December Fishing Forecast

It’s fair to that the spring we have just endured has to be one of the windiest ones in recent times. It has been a case of making the most of fleeting weather windows or finding a sheltered spot that offers a bit of respite from the weather! On the positive side, the fishing has been living up to expectations when you can get out! 

We can only hope that December starts to deliver some more settled weather patterns. If the weather conditions remain challenging, we’ll just have to adjust how we fish, fish your feet first is an old saying but a valuable one at the moment. 

Early summer is a great time to fish in close, I know in the Hauraki Gulf, the influx of spawning fish makes them easily accessible to closer spots. I’m sure it is the same across the country. Quite often if the wind is up, put the lure rods away, anchor up and lay down a solid burley trail in a sheltered spot. This method works well with offshore winds and an outgoing tide in the Hauraki. Well worth the effort if the conditions allow. Also don’t shy away from a good old rock or surf fishing mission, the Snapper are still in-close and Kingfish will be patrolling in larger numbers too. 

Across the country as the weather warms and the water heats up, things begin to change and we have to adjust how we fish accordingly. Also coming into peak holiday season, adjusting how you fish will make the difference between a successful trip and a not so successful trip. One thing as the water warms, the Snapper will go in to spawning mode, often shutting down from eating, generally you will still get on to them if you fish first and last thing in the day, otherwise if they are totally doggo, turn your attention to something else. Kingfish are generally a lot more accessible at this time of year and begin to feed more aggressively, they can be a great alternative to Snapper. 

For the freshwater crew, trout will be packing on condition after spawning and will be moving into their warmer weather feeding patterns. As lake temps rise fish will congregate in deeper spots or where cool oxygenated water flows into lakes. In rivers the fish will hang deep or in the faster water where they again have better access to oxygenated water. Targeting these areas and the change of light will put you in the best shape to get into some trout over December. 

As Christmas holidays quickly approach, remember a couple of key tactics to maximise your chances of success over the holiday period. Fish the change of light, the mornings can be a good bet as the fish have had a night of respite from angler pressure and boat noise. Avoid the crowds, fisherman have a sheep mentality sometimes, if one boat stops, so do the rest, it hardly ever results in good fishing (outside of workups), find somewhere quieter, where the fish are unlikely to have been disturbed. If one species is not playing ball consider other species that might present a better option. 

Have a great December and Christmas, hopefully you get some time out on the water!