Thread: Whangamata shore based fishing

Hi folks,

Heading up there for a few days soon. Can anyone tell me if there are any basic fishing opportunities close in to shore up there? Off the wharf, in the tidal harbour or beach? Don't need spot X but a general idea of if it is worth doing would be appreciated.

Thanks

The beach is very shallow generally. There is a wharf that people fish off but it is also close to the channel and passing boats.
You can't cross the northern end of the beach as this is where the channel exits the harbours. However if you are mobile ( car ) there are some good spots for rock fishing up the coast.
The southern end of the beach also has a stream that exits into the sea so can make getting across to the rocks tricky.
There are some good surf casting beach's south between Whangamata and Waihi.

I hooked a Bronze Whaler off the wharf there once. Was night fishing for kingis. Swam around for a while til it realised it was hooked then it headed out towards Clark Island and smoked me.

Aside from that, the way to fish Whangamata without a boat is like this:

Use tiny hook Sabikis to catch Jack Mack's off the wharf.
Rig them up and use them as livies.

Have caught a couple of nice Kingis off the boards there. Just dont drink down there, the cops turn up most nights. They'll leave u alone so long as ur not pissing up on the wharf.

Thanks folks. Sounds like the wharf is the go. Wondered about taking the inflatable kayak too?

Hiawatha, my family (grand parents, aunts, uncles, cousins and even my mum and dad) have lived at Whangamata for over six decades (maybe over seven). If you are into surf casting then go to about a hundred metres short of the estuary at the southern end of the beach (opposite end to the harbour). Wade out waist deep and cast your baited hook out the back of the breakers and then feed out line until you are back on the beach. There are some big snapper that mooch around up there.

If you have a small boat with an outboard then head north up the coast to just short of the Opoutere estuary (so go past Onemana). Same deal.

If you have access to a decent boat head out to the reef (on the chart) or better still out to Mayor Island.

Note that the Whangamata bar is a killer and I would council against crossing it if it is rough. The water hoops out of the harbour.

@Pengy

Many thanks folks

Thanks folks. Caught a few species but nothing big. Tried the berley bomb off the wharf in outgoing tide but zero action. Beach was better.

Cheers,

They are in shallow if you get it all lined up.
Caught this in five feet in the gulf.