Mercury Bay Booming With Yellowfin, Whakatane Struggles Continue

Mercury Bay delivered a standout week for tuna fishing as local boats and club anglers posted multiple substantial yellowfin and renewed optimism for the season. Seventeen yellowfin were weighed at Mercury Bay, the largest a 61.9 kilogram fish landed by Grant Tippling on Huntsman in a courtesy weigh for the Warkworth Game Fishing Club. The swell in both fish size and numbers has pushed the club tally to in excess of 40 yellowfin so far this season, well up on last season.

Individual catches highlighted the depth of the bite. Richard Cleland on Blue Thunder weighed a 37.5 kilogram yellowfin that came to boat on 15 kilogram tackle after an hour and a half battle. Warren Harris aboard local charter boat Amarillo boated a 35.8 kilogram yellowfin, the largest of five yellowfin Amarillo landed in one day, with those five averaging around 30 kilograms each. John Neighbours, owner and operator of charter boat Infinity, boated a 27.1 kilogram yellowfin on 10 kilogram tackle, a light tackle pinfish that follows several similar sized yellowfin Infinity has taken this season.

Albacore numbers are strong as well, with most fish between six and nine kilograms. Cliff Catt aboard Infinity landed an 8.22 kilogram albacore on six kilogram tackle, which set a new club record on that tackle class. Those results offer practical upside for charter operators, local tackle suppliers, and anglers planning trips over the holiday period, as both higher quality catches and record performances attract bookings and local spending.

Contrast came in Whakatane, where expectations that the region would produce the best tuna fishing were not met during the Holden Tuna Tournament. On the first day only seven yellowfin were weighed from 168 boats, the largest just over 30 kilograms. Weather forced the majority of entrants back to port on the second day and on the following day, with just seven more fish recorded on day two. The sparse turnout in Whakatane is especially notable given reports of good fishing off Plate Island, Tauranga and further north around Mercury Bay.

For anglers and charter operators planning outings, check weather and sea conditions and stay flexible on destinations. With tuna showing well in Mercury Bay and nearby waters, consider shifting trips north if Whakatane conditions remain unsettled. Local clubs and tournament organizers will be watching how the season progresses as anglers chase both yellowfin and albacore through the peak summer run.