Surfcasting Muriwai solo Part 1 - a slow but fun start to 12hrs flicking baits off Muriwai

The perfect swell, the perfect wind, the perfect tides, you really couldn't ask for much more than that but were the fish going to play ball. With everything lining up so good, it was hard to resist a good old off the sand sesh up Muriwai. The plan was to fish Friday's evening low tide, maybe flick a few bait's out over the high through the night, then attack it again for the early morning low tide as well. High tide can be difficult at times but that part of the plan would be left up to how the evening low tide raid would go. The meter swell and offshore winds would allow me to fish the top end low tide banks for a good 3-4hrs before getting pushed off.

Leaving work just after one, I had packed the car the night before so it was straight to the beach to be set up and ready to go just after that half tide out. The great thing about going on a weekday even if it is Friday, the beach is normally quite empty and it gives me acres of coastline to pick a spot. I made it onto the beach around half two and headed north. I stopped 3-4 times along the way to mark a few holes I had noticed just in case I wanted to fish them later into the night. Nearing the end (this is where the bigger and better channels form) I came across one that was roughly 300mtrs wide in places. These run parallel to the beach, some up to a K or two, and widen and narrow in certain places. This is where you need to try and find an inner bank that is excess able to stand on without getting too wet. This allows you to stand right on the edge of these channels and at times I've only had to cast 40-50mtrs which puts you right in there.

I followed this channel for sometime, sometimes turning back around to double check. What I'm looking for is where the main sand you walk on that reaches the bank, it can sometimes be quite deep where holes form. Finding my spot, the front of the bank was only roughly 20mtrs in front of me so there was no need to get wet on my first cast. If no bites, that is when I normally wade out a little further. Making my way back to the rod spike I felt a little nudge then all of a sudden the line went tight. It was crazy. I was hooked up already, within seconds of casting. Muriwai always holds kahawai in the surf but upon closer inspection as it hit the shallows it turned out to be a little shark. This time of year as the water warms these little channels can fill up with these guys. I decided to get a little more wet on the next flick to get a little more distance. I was getting plenty of bites with the odd good grab in between.
I was hooked up again and this one felt a little different, it felt more snapper-ish. It wasn't big what ever it was. This time I could see red in the white wash, yep this one was a little snap. Going around 33cm which is takeable I decided to let this one go. Another bait out the fish started to come on the bite. I missed two nice grabs in a row which was making me think of changing my rig and run a circle hook - I normally run one on the second rod. The 3rd grab, this time I hooked up. It felt much like the size snapper I just released. Hitting the sand it was slightly a little bigger and this time this one made its way into the chilly.
The day had gotten on and the tide was close to being low if not already turned and coming in. It was the perfect spot being so close to the lip of the channel. It had been pretty fishy for sure with plenty of bites. I decided to set up the second combo and run a circle so it could basically fish itself. Flicking out the first bait I sat it in the holder and made my way back out in the surf to flick out the Kotare. Coming back and switching the MC into the other holder it instantly tapped away then buckled over. There was lots of action and lots of fun going on. This one was a nice size kahawai. I noticed a couple of light taps on the Kotare so before taking the kahawai to the chilly I stood ready with the Kotare. Seconds later it buckled over and I was hooked up again. This one was a little more solid but a couple more winds the line went slack.
I wasn't sure what it was and being the wild west coast it could have been anything from a solid snapper to a little shark. It was getting to that magic time of the day but the bite was actually starting to slow. Standing quiet for the next 20mins the decision was to call it a day, to head back down the beach and set up for the evening fish into one of the deeper spots I marked while driving the beach earlier. Packing my Kotare away I noticed the MC getting a few hits. This was my last fish for the day, another little shark. Although my plan was to fish into the dark through the high tide I decided to head home due to the high not being for another 4-5hrs.
The plan changed which was to get a good sleep at home, get up early in the morning and be back here at daybreak to fish the morning low - it was a great decision in the end which is part two fishing magical Muriwai over 12hrs......