Blasting down Auckland's Waitemata harbour our skipper pointed the charter boat toward the Hauraki Gulf. We passed Rangitoto and Rakino islands and set anchor in the shallow reef about Maria Island.

With the burley flowing and pilchard baits wafting down, the snapper started responding. Several small pan sized models to start and then a solid long run followed by the classic "bump bump" of a bigger snapper banging its way toward the boat.

Our skipper, Eugen, was quick and sure with the landing net and a bronze kelpie snapper lay in the bin, awesome!. Solid fish in the 2 to 4kg range kept coming with the running tide but nothing beat the 7kg beauty that fell to a fresh mackerel bait. Steve had bragging rights all the way home.

Cruising back at 30 knots gave us only a short time to reflect on the fun day had by all in our group of five, all taking fish home and enjoying the wonderful playground and feeling lucky indeed to have had such a good fishing adventure.

We can't wait until our next mission to the snapper capital of the world - Auckland, New Zealand.

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