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 (135)
What anglers say
Reviews (155)
Liz Dutton5.0VerifiedCaptain Derek is hands-down the best guide for red snapper fishing in the Bay of Islands—knowledgeable, fun, and he puts you right on the fish every time.
6 Hour Trip – VIP Fishing (max two) on March 23, 2026 • 2 adultsOur 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.
Demi LecaRepeat angler5.0VerifiedBay of Islands Fishing Trip
6 Hour Trip – VIP Fishing (max two) on July 22, 2026 • 2 adultsCaptain 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!
Theo Elliott5.0VerifiedOutstanding - Best charter by a mile
6 Hour Trip – VIP Fishing (max two) on February 17, 2026 • 2 adultsDerek 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.
Mark TempelmeyerRepeat angler5.0VerifiedGreat day!
6 Hour Trip – VIP Fishing (max two) on December 28, 2025 • 2 adultsConditions were perfect! Derek was a very knowledgeable, and helpful captain. Caught half a dozen good size snapper and had a fight with a kingi that ended up being too small (Bugga). Had lunch at a restaurant on one of the islands while Derek filleted all the fish. Highly recommend Big Fish if you’re looking for a charter out of Paihia
Paul Stokes4.7VerifiedNewreally good experience. fun in
6 Hour Trip – VIP Fishing (max two) on October 18, 2026 • 2 adultswell organised. on time friendly. lots of knowledge and very helpful.
Tony Mcphee5.0Verifieda great day!
6 Hour Trip – Private Charter on October 2, 2026 • 4 adultsfish were a bit slow , but Derek ensured we still caught some good fish. would recommend using him. we had a great fishing experience!
Jonny Martin5.0Verifiedthe man
6 Hour Trip – VIP Fishing (max two) on March 21, 2026 • 2 adultsderek is the man! it was a tough day out for all boats but he had the spots and we were always first on the scene for the bust ups. 10/10 super knowledgeable and hospitable. kings and snaps. i dont know what more you want to be honest, just go on his boat.
Rob Ewing5.0VerifiedGreat day fishing
6 Hour Trip – VIP Fishing (max two) on March 16, 2026 • 2 adultsDerrick great host and attentive to all our needs.
Athena JensenRepeat angler5.0VerifiedBay of islands fishing
6 Hour Trip – VIP Fishing (max two) on October 28, 2024 • 2 adultsWe had a wonderful day fishing. We caught plenty snappers even saw some local dolphins, and our captain was amazing. We highly recommend booking this fishing trip. We started the day catching bait, then went and fished a spot for awhile and caught some good sized snapper then we ended the trip stopping off on a little island and grabbing a drink. After that Captain Derek told us we can take our fish to a fish and chip place and BYOF and they cooked it up for us. We will definitely call Derek up when we come back. Cheers!
Ryan RabeauRepeat angler5.0VerifiedGreat Day of Fishing
8 Hour Trip – Private Charter on January 18, 2024 • 2 adultsConsidering the decent swells and bait fish not wanting to cooperate, we had a great day of fishing. Caught some nice Red Snapper and got hooked up to some really big fish. Sharks wanted the bigger fisher more than us, lol. Derek was very nice and considerate to my wife and I. He even made a special trip to drop the wife off to get past the sea sickness. If ever in NZ again will definitely book with Derek again!
Rating
Anglers' gallery (135)
What anglers say
All reviews (155)
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.
Derek was great! He took great care of my family and I during the fishing charter. We could tell he wanted us to catch fish and cocomplete our experence. Thank you for a great time Derek! 🤙🏾
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.
