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Ross Taylor
Charter operator

Ross Taylor

Paihia, New Zealand
50+ reviews
Having had a love of fishing for over 40 years, and owning my own aluminum boat, I came across an opportunity to buy a charter boat. So, with a life style change and relocating to the Bay of Islands in New Zealand, my wife and I bought Target Charters about 14 years ago and continue to operate in the Bay.
Ross T.
Ross T.
Captain
Frances T.
Frances T.
Business partner

Charter

Rating

4.8
68 reviews
4.7
Boat & Equipment
4.8
Captain & Crew
4.8
Fishing Experience

What anglers say

93%
Good experience
100%
Friendly captain
95%
Recommend this charter
86%
Appropriate for children
100%
Satisfied with the boat
88%
Caught fish

All reviews (68)

Showing 1 – 5 of 68 reviews
  • Peter Dayberg
    Peter Dayberg
    nz
    New Zealand
    Member since 2026
    5.0
    Verified
    NEW

    What an amazing half day fish.

    Half Day Trip (AM) - Snapper • 4 adults

    We went out on a half day snapper fish 7am to 1pm. 6 of us caught our quota by 11am. What a brilliant morning and the skipper Ross knew exactly were to go being old school and his mate Harley was the best person for your needs, baiting and unhooking for catch. It was so brilliant I have already booked for next year.

    Response from Charter operator

    Thanks mate it definitely was an amazing day and you guys were a pleasure to have onboard. Looking forward to having you back again next year.

  • Emily Anderson
    Emily Anderson
    Repeat angler
    us
    Idaho, US
    Member since 2026
    2 trips
    5.0
    Verified

    Ross and Harley were the best, never a dull moment!

    Half Day Trip (AM) - Snapper • 6 adults • 1 child

    We had a family of 6 with a 16 and 10 year old and it was nonstop fun. The crew were knowledgeable and gracious. Would definitely come back to fish with them again!

    Reported catch:
    Red Snapper
    Response from Charter operator

    Thanks for the great review Emily it was a pleasure taking your family out on such a beautiful winters day with the fish on the bite Cheers Ross

  • Leigh Davy
    Leigh Davy
    au
    Australia
    Member since 2025
    5.0
    Verified

    Fishing with Ross

    Custom 4 hr snapper charter • 2 adults

    We loved that we only had to travel for 20mins and we were on the fish. Thanks for allowing me to catch my first Kingfish and John Dory, especially on my Birthday. A relaxed and enjoyable fishing trip that was fun and friendly, thanks for a great day out. 😊

    Reported catch:
    Pink Snapper
    Response from Charter operator

    Thanks Leigh great to hear you enjoyed your day out fishing in the Bay of Islands and caught some nice fish. we welcome you back anytime 🐠

  • Steven Porter
    Steven Porter
    nz
    New Zealand
    Member since 2025
    5.0
    Verified

    great half day fishing

    Half Day Trip (AM) - Snapper • 4 adults • 2 children

    this was my daughter's first fishing trip. she had a great time. She caught 3 snappers that were keepers and a trevally and caught half a dozen small snapper that went back in. Ross and Harley were great. thanks for a brilliant day.

    Reported catch:
    Red Snapper
    Response from Charter operator

    Thanks Steven happy to hear you and your family enjoyed your day onboard and especially your daughter catching so many fish. it wad a pleasure having you all onboard

  • Eric Ostertag
    Eric Ostertag
    us
    Pennsylvania, US
    Member since 2022
    5.0
    Verified

    Perfect in every way

    Half Day Trip – Sole Snapper • 4 adults • 1 child

    Perfect trip. As requested it was a short trip in calmer waters in order to accommodate our family members prone to seasickness. Captain got us on the fish immediately. Everyone had a great time and nobody got sick!

    Response from Charter operator

    Thanks Eric for the great review we are very pleased you all enjoyed your mornjng with fish to take home for dinner. Enjoy your stay Northland NZ

Real catches shared by our community

  • Target Charters
    Target ChartersPaihia
    Two women proudly hold large snapper aboard a fishing boat in calm coastal waters.
    Fish 1
    Fish 2
    +2
    Red Snapper
    Peter D.
    Peter D.
    We went out on a half day snapper fish 7am to 1pm. 6 of us caught our quota by 11am. What a brilliant morning and the skipper Ross knew exactly were to go being old school and his mate Harley was the best person for your needs, baiting and unhooking for catch. It was so brilliant I have already booked for next year.
  • Target Charters
    Target ChartersPaihia
    A family group proudly displaying their catch of Snapper while enjoying a fishing trip on a boat.
    Fish 1
    Pink Snapper
    Great day for this family from Hawaii the fish didn’t stop biting
  • Target Charters
    Target ChartersPaihia
    A proud father and daughter duo displaying their catch of Snapper while enjoying a fishing trip on the open water.
    Fish 1
    Pink Snapper
    Emily A.
    Emily A.
    We had a family of 6 with a 16 and 10 year old and it was nonstop fun. The crew were knowledgeable and gracious. Would definitely come back to fish with them again!
  • Target Charters
    Target ChartersPaihia
    A smiling angler proudly displays a Snapper while fishing with family on a sunny day at sea.
    Fish 1
    Red Snapper
    Steven P.
    Steven P.
    this was my daughter's first fishing trip. she had a great time. She caught 3 snappers that were keepers and a trevally and caught half a dozen small snapper that went back in. Ross and Harley were great. thanks for a brilliant day.
  • Target Charters
    Target ChartersPaihia
    Two anglers proudly displaying their Snapper catch aboard a fishing boat, enjoying a sunny day on the water.
    Fish 1
    Pink Snapper
    David T.
    David T.
    We had a fantastic fishing trip.The weather was perfect and Captain Ross and his First Mate Harley couldn't do enough make us welcome. Ross put us straight on to the fish. My partner, Carol, had never fished before and Ross and Harley coached and helped her all the way and she was soon catching fish like a pro. We soon caught enough keepers, as we still had plenty of time Ross took us for a tour of some of the Ilands and a stop over at Otehei Bay which was beautiful. Ross also suggested going to Oceans 68 Fish and Chip shop who cooked some of our catch for us beautiful!! Nothing better than fresh caugt fish. Thank you Ross and Harley.
  • Target Charters
    Target ChartersPaihia
    Two anglers proudly displaying their Snapper catch aboard a fishing boat, with a scenic ocean backdrop.
    Fish 1
    Red Snapper
    From the moment the line was in the water the bite was on plus a visit to Oteihei Bay was a bonus for these tourists
  • Target Charters
    Target ChartersPaihia
    Group of anglers enjoying a fishing trip on a boat, showcasing camaraderie and excitement in a scenic setting.
    Fish 1
    Red Snapper
    Marley-ana M.
    Marley-ana M.
    Had the best experience with this charter! Ross and Harley were absolutely awesome, easy to find, taught me (who doesn't go fishing) how to catch and reel in a FAT snapper! Never thought i would like fishing, but after being on that, I would definitely go again. Best weather, best crew, great laughs, Best experience !👌
  • Target Charters
    Target ChartersPaihia
    An angler holding a large fish on a boat, showcasing a successful catch during a fishing trip.
    Fish 1
    Fish 2
    Yellowtail Amberjack
    Mark J.
    Mark J.
    Had a great trip with my two sons and friend on board with Ross and Harley. In tricky conditions the guys worked extremely hard to make sure we all had a great time, caught fish and went home with a good feed. Highly recommend Target Charters who were extremely professional, knowledgeable and friendly.
  • Target Charters
    Target ChartersPaihia
    A proud father and son duo displaying a large Kingfish while fishing on a boat, enjoying a sunny day on the water.
    Fish 1
    Yellowtail Amberjack
    Pedro D.
    Pedro D.
    Finally caught a Kingy! My son (11) and I had a really great time on the trip. Crew was great and even managed to catch my first ever Kingy! Highly recommend Target Charters great with kids too. They looked after us.
  • Target Charters
    Target ChartersPaihia
    A man stands on the dock with a bag, showcasing the boat 'Aha Yachting Charters' in the background, set against a clear blue sky.
    Fish 1
    Pink Snapper
    Klint C.
    Klint C.
    Ross reaccommodated us to another boat as there was a double booking and we hoped it was a good decision as we only come to Paihia once in a blue moon. We understood the situation and it was out of our control. Ross offered us the option to get rebooked in the afternoon of March 31st or the morning of April 1st. In that moment of decision making, we chose the former schedule as we thought we would not be extending in Paihia for one more night. I enjoyed the whole experience of being able to hold the rod, cast (a little), control the line to not result into a birds nest, wind, and catch fishes. On the other hand, my partner was a bit frustrated as he expected the return value of his money by catching more fish in the afternoon session. We both believe that the morning session would be better so book yours in the morning. We had a bit of a challenge in catching live baits in the afternoon so the boat crew opted to use their frozen (but still fresh) fishes. For the whole afternoon experience, we only caught 2 legal sized fishes (1x snapper and 1x kawhi) that we took home. We caught a total of 5-7 undersized fishes. To Ross, Ross' wife, Heather, Trent, and Kit, thank you for your responses and the experience. We would still like to join the charter boat in the future in Paihia and we will come back. The turquoise boat (May Marie) was neat and has a toilet in it. The boat has a second floor which was perfect for unwinding and not for fishing which is understandable. Chiller bins were provided and they marked the fishes you caught. The equipments were working as expected. Maybe fishing in the afternoon is not recommended if you wish to catch a lot of legal sized fish.

What's biting with Target Charters in Paihia

Kingfish are at their peak once again, and you can expect fairly consistent fishing nearshore for Snapper, Nannygai, John Dory, and the like. Paihia's big game fishing season is just around the corner.

Top catches for November

Fishing reports

A family group proudly displaying their catch of Snapper while enjoying a fishing trip on a boat.

Winter Snapper Fishing

Jun 28, 2026 • Paihia
Great day for this family from Hawaii the fish didn’t stop biting
Show more
Two anglers proudly displaying their Snapper catch aboard a fishing boat, with a scenic ocean backdrop.

The bite was constant

Nov 13, 2025 • Paihia
From the moment the line was in the water the bite was on plus a visit to Oteihei Bay was a bonus for these tourists
Show more