Big Fish Bay Of Islands
Big Fish Bay Of Islands
Big Fish Bay Of Islands takes you fishing around the rich fisheries of New Zealand. These waters are home to a variety of species, whether it's reef fish or big game. Year-round, Capt. Derek takes you on his boat to help make your day one to remember. Whether you're an experienced angler or a family looking for an enjoyable fishing trip, here you will find a trip to suit you.
The Bay of Islands boasts some of the most stunning fishing worldwide. Add to that an experienced captain, a long fishing season, and breath-taking views, and you got it. That's what anglers find aboard 'Game Fisher'. She is a 21' Surtees 650 aluminium fishing boat with top-notch Furuno electronics. The boat is powered by a 150 HP Yamaha engine and can reach speeds of up to 30 knots. There is a small electronic flush toilet onboard, as well as two live bait tanks, and comfortable seating.
Capt. Derek has a vast fishing experience. He has been working as a charter operator for the past 30 years, but his fishing experience goes way back, to his school days. Already back then he got his first Marlin. This turned into a long streak of successful fishing trips that have taken him from Hawaii to the Great Barrier Reef.
As for the fishing, here you will find Yellowtail Kingfish, Trevally, Snapper, John Dory, available throughout the year. From June to April you can get Striped Marlin. The crew is specialized in live baiting, mechanical jigging, soft baits, cut baits, and IGFA record fishing.
The fishing grounds are not far from the dock, and you'll be fishing within 30 minutes of the departure, depending on the weather conditions. The trips will take you between 8 to 10 miles, or even closer. No need to fare far offshore with all the game fish swimming nearby.
When you come fishing with Big Fish Bay Of Islands, it's all about enjoyment and nice time on the water, plus learning. You need to pack a camera, and a jacket. Quality Shimano gear is waiting for you onboard.
Big Fish Bay Of Islands takes you fishing around the rich fisheries of New Zealand. These waters are home to a variety of species, whether it's reef fish or big game. Year-round, Capt. Derek takes you on his boat to help make your day one to remember. Whether you're an experienced angler or a family looking for an enjoyable fishing trip, here you will find a trip to suit you.
The Bay of Islands boasts some of the most stunning fishing worldwide. Add to that an experienced captain, a long fishing season, and breath-taking views, and you got it. That's what anglers find aboard 'Game Fisher'. She is a 21' Surtees 650 aluminium fishing boat with top-notch Furuno electronics. The boat is powered by a 150 HP Yamaha engine and can reach speeds of up to 30 knots. There is a small electronic flush toilet onboard, as well as two live bait tanks, and comfortable seating.
Capt. Derek has a vast fishing experience. He has been working as a charter operator for the past 30 years, but his fishing experience goes way back, to his school days. Already back then he got his first Marlin. This turned into a long streak of successful fishing trips that have taken him from Hawaii to the Great Barrier Reef.
As for the fishing, here you will find Yellowtail Kingfish, Trevally, Snapper, John Dory, available throughout the year. From June to April you can get Striped Marlin. The crew is specialized in live baiting, mechanical jigging, soft baits, cut baits, and IGFA record fishing.
The fishing grounds are not far from the dock, and you'll be fishing within 30 minutes of the departure, depending on the weather conditions. The trips will take you between 8 to 10 miles, or even closer. No need to fare far offshore with all the game fish swimming nearby.
When you come fishing with Big Fish Bay Of Islands, it's all about enjoyment and nice time on the water, plus learning. You need to pack a camera, and a jacket. Quality Shimano gear is waiting for you onboard.
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Customer reviews
Rating
Anglers' gallery (130)
What anglers say
All reviews (150)
What a great day out on the water! From start to finish, this fishing trip was absolutely top-notch. The weather conditions weren't perfect but the scenery was stunning. Captain Derek knew exactly where to go and made sure we had a great chance at landing something special. His knowledge, patience, and friendly attitude really stood out—it felt like more than just a trip, it was a proper experience. And the fishing itself? Solid bites, great action, and some quality fish landed that made the whole day unforgettable. If you're thinking about getting out on the water, I couldn't recommend Captain Derek enough. Great guy, great fishing, and memories that'll stick with you for a long time. 🎣
Our experience fishing with Captain Derek in the Bay of Islands was absolutely incredible and easily the highlight of our trip to New Zealand. He put us right on the red snapper—we caught enough to feed two people for three days! Beyond the fishing, Derek is incredibly knowledgeable about the history of the Bay of Islands and made the whole trip even more special by sharing stories and local insights along the way. He's easygoing, fun, and truly loves what he does, which made the entire experience unforgettable. We honestly wished we had more time out on the water with him and will absolutely be returning and booking with him again in the future.
Cheers Guys ! Pleasure having you on board, hope to see you again. Tight lines, Capt D
Captain Derek took care of us the whole 6 hour trip. Within 15 minutes he had us hooked on bait fish. We snagged a couple of Pink Snappers and a Carraway for the day. For a lovely final touch he took us to Otehei Bay, we explored whilst he filleted our catch. Great boat and equipment, experienced captain and beautiful scenery. A must do charter!
Derek was absolutely brilliant, went out catching bait fish within seconds were on, within 20 minutes had caught almost 50 bait fish. Then went out immediately on fish, kahawai, snapper and caught an absolute monster. caught our quota and so finished up early because we had done too well. then he dropped us at an island to have a couple beers while he fillited the near 25 fish we had. absolutely brilliant, will be back again for sure.
Beautiful morning, kingi and snapper landed including my largest snapper yet! Derek runs a slick operation, we'll be back
FAQs about Big Fish Bay Of Islands
- NZ $800 per group - 4 Hour Trip – Half Day Snapper (4 hours)
- NZ $800 per group, additional NZ $100 per person after 1 guest - 6 Hour Trip – VIP Fishing (max two) (6 hours)
- NZ $900 per group - 5 Hour Trip - Family Fish and Play (5 hours)
- NZ $1,300 per group - 6 Hour Trip – Private Charter (6 hours)
- NZ $1,700 per group - 8 Hour Trip – Private Charter (8 hours)
- Toilet
- GPS Furuno Tx2 Touch
- Fishfinder
- Snorkeling equipment
- Live bait well
- Outriggers
- Ice box
- Rods, reels & tackle
- Live bait
- Catch cleaning & filleting
- Inshore fishing
- Nearshore fishing
- Offshore fishing
- Reef fishing
- Light tackle
- Heavy tackle
- Bottom fishing
- Trolling
- Spinning
- Jigging
- Popping
- Fly fishing
- Drift fishing
- Spearfishing
- Deep sea fishing
- John Dory
- Salmon (Australian)
- Snapper (Pink)
- Tarakihi
- Yellowtail Amberjack
Your captain
Paihia, New Zealand
Captain Derek runs fishing trips around the rich waters of the Bay of Islands. His vast experience in the area will be of great help if you want to land a memorable catch here and enjoy your day on the water. Derek grew up in Paihia and got into fishing at an early age. He fished for Marlin while he was still in school. He spent a great deal of his childhood going rock fishing and diving. He also worked as a guide. Capt. Derek worked for a decade for the second oldest gamefish club in the world - Bay of Islands Swordfish Club. His skills took him to the management level. Derek knows a lot about the local fishing grounds. He has fished around the world, landing Mahi, Wahoo, Tuna, Marlin, and more during the years. From Hawaii to the Great Barrier Reef, he's fished with success. Add to the years of experience of crewing on many well-known vessels around the Bay of Islands, and you'll understand why so many repeat customers come onboard with Capt. Derek.
Real catches by this captain
What is the boat like?
What kind of fishing will you do?
Which fishing techniques you can try
Which amenities are available onboard
How cancellations work
You can cancel or modify your booking up to 1 day before the trip date, free of charge. If you cancel or modify your booking later, or fail to show up, you'll forfeit 100% of what you've paid.
What the listing policies are
Pickup not included
Transfer to/from departure site is not included in trip rates.
How you can pay
When the captain confirms your trip, FishingBooker charges your credit card a 10% deposit to guarantee your reservation.
The remaining balance is to be paid directly to the charter operator on or prior to your trip date in one of the following payment methods:
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PayPal
Bank transfer
What’s biting in Paihia right now
John Dory
Salmon (Australian)
Snapper (Pink)
Tarakihi
Yellowtail AmberjackCompare similar fishing charters
