TARAKIHI
Tarakihi is a popular and tasty table species that we regularly target here in the Bay of Plenty in depths down to one hundred and fifty metres. It mainly lives 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 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. Tarakihi are targeted by using ledger rigs with small hooks and shellfish, squid and small cut baits.
SNAPPER
Snapper is another popularly targeted recreational and table species, abundant in the Bay of Plenty. 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. Snapper may be caught on bait or by jigging small lures. It is hoped that new fisheries management measures will restore stocks of this fast breeding fish.
MAOMAO
Maomao is a species of northern waters which prefers rocky shores about headlands and offshore islands. It is frequently observed moving about in shoals which, when near the surface, impart a bright blue coloration to the water. Most small animals including other fishes are taken as food. The blue colour, deep body, small mouth and aggressive feeding behaviour are features well known to fishermen. They are particularly attracted to berley ( chum ) trails and may be easily caught on light lines and tiny hooks. They are strong for their size and are a reasonable table fish, however they are seldom targetted by anglers who are mostly interested in larger species.
JOHN DORY
John Dory are distinctive fish, 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.
KAHAWAI
Kahawai normally move 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.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.
TREVALLY
The trevally has a 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.