Thread: Northland - Karikari Peninsula

Hi team,

Me and a couple of lads are heading up to Whatuwhiwhi for 6 days next week. Never fished this area before.

Any fishos on here that may have some intel? Likely areas, rigs, techniques?

Weather permitting we will hit the coast otherwise the Rangaunu harbour.

Target species are kingfish, snapper and trevally. 3 of us fishing out of a 4.6m kingfisher cat tiller styles so cant go too wide at all!

Thanks in advance to all you helpful buggers ad buggeresses!

I don't have any specific knowledge of Whatuwhiwhi . I've fished it once on a kayak I think. All the standard North Island tactics will work, you won't struggle to catch fish. Rangaunu Harbour is loaded with fish. You can easily catch big snapper surfcasting. The only downside is the sea grass which clumps up on your line and is a general pain in the arse when surfcasting. Boat fishing is better for this reason. I have done well at the harbour entrance with softbaits. Current inside the harbour is very strong, so it's better suited to anchoring, bait and burley. Lots of sharks, with no exaggeration, some may be bigger than your boat. It's not a spot for diving.

Awesome, thanks MB. Looking forward to it, may even crack my 20lb snapper with some luck!

Rangaunu Harbour sounds like a good spot - The name in Māori means "To pull out a shoal of fish"

That's got to be good aye!

good beach launching on waikato bay, nice hard sand, shot a few decent snaps up the top of the penisula in those broken islands, was a rahui up there on the eastern side last time we were up there, mint spot for the 20lb challenge

A big shark on topwater gear sound like you gibo

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Last trip to Rangaunu Harbour. First cast at first light. Snapper taken on microjig/ultralite rod from a sandy beach in 50cm water. Stoked!




Mrs MB having fun with one of the many local rays.

Gibo that is the east coast of far north. Anywhere there is water under your boat will be spot X. Have fun.

Originally Posted by kukuwai

A big shark on topwater gear sound like you gibo

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Pass!

Recommend you pay particular attention to the trevs have a dedicated rig with 40lb or lighter fluorocarbon trace with small hook to attach fresh cube
of kahawai. Create cube trail of fresh kahawai and then drift your baited rig down cube trail, no sinker or very light sinker depending on current.


The real big fellas are cunning as all heck. Anything less than 4 kg's is ordinary. Pull like freight trains.

Originally Posted by trapperjohn

Recommend you pay particular attention to the trevs have a dedicated rig with 40lb or lighter fluorocarbon trace with small hook to attach fresh cube
of kahawai. Create cube trail of fresh kahawai and then drift your baited rig down cube trail, no sinker or very light sinker depending on current.


The real big fellas are cunning as all heck. Anything less than 4 kg's is ordinary. Pull like freight trains.

Wicked, thanks mate!

Originally Posted by Gibo

Hi team,

Me and a couple of lads are heading up to Whatuwhiwhi for 6 days next week. Never fished this area before.

Any fishos on here that may have some intel? Likely areas, rigs, techniques?

Weather permitting we will hit the coast otherwise the Rangaunu harbour.

Target species are kingfish, snapper and trevally. 3 of us fishing out of a 4.6m kingfisher cat tiller styles so cant go too wide at all!

Thanks in advance to all you helpful buggers ad buggeresses!

@RugerM77 may have some advice for the area.

Been watching the thread, but have never fished up there, so can't really comment. I'm a few k's south, inside the cavalli's. The advice above looks pretty good though. In my area, similar to Doubtless Bay, I use soft baits in 40 metres on sand and drift. That's for snapper. Don't look for fish on sounder, just get your depth right. Must use a drift or sea anchor otherwise pretty much wasting your time. In that depth 3/4 to full ounce jig heads. Expect good trevs up there. I'd use my soft bait gear with small soft baits on them. The other advice above is good too. Kingi's, jig or bait, but you'll need good specific gear. Find a chart, look for good bommes or foul coming out of 30 to 40 metres of water. The harbour, I hear fish's very well. No idea about conditions though. Be aware that big rays and bronzies abound.

Thanks mate