Big game season is in full swing!

Hello people,

First let me tell you a little bit about myself. My name is Hamish Faire and I have been in the fishing charter game since 1990 based in Russell in the stunning Bay of Islands. I have recently joined the Screaming Reels/Spot X team who have a tackle shop ‘Screaming Reels’ and a fishing charter boat ‘Spot X’. We have also acquired another vessel ‘Screaming Reels’ due to start operating later in March 2018.

The shop ‘Screaming Reels’, located in York St, Russell, is a well-stocked one stop shop for all the gear, tackle, services and advice you need to get the best out of your fishing experiences.

The charter boat ‘Spot X’ is a 30 ft alloy vessel skippered by George who has a great passion for people and fishing. This boat mainly targets snapper and kingfish using a wide variety of methods including bait, live bait, soft bait, slow jigging, speed jigging and top water lure fishing.

The new boat ‘Screaming Reels’ is a 40 ft Blackwatch design, skippered by yours truly, and is a purpose-built fishing machine. This boat does every type of fishing that you can do on this coast, specialising in big game (marlin, tuna, swordfish) and kingfish. ‘Screaming Reels, also caters for live aboard, multi day charters to access the best fishing on the coast.

So, how is the fishing scene at the moment?

Big game season is in full swing with great catches of striped and blue marlin. There are also plenty of yellowfin tuna, shortbilled spearfish and mahimahi to keep things mixed up. Broadbill swordfish are also around so plenty of action happening out wide.

Kingfish are around in good numbers roaming around through out the bay. At this time of the year they will go almost anywhere, even right up into the shallows of the estuaries so it is a good idea to have a popper or stick bait ready where ever you are.

Snapper are also right up in the shallows of the bay and the estuaries. There is good snapper to be found on the sand banks inside the islands and up in the estuaries. The best methods to catch these is stray lining, soft baits or skutes.

Good luck out there.

Tight lines

Hamish.