The objective for the day is straightforward. Brock, Sam, and Braden head offshore looking for a big yellowtail kingfish, not a mixed catch and not a lure session.
They are fishing from a Kingfisher 510 Powercat, running north from Gulf Harbour toward Cape Colville. The trip involves a long run into exposed water, with the fishing focused on structure holding bait in moving current.
This area sits between the Coromandel Peninsula and Great Barrier Island. Water funnels through the channel, pushing tide across reef, ledge, and broken ground. That movement gathers baitfish and keeps predators active.
Kingfish patrol these edges. They sit tight to structure and move quickly when food comes through.
Live bait sets the tone
The team commits early to live bait, Brock catches a string of perfect bait. Before targeting kingfish, they catch smaller baitfish, around 10 to 15 centimetres long. These fish are kept alive and towed behind the boat.
Live bait swims naturally. It reacts to current and pressure in a way artificial lures cannot. In areas like Cape Colville, where current and structure dictate the fishing, that matters.
The baits are rigged cleanly and set back into the strike zone. The approach is simple and repeatable.
When the bait gets bigger
One of the small live baits is taken by a kahawai. Instead of seeing it as lost bait, the team keeps the kahawai alive and re-rigs it.
Using a larger live bait is deliberate. Bigger kingfish are less interested in small prey when a larger meal presents itself. A kahawai filters out smaller fish and targets the top end of the pack.
The kahawai is set back into the water and left to swim.
Activity builds
Kingfish move through in groups. There are strikes and missed hookups as fish attack around the structure. Some hits do not stick. Others end quickly as fish find the bottom.
The team sticks to the plan and keeps the live bait active in the zone.
The fish they came for
When the hookup comes, it is solid. Sam, who has been working the live bait, takes the rod, and the fight settles into a steady pull against the fish and the ground.
After a controlled fight, the kingfish comes to the boat. It is the fish they were looking for, a heavy, healthy yellowtail kingfish.
The fish is kept, intended to feed more than one household.
A snapper for dinner
Later in the session, a good snapper is landed by Braden and kept. The reason is simple. Sam’s wife asked for snapper for dinner.
The request is met.
Why this approach works
This trip is a good example of fishing with intent. The ground is chosen for current and structure. The bait choice suits the conditions. The escalation from small baitfish to kahawai is planned, not accidental.
Cape Colville rewards that kind of thinking. It is a place where live bait shines and where larger fish often require patience.
On this day, the approach delivers exactly what the team set out to catch.
Catch the full video with Sam, Brock, Braden abord the Kingfisher 510 Powercat
