[Jones Jr.]

I always look at these charts showing snapper in the summer stray as far south as Banks Peninsula in the summer. But really, I’ve hardly heard of anything.

Only things I’ve heard of is I was talking to Ross at New Brighton Sports a while back and he said that some years he hears of someone catching the odd small snapper during the summer in Boulder Bay (in a boat from what I remember), that is close to Taylors Mistake. Nothing big but interesting. I think I heard a rumour of one being caught at Amberley one summer.

There is meant to be some big mussel farm going out in Pegasus Bay (is that even still going ahead?), he theorized that might attract some interesting fishing and perhaps the odd snapper.

I’ve heard of stories from the old days of snapper being caught more regularly out of Taylors Mistake etc.

In the summer the SST get up to 16 degrees around Feb in Canterbury, that would be warm enough for snapper. 14 should even be ok. The last fishing mag (newspaper) had an article about the Kenepuru in the Marlborough Sounds teaming with snapper in July when the SST is around 12 degrees, this guy estimated a school of up to 3,000 fish (mind you that sounded like a rare occurrence, but interesting to note they were there in 12 degree SST).

So, snapper in Canterbury. Still possible anyone think? Or a long gone idea?

[yellowfin]

Remeber seeing in fishing news a few years back one was caught at Taylors. One of the guys active in the sports fishing club used to catch them in a set net (or so I was told…).
Would certainly be interesting. Not sure you could “target” them though.

[Miliwolf]

The Snapper in the Kenepuru during winter was a fluke, sounds like they would chased out of the depths by dolphins. Even after the dolphins left the snapper stayed around in the shallows for days, they did not sound like happy fish.

Even up in Cloudy and Clifford bay snapper are a rare catch during the summer. So any Snapper done towards canterbury would be pure luck. Probably more likely then a Marlin in Tasman bay though.

[yellowfin]

I remember reading a few years back in a NZ fishing news about a kid catching one at Birdlings. Complete fluke though.. I’ve never heard of any other catches.

Surely global warming will start bringing them down

[yellowfin]

ive heard of them caught off kaikoura. and moutanau

[yellowfin]

very rarely caught but ha heard of one at mout and a couple at kaikoura

[Miliwolf]

They do move around a bit, the limit to their range seem to be fiordland on the westcoast and Banks peninsula on the east coast.

[yellowfin]

yea i hope to get into some on the coast over xmas up around some beaches near karamea where i know they are caught. also have another few ieas to try get some off a few spots ive seen around there before that look productive

[tracknz]

With heaps of kingfish coming down this far each year now it wouldnt surprise me to hear of a few more snapper turning up as well. Snapper tend to feed of the scraps of the kingis food and the water isnt cold enough in the middle of summer to be a deterent too them.

[Jones Jr.]

True Milly, dolphins were herding them up as it said in that article. I spose other things like water temperature around Canterbury of 16 degrees in the summer would make me think it is possible. Also as you say tracknz this kingfish fishery that has become more prominent in the last 5 or 10 years would suggest there may be the odd lurker out there. But then again the kingfish have probably always been there, but not targeted as much till now. Could that be the case for snapper? Probably not, wishful thinking is nice. lol.

There is an article on this site of a snapper caught in Fiordland, that’s pretty far south! But warmer SST do extend further south down the West Coast of the South Island then on the east. We look to be about the same perhaps slightly warmer then Fiordland in summer re SST’s.

Cool to hear those reports from Birdlings and Taylors. I’ll have to make a Canterbury Snapper database! LOL.

Actually, I do remember something a friend told me now. He was talking to some people who used to own a fishing store down Ferry Road, I can’t remember the name. Infact I think it’s closed now. They sold whitebait nets and lots of other stuff. The owners told him that a wee while back they once saw snapper in the estuary here in Chch, apparently having a go at some mussels on rocks with tails sticking out of the water. This must’ve been 20 or 30 years ago I would imagine at the least.

EDIT: The store was called Remlap fishing I think? Is that right, maybe…. Or I may be totally wrong.

Cheers
Aaron

[yellowfin]

yeanthats right aaron thats what it was called th shop has close down now but still has one of the signs on the wall there. ben tempted to borrow that sign ona long term basis i dunno why but meh

[St_Paul]

Didn’t they used to catch them off of the old brighton pier? I remember an old joker at taylors telling me and a mate all about it

[yellowfin]

maybe a old pier like 50 years ago

[PierMaster]

lolololololololoolololol

[yellowfin]

lol

[Author]

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