Fishing the West Side of Coromandel Peninsula
Real insider knowledge about fishing Coromandel waters
Words and Photos: Rob Fort
Words and Photos: Rob Fort
Coromandel Peninsula is regarded as one of New Zealand’s premier locations when it comes to holiday destinations; the region boasts stunning landscapes and plenty of tourist attractions. However these are not the only assets the Peninsula has to offer; Coromandel also has a prime coastal environment that is perfect for most water sports activities.
The area is well known for places like Cathedral Cove, Hahei and Hot Water Beach because they are so widely publicized, but there are also a number of offshore islands that offer great opportunities for fishing and diving activities in Pacific Ocean waters. This is not the only part of the Coromandel to provide good opportunities for marine activities of course; some of the Peninsula’s best places are actually a short drive away on the other, western, side.
Here we find nutrient-rich waters that are nourished by the constant outflow from the Firth of Thames and the Hauraki Gulf; it’s so good that vast areas have been developed for the aquaculture industry – particularly green lip mussels. And not only have these mussel farms provided jobs for local residents, they also create eco systems that allow marine life to exist and flourish. They’re anchored at various locations including along the fringes of islands offshore, much like the east coast. In addition the coastal areas directly surrounding Coromandel Township are dotted with many islands that attract fish in large numbers.
The area is well known for places like Cathedral Cove, Hahei and Hot Water Beach because they are so widely publicized, but there are also a number of offshore islands that offer great opportunities for fishing and diving activities in Pacific Ocean waters. This is not the only part of the Coromandel to provide good opportunities for marine activities of course; some of the Peninsula’s best places are actually a short drive away on the other, western, side.
Here we find nutrient-rich waters that are nourished by the constant outflow from the Firth of Thames and the Hauraki Gulf; it’s so good that vast areas have been developed for the aquaculture industry – particularly green lip mussels. And not only have these mussel farms provided jobs for local residents, they also create eco systems that allow marine life to exist and flourish. They’re anchored at various locations including along the fringes of islands offshore, much like the east coast. In addition the coastal areas directly surrounding Coromandel Township are dotted with many islands that attract fish in large numbers.
Species on offer
There are a wide variety of fish species available along the western coast line, which leaves your options wide open. The area is famous for snapper with some individuals choosing to reside there all year round – however the majority migrate from other places annually, attracted by the inshore waters which provide abundant food and ideal terrain for breeding.
Snapper can be found pretty much everywhere, although some places will hold them only at certain times of the year. They can be caught using most fishing methods, although sometimes this can depend on the area, and the food available. They start to come in from September onwards, right through to late December.
The best time for snapper, and most other fish, is February through to May, with March the most productive – at the peak of the season it can be possible to catch a snapper with each natural bait, softbait or inchiku lure you drop in front of them. Kingfish are another prime species that patrols the area in search of prey and can be found right up in the shallows, as well as out deeper on the reef edges. Headlands with current are also good places to sit ... with a live bait under a balloon, while pumping out a berley trail. This has proven to be one of the most effective ways to catch them in the western Coromandel area – but be prepared to sit for a few hours until one swims by!
Kahawai can be found in most places from the northernmost outer islands of the Happy Jacks to Wilson Bay area. Gurnard can be on offer, depending on the time of the year, with August to December best. They can be in water as shallow as ten metres – and that goes for the John Dory, too, while solo trevally patrol waters as little as two metres deep, and can form small schools within the mussel farms.
The bait fish like jack mackerel, koheru, piper, yellow-eyed mullet and kahawai all supply the predatory species, and this sometimes attracts not-so-regular visitors like skipjack tuna. Then there’s the odd marlin that can be seen, in water as shallow as six metres; and sharks like bronze whaler and mako are regular visitors during warmer months. They usually appear when water temperatures reach 18°C and should always be treated with caution. Generally sharks are not a problem though, due to the numbers of fish available – although they can take any fish caught while it’s on the line!
Getting access - Places to launch your vessel
Good boat launching facilities can be found along the coast from Coromandel Harbour right up to Amodeo Bay – although some are not ideal at low tide – and this should allow you to utilize a ramp as close as possible to your intended fishing area. If you’re in a smaller craft like a kayak, jet ski or inflatable then there are a number of beaches with vehicle access also.
Coromandel Harbour offers the closest launching options when you’re looking to travel south down to areas like Wilsons Bay, as well as to the islands directly out to the west. The main facility is Sugarloaf which has all-tide access (although care should be taken when the water is very low). Parking can also be a problem during busy times like Christmas holidays and long weekends, so be prepared to walk some distance back to the ramp. And be prepared for queues at the ramp; it’s also used by the commercial mussel farmers. Just along the road from the Sugarloaf ramp is Te Kouma Beach, just before Hannaford’s Wharf; this offers access to the water but is best used by four wheel drive vehicles and tractors. It’s quite tidal here with very shallow water when the tide is low – much the same as Wyuna Bay, another beach launching area located directly across the harbour on the north-western side. This beach has deep mud when the tide is out so is best used only during two hours either side of high.
The location offers plenty of options for getting to the various offshore islands just west of here and accessed through the shallow passage between the mainland and Wanganui Island.
Then there is access at Long Bay, which is not great at low tide either with the water two or three hundred metres or more away from the ramp. It can be busy here, too, during peak times due to the motor camp situated right next door. Back towards Coromandel Town is Jack Point boat ramp facility that has plenty of parking available, however it again is only good two hours either side of high tide. Heading north twenty minutes up the road is Papa Aroha with launching available alongside the holiday park, using the creek. Again, this is only suitable two hours either side of full tide; the other option is a ramp situated within the holiday park itself. For a small fee you can use this ramp and communal tractor to launch and retrieve, but be prepared for lengthy waits as the campground gets busy during peak holiday periods. The area offers close access to Rabbit Island, directly offshore, as well as Goat to the south-west and the Motukawao Group to the north-west.
Amodeo Bay, another ten minutes north of Papa Aroha, is the last ramp along the coast. The facility offers all-tide access and is more directly adjacent to the Motukawao group of islands that include the Happy Jacks. In terms of fees, most ramps are council-funded so it’s best to check these before using them; most have signs or council officers present.
Locations
The western area of coastline offers a variety of environments within its offshore islands and inshore reefs, plus other more recent features, like mussel farms. The combination attracts many types of wildlife and not only does these sites offer good fishing but also excellent opportunities to have ‘encounters’: on top of the fish species previously mentioned it’s not uncommon to find dolphins here, and the area even gets the occasional visit from whales, including orca. There’s a healthy bird population here, with areas close by attracting them for the summer season to mate and raise offspring. Most rely on the marine local life for food, so it’s not uncommon to find workups.
Wilsons Bay is a regular spot for a workup, with kahawai feeding on massive schools to be found at times all the way up the coast north to Deadmans Point. Here we find many small pinnacles and rocks breaking the surface, and creating small islands in the process.
This place offers big kingfish at times and snapper too, including double-figure specimens. The mussel farms close by towards Mania are also great places to find snapper, along with the odd trevally. To the north, on the other side of Mania Harbour, are a couple of shallow reefs that hold snapper; these are situated to the west of Wekarua Island, which also has a patch of shallow reef from its eastern edge. The area between here and the shore of the mainland is a great place to sit on anchor with a live bait during an outgoing tide. Big kingfish patrol the area though, so be prepared – and the mussel farms on the southern end of the island produce good snapper at times, as do the farms directly north.
From here we have the Te Kouma Harbour, another great place to find snapper, kingfish and trevally, in waters as shallow as two metres. The entrance is a good spot to sit with live bait while pumping a berley down the current. The channel between here and Rangipukea Island produces plenty of reasonable snapper, with a drift the best option. The island itself also offers many places to find fish with reefs along the southern end and north-western tip.
North of here is Calf and Cow Island, another great place to find most of the species the area has to offer; a drift between the islands casting softbaits can be productive, as is the drop-off and deep water as you travel west. This is something of a highway for migrating fish, so at the right time can offer outstanding snapper fishing.
Back in towards the mainland is Coromandel Harbour with Wanganui Island forming part of the north-western coastline. This island holds fish along its shore within the harbour, with snapper more common at the outer western area, including the mussel farm. The south-western tip is another kingfish area with the entire western coastline producing snapper. Out from here we find Tawhiti Rock, a small shallow reef rising up from twenty metres, which holds fish throughout much of its immediate area.
Workups are common around these waters with kahawai the usual culprits and snapper not far behind.
The waters heading north from here are fringed by many islands with Motaupere just north of Wanganui. The waters between them that are along the northern areas provide more productive fishing with workups and large schools of kahawai. Snapper follow closely and can be caught right against the islands, in very shallow water. The area to the north also holds good numbers of fish; the Waimate Channel has deep water and fast currents, but the effort can be worth it. Some nice John Dory can be caught using live baits along the northern edge of Waimate Island and around to where it meets Motukopaka Island.
Here we find more mussel farms, and more good snapper at times. The inside farm along the eastern side of the island holds kingfish that will torment most anglers who dare to play. They can be very line-shy and hard to catch – to say nothing of the difficulty in landing one in the mussel farm! The next island, a kilometre north of Motukopaka is Motuoruhi and offers plenty of good fishing terrain around most of its shores. The western edge is particularly good when the tide’s running, with the area out to Shag Rock offering good snapper fishing.
Dropping jigs and live baits around Shag Rock as well as the outer western edge is well worth it for the chance of a kingfish holding there. The area east from Shag and Motuoruhi Islands (known as Hautapu Rocks) is often worth a cast or two, especially using softbaits and soft plastics. Kahawai, kingfish and snapper all patrol the area, along with the odd John Dory.
Wanganui, Motaupere, Waimate, Motukopaka and Motuoruhi Islands all form a barrier that protects the waters north and east of them, with the Hautapu Channel at the northern end providing a highway for fish travelling into the area; they all take up temporary residence within the mussel farms that are mainly found at the northern part. North of the Hautapu Channel and two kilometres out from Papa Aroha is Motorua Island; the mussel farm along the eastern side sits in deeper water and is a popular place to target snapper.
The Ngamotukaraka Islands along the eastern side also offer prime snapper opportunities plus the kingfish that patrol between them. Snapper continue to be present at the northern part of the islands, and from here we find Motutekupu Island, coloured white by the gannets that roost on it; the area surrounding this is well-known for its snapper and kingfish. Gannets can also be found on Motukaramarama Island in much larger numbers – with a colony in residence during the warmer summer months. Fishing can be good all around the island, including the nearby Motuwi Island, and others located at its eastern end.
All of these offer current lines and reef systems, as well as weed edges, that offer food and shelter for fish life. They can be super-productive fishing grounds with most main species on offer quite close to the coastline, which makes them a popular rock-hoppers playground. North from here are open waters right up to Amodeo Bay where snapper run in over the sandy terrain and along the coast.
Lastly: to the east are Motuwhakakewa, Motukahaua and Motoumakareta Islands, more commonly known as the Happy Jacks. These offer a variety of terrain to explore and fish, with deep water close by, while a small distance north east is Black Rocks – yet another area that attracts fish to its base.
Moving back in to the mainland from Waitete Bay up past Colville, Otatutu Bay and the remaining part of the peninsula up to the north western tip are more prime fishing locations. There are drop-offs to deep water, with areas like Granite Wharf offering this relatively close to shore. There are more often than not a number of work-ups happening around this coastline, with dolphins and birds indicating where there’s some good fishing to be had.
Local information
If you’re planning a trip to this part of the Coromandel Peninsula then there are a few things to consider. Coromandel Town and the surrounding areas offer plenty of accommodation for all levels of budget. There are many charter operators to take you out and catch fish if you don’t have your own boat, including a couple of island-hopper vessels, one at Anglers Lodge Amodeo Bay and the other Papa Aroha Holiday Park; both can take you out and drop you off on an island for land-based activities.
The town itself has most supplies available but some things like fuel can be more expensive. There’s also good supply of fishing tackle, at prices that are competitive with other areas and even the big chain-stores.
Places like Salty Towers and Coromandel Kayak Adventures, who are on the main highway two kilometres south of the town, offer total bait, berley, softbait, lure and fishing tackle supplies that are suitable for local species and conditions. You can also hire fishing kayaks, and have your catch filleted or smoked, but – most importantly – receive free advice on local conditions, plus what’s happening with the fishing ... both businesses want to ensure visitors have a good time and enjoy successful fishing while they’re there.
On top of watersport activities there are many other attractions around about that will entertain the rest of the family.
Some of Coromandel’s best-kept secrets lie within its western side, in particular the coastal environment, with so many offshore islands to explore and fish of epic proportions to pursue. The area continues to provide some of the finest fishing this country has to offer.
There are a wide variety of fish species available along the western coast line, which leaves your options wide open. The area is famous for snapper with some individuals choosing to reside there all year round – however the majority migrate from other places annually, attracted by the inshore waters which provide abundant food and ideal terrain for breeding.
Snapper can be found pretty much everywhere, although some places will hold them only at certain times of the year. They can be caught using most fishing methods, although sometimes this can depend on the area, and the food available. They start to come in from September onwards, right through to late December.
The best time for snapper, and most other fish, is February through to May, with March the most productive – at the peak of the season it can be possible to catch a snapper with each natural bait, softbait or inchiku lure you drop in front of them. Kingfish are another prime species that patrols the area in search of prey and can be found right up in the shallows, as well as out deeper on the reef edges. Headlands with current are also good places to sit ... with a live bait under a balloon, while pumping out a berley trail. This has proven to be one of the most effective ways to catch them in the western Coromandel area – but be prepared to sit for a few hours until one swims by!
Kahawai can be found in most places from the northernmost outer islands of the Happy Jacks to Wilson Bay area. Gurnard can be on offer, depending on the time of the year, with August to December best. They can be in water as shallow as ten metres – and that goes for the John Dory, too, while solo trevally patrol waters as little as two metres deep, and can form small schools within the mussel farms.
The bait fish like jack mackerel, koheru, piper, yellow-eyed mullet and kahawai all supply the predatory species, and this sometimes attracts not-so-regular visitors like skipjack tuna. Then there’s the odd marlin that can be seen, in water as shallow as six metres; and sharks like bronze whaler and mako are regular visitors during warmer months. They usually appear when water temperatures reach 18°C and should always be treated with caution. Generally sharks are not a problem though, due to the numbers of fish available – although they can take any fish caught while it’s on the line!
Getting access - Places to launch your vessel
Good boat launching facilities can be found along the coast from Coromandel Harbour right up to Amodeo Bay – although some are not ideal at low tide – and this should allow you to utilize a ramp as close as possible to your intended fishing area. If you’re in a smaller craft like a kayak, jet ski or inflatable then there are a number of beaches with vehicle access also.
Coromandel Harbour offers the closest launching options when you’re looking to travel south down to areas like Wilsons Bay, as well as to the islands directly out to the west. The main facility is Sugarloaf which has all-tide access (although care should be taken when the water is very low). Parking can also be a problem during busy times like Christmas holidays and long weekends, so be prepared to walk some distance back to the ramp. And be prepared for queues at the ramp; it’s also used by the commercial mussel farmers. Just along the road from the Sugarloaf ramp is Te Kouma Beach, just before Hannaford’s Wharf; this offers access to the water but is best used by four wheel drive vehicles and tractors. It’s quite tidal here with very shallow water when the tide is low – much the same as Wyuna Bay, another beach launching area located directly across the harbour on the north-western side. This beach has deep mud when the tide is out so is best used only during two hours either side of high.
The location offers plenty of options for getting to the various offshore islands just west of here and accessed through the shallow passage between the mainland and Wanganui Island.
Then there is access at Long Bay, which is not great at low tide either with the water two or three hundred metres or more away from the ramp. It can be busy here, too, during peak times due to the motor camp situated right next door. Back towards Coromandel Town is Jack Point boat ramp facility that has plenty of parking available, however it again is only good two hours either side of high tide. Heading north twenty minutes up the road is Papa Aroha with launching available alongside the holiday park, using the creek. Again, this is only suitable two hours either side of full tide; the other option is a ramp situated within the holiday park itself. For a small fee you can use this ramp and communal tractor to launch and retrieve, but be prepared for lengthy waits as the campground gets busy during peak holiday periods. The area offers close access to Rabbit Island, directly offshore, as well as Goat to the south-west and the Motukawao Group to the north-west.
Amodeo Bay, another ten minutes north of Papa Aroha, is the last ramp along the coast. The facility offers all-tide access and is more directly adjacent to the Motukawao group of islands that include the Happy Jacks. In terms of fees, most ramps are council-funded so it’s best to check these before using them; most have signs or council officers present.
Locations
The western area of coastline offers a variety of environments within its offshore islands and inshore reefs, plus other more recent features, like mussel farms. The combination attracts many types of wildlife and not only does these sites offer good fishing but also excellent opportunities to have ‘encounters’: on top of the fish species previously mentioned it’s not uncommon to find dolphins here, and the area even gets the occasional visit from whales, including orca. There’s a healthy bird population here, with areas close by attracting them for the summer season to mate and raise offspring. Most rely on the marine local life for food, so it’s not uncommon to find workups.
Wilsons Bay is a regular spot for a workup, with kahawai feeding on massive schools to be found at times all the way up the coast north to Deadmans Point. Here we find many small pinnacles and rocks breaking the surface, and creating small islands in the process.
This place offers big kingfish at times and snapper too, including double-figure specimens. The mussel farms close by towards Mania are also great places to find snapper, along with the odd trevally. To the north, on the other side of Mania Harbour, are a couple of shallow reefs that hold snapper; these are situated to the west of Wekarua Island, which also has a patch of shallow reef from its eastern edge. The area between here and the shore of the mainland is a great place to sit on anchor with a live bait during an outgoing tide. Big kingfish patrol the area though, so be prepared – and the mussel farms on the southern end of the island produce good snapper at times, as do the farms directly north.
From here we have the Te Kouma Harbour, another great place to find snapper, kingfish and trevally, in waters as shallow as two metres. The entrance is a good spot to sit with live bait while pumping a berley down the current. The channel between here and Rangipukea Island produces plenty of reasonable snapper, with a drift the best option. The island itself also offers many places to find fish with reefs along the southern end and north-western tip.
North of here is Calf and Cow Island, another great place to find most of the species the area has to offer; a drift between the islands casting softbaits can be productive, as is the drop-off and deep water as you travel west. This is something of a highway for migrating fish, so at the right time can offer outstanding snapper fishing.
Back in towards the mainland is Coromandel Harbour with Wanganui Island forming part of the north-western coastline. This island holds fish along its shore within the harbour, with snapper more common at the outer western area, including the mussel farm. The south-western tip is another kingfish area with the entire western coastline producing snapper. Out from here we find Tawhiti Rock, a small shallow reef rising up from twenty metres, which holds fish throughout much of its immediate area.
Workups are common around these waters with kahawai the usual culprits and snapper not far behind.
The waters heading north from here are fringed by many islands with Motaupere just north of Wanganui. The waters between them that are along the northern areas provide more productive fishing with workups and large schools of kahawai. Snapper follow closely and can be caught right against the islands, in very shallow water. The area to the north also holds good numbers of fish; the Waimate Channel has deep water and fast currents, but the effort can be worth it. Some nice John Dory can be caught using live baits along the northern edge of Waimate Island and around to where it meets Motukopaka Island.
Here we find more mussel farms, and more good snapper at times. The inside farm along the eastern side of the island holds kingfish that will torment most anglers who dare to play. They can be very line-shy and hard to catch – to say nothing of the difficulty in landing one in the mussel farm! The next island, a kilometre north of Motukopaka is Motuoruhi and offers plenty of good fishing terrain around most of its shores. The western edge is particularly good when the tide’s running, with the area out to Shag Rock offering good snapper fishing.
Dropping jigs and live baits around Shag Rock as well as the outer western edge is well worth it for the chance of a kingfish holding there. The area east from Shag and Motuoruhi Islands (known as Hautapu Rocks) is often worth a cast or two, especially using softbaits and soft plastics. Kahawai, kingfish and snapper all patrol the area, along with the odd John Dory.
Wanganui, Motaupere, Waimate, Motukopaka and Motuoruhi Islands all form a barrier that protects the waters north and east of them, with the Hautapu Channel at the northern end providing a highway for fish travelling into the area; they all take up temporary residence within the mussel farms that are mainly found at the northern part. North of the Hautapu Channel and two kilometres out from Papa Aroha is Motorua Island; the mussel farm along the eastern side sits in deeper water and is a popular place to target snapper.
The Ngamotukaraka Islands along the eastern side also offer prime snapper opportunities plus the kingfish that patrol between them. Snapper continue to be present at the northern part of the islands, and from here we find Motutekupu Island, coloured white by the gannets that roost on it; the area surrounding this is well-known for its snapper and kingfish. Gannets can also be found on Motukaramarama Island in much larger numbers – with a colony in residence during the warmer summer months. Fishing can be good all around the island, including the nearby Motuwi Island, and others located at its eastern end.
All of these offer current lines and reef systems, as well as weed edges, that offer food and shelter for fish life. They can be super-productive fishing grounds with most main species on offer quite close to the coastline, which makes them a popular rock-hoppers playground. North from here are open waters right up to Amodeo Bay where snapper run in over the sandy terrain and along the coast.
Lastly: to the east are Motuwhakakewa, Motukahaua and Motoumakareta Islands, more commonly known as the Happy Jacks. These offer a variety of terrain to explore and fish, with deep water close by, while a small distance north east is Black Rocks – yet another area that attracts fish to its base.
Moving back in to the mainland from Waitete Bay up past Colville, Otatutu Bay and the remaining part of the peninsula up to the north western tip are more prime fishing locations. There are drop-offs to deep water, with areas like Granite Wharf offering this relatively close to shore. There are more often than not a number of work-ups happening around this coastline, with dolphins and birds indicating where there’s some good fishing to be had.
Local information
If you’re planning a trip to this part of the Coromandel Peninsula then there are a few things to consider. Coromandel Town and the surrounding areas offer plenty of accommodation for all levels of budget. There are many charter operators to take you out and catch fish if you don’t have your own boat, including a couple of island-hopper vessels, one at Anglers Lodge Amodeo Bay and the other Papa Aroha Holiday Park; both can take you out and drop you off on an island for land-based activities.
The town itself has most supplies available but some things like fuel can be more expensive. There’s also good supply of fishing tackle, at prices that are competitive with other areas and even the big chain-stores.
Places like Salty Towers and Coromandel Kayak Adventures, who are on the main highway two kilometres south of the town, offer total bait, berley, softbait, lure and fishing tackle supplies that are suitable for local species and conditions. You can also hire fishing kayaks, and have your catch filleted or smoked, but – most importantly – receive free advice on local conditions, plus what’s happening with the fishing ... both businesses want to ensure visitors have a good time and enjoy successful fishing while they’re there.
On top of watersport activities there are many other attractions around about that will entertain the rest of the family.
Some of Coromandel’s best-kept secrets lie within its western side, in particular the coastal environment, with so many offshore islands to explore and fish of epic proportions to pursue. The area continues to provide some of the finest fishing this country has to offer.