NZ Fisher - Issue 60 by Espire Media

ISSUE 60

June 2016

Stonking Red on the

Rocks

Snapper, Snapper, Trout Seasons change but the fishing stays HOT!

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CONTENTS 4... Editorial

ABOUT / Short and sharp, NZ Fisher is a free e-magazine delivering thought provoking and enlightening articles, and industry news and information to forwardthinking fisher people.

8... The Greatest Cover Shot EDITOR / Derrick Paull

14... Winter Trout Fishing Techniques

GROUP EDITOR / Colin Kennedy ART DIRECTOR / Jodi Olsson

20... Fat Trout for the Wee Man

CONTENT ENQUIRIES / Phone Derrick on 021 629 327

20... The Gulf Journal 22... Trout Pictures 25... Trout Competition

or email derrickp@NZ Fisher.co.nz ADVERTISING ENQUIRIES / Phone Derrick on 021 629 327 or email derrickp@NZ Fisher.co.nz ADDRESS / NZ Fisher, PO Box 47794, Ponsonby 11144 WEBSITE / www.NZFisher.co.nz

26... The Art of Egi 30... Legasea Update

This is a GREEN MAG, created and distributed without the use of paper so it's environmentally friendly. Please think before you print. Thank you!

32... JD’s -Wharf Style 36... Good Day with the Bad 40... Reader Pics

Cover Image: Arrum Ali with his brand new, 24lb PB snapper from the rocks ‘up north’

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EDITORIAL THIS MONTH I AM proud to introduce

dedicated anglers I’ve ever met. While

Arrum Ali and his magnificent (cover

Peter and I may have divergent views,

shot) snapper. I’ve read and re-read

there’s no doubt he fishes more than any

Arrum’s story and cannot help but smile,

other individual I know.

maybe not as wide as Arrum’s, but it gives

Despite this, even with Peter’s many

me a great feeling of joy seeing the joy of

years and seemingly limitless time, I

such a magnificent fish written across his

doubt even he could catch his ‘share’ of

face and reading the pure enjoyment of

the rec fishing allowance. Rec fishers are

catching such a memorable, life-changing

allowed seven snapper a day, 365 days

fish. I truly hope this is one of many

a year. But who takes that many? And

Arrum contributes to NZFisher!

more importantly, how could you use

Sadly I’m once again dragging you

the 7 x 365 model to attribute catch to

into the murky waters of fisheries

the rec sector, but they do.

management. As non-commercial

In light of the recent commercial catch

fishers, the first purpose of the majority

debacle we’ve been introduced to, there’s

of our trips is simply to put food on the

been a backlash against recreational

table. While many of us might believe

fisher’s take. It’s considered ‘virtually

we seek a higher goal; a personal best,

limitless’ by some in the commercial

a competition winner or maybe just to

lobby - scroll down, this infographic was

get one better than your mates, usually

released the 16th May 2016, they’re mad!

it’s feed first, glory second. We get out when we can and make the most of the conditions but I’m yet to personally meet a rec fisher who fishers more than a few days a week at best.

I’ve spoken to many fellow anglers, engaged in far too many online debates about our catch and recently I’ve been exposed to the work of NIWA scientist, Mr Bruce Hartill, who specialises in

Back in my shore fishing days, I was

snapper, fish populations and the

taught by a guy called Peter Reynolds.

recreational fishing cohort that

Peter is one of the most passionate and

interact with them.

6 www.nzfisher.co.nz

Bruce has worked a significant part of

the NIWA data has been accepted and

his professional life on the recreational

agreed with by the Ministry, E-NGO’s,

take from the Hauraki Gulf/SNA1 fishery.

the rec sector and the commercial

Bruce’s work has been relied on by many

scientists but somehow Mr Kuntsch

including Ministers of Fisheries, Primary

believes it’s not good enough. The

Industries and Conservation as well as

reasons why? Time shall tell.

their ministries and various stakeholder groups who interact with this fishery. Bruces’ (and his colleagues) work at NIWA has been shaping a view of what the actual take of fish, especially snapper, is by recreational fishers from the Hauraki Gulf and Snapper 1 fisheries. The results of their various surveys and results have provided the information to the working groups that agree on the state of our fisheries and ultimately

The Sanfords lobby suggests that somehow all the fish caught by rec fishers can be measured and a clearer picture of the take by rec fishers through ‘self-reporting’. This concept may seem plausible at first, but a quick thought about how notorious rec fishers are ‘misreporting’ their catch and you’ll shut the concept down. Niwa commissioned THIS report after the past, failed rec

influence the Ministers allocation of

fisher self-reporting surveys exercises.

fish across the Maori, commercial and

Section 2.1, electronic Apps, is

recreational groups.

particularly interesting.

Many people have questioned the ‘actual’

Regardless of how many fish we are, as

take from the snapper fishery since

a group, taking - there’s little value in

Sanfords CEO, Volker Kuntzsch offered to

individuals reporting their catch unless

remove Sanford’s fishing efforts from the

that catch is taken to an independent

Hauraki Gulf if recreational fishers would

third party, and that would be an

record their catch. The problems with his

enormous cost. It seems Mr Kuntzsch

suggestion are so vast I’d need a whole

really wants to drive another wedge

issue of NZ Fisher to cover them off, but

between fishers, but to what end?

the most striking point is that his own company had already agreed, over many years, with the NIWA reports on the rec catch in the SNA1 area. Here is the report on how it’s all collated and collected. It is a fact that

I hope this is food for thought on days when the wind and rain are at cross purposes to our fishing intents!

Derrick www.nzfisher.co.nz 7

LANDBASEDFISHING

The

Greatest Cover Shot Fish of a lifetime for Arrum BY Arrum Ali

8 www.nzfisher.co.nz

MY NAME IS ARRUM ALI, born and

don’t need to walk back in the dark that

bred kiwi, I’m 26, I live in Cambridge

night, the next morning can fish really

and I’m a farrier (put shoes on

well at the morning change of light so we

racehorses) and I go fishing for one or

camp out to make the most of it. The last

two weekends every month. I always

time I went fishing before I caught the

take my friend Brendan and a couple of

monster snap, my partner Laura came, as

the 10 people I like to think I’ve taught

well as Brendan and a few learners.

to fish or at least given the ‘bug’.

Laura asked me if next time we go fishing

I love to share my knowledge of fishing

if it could be just me and her. So, because

with others, teaching knots and different

I didn’t want to carry the chilli bin into

fishing techniques but I don’t claim to

the usual spot by myself, I took it as an

be a gun by any means. Watching others

opportunity to explore the Far North. I’ve

get the same enjoyment I do when I

watched every episode of the ITM fishing

catch a fish gives me great satisfaction,

show and studied up on where Matt

especially when you know they’ve learnt

Watson likes to fish and how he fishes (Far

from you or you’ve tied their rig for

North off rocks, salmon burley, stray lining

them. I don’t mind sitting back watching

and using fresh kahawai belly flap bait).

and helping out while fishing rather

Having never fished off rocks in the north

than fish the entire time, helping with landing fish, tangles and snags.

before, I asked advice from the Facebook page NZ Fishing Community. After getting

I usually fish the Coromandel and I’ve

great feedback from many members of the

only got into rock fishing about six

group, Laura and I packed the wagon full of

months ago. Up until then I was paying

rods and left for the Far North at 6pm on

a fortune in charters targeting kingfish

Friday the 13th May. We arrived at Taupo

or snapper. White Island, Mayor Island,

Bay for a short sleep at 1am and woke at

Mercs, Great Barrier, Cuvier pins, Ranfurly

sunrise. We checked out the bay, got back

Banks and others. In the last six months,

in the car and continued the journey.

all but two trips have been off the rocks

We stopped for bait and burley at the

in the coromandel. I found a spot using Google maps that fishes very well.

bait shop in Coopers Beach, then drove to the very top of the north island

My fishing trips aren’t for the light

as neither of us had been up that far

hearted. They usually involve carrying

before. After that, we made our way

a chilli bin with bait, burley, beers and

to Spirits Bay and walked down to the

ice one km up and down steep, rugged

beach only to find the sea was far too

terrain and sleeping in the bush under a

rough to walk across the rocks to get to

tarp hung between two trees. Also, so we

the spot I was told about.

www.nzfisher.co.nz 9

LANDBASEDFISHING

10 www.nzfisher.co.nz

Not having a plan B. I resorted to zooming in on the coast on the old faithful Google maps. Trying to find an accessible point to fish from. I found a likely spot a bit further south on the east coast. Laura and I drove to the spot not really knowing what we would find or if we would even be able to get down to the rocks or if it was even fishable. We arrived around 1pm and walked along what looked to be a very old track. After making sure it wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t private land, we followed it and then cut down to the coast through a bit of bush. The walk was actually a lot easier than what we are used to. We got down to the rocks and set up in a likely looking spot. I must admit at this point I was heavily disappointed. The water was only about three metres deep. And there was foul and snags everywhere. Regardless I put the burley in a gap in the rocks where it would wash out nicely and proceeded to cast out whole pillys on my bait runner. Kahawai central! Every cast (not most, EVERY) would get eaten by a kahawai as soon as the pilly hit the water, which was fun for the first little bit but then got annoying. So, I turned the tables on the kahawai and put one out under a balloon and gave that to Laura to hold on to, which she was very happy about. It was darting around and looked as though it was being chased for a little bit but it amounted to nothing. I continued fishing for a while with my mate Brendanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s bait runner set up. It has the top to eye rings of the rod smashed out by a swivel I suspect. I borrowed it from him for Laura to use.

www.nzfisher.co.nz 11

GAMEFISHING

Using a waxwing lure I continued plucking kahawai after kahawai out of the ocean hoping that Mr kingy might decide to show his face. Eventually, I got sick of that, cut the head off a kahawai and jumped up and down on it to mush it up a bit, threw it on a hook and cast that out. I could feel the all too familiar bites of small snapper pecking at it as it reached the bottom. I wound my line in, removed the head and cut the belly flap off the fresh kahawai and cast that out only about 15 metres in front of me. Just as t hit the water, it got picked up. As the bait runner did its thing, I was thinking ‘Another bloody kahawai!’. I clicked it in gear and this thing instantly took off! Peeling line off the reel like it was nothing. I tightened the drag right up! Thinking of all that foul I got nervous, but off it went again on an even bigger run! Pulling many kgs of drag like it was nothing. I yelled out to Laura to come help me, she was about 50 metres away looking for crabs in the rocks. As soon as that weight come on, with the amount of line that was peeling off and the fact that it took it right on top of the water I was thinking it was a kingy. I have lost plenty of these mongrels land-based, so I was straight into it. I wound as fast as I could! Little winds and fast jerks on the rod as if I was jigging for kingfish horizontally. Even when the thing was running I was continually trying to turn its head. I remember looking up at the top two eye rings of the bent over rod under an immense strain and thinking why the hell am I using this!!!

12 www.nzfisher.co.nz

My bait runner and rod was sitting on the rock not five metres from my feet. The fish on the end of this line started to swim towards me. I took back the line and I got Laura ready to grab whatever this thing is out of the water. It surfaced about 10 metres from the rock we were standing on but I had put Laura in front of me and I couldn’t see it. She screamed and jumped back from the edge of the rock. I instantly thought bugger a shark, until she yelled out “GIANT F**KING SNAPPER!!!” she said when she saw it. It was swimming on top of the water, still fighting. It tore off on another run and I still hadn’t seen it. At this point, I’m panicking about it biting through the 30lb leader. I’m still winding like a mad-man and eventually I get to see it and it’s the biggest snapper I have ever seen - by some margin! I had it beat but the battle was far from over. We had not brought a net with us and the rock we were fishing off was a little bit over a metre above the sea. I can see Laura is panicking about getting it out of the water and I probably wasn’t helping the situation either because for some reason I was saying ‘Please, please, please’, over and over again, unable to say anything else! I passed the rod to Laura and started pulling on the line by hand. It came closer and closer to me. As a swell rolled in, I attempted to pull the snapper up onto the rock by the line. Bang! The knot from line to swivel breaks just as the snapper landed by my feet. It didn’t

get time to flap about at all! I belly

20lb. The thing was bigger than my

flopped on top of it on the edge of the

chilly bin! We got in the car and tried to

rock. There was no way I was letting

find somewhere we could weigh it. We

this beauty get away. I grab the trace

found a butcher who I asked if he could

and grab the tail, lift it up and carry it

weigh it for me and he kindly said,

further up the rock.

“Yeah bro, all good”. 10.85kg or 23.92lb

I put it down and jumped up and down

it weighed in at. 88.5cm.

screaming and shouting in celebration.

For years, I’d been chasing this elusive fish

I held it up again and gave it a big kiss! Laura took some photos and I contemplated putting it back but I’ve always said I’d mount my first 20lber even though I usually throw back anything I think is over 10lb. As soon as we caught this beast of a fish I saw no reason to stay and continue fishing. The spot had given me my trophy fish I’d been trying so hard to get all these years. So we packed up and left. It was the first and only snapper I

around the ocean in charter boats. Turns out you don’t need a boat, a net or the top two eye rings on your rod to catch a 20lb snapper. This was my first snapper I’ve caught over 20lb. It is currently in at the taxidermist and sitting first place in this year’s DB export New Zealand fishing comp. When I dropped it off to the taxidermist the hooks were still in its stomach along with the trace and swivel hanging out of its mouth.

caught at the spot. We fished there for

I caught the fish on 30lb line. 30lb

three hours in total. I carried it back

fluorocarbon 2 fixed 5/0 KS black magic

through the bush and all the way to the

hooks both tied on with snell knots

wagon with a grin from ear to ear. I sat

about 15cm apart. No sinker. 12000oc

it down on top of my chilly bin and at

bait-runner on a 7’2 10-15kg Shimano

that point I knew it was definitely over

Aqua tip rod. 

www.nzfisher.co.nz 13

TROUTFISHING

Winter Trout Fishing Techniques

Czech & European short line nymphing BY Markus Church - Rod & Reel, Newmarket

14 www.nzfisher.co.nz

WHAT A SUMMER we’ve had but with

We love to hit the rivers at this time of

the ‘official’ start to winter on June 1st

year, as there can be some awesome

came the cold blasts and wet skies from

fishing for hard fighting rainbows and

the South! The amount of rain that

dogged browns! This really is the time

came down in the last week of May was

of year you can get down and dirty and

crazy and with it, the inshore saltwater fishing dropped right off due to the large concentrations of freshwater. Oh well, time to hit the rivers then! With the onset of this inclement weather also usually means the first runs of ‘fresh run’ winter trout. Wherever we have lake systems like that in Rotorua and Taupo,

target some of the North Island monster browns that run the rivers. One word of caution, though... hold on and get ready for one of the dirtiest scrappers in the trout fraternity! Where rainbows will run hard and get aerial, they are usually pretty clean fighters. On

we will see these fish looking to either

the other hand, browns also run hard, but

make their way up any of the streams

they will also invariably look for anything

that feed the system or, if this does not

they can, to snag/bust you off on. So you

exist, making their way to the sandy

need to be on your ‘A’ game to land these

beaches to try and spawn.

monsters of the fresh!

www.nzfisher.co.nz 15

TROUTFISHING

Quite often the winter rivers are snaggy, can be tight, and also have lots of trees and scrub around them. This can make casting and getting your flies in the right place a bit of a mission at times. As everyone knows, there’s nothing more frustrating than untangling, or losing, flies from trees, time after time, after time! Well, there’s an answer to this. It’s called Czech or Short line Nymphing. Yes, you’ve probably heard about it, but how does it actually work? The best thing about this technique is that you don’t need to be great, or proficient at casting a fly line. The casting aspect of fly fishing is often the biggest ‘barrier’ to people when they are looking at getting into it (or even

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once they are in it!). Yes, being able to cast well is a major part of the sport of flyfishing. You need to be able to put your flies where the fish are and in a lot of circumstances you need to be able to cast well to do this. What Czech Nymphing allows you to do, is to fish lots of different types of water, from right at your feet , through to distances up to 15 to 20 metres away. It is also a technique that allows you to ‘feel’ everything that is going on at the other end of the line (which often can’t be attained easily through more traditional indicator methods). It can be very accurate at putting your flies where you want them and also often means you can get them into areas that you otherwise wouldn’t have tried (under trees, in between branches, etc) with more traditional casting methods. Coming back to casting, why is it easier and great for beginners? With this technique, your are essentially ‘lobbing’ or ‘flicking’ your flies into the area you want. It is the weight of the flies and the action of your rod that allows you to do this. It can be done by having them just outside your rod tip, or alternatively by leaving them in the water and then using the water to load the rod, then flicking them into position. Everyone I know that has tried this technique has picked it up very quickly, and that’s there on the river too.

16 www.nzfisher.co.nz

Glow-bugs (left) and Naturals

The Czech indicator

We use a coloured running line (made on monofilament) which is attached to your fluorocarbon leader at one end and your fly line at the other. The length of the coloured running line is normally around 15 to 20 metres and your leader length is determined by the water you are fishing, but we usually use 7 to 9 foot. Due to the coloured running line being very light in weight and slim in diameter (normally 12-14lb) compared to a traditional fly line, it is easy for the weighted flies to pull it out when you cast them. The flies we generally use for winter fishing are a more heavily weighted point fly, known more commonly as your ‘bomb’. This is the fly that allows you to cast. With this style of fishing, this fly is usually on what is called a ‘jig’ hook. These hooks are designed so that the fly rides upside down (point up). Which means that you have less chance of snagging and losing your flies and ultimately more chance of hooking fish, as the point is exposed. Normally there is a ‘dropper’ fly above the bomb. This can be a natural pattern like a pheasant tail, Hare and Copper, NZ hotspot, etc or alternatively an egg

18 www.nzfisher.co.nz

pattern, like the deadly Otter’s eggs. This is normally the fly that will catch the most fish as it bounces and drift on, or just above the bottom.

means you can also ‘feel’ as soon as a fish mouth’s your flies. Ultimately this means you will miss fewer takes from fish and hook up more often.

ROD REEL LTD PUBLISHING 26/11/15 The technique to CzechCUSTOMER Nymphing is &very Yes, the more you practice this form SALES REP BRAEDEN.SAUL PUBLICATION FISH AND GAME NZ similar to traditional indicator Nymphing of fishing, the better ‘tuned’ you will ADVERTISING DESIGNER Unknown SECTION RUN OF BOOK PROOF techniques. Cast upstream of where the 6:59:38 become. PROOFED 21/10/2015 a.m. But ultimately it’s a fantastic SIZE 19X14 ID 6937434AA FAX kids 5543to fish are holding, let the fliesADdrop into way to catch fish - anyone, from their APPROVE ‘zone’ and then letAD your driftAS (as POSSIBLE. the elderly NOTE can pickTHAT this up very quickly PLEASE THIS ASflies SOON ANY ALTERATIONS naturally as possible) through the area,BY OUR MUST BE FINALISED andMATERIAL catch fish inDEADLINE. no time at all! I had our keeping very slight tension on the line at twelve-year-old daughter out there last all times. This is not that dissimilar to soft year, who had never fly fished, and she baiting in the saltwater. proceeded to hook and land seven fish

One of the advantages of czeching is that you can ‘feel’ your flies as they bounce along the bottom (through the tapping transferred down your rod), which

over the space of an hour and a half. The smile on her face was unforgettable... and ultimately that’s what it’s all about – having fun! 

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www.nzfisher.co.nz 19 6937434AA

KID’SFISHING

Fat Trout for the WeeMan Trey Blakemore lands a fish for a lifetime, at 6 years old! BY Neil ‘Super Proud Dad’ Blakemore

20 www.nzfisher.co.nz

ALL WEEK MY SON Trey has been excited

We then headed for the canals after a bite

about our fishing trip away. Just him and

to eat to have a crack at what has been all

I hunting a few trout on the canals. It was

over facebook the last few weeks. We got

a bit of father/son bonding time (so he

to the canals and saw a few people fishing

called it!) and yes, it was due.

soft baits and a few fishing Globugs so

I run my own business as a local bricklayer

we chose the Globug option, casting and

in Rangiora, so Saturday morning came and we loaded up the work truck for our fishing adventure. Firstly with some local knowledge, we decided to take the jet boat up the top of the lake for a crack at some

drifting. After a few wild casts and tangle ups (which dad sorted for the six-yearold so-called professional), he managed to hook up to what turned out to be a fat, shiny 11lb rainbow jack. I think I got

early morning rises, but I must say it was

more of a shock than he did!

very cold - especially cruising across the

After a few times being told to keep

lake in an already frozen boat!. We didn’t

your rod up and line tight, he managed

manage to hook up on anything at all so

to wear the fish down and land it. I

decided to shore fish for a while until our

can’t think of a prouder moment. It

toes defrosted.

almost brought tears to my eyes, I felt

My son Trey managed to hook up on

so elated and full of joy just seeing the

a nice wee jack brown trout and deftly fighting it in on 10lb line, I must say I was quite impressed. That obviously got

look on his face when this beast finally surfaced. It was a true moment for the memory banks and to top it off, he did

him started for the day and he was now

it all on his own.

a pro in his own eyes. Not much came

The fish was kept and brought home

about for the next couple of hours so we

to be mounted as living proof that age

decided to head back to the truck (to the

means nothing. So the best advice I can

heater) to defrost properly.

give any dad is - TAKE A KID FISHING! 

PB 8lb Brownie for Sergei Corfield

TROUTPICS

6.5lb Brown Big Hook Jaw - Sergei Corfield Brett Rigby

Winner!ï&#x192;&#x201E;

22 www.nzfisher.co.nz

Trout

Pics

Ben Smith

Bryce Helms

Michael Walkley with a west coast skippie on fly

Duncan Low

Jed Jackson with a fine Wairarapa, Autumn trout

Connor Scott landed this skinny but beautiful rainbow from Lake Pupuke

www.nzfisher.co.nz 23

Emily Allum

Gareth Moran with a nice kingy on the fly out of Parengarenga Harbour in March.

Winner!ď&#x192;&#x192; Greg Gilbert

24 www.nzfisher.co.nz

â&#x153;Ś

COMPETITION

COMPETITION! WIN A SAGE #5 Combo spooled with Rio line.

✦✦ S ONTH LAST M NER WIN igby & Brett R Moran Gareth

WIN A SAGE #5 Combo spooled with Rio line. Sage Hats and apparel also up for grabs every month from April to September with NZFisher, Sage and Rio. Just send us a trout or Salt fly photo to enter. Enter by posting a Trout or Salt Water Fly photo on the NZFisher Facebook page or sending to: Derrickp@nzfisher.co.nz Major prize drawn 30th September 2016. Winner advised by email 2nd October. Prize must be collected from Rod & Reel Newmarket or delivered by agreement with the sponsor. Entrant must reside in New Zealand and be over 18 years old unless images are submitted by a parent or guardian. Minor prizes drawn 5th of each month and will be notified by email. ■

www.nzfisher.co.nz 25

SQUIDFISHING

The Art of Egi Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a slippery slope BY Michael Walkley

26 www.nzfisher.co.nz

IN THE COOLER MONTHS of the year,

waters and what better way to target

fishing generally takes a step back, the

them than the art of Egiing. Egiing

weather hinders our efforts to get out

means ‘squid game’, it’s a way to

and rods sit on the racks unused, yet

target them in the most sporting

there is a bounty of creatures to be

way possible: light line, flexible rods

caught in these less tropical months.

and jigs. What’s not to love about

When the temperature drops broad

being able to trick your quarry into

finned squid mount up in our coastal

hitting a food source imitation?

www.nzfisher.co.nz 27

SQUIDFISHING

Our coastal shores are the perfect

to follow. It all comes down to the

playground for these creatures, rocky

underfoil. Gold underfoil is good in

outcrops, vast weed beds and an ample

the early mornings and evenings,

food source. They inhabit these areas

silver during the high contrast

in great numbers and are an easy target

days and a red or lumo under layer

for most anglers.

at night. Red gives off the best

Position yourself on a likely looking

silhouette at night. The size of the

area, ink marks on the ground nearby

lures determines the sink rate in

are a big giveaway, and cast away.

shallow areas a small lightly weighted

Squid jigs themselves come in an array of colours and sizes and what works best is debatable so use your

lure will keep you out of the snags and in the strike zone, just above their weedy hides.

discretion when deciding what you

A long flexible rod, small reel and fine

need on the day. However, in my

diameter line completes your arsenal,

opinion, there are still a few rules

youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re ready to go.

28 www.nzfisher.co.nz

When Egiing you’re casting as far as you

pull the jig from the squid that may have

can, allowing the lure to sink to the strike

struck your lure on the last drop.

zone and giving it a quick twitch. Two or

Success comes from patience,

three good jerks and allow it to sink again, time spent on the water is better retrieve the slack and repeat. The squid than in front of the couch, will usually hit it on the drop, so make

get out there, get some mates

sure you run a light drag so as to not

together and get catching. 

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www.nzfisher.co.nz 29

PROTECTINGOURFISHERIES

LegaSea

Update

Commission of Inquiry urgently needed Update by Trish Rea, Legasea

REVELATIONS THERE HAVE BEEN no

acknowledge and address the underlying

prosecutions after investigations into

problems embedded in the quota

blatant fish dumping, catch misreporting,

system. Realistically, the Ministry for

and high grading aboard trawlers are

Primary Industries is never going to

alarming. Only a Commission of Inquiry

give itself a work-over, but there are

with broad terms of reference will be

risks for the government if it allows the

sufficient to allay the growing concerns

mismanagement to continue into 2017,

around the Ministryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s decision-making

an election year.

processes, and to delve deep inside the

Afer days of denials, Minister Nathan

Quota Management System. It is disturbing that officials refuse to

30 www.nzfisher.co.nz

Guy announced an inquiry into some decisions made by his officials not to

prosecute offenders identified during

tenant farmers of yesteryear, given a

two investigations, Operations Achilles

share of what they are told to produce.

and Hippocamp.

The landlord decides what quantities

He has since asked for advice on

of each species need to be produced

fast-tracking the rollout of video and

each trip and the fisherman sets sail

electronic reporting on commercial

on a mission to fulfil the proverbial

vessels. We now understand a

‘shopping list’. The success of the fishing

government tender to install and

trip is based on how close his catch

monitor the video cameras has been

matches that list.

awarded to Trident, an industry-owned

If a fisherman is not going to be paid

research company!

sufficient returns for his catch he has

Meanwhile, John Key has had to

two choices, either return to port with

provide assurances that National Party

the catch and pay a fine called ‘deemed

President Peter Goodfellow leaves the

value’ or toss it over the side. A difficult

caucus room during any discussions

choice for anyone. Please view the

about the fishing industry, to avoid

Wastage video - here.

any conflicts of interest due to his

After 30 years of experimentation, it’s

substantial financial stake in Sanford.

time to stop tinkering. The first step to

Many New Zealanders are concerned

developing a lasting solution to restore

these issues are just symptoms of a

our fisheries is to identify the problems.

system corrupted by self-interest.

We need a Commission of Inquiry into

On a positive note, this saga has helped

the Ministry’s decision-making processes,

to expose the unhealthy shift of power,

and to peel back the rotten layers around

from the fishermen on the water to quota the Quota Management System. shareholders on land.

Many of today’s fishermen are like the

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