Bay of Islands Fishing Report - 18th September 2025

 Hit and miss! This describes our fishing efforts over the last fortnight. We have had the most success with slow jigs out at the 60m mark but one days its’ good and the next nothing to be found. I suspect I might have put my strayline/bait gear away a little early as reports of good catches on baits and live-baits around the Black Rocks have been heard. Workups have been few and far between and often short lived when birds have finally been found. Last Monday we had a cracker morning with Snapper, Terakihi, Gurnard and a large Blue Mackeral being caught on slow jigs. I believe the addition of a small strip of Fishbites on the assist hooks accounts for the Terakihi which in my opinion is the best eating fish to be found.

The big bluefin are still around Waiwiri Rock with Luke Davis from Precision Angling tagging a 200kg model last week. Darren Knapping from Days Out Fishing Charters teamed up with Trent from May Marie charters and snagged a 196kg model last Tuesday. A stubborn fish that took 6 hours to land. I’ve had a crack but unfortunately hooked a blue shark which we cut off at the boat. Saturday looks ok weather wise so we will join the boats out at Waiwiri and have another go.