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The Hauraki Gulf
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The Hauraki Gulf

New Zealand’s nautical playground, once home of the America’s cup the sparkling blue waters of the gulf are renowned sailing, cruising and fishing seaway.

Islands of the Hauraki Gulf
Browns Island
Motuihe
Rangitoto Island
Motutapu
Tiritiri Matangi Island
Motu Kaikoura
Kawau Island
Little Barrier Island
Great Barrier Island
Pakatoa Island
Waiheke Island


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Eagle Magic: Fish Species

Yellowtail Kingfish
Yellowtail kingfish
To 1.7 metres. A large fish of northern waters, which moves south in summer months to about Banks Peninsula, it is also known in Australia. Its colour is variable in shades of grey-green to blue-green with yellow fins, particularly the tail fin, and there is a yellowish brown stripe along the sides. The large head, streamlined form and short low first dorsal fin are readily-observed features. Its food is mostly other fishes, either bottom or surface kinds. Piper or garfish is a surface species commonly taken. This sought-after sportfish is taken with a wide range of techniques including trolling, livebaiting from shore or boat, jigging, and flyfishing. The worlds largest kingfish are found in New Zealand and most world records are held here.

Trevally
Trevally
To sixty centimetres. Largely confined to northern waters south to Cook Strait, this species sometimes reaches Otago in summer months. There is a close relative in Australia. The deep body, separated dorsal fins and row of ridged plates near the tail base are distinctive features of this species, as is the greenish coloration with metallic overtones and the dark spot above the gill plate. It's fins are yellowish. Food seems to be anything locally available, whether from a rocky shore or a muddy bottom offshore to depths around one hundred metres, small fishes predominate. It is often seen in our northern waters shoaling at the surface but seems equally at home on the sea floor or in intermediate depths. Trevally are strong fighters and can be taken with cut baits, on jigs or flies. They have weak mouths and this sometimes results in pulled hooks. Although strong-flavoured trevally are a good table fish however many anglers find them a little dry and prefer to use the flesh as cut baits only.

Tarakihi
Tarakihi
To seventy centimetres. This common food fish is regularly trawled from Bay of Plenty southwards in depths down to one hundred and fifty metres on muddy bottoms, although smaller sizes enter shallow and rocky ground. Its food is mostly shrimps, small crabs, mud worms and other small animals including brittlestars. It is a silvery white fish with sometimes a brassy flush when alive, and there is a prominent dark "saddle" mark behind the head. The mouth is small, somewhat turned down, and the pectoral fin has one long ray extending back beyond the vent. Only the maori name in use here. The term Jackass fish is used in Australia. A popular table species, tarakihi are targeted by boat fishers using small hooks and shellfish, squid and small cut baits. They may be caught over relatively shallow reefs in the north during winter and are also a common catch in more southern waters during the summer.

Snapper
Snapper
To eighty centimetres. The most abundant commercial species in New Zealand, with most taken north of Cook Strait, it does, however, wander south to Banks Penisula in summer months. It frequents any kind of bottom to about two hundred metres. Its food includes a wide variety of animals, notably shellfish fastened to rocks and those living in sand and mud. Sea eggs (kina), crabs and other fishes are also taken in abundance. The steep head profile, large grasping and crushing teeth, and golden-red colour with blue green spots, easily identify this species. Small examples are sometimes called bream and the maori name tamure is still in use along northern coasts. New Zealand's most sought after recreational and table fish. Snapper may be caught on bait or by jigging small lures. Numbers have been reduced by excessive commercial fishing in the northern half of the north-east coast of the north island, although the daily limit bag of nine fish is still attainable. It is hoped that new fisheries management measures will restore stocks of this fast breeding fish.

Red Cod
Red cod
To seventy-five centimetres. Well known to fishermen, particularly about southern coasts both here and in Australia, this species lives on soft ground in depths of 600 metres, although it is probably more abundant in the upper 100 metres of its range. A greyish colour with a pronounced pink tinge is usual and there is a black mark just above and behind the gill plate. Crabs and shrimps as well as a wide variety of other animals of soft sediments are eaten, including small fishes. It is distinguished from it's relatives by a straight tail fin margin. A similar but stouter species with a rounded tail fin occurs on rocky ground. Frequently caught by southern shore-based fishers and in-shore boat-anglers. Is not highly regarded as either a sport or eating fish the quality of the flesh does improve if the whole fish is refrigerated for a day before filleting.

Parore
Parore
To sixty centimetres. A species of inshore waters, either in mud flats or about rocky coasts of the North Island, it is abundant south to East Cape while very occasional stragglers are known from Cook Strait. Its food is seaweed, mostly small soft kinds, and small animals in mud and about rocks. The teeth are chisel-shaped, each with three points, and ideal for grazing off rocks. Its colour is a dark brownish-green with narrow darker vertical bands; colour, teeth, and a small slightly turned down mouth are clear features of this species. In Australia it is called blackfish, luderick or nigger. There are good numbers of these fish in New Zealand waters in weights of up to three kilograms as local anglers seldom target them and there is no commercial fishery for them. Not well regarded as a table fish, but when cleaned immediately after being killed, with the black stomach lining removed, they are quite edible.

Kahawai
Kahawai
To eighty centimetres. Like the yellowtail this is a predominantly northern species wandering south in summer months to Banks Peninsula and beyond. Normally this species moves in shoals of similar-sized individuals, harrying small fishes such as sardines and pilchards, although any small fishes, crabs, shrimps and squids are taken when available. It enters fresh water, at least briefly, and there takes bullies, eels, smelts and inangas. Kopapa is a name sometimes used for coarsely spotted examples up to thirty centimetres. Although still reasonably common, commercial purse-seining has put this species under enormous pressure and they are not as common as they once were. However, they are still one of the most common recreational catches. These fine light-tackle sportfish will take a wide variety of lures and baits, and frequently jump when hooked. A strong flavoured flesh improves if the fish is bled on capture.

John dory
John dory
These distinctive fish are common in northern waters and may be found in estuaries and harbours, from the shoreline down to depths of about 150m. They occasionally reach sizes in excess of half a metre in length. These thin, deep-bodied predatory fish are weak swimmers, and their normal strategy is to stalk their prey head on before shooting out an incredible extending tube of a mouth to suck in an unwary victim. John dory are delicious eating, and although they fight poorly, are a welcome catch to both shore and boat fishermen. They will sometimes take small cut baits, but are most easily targeted by using any small fish as a livebait fished on the bottom. They may also be caught by jigging, with soft plastic lures particularly successful.

Jack mackerel
Jack mackerel
To sixty centimetres. Similar to a trevally in structure, but much more slender and with a row of deep plates following the lateral line, this and a related larger species is abundant south to Banks Peninsula and beyond in summer months. Like the trevally, it is also found in Australia. Colour and habits are similar to trevally, as is its habit of moving about in shoals of similar sized individuals. Food taken includes a host of smaller marine animals including oceanic shrimps, crabs from muddy bottoms, as well as small fishes of various kinds. Other names in use are yellowtail, horse mackerel and hauture. This commonly caught baitfish responds particularly well to sabiki flys and is favoured as a live-bait, cut bait and whole dead bait.

Hapuku
Hapuku
To two metres. A well known food fish, this species is widely distributed about our shores in depths from a few metres down to about 240 metres on any kind of ground. It is subject to heavy fishing pressure and is now more abundant in deeper water. Its colour is variable, usually shades of grey-blue to grey- brown. The food taken is anything of suitable size, mostly other fishes, but including crabs and prawns. Rattails of various species are commonly found in its stomach. The more slender form, pointed head and protruding jaw distinguish this species from its deep-water relative, the bass. Groper is a widely used alternative name. Mostly fished for over deepwater reefs, particularly in the winter months. Hapuku fishing is regarded as more of a food-harvesting exercise than sportfishing. However, hapuku hooked in shallow water, where they cannot be disabled by pressure changes, will give an excellent account of themselves.

Gurnard
Gurnard
To thirty centimetres. This colourful species also occurs in Australia and there is a close relative in Japan. In New Zealand it is widely distributed though probably more abundant north of Banks Peninsula. It occupies a wide depth from just a few metres down to about fifty metres although it seems to have a preference for depths of less than fifty metres. Its colour is brown, with a red flush in small examples to bright red overall in adults. All sizes have a large deep blue-grey pectoral fin with a pale blue margin and a black area with whitish spots near the base. Its food is mostly bottom animals living in sediment; these are searched for by means of the detached lower pectoral rays which are also used for walking. In some areas these are a very popular table fish. They are caught from shore or boats fishing shallow sedimentary bottoms. They will take cut baits and jigs.

Grey mullet
Grey mullet
To 60 centimetres. A species of northern waters ranging south to Cook Strait and adjacent South Island coasts, it is not now so abundant as formerly. It regularly runs up rivers, sometimes for many miles, into purely fresh water, feeding there on fine waterweed and on minute animals in soft mud. It is similar to the yelloweye mullet but is stouter, has a broader and more rounded snout, and a thick fleshy surround which covers all but the pupil of the eye. Its colour is a silvery grey, with a brownish flush on freshwater examples. The Maori name kanae is still in use on northern coasts. Normal methods of capturing this mainly herbivorious fish include gill and drag netting. Popular eating fish when smoked, it is also favoured as a bait species.

Bluenose warehou
Bluenose warehou
These deepwater fish are a member of the warehou family and are found over deepwater reefs and rocks all throughout the country, from depths of 200 to 500m. They move into these areas in mid summer and are available to rod and reel fishermen through the winter. They are fished for with similar tackle and rigs to those used for hapuku and bass, and are usually taken in conjunction with them. These popular table fish may top 40kg in weight, but tend to average around 10-20 kg. Most recreational captures of this species are made in the Bay of Plenty and Cook Strait

Blue mackerel
Blue mackerel
To seventy centimetres. A species of coastal waters of either surface water or to depths of about eighty fathoms on muddy ground, it is a cosomopolitan species of cooler seas and widespread in our waters, but probably more abundant north of Banks Peninsula. Its food is mostly other fishes, but crabs and shrimps are also taken. The colour is a deep blue-green above with darker chevron marks on the back, and spots and crescentic markings on the sides. The streamlined form, fleshy eyelid, widely separated dorsal fins and colour pattern distinguish this species. Other names in use include slimey mackerel, english mackerel, and sometimes frigate mackerel. These strong-fighting fish are sometimes encountered in large schools on the surface or in midwater. They will take cut baits or small lures. Favoured as a baitfish rather than a table fish.

 


 

 
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