A big snapper day fishing the 90 mile beach
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 5 ก.พ. 2025
- An epic day on the mighty 90mile beach
Last Oct Stevo and I put our first ever foot steps on the 90mile, we had a bad few kontiki sets in Doubtless on our very last day and by chance the swell was small on the west coast. After such an epic day last time with nice fish hitting the sand on the tiki and surfcaster we were back again for a second time and we were hoping for similar results. This time planning our day on the 90 was going to give us a full day, and I was chomping at the bit to get there for my surfcasting. The plan was to do the usual, help Stevo set the tiki then hit the surfcasting. It was like Deja vu as we headed down the Te Paki stream just like last time - The west coast is such a beautiful place no matter where you are and it always feels like your the very first person to step foot in these surreal places. We made our way down the stream until once again reaching the ocean, it was just like how I remembered it - pretty much no one here and an overwhelming fishy feeling. We started in a similar area we fished last time where we had good results, but the plan this time was to do a set, a bit of surfcasting then move on. Being here the full day we were keen to travel the beach more this time. After flicking out a bait I helped Stevo setting up the tiki, once we had finished and Stevo had clipped all the hooks on the tiki I was back to my surfcasting while he finished off. I had picked this spot in particular because of the little hole/trough that sat out behind a bank which was becoming excisable as the tide dropped. I knew as we got closer to it the better the surfcasting would become, still newish on the 90 I was relying on my years of experience from fishing Muriwai.
Walking out as far as I could I flicked out my first bait, man I love this stuff - wading through the white water, battling the surge to make the deeper water it just makes a hungry west coast fisho feel fully satisfied. It can make all the difference when fishing the west coast, getting your bait into the holes or little channels this normally gives you that better chance for a bigger fish. I was on a fishing high being here, west coast salt air, the sound of the waves overwhelms me and I feel at peace - a strong feeling I belong here. My bait had only just made the little channel but that's all I needed and it didn't take long before I had my first hit. Standing at the ready my line went tight and I was on, it was my first bait and first fish of the day and it wasn't a bad snap at around 60-65cm. After a couple more baits Stevo was keen to crank up the winch on the tiki, it was hard to leave my surfcasting to help but that's just how it is. With the hooks starting to show snapper started lining up on the beach. The first was around 35-36cm but the second was a nicey around 60cm then another around 70cm. The great thing being here for the day we could take our time on the second set. Flicking out a nice fat piece of bonito once again Stevo was hoping for that Kahawai - me another snapper 🙂 I do find you can hide those hooks a little better in bonito and I know snapper do love that really oily bait. I hooked up again but it wasn't as big this time, the great thing is until you see what you have it is a guessing game - Trev's, snaps, kahawai, gurnard even kingfish they all live here and can be caught. It turned out to be another snap - not big but a nice bin fish around 40cm. It got a little quiet after that as the tide dropped so we decided to do a bit of a shift, scouting the water as we drove I saw that perfect surfcasting spot. Once again my Muriwai instincts kicked in as a bank showed it's self as the water drew out, these spots get you right on that lip of the inner bank and allows you to cast smack dab right in the middle of a nice big channel. Stevo pulled over and I flicked out another nice chunk of bonito, it must have only been a couple mins when my rod loaded up, line went tight and I was on to a solid 90mile snap - it even pulled a bit of string this time.
It was a solid fish for sure and felt like it maybe my 90mile PB, fighting big fish out on the west coast sure does get the old hart pumping. The waves, the pull of the current and the strain you feel on your line as the water draws out all adds to that epic battle. You really have to watch when your fish catches a wave, your line slackens and gives that big fish a chance to shake the hook. As the surge came in the beast slid in to the shallows and it looked like it maybe my first 20lb 90mile snap? It was a stonker of a fish. Man I had caught some nice fish over the day and after our last soak on the tiki giving us another 5 - 6 good fish we called it a day. Over all between the surfcasting and tiki we had some good fish in the bin and didn't need any more meat.
What a day on the mighty 90 and one that I will remember for many years to come - I can't wait to get back up there for a chance of another big snap on the surfcaster....
Keep safe and tight lines
Nice Day Out, you looking slim there Jase must be from catching those massive Snaps. 🤙🤙🤙
Was a fun day - must be camera angle more than catching big fish ;-)
Tight lines
@@Reel-Kiwi-Fishing Haha Blaming the angles
Just came across this video of these two guys fishing the 90, friggn awesome boys!... I don't know of any other place where you can catch big snapper straight off the beach like that.... makes me wanna move up there!
There is a few beaches in the far north were you can catch big snapper we can be spoiled most of the year
Primo video again.
Great drone footage too.
Cheers SE
Tight lines
Thats a beautiful fish - so good off the beach!
I love this video, never mind about the audio, still love the fishing, never been there must go soon. Thank you Jase.
cheers LK :-)
Mean sesh bro chur
Cheers JP
Tight lines
Awesome beach action on the 90 Jase! Aren’t we lucky here in
Aotearoa 🇳🇿🤙🏻
Cheers J
Yes very lucky in a lot of ways :-)
Tight lines
Damn boys mean👍
Scotts point
Was there today. Finding it hard to look for channels. Was looking for some snapper but only got Kahawai. Any tips on how to spot inside channels?
I've only fished it a couple times but just used my Muriwai knowledge which has worked great for me - th-cam.com/video/yLIWUVAO87s/w-d-xo.html
Tight lines
Hey bro just wondering what u use for mainline? I've just bought a kotare but instead of the trio rex I ended up getting a shimano beastmaster for the extra drag power just wondering if 50lb j braid is a bit overkill
Hi A S
I run 30lb platypus braid but 50 should be algd or drop down to 40lb.
Tight lines
Great day out Jase! Did you guys fish the 90 due to the NE blowing out the east coast? I was just up there too and had to fish in close around Whatuwhiwhi - did ok all things considered. Cheers
Cheers BG
Yep we hit the 90 when the E-N/E winds kick in and the swell is down. Nothing worse than not being able to fish ya spots due to the weather....
Tight lines
How long are you usually waiting until you get a bite?
Pretty much getting bites instant once the tide is perfect - got the big guy 2mins from casting. Got about a 12lber couple days later after a 10min wait. if I get no bites after 30min I move on but normally get bites constantly over the time of fishing a spot.
tight lines
hay epic vid man keep it up! i have a AWD rav 4 iv taken it on muriwi once i almost got it stuck on going up the beach access due to not having enough speed would it be not wise to try take it out there again or dreaming bigger and to the 90? any tips or things that could help me get a better understanding ect cheers
Cheers TSt
I'm not sure about AWD systems but if you have a diflock like some AWD have you maybe ok - AWD isn't fully like 4WD but even in 4WD you still need a bit of a run up - was it the soft sand crossing you have to do before getting onto the beach? That can get quite soft but also you may not have enough clearance if its got big tyre ruts? The Te Paki entrance to the 90mile will be no stress as it's pretty much hard compact sand the whole way. Once on the beach just drive that harder sand near the waters edge on the low tide.
Where is that area ?
Just north of Matapia, wind is perfect to go there now.
@@acbalance thanks man ill subscribe your channel cos you only 1 subscriber 🤦♀️😂
Fishing the 90 mile :-)