FISHING IN WAIHAU BAY

Waihau Bay is renowned as one of the best fishing destinations in the country, due to the close proximity to the continental shelf.

There is great bottom fishing and strayline fishing for Snapper, terakihi, kawahai, hapuka, gurnard and keen fisherman from all over the world come for the excitement of fishing for the  yellowtail kingfish -plentiful around Cape Runaway and Lottin Point. A kingfish can  weigh in excess of 50 kgs, and take off like an express train, a fun fight ttaking a bit of time to land. These fish tend to school up at Cape Runaway and jigging is very popular here. 

Both Shimano Japan, and Daiwa Korea have come to Oceanside, Waihau Bay, to do filming of the fishing shows  they run, watched by thousands of viewers.

If you like surfcasting, the beach and rocks directly opposite the apartments are just a few steps away and snapper and kahawai can be caught straight off the beach.

From December to April, as water temperatures rise, the game fish also arrive right in Waihau Bay.  The first to arrive in December are the yellowfin tuna, along with schools of dolphins, albacore and skipjack tuna. Huge workups can be viewed, with hundreds of dolphins, plus several species of tuna, making the ocean boil with fish, and the fabulous gannets diving like bombers into the fray, this is a truely spectacular sight and seldom seen by most people.  Shortly after the mighty marlin arrive along with mahimahi, striped marlin from late December and early January, big blue marlin and occasionally black marlin -usually in February. 

The Waihau Bay Fishing Club is Host to several game and fishing tournaments. The club provides weigh-in facilities and a wide three lane concrete boat ramp.  During peak season the new fishing club premises provide a welcome to the keen fisherman for drinks, a meal, great company plus a few fishy stories from the day on the sea.

Waihau Bay, Cape Runaway, Ranfurly Banks and Oceanside Apartments have all featured in three episodes of the ITM fishing show. Matt Watson, tagged and released striped marlin, kingfish, snapper and grouper.  For more information visit the ITM Fishing show website on www.thefishingshow.co.nz