Thread: Kaipara gurnard-any tips?

Originally Posted by Allgood

Been fishing on the Kaipara since I was 7 yrs old.......but for the last 20+years have been fishing over the bar..( Working on a charter boat)
From memory, launch at Shelley beach, head down the Harbour and look for the concrete marker opposite Alan Gibbs property about 6k down the channel towards the heads.. . If you go at low tide, you should be able to see the channels/guts running out from the east. That used to be the 'go to' place for both gurnard and snapper.

If launching at the Hoteo, head down the channel keeping to the left of the channel markers until you reach the island. The channel then turns northward and curves gradually to the west. Anywhere between the island and the 2 headlands as you travel west from the island can be good, esp for snapper at this time of the year. Pays to navigate the Hoteo on a low tide for the first trip so you can see the banks and take it slow.
Go to the Mangakura boat club facebook page and join up, they are a good bunch and will give you advice.
Be careful of the ramp though, at low tide there is a 6 foot drop off. Easterly winds are preferable if using the Hoteo as on a westerly it can get choppy when the wind opposes the tide.

Dont anchor in the middle of the channel though as it causes problems for the charter boat cos in places it is only 5-10 metres wide between the ramp and the island.

I have a small depth sounder in my shed somewhere that I dont use........its yours if you want it and I can find it and it still works....You can run it off a 12v burglar alarm battery from memory.

How big is your Tinny?

its only a 3.9m @Allgood perfect for the harbor though those little boats