Northland, New Zealand: Practical Fishing Insights for Everyday Anglers
How and when to fish it
From Tutukaka to the Far North, Northland is a playground for snapper, kingfish, kahawai, and trevally. Rocky ledges and shallow foul hold pannies year-round, with bigger snapper moving onto sand and weed edges at dawn, dusk, and on a pushing tide. Keep it simple: strayline unweighted pilchard or mullet baits into a steady berley trail; step up to 5/0–7/0 recurve hooks and 20–30 lb fluoro when moochers are around. Over reef in 8–20 m, soft-baits (3–5 inch jerk shads) and micro-jigs (20–60 g) get quick bites—short lifts, let it flutter, repeat. Around marker buoys, headlands, and offshore pins, run a live kahawai under a balloon or throw medium stickbaits and poppers for kings; 10–15 kg tackle with 60–80 lb leader covers most situations. On the sand, surfcasters do well with long casts and fresh tuatua or squid, especially along open beaches when the swell eases and the water clears. Watch the wind: a light southwest often lays down the east coast; a lump of easterly swell pushes bait tight to the stones—perfect for a strayline session.
Spring brings snapper into the bays chasing anchovies and pilchards—find the birds and you’ll find the fish. Summer is prime for topwater kingfish over points, reef edges, and current lines; look for workups with gannets, dolphins, and saury flicking on the surface. Autumn is a micro-jigging sweet spot in 30–60 m off prominent points and island groups, while winter rewards patience on deeper edges and slow-rolled soft-baits over broken shell. Land-based, pick ledges with clean wash, set a consistent berley, and keep baits floating naturally—most bites come in the first 20–30 minutes of a change in tide or light. Kayak and small-boat anglers should drift shallow foul with light jigheads, then slide wider to sand-reef transitions once the sun gets up; if sign dries up, reset on new country fast. Keep your eyes scanning—bait showers, color changes, and lazy gannet blobs are your best intel.
Top 10 Northland fishing spots
- Bay of Islands (Urupukapuka–Roberton) – Snapper on the edges, kings on current lines between islands.
- Cape Brett & Deep Water Cove – Ledges and drop-offs for big snapper; topwater kings on the pressure points.
- Cavalli Islands – Micro-jigs over 30–50 m pins; strayline the kelpy pockets for reds.
- Whangaroa Harbour & Garden Patch – Trevally and snapper inside; kings and jigging action outside.
- Doubtless Bay (Coopers–Mangonui) – Soft-bait the sand-weed edges; evening straylines shine.
- Karikari Peninsula (Whatuwhiwhi–Maitai Bay) – Beach gutters for surfcasting, reef corners for kings.
- Rangaunu Harbour & East Beach – Flats for trevs and kahawai; channel edges for pannie snapper.
- Ninety Mile Beach (Ahipara to Scott Point) – Long casts, fresh baits, and moving to find active gutters.
- North Cape & Tom Bowling Bay – Big-current country for stickbait kings and deeper mooching snapper.
- Tutukaka Coast & Hen and Chicken Islands – Inshore foul for reds; pins and points for cruising kings.