave it anymore than two hours 3 at the most tho that is mainly so sharks have less time to tangle it .

I can't remember the last time I caught an undersized snapper...just dont seem to get them but I run big hooks.

You're welcome to borrow one of mine (longline) you will just need two good visible floats with your name on them.

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I was just about to offer ya my long line but VC beat me too it. There is a wreck out off the Abel Tasman about 9 miles to the east. I will PM ya the mark for it. But you really need a sounder to find it. Usually good stuff on it