WhakatƗne, New ZealandT
his truly is a prehistoric
location, shaped by a
dynamic volcanic history
where the Indian Ocean
collides with the South
Pacific and Antarctic, to create rich
and fertile waters. The MƗori travelled
to Aotearoa/New Zealand long
before white man arrived; creating a
civilisation that thrived primarily on its
natural habitat’s ability to provide and
give life to its people.
WhakatƗne is a town of 35,000 people
in the eastern Bay of Plenty region,
in the North Island of New Zealand.
It is known for its great climate, long
stretches of coastline and boating
lifestyle. I must admit, I felt a bit like
Frodo Baggins on a great adventure
in middle earth as we completed the
four-hour drive from Auckland airport.
WhakatƗne is a beautiful township
where the namesake river meets the
ocean at the precipice of a coastal
headland, to the often treacherous and
narrow river mouth entry.Thankfully, it
was friendly like everything else in NZ,
for our visit.“New Zealand is famous for its
year-round snapper and kingfish
populations ... found in the rugged,
volcanic undersea landscape”
Surtees boats evolved in this land
before time. They recently invited me
to attend their 13th Annual Fishing
Competition in the beautiful coastal
township of WhakatƗne.
We had a wonderful weekend, with
the locals greeting us with open arms.
They attracted over 60 Surtees boats
and 200 contestants, displaying the
love for this highly successful brand.
It took a bit to get my bearings as
there aren’t many comparable Aussie
temperate destinations where the coast
runs almost east/west. Immediately
to sea is the impressive MoutohorƗ
(Whale Island), and to the east, the
scattered reef and rocky outcrops of
Rurima Island (commonly “the Ruhrs”),
while nearly 50 km to the north, the
active volcano and popular tourist
destination of Whakaari, or White
Island. Next stop eastward is South
America.LIVING UP TO ITS NAME
The seabed drops quite slowly in the
Bay of Plenty with most of the coastal
fishery producing popular targets
including kahawai (Australian Salmon),
tarahiki, hapuka, trevally, gurnard,
trumpeter, bluenose, gemfish, bass,
mako sharks (pronounced “marko” in
NZ) and of course the famous snapper
and yellowtail kingfish. New Zealand
is famous for its year-round snapper
and kingfish populations that can be
found either grazing over the expanses
of its sandy bottom, or in the rugged
volcanic undersea landscape. One of
the best indicators, is to locate a “boil
up” of baitfish, mostly kawahai chasing
pilchards or white bait, and drop a
bait or lure beneath them where the
larger predators will be gorging on their
prey, or simply foraging on the scraps.
Don’t be surprised to find a “Big Red”
snapper latched onto a large live bait
intended for a kingie, and these boil
ups are prime targets for lure and jig
fishing techniques.
The first drop to 1000 metres,
marking the edge of the continental
shelf, lays further afield north of White
Island. However, there’s plenty of game
species and deep dropping options
inside the ledge; including yellowfin,
skipjack (striped) and albacore tuna,
along with sharks and marlin, all
congregating to feed on huge shoals
of baitfish from December to late
April. WhakatƗne is considered New
Zealand’s yellowfin tuna hotspot andCLOCKWISE FROM LEFT Barefoot beach walking on the sand of Otarawairere; nothing
short of magnificant diving opportunities; Whakatane from Kohi Point Scenic Reserve.
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