Our Methods
Epic Adventures utilize many different fishing techniques throughout the year.
LIVE BAITING – Kingfish, Puka and snapper that live in the deep love a fresh live bait.
JIGGING AND MECHANICAL JIGGING – One of the more physically demanding techniques but rewarding for those that stick it out!
TOPWATER – Throwing poppers to hard-charging kingfish on the surface is a great buzz
TROLLING – Either pulling plastic or a live bait across pins, knolls and headlands can result in some big fish!
Live Baiting
When you first leave the wharf, you will spend the first hour or so ‘gathering’ the bait-fish you need to help ensure you the best chance of hooking your personal best fish. The Shallow bays around the Whitianga and Russell/Paihia Wharves are good sources of live baits year-round. Once your live bait tanks are full you are good to go.
Your skipper will then motor you out to the locations that are proving to be the most productive for the time of year and he will also bait you up and hand you the gear to use (Usually the very best gear – Jigstar roads paired with either Maxel or Daiwa Saltiga 6500 reels). Then using the powerful Simrad marine electronics onboard he will tell you exactly the depth to drop to (using the colored braid) … then its a case of waiting for one of these guys to arrive…. Game on!
Jigging
The Regions that Epic Adventures provide fishing charters (Coromandel and the Bay of Islands) is full of drop offs, seamounts, deep water pins that are ideal for Jigging. We normally recommend mechanical jigging and use jigs from Catch fishing. However we have had some success recently as well with slow jigs.
Be warned, mechanical jigging can be physically demanding and once the big kingies hit the struggle becomes real!
Top Water
From Early October through to the end of Summer (late March) the water is warm and we see fish across the whole water column. The boats are equipped with rods suitable for throwing poppers should the occasion arise. This is an exciting way to fish, as you can often see the fish chasing your popper on the surface and the big splash when they hook up gets everyone’s heart pumping!
There is no better sight (or sound) for a fisherman than to see a sudden explosion on the surface and the popper being smashed and the reel starts screaming at you.. ZZZZZZZZ … beautiful! Book a trip today!
EPIC ADVENTURES – NZ FISHING AS IT SHOULD BE!
