Snapper

Where they live

• Central and northern coastal waters: the North Island and the top of the South Island (NIWA).
• Harbours, estuaries, reefs and sandy bays, mostly a few metres to 60 m deep, so well within reach of the shore.

When

• They come into shallower water to feed and spawn in spring and summer, which is the main shore season.
• Dawn, dusk and the moving tide, especially the two hours either side of high tide.

Size and daily limits for each area: MPI’s NZ Fishing Rules app ↗

How

Bait on the bottom

A running sinker (ledger) rig with a fresh or frozen bait such as pilchard or squid, cast out and left on the bottom with the line just tight. The simplest start.

Berley

A berley pot or bag of minced fish near the bottom draws snapper to you, especially from a wharf.

Soft baits

A soft plastic lure on a light jig head, cast and let sink, then lifted and dropped. Works well over sand and weed edges.

Your first trip

1. Start at a wharf in a harbour on a rising tide in the evening: deep water, flat footing, and usually sheltered.
2. Check the minimum size and daily limit for the area in MPI’s app before you keep one: they differ around the country.
3. Undersized fish go back quickly: wet hands, hook out, back in the water.

From rocks: wear a lifejacket, watch the sea for ten minutes before you go near the edge, never turn your back on it, and fish with someone. Rock fishing safety

Places to start

Each region page lists wharves, boat ramps and shore you can reach on a legal road or public land, with whether today’s swell reaches each one.

• Northland
• Auckland
• Coromandel
• Waikato
• Bay of Plenty
• East Coast
• Hawke’s Bay
• Taranaki
• Manawatu/Whanganui
• Wellington/Kapiti
• Wairarapa
• Nelson/Tasman
• Marlborough