What is the best time to fish for kahawai?

Try a soft bait. They have life-like action far better than the silver ticers. A falling half tide and dawn or dusk are ideal conditions to fish kahawai.

How do you target kahawai?

One of the best tactics for targeting kahawai, once a school has been located, is to get upwind of the fish, or on the side of the work-up, and cast small metal lures into the school, retrieving the lure quickly just below the surface.

Where can I catch kahawai in NZ?

Kahawai are an iconic species for recreational fishers. They are fantastic fighters and are found in most coastal waters, harbours, and estuaries around New Zealand, in both the North Island and South Island.

What time of year do kahawai run?

Shoals at river mouths are often seasonal, occurring from September until May. Numbers peak in the warmest months of January and February. You know when kahawai are in by watching the birds.

How deep do kahawai swim?

It has a deep red colour and lives in midwater depths of 200-500m along upper continental slopes. Its body is elongated and ranges in size from 25-35 cm. It has a deeper body than the red bait and has a single dorsal fin rather than two separate portions.

Is kahawai a good bait?

Bait fishing Kahawai love current and surf. Sand beaches fish well, and rivermouths are ideal spots to find them feeding.

Is kahawai good eating?

It is best to kill kahawai and bleed as soon as possible as the flesh goes off quickly. They do have distinctive brownish blood lines when filleted. Kahawai are reasonably good eating but especially good for curries or fish pie and are brilliant smoked.

What is the best bait for kahawai?

Best Times Soft baits, jigs, flies, spinners and flasher rigs are all very effective. They’ll eat any of our normal cut baits such as pilchards, squid skipjack etc.

Do you need a Licence to fish for kahawai?

You don’t need a kahawai licence, there is no such thing, but you might need a Fish & Game Sports Fishing Licence. The legal position is: If you are fishing in freshwater and using gear that could reasonably be expected to catch sports fish (Trout, Salmon and Perch) you need a valid sports fish licence.

Where do kahawai feed?

The kahawai is principally a pelagic feeder, but occasionally takes food from the sea bottom; it appears to feed on those fishes which are locally most abundant, and follows shoals of small fish on which it preys. Small kahawai below 100 mm in length eat mainly copepods.

Can kahawai live in fresh water?

You may find them in a rivermouth, or even well up a freshwater river, out of reach of the saltwater they spend most of their lives in.

What is the best bait to catch kahawai?

Does Salt attract fish?

The salt makes the soft plastic softer. Fish tend to hang on to a bait longer if it contains salt. Some anglers swear by baits with salt in them, stating that they catch many more fish than other baits. …

What is kahawai good for?

FOOD QUALITY Kahawai are reasonably good eating but especially good for curries or fish pie and are brilliant smoked.

Can you eat kahawai raw?

When kahawai is very fresh – as in just caught and bled – it is the perfect fish to eat raw in dishes such as the South American ceviche, Japanese sashimi and Fijian kokoda. Because these recipes involve no cooking, they are ideal for preparing on the beach or boat as you are catching your fish.

Where are kahawai found?

The kahawai species most people are familiar with (Arripis trutta) is found around the North Island, South Island, Kermadec and Chatham Islands. They mainly occur in coastal seas, harbours and estuaries, and enter brackish water in rivers. The Kermadec kahawai (Arripis xylabion) is found seasonally around Northland.

What bait do kahawai like?

Soft baits, jigs, flies, spinners and flasher rigs are all very effective. They’ll eat any of our normal cut baits such as pilchards, squid skipjack etc.

Can you eat kahawai skin?

Thanks to the curry powder the skin will now be beautiful and golden, Remove fillets. And eat – its really good.