FROM FISHING-ZERO TO FISHING-HERO: 6 SIMPLE TIPS TO UP YOUR FISHING GAME

Revive Your Fishing Game with 6 Simple Tips & Tricks

We’ve all been there.

A much-anticipated day of fishing that turns into little more than a sea-watching snore. Worse still, we get to hear about the awe-inspiring antics of our mates, who seem to catch everything with a tail.

So, whether you're a fishing-hero or fishing-zero, you've come to the right place!

We sat down with Fishing and Adventures Scott Parry to talk all things fishing –and to get his off-the-hook fishing hacks.

FISHING HACKS

HACK #1 – DON’T GET TOO SET IN YOUR WAYS
Don’t try sitting in the same spot just because it’s worked before or because someone said it was a good spot. Time of year, different species, bait, tides, time of day, the boat, the rig... so many factors, and they all have a part to play. Don’t be afraid to mix it up and use different techniques.

HACK #2 – GET ONBOARD WITH GADGETS
Get a sounder you can use and rely on. Top of the line can be complicated, so pick one you can work with. All you need is one that shows the bottom, the depth, and the fish. Pretty much all of them come with charts so you can track where you are.

HACK #3 – BE WILLING TO PUT IN THE HOURS
10 am to 3 pm is traditionally the hardest time of the day to fish. Get up early and plan to be there ‘til dusk. Get in the zone that the goal for the day is fishing, and the rest sorts itself out.

HACK #4 – USE LURES, SERIOUSLY
When you’re dealing with predatory fish, lures can be great. They pretty much look like a wounded fish, so even if the fish aren’t hungry, their instinct takes over. It’s pretty much their duty to go for the lure.

HACK #5 – DON’T BE AFRAID TO DRIFT
Landmarks can be difficult to identify, and the current and wind can make you drift in an unpredictable way. Use your finder to track your drift so you can reposition and drift that same line to where the fish are biting.

HACK #6 – PUT IN THE PREPARATION
We don’t drink before a day out because it makes getting up that much harder. Get the bait and your gear sorted the night before (bait shops aren’t usually open in the early morning). Get a good night’s sleep, and you’re set up for the day.

SEASONAL SNAPPER GUIDE

LATE SPRING TO LATE SUMMER
Fish are a little closer to home. Waitemata Harbour, Rangitoto, Motuihe and Waiheke are great spots.

AUTUMN TO WINTER
Fish spread further out. Bottom end of Waiheke, around the Whangaparaoa Peninsula and Kawau are great. Or go deeper; water that’s 40-50 metres.

EARLY SPRING
Follow the birds, dolphins and whales and use lures to tap into that predatory instinct.

ALL YEAR ROUND
The Hauraki Gulf is a fishing mecca. It’s the best in the country all year round. Whangaparaoa Peninsula and Kawau are also pretty reliable. Pretty much guaranteed something. Well, nine times out of ten.

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