NZ Fisher Issue 15

f sher ISSUE 15 March 2012

North, West, East & South It’s all firing!

Finally, a great Skippy recipe Cape Karikari II: Landbased magic www.nzfisher.co.nz 1

CONTENTS Pg 4

8

12

LANDBASED FISHING 4 West Coast Brilliance KAYAKFISHING 6

When is Undersized

not Undersized

UNDERWATER 7

Summer is Underwater Season

LANDBASED FISHING 8

Karikari II: Finally a Better Sequel

12

Reader Pics

13

Fishing Video of the Month

JETSKI FISHING 14

Jetski’s Take Over Otehei Bay

FISHING SPOTS 16 Number 2: Taranaki - Blessed for Being Forgotten FISHING SPOTS

2 www.nzfisher.co.nz

19

Finally - A Great Recipe for Skippies!

20

Regional Reviews

Pg 14

editorial

//From the

EDITOR getting smashed at Tapotupotu Bay in

ABOUT /

the Farthest North.

Short and sharp, NZ Fisher is a

Snapper are here in good numbers but they’re not alone. Carl Muir of So many fish. So many fish, that once again the powers that be think we need to take some more out of the water & sell them to overseas consumers.

I want nothing more than to sleep soundly in the knowledge that the increasing fish stocks we are all so proud of are kept in the water, alive, well and breeding so we get stocks back to more like half what they were when we started fishing. When we get the chance to speak, make sure there is a lot of noise. OK, rant over.

Epic Adventures put his mate and NZSFC Nationals co-angler Anthony

ART DIRECTOR / Jodi Olsson

out numerous sections of the SFC

GROUP EDITOR / Trudi Caffell

Nationals in February.

CONTENT ENQUIRIES /

There have been competitions all over the country in the last couple of months, many are for game fish but a number

10kg. Mark Woodward and his Dad discovered the largely un-tapped inshore West Coast snapper fishery in grand style while Aaron McDonald,

ADVERTISING ENQUIRIES / Phone Richard on 09 522 7257

inshore – regular – fish. Jai Saunders of

ADDRESS / NZ Fisher,

the Hibiscus Kayak Fishing Club fished

C/- Espire Media, PO Box 137162,

the B&B from his kayak. With a bag of

Parnell, Auckland 1151, NZ

fish, including a 7kg+ snapper Jai took

Well done Jai for a great effort!

doubt his personal best at well over

or email derrickp@NZ Fisher.co.nz

or email richardl@espiremedia.com

some wonderful fishing opportunities

who released a fish that was without

Phone Derrick on 021 629 327

like the Carters Beach and Boat are for

inaugural Kayak World Championship.

must be given to Forsyth Thompson

to forward-thinking fisher people.

EDITOR / Derrick Paull

excuse for a summer has still provided

exceptional catches. Congratulations

and industry news and information

Big eye tuna off Mayor Island to take

out the Kayak section and with it the

landing (and in many cases releasing)

provoking and enlightening articles,

Honeybone on to a stunning 106kg

On the actual fishing front, this poor

nation-wide. Hardy fishos have been

free e-magazine delivering thought

Check out Ariel’s’ recipe for Coconut Chilli Skipjack - I am so impressed I’m heading out next weekend just to get

WEBSITE / www.NZ Fisher.co.nz 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!

one for the pot.

We look this month at Taranaki – slipping in at number two on the list of our best inshore fishing location, ahead of...well; we’ll need to wait for next month!

our Skiwi (Scots-Kiwi) spent a handful

Tight lines,

of memorable days busting PB’s and

Derrick

Cover Image: Mark Woodward found this awe inspiring and very secluded spot on Auckland’s West Coast and gave it a go – the results were staggering

www.nzfisher.co.nz 3

landbasedFISHING

West Coast Brilliance Story by Mark Woodward Photos by Dan Forster

AFTER A SUCCESSFUL snapper session with Kenshin out west last week I decided to make the most of the offshore winds yesterday and give my Dad and brother in law a taste of the action at the same spot.

The tide was early afternoon this time as opposed to early morning last week so I was expecting for both the bite to be slower and the fish to be of smaller size. I was wrong! Arriving to the spot around 10.30am, second cast and a 50cm snap were landed!

4 www.nzfisher.co.nz

landbasedFISHING

The swell was a bit bigger and more consistent yesterday than a week prior and while there was a lot of running back and forth trying to evade the bigger sets, the fish got bigger too!

My brother-in-law is pretty handy behind the lens and didn’t get much fishing done but he happily took some ‘snaps’ as Dad and I continued to pull in the snapper.

Casting distance definitely helped to land the bigger fish. I was able to get the baits out to the bigger fish and ended up with 3 snapper over 9lb with the biggest going 10lb 2oz on the scales. Squid seemed to be the bait today and we ended up with 14 snaps for around 3 hours of fishing.

Absolutely awesome day. Most people start off landbased and move to boat fishing but I’m doing it the other way around.

I’m really enjoying getting out on the rocks, my only regret is that I didn’t appreciate this form of fishing sooner.

I’m moving to Hobart, Australia in a few months and while I’ll continue fishing, New Zealand’s beautiful coast and amazing fishery will be sorely missed.

www.nzfisher.co.nz 5

FISHINGnews

Disgraceful flaunting on NZ Fisheries rules

When is Undersized Not Undersized?

This pic was sent in by one of our US readers who couldn’t figure out why a US supermarket chain (in this case CostCo) would be allowed to sell our precious snapper at such a small size. Our reader reports that most of these baby snapper were under 10cm and are being sold for a disgraceful $6.99 a pound or about NZ$15 a kilo.

We think this is disgraceful. We’re going to pose the question of undersized fish being sold overseas to the Ministry of Fisheries – We’ll await their response.

6 www.nzfisher.co.nz

UNDERWATER

Summer is Underwater Season!

Thanks to Malcolm Kidd of Dive Centre for submitting this pic of a pair of Crays caught in just 6 meters of water within the Hauraki Gulf – Malcolm didn’t nab them himself, but sent them through on behalf of a client. This time of year the crays take a hammering, but if you know where to look there’s usually a feed to be had. If you have any photos of your crays, scallops or fish taken by spear – send them in, we’d love to publish them for you!

www.nzfisher.co.nz 7

landbasedFISHING

Karikari II: Finally a Better Sequel

By Forsyth Thompson

Matai Bay ‘ramp’

Most sequels just aren’t as

PB on his previous visit too. As for me,

time. A quick call to Derrick confirmed

good as the original: Jaws, the

I’d not had a land based PB in about

beach launching was great at Matai

new Star Wars movies, Rocky…but

3 years although I’d taken plenty of

where he was staying with the family,

sometimes they are: Aliens, anyone?!

guys out to get their own PBs, the 9.5

so we headed up there as the sun rose.

After our R’Ocktober trip which saw a

kilo snapper and 21kg king both from

handful of PBs, two 20s and a number

the top of Coro were proving really

of kings hooked and lost, our Feb

hard to beat.

follow-up trip was going to have to

I’d fished the bottom of the peninsula a few times, and it had always been great, but this was going to be new

We arrived on the Friday evening at

territory to explore. We headed back

the Whatuwhiwhi Top 10 Holiday Park

down towards Knuckle Point, checking

My mate Andrew also has a long-

which, like last time, was our base for

out a number of likely looking ledges

running battle with his brother to

the weekend (amazing facilities, fish

the whole way down until we’d had

catch the biggest snapper and to say

filleting room, great location), and

a good look around. I always figure

he was keen to beat him was a big

started planning the morning. The

that if you don’t get to explore a bit of

understatement. He’d never fished the

forecast wasn’t great, the VHF telling is

country often, its well worth having a

far north before and was in for a treat.

to get ready for 35knot SW. So clearly

good look when you get the chance.

Forbes, our Scottish mate who did the

we weren’t launching off the beach at

We settled on our spot, parked the

write-up of the October trip was the

Whatuwhiwhi and fishing the southern

boat a good way down from where we

third crew member and he’d bagged a

end of the peninsula like we did last

were going to fish, unloaded and got

work hard to beat the original.

8 www.nzfisher.co.nz

landbasedFISHING

The Battleground

ready. One of the boys got the berley

there’s really no choice, and started

For the rest of the morning we fished a

going while the other 2 of us made

getting some line back. A few minutes

combination of big blue mack and jack

up all the rods – nothing worse than

later the fish came to the surface in

mack baits, getting a series of good

catching a livey and finding there’s

the white water and it was obviously

fish in the 2-3kg range until Andrew got

nothing ready to put it out on.

not the fish I’d seen, being a totally

one just 2 cm smaller than mine, but it

I finished the last one and grabbed my

different colour. But it was bigger, so I

was really lean so although not going to

trusty Rocky with a DaiwaSLX30, 15kg

wasn’t complaining!

beat his brother, when we weighed it at

and half a big blue mackerel. Right

We got it in the net (just) and got a

there, chewing at the berley bag was

few photos as quickly as possible so

a fantastic snapper, I couldn’t believe

we could put it back. Sadly the fish

Then, as we got towards midday, we

it and then it disappeared into the

just wouldn’t swim and after a few

hit a ridiculous patch of fishing. First

white water. Quickly followed by my

minutes of trying, we gave up and

Andrew had a whole kahawai head

bait. Quickly followed by a screaming

iki’ed it. It wasn’t going to go to waste

absolutely destroyed by a big snap

hook-up and line peeling off the SLX

but it was still a bit sad to see such a

but failed to hook up. That had been

good fish unable to be released. We

one hell of a fish to do that. Then his

weighed it at the end of the day at

baitrunner went off again, on a huge

I yelled at the boys to grab the net as

7.05kg – a hell of a good way to start

jack mack bait, but again he hit it a

I never want to gaff a big fish unless

the day on the very first bait.

bit early (having not fished such big

at a great rate of knots. Obviously I’d hooked the fish I’d seen…or had I?!

5.50kg it was a land based PB for him and you can’t sniff at that!

www.nzfisher.co.nz 9

landbasedFISHING

baits before) and the hooks didn’t set

there – the net broke, but it just didn’t

home.

fit anyway.

Then my turn, and I felt the big blue

So we managed to get it up and away

mack picked up and then the fish

from the water and only then did I

powered off with it. As I put it in gear

realise how big it was. An easy 85cm+

the rod went over and over and the line

and a big healthy old fish. After the first

just carried on going out at about the

fish of the day had died, I just wanted to

same pace, this was a seriously good

get this one back in the water as quickly

fish. Very quickly I had less than half my

as possible, particularly as it had fought

line left and needed to start putting

so long and hard. None of us had any

some hurt on and getting line back.

scales with us and there was no way I

The fish just wouldn’t give up, and every time I thought we were going to see it, off it headed again, and I was Forsyths 10kg Plus Snapper

10 www.nzfisher.co.nz

- returned to fight ag ain

was going to keep it, so we got some pics and finished it with the best pic, the release one! We’ll never know exactly

sure this was going to be a PB. Now I

what it weighed but I do know that I’ll

was getting nervous about knots and

need a hell of a fish and at the very least

trace, but surely the 50lb flouro would

11kg if I’m going to get near it again.

hold out? Then the fish came to the

Half an hour later, another huge bait

surface to some shouts and more than

got smashed, surely I wasn’t going

a few words that won’t make it into

to get another chance at a big fish?

print! Forbes got down to the white

Again the hook set home and again

water with the net but we still weren’t

it just kept on powering off. If the last

landbasedFISHING

fish was big, this one was something else again. It went to ground and I managed to get it out, and then again a second time. Big nodding runs, getting a bit of line back then more runs until about 10 mins in I was almost out of line, I just couldn’t believe it.

By now I was getting worried, there was just too much line out and this fish was still going hard. Forbes was ready with the broken net and a gaff (we had no idea how we were going to deal with this fish!) and I was getting quite a lot of line back. And then at the death the 50lb flouro parted before we’d even got a look at the fish.

Having less than an hour before having caught an absolute horse,

Andrews new Landbased PB - a long , slim fish that looked a LOT bigger than it’s 5.5kg s

I’d just been smoked by something significantly bigger. You can’t of course call a fish you don’t see, but it was, by a long way, the toughest snapper I’ve ever been connected to!

The rest of the day was patchy by the standards we’d set: plenty of pannies went back to swim another day, then, later in the day we lost 2 more fantastic fish, one we couldn’t get back from the foul and a second one putting its teeth through pretty serious trace. What an extraordinary day.

The Sunday saw us fishing the top of the Cape, catching skippies just off the rocks (a first for the baby Stabi) and small kings on poppers, although no big snaps or big kings.

But it didn’t matter. The sequel had been, improbably, even better than the original. And with some of the fish we couldn’t get to the bricks, I’ve got a feeling there are going to be a few more sequels before the years out. (In fact, the next one’s already booked for a few weeks’ time).

The far north, you’ve just got to love it.

Release!

www.nzfisher.co.nz 11

Can you believe this?!?!?! This is Mikara with her first ever fish; Caught from NZ’s most northern bay, Taputoputo Bay close by Cape Reinga.

Mikara was fishing with her Dad & his fishing buddy Arron.

READERpics

Ariel Alibangbang (or Kenshin to those on fishing. net.nz shows off his first & very impressive 15kg King caught from the rocks – on a popper no less!

This month we have a number of personal bests, first fish and a couple of just good old fishing pics.

Click here to email your photos and go in the draw for an NZFisher goodies Prize Pack

12 www.nzfisher.co.nz

Reece Claxton (The Kingfish Guru of Kapiti) has put many an angler onto great Kings off Kapiti Island. This one though is a 27kg beast Reece nabbed for himself. It was hooked on a jig and landed on a Synit kaha 50grm rod paired with an Accurate BX400narrow. That is seriously light gear for a fish of this size.

Ted Audain with two of the four pannies the landed in the North Shore Surfcasting Clubs Martins Bay club fishing day in February. Teds reel is an Alvey he says is over 20 years old & has landed many 20lb+ Snapper without ever missing a beat.

Brenton landed this 10kg Kingfish to win the NSSC’s Martins bay February comp – made all the better by the fact it was landed form the ricks and on just 8kg Mono! Well done Brenton!

VIDEO

Fishing Video of the Month Jason of fishingreportsnz. com has launched a YouTube channel www.youtube.com/ user/FishingreportsNZ#p/a/ u/1/1Z5X1LOufHU to show off some of our great local fisheries & some products that might make life easier on board.

And on the slightly lighter side of gamefishing and the great ‘shall we / shant we’ (release or keep) debate, here’s NZFisher contributer Kurt Bennetto on his last marlin before setting off to the quiet backwater of Melbourne.

(Warning: Parental Guidance recommended. Some language may offend)

www.nzfisher.co.nz 13

JETSKIfishing

Jetski’s Take Over Otehei Bay

By Andrew Hill

Check out Andrew & the

Island to enjoy this social adventure.

our group were launched and ready to

Jetskifishing.co.nz teams’ latest

There had been plenty of pre-planning

go. Our ride on the skis from Rawhiti

video from Otehei Bay (Urapukapuka

with the management team from

to our destination was a leisurely five

Island) in the Bay of Islands. If you

Otehei Bay at Urupukapuka Island.

minutes with some dream conditions.

need any more proof that this is a

The main group of us arranged to

real growth area for fishing look no

meet at BP Autobahn by 11am just

further – 28 jetskiers made their way

out of Auckland, to assemble for a

up and were rewarded with some

convoy to head north. Some were

outstanding conditions and great

overly eager and there before 10am,

fishing. Check out he pair of Kings at

adding to the anticipation of a fun

3.17mins – Stunning!

road trip.

Here are a few words to accompany

On arrival at Russell we had one last

1 was rewarded with his own private

the YouTube clip.

leg of a thirty minute drive out to the

room upgrade!

The title and testimonials from this

remote area of Rawhiti.

Once everyone arrived at the beach, the team at Otehei Bay directed us to each of our cabin sleeping quarters. Most were sharing and we had one bonus for the best Snapper fisherman on the day… Shane who caught the heaviest Snapper on day

The first days fishing was a real

trip say it all! This was our best trip

It was a welcoming sightseeing

eye opener for the newbies being

yet, we had 28 keen Jetski fishos from

Rawhiti, the island barge was also

amongst the amazing scenery and

various regions throughout the North

waiting to take our luggage, a few of

the plentiful fishery. The bonus of

14 www.nzfisher.co.nz

JETSKIfishing

these unfamiliar fishing regions is your opportunity to catch some different species. Plenty of the group caught some personal bests off their skis, including Stefan with this whopper Kingi on the jig weighing in at 19.2kg.

As with our Jetskifishing events, it is always a great opportunity to build new friendships and learn tips and tricks from each other about Jetskifishing. Some over indulged and participated in an all nighter, socialising till the early hours in the morning‌ Of course paying for that the next day and not being too keen on the fishing. The majority of the group went out for an early morning fish on day 2 and headed back at 9am for a much needed cooked breakfast.

Day 3 was time to end our Ultimate Jetskifishing Experience. It was a quick fish in the morning before heading back to our vehicles for the drive back home. As many of the group mentioned it was a trip of a life time and the hospitality from the team at Otehei Bay is must to be experienced. Thanks again to the group that came up and the maturity and responsibility demonstrated by our fun group. Check out our next event, the Top Catch King of Jetskifishing Tournament.

www.nzfisher.co.nz 15

fishingSPOTS

Number 2: Taranaki Blessed for Being Forgotten

By Derrick Paull

Recognised as the bump that protrudes so strongly from the western waist of the North Island, Taranaki is more often a destination than a stop on the journey. While this leads to the region being a little overlooked and sadly misunderstood, its remoteness in this visitor sense adds to both the pleasant surprise on

When I first headed to the Naki (as

The weather in Taranaki is the biggest

arriving and a more bountiful ocean

locals and cheesy tourists like me call

leveller for those who wish chase fish.

for having been ignored.

it) I expected a lot less than I got. It

As with most of NZ’s west coast, big

wasn’t until after I returned home

swells and persistent westerly winds

that I googled it to learn a bit more

keep boaties ashore more often than

about what went on. What I learned is

not. While the weather is a pain in the

that Taranaki Council have a fantastic

backside if you’ve made the journey

website (http://www.taranaki.info) that

just for a fish, it creates a natural

I’ve had the pleasure of being invited on a number of trips off shore from New Plymouth now and I am blown away every time by the numbers, size & proximity of great fishing. The seasons are more dominant of fishing here, but when fish are in season the populations are impressive. The target species list possibly exceeds even Northland.

shows the diverse and interesting scope of things to do in the region. They seem to have completely missed the opportunity to showcase the fantastic fisheries though with the closest to

buffer that helps keep the fishery in such great shape. The upside is of course when you do find a weather window the fishing usually goes off.

Until about ten years ago when the

endorsing their them is White bait

What I like the most about Taranaki’s

‘Naki discovered they had a Billfish

fritters at Mokau at Number 23 on the

fishing is the way you can fish almost

fishery just off shore and summers

top fifty things to do in the Naki. Not

any way you like – depending on the

have never been the same.

quite the sport fishers quarry really.

time of year and weather. My earliest

16 www.nzfisher.co.nz

fishingSPOTS

i snapper Nakiman with a typical Nak e enc Flor r Credit: Pete

Wonderboy and his 11.56kg Naki Snapper Credit: Peter Floren ce

See, there are calm days!

fishing memories of the area are from

popular across the region. Yaks are

the end of February through mid

searching through the NZ fishing

much more transportable and can be

March, depending on the season and

records published by the NZACA in

launched from more remote areas

currents. Deep water within just a few

their manual. I was astounded by the

where there may be shelter form reefs

miles of the port means kayakers don’t

number of enormous snapper landed

& headlands. Once on the water the

require the substantial paddles that

by surfcasters in New Plymouth and

fishery is generally so good that there

most NZ spots require. That doesn’t

more astoundingly on line weights

is little need to head far off shore.

mean Nakiman & his sidekick (he’ll

like 2 and 4kg. The surfcasting of Taranaki is legendary. The beauty of the shape of the Naki is that in almost any weather conditions a safe and productive spot can be found.

‘Nakiman’ of the fishing.net (Naki Report) forums one of the most successful fishers in the Naki and fishers almost exclusively from his beloved Viking Profish. Nakiman is one of the

hate that title!) Wonderboy don’t do some serious miles – 45km’s in a day is a common summertime occurrence.

It really is just a matter of time, but I truly believe the Naki is one of the most likely spots for one to be landed.

Boat fishing, while very productive

most prolific posters on the Fishing

when you can get out, is affected

Website – because he catches so many

It’s not just gamefish these guys are

more dramatically by the sea

fine fish. Please take a minute to flick

chasing. Both Nakiman & Wonderboy

conditions. The port at New Plymouth,

through the Naki report and you’ll see

have personal bests of over 11kgs

the only deepwater port on New

how fantastic their fishing grounds are.

from their yaks. Those are trophy fish

Zealand’s West Coast, provides safe and easy launching, but is limiting to those who live in the outer reaches.

There are plenty of rivers and some pretty exciting bar crossings both north & south of New Plymouth providing access, but again the weather controls that access.

Recently kayaks have become very

Over the last few years the Naki

in anyone’s books.

kayakers have begun chasing Marlin

Every year in mid March Taranaki hosts

form the yak in earnest. While there

the ‘Kayak Classic’– considered the

still hasn’t been a marlin landed form

premier NZ Kayak fishing competition.

the yak, a few have been hooked,

The classic attracts yak fishers form

mostly by accident and all have ended

throughout New Zealand – because

in lost fish & frazzled fishers. Marlin

the fishing is so good. In 2011 there

frequent Taranaki’s northern waters for

were ten snapper weighed over 9kg –

up to three months a year, best being

that is outstanding in anyone’s books.

www.nzfisher.co.nz 17

fishingSPOTS

Mt Taranaki is a natural rain collector and that water ends up in rivers that run down to the see in a fan from the mountain to the sea. These rivers have been largely overlooked, but a number of them are regularly stocked with both Rainbow and Brown trout.

Taranaki is one of those places where you need to experience it. There’s only so much I can impart that will get you excited, but I want you to know that there are few, if any regions in New Zealand with half the fishing opportunity of Taranaki. Once there, it’s not just the fishing that will win you over. Where else in Z, or the world can you snow board after breakfast, surf after lunch and catch a fish after dinner?

18 www.nzfisher.co.nz

RECIPE

Finally - A Great Recipe for Skippies!

By Ariel Alibangbang

Skipjack Tuna or Skippies as we more commonly know them are a prolific tuna that turn up in NZ in great numbers during the heat of summer. They are a genuinely exciting gamefish on light tackle, great bait for bottom feeders like Snapper & terakihi as well as a tasty livebait for Marlin. Problem is, I find them difficult to prepare and cook due to their strong, heavy fishy flavour. So I was so impressed and grateful to come across Ariel’s recipe that I had to share it. I am also a chilli fan, so this hot, tasty Filipino recipe is right up my alley.

When you catch a skippie you’re going to keep for dinner, you’ll need to bleed it immediately. To do this, lift the pectoral fin (the side one) and make an insertion about 2cm behind the fin. When you get the artery it will ‘gush’ -so do it over the side or in a bucket because these fellas can bleed a lot!

Coconut Chilli Skippie Most important it you bleed any big skipjacks you plan to eat. The blood if not taken out seems to leave a strong taste and more often than not, makes an itching reaction on ones tongue.

Big skip jacks are sold already bled and most often cut into stakes on the fish shops in the Philippines. Small ones are also sold whole and those are treated differently (boiled up to hours).

Ingredients:

both faces turns light brownish

A half kilo of Skip Jack tuna

2. Set the fish aside

cut into steaks

3. On the same pan, heat the

1 medium sized red onion, sliced

remaining half cup of oil and lightly

A half cup of fresh sliced ginger

sauté the garlic, ginger and onions

3 cloves of fresh garlic, sliced

4. Pour in water, vinegar, fish

Quarter of a spoon of grounded

sauce, pepper, the seared fish and

pepper

simmer to boil for about 15-20

2 spoons of fish sauce

minutes or when water poured is

2 cups of coconut milk

about half evaporated

1 cup of water

5. Pour in Coconut milk and green

3 spoons of vinegar (coconut or cider)

chilis. Have it simmer at low heat

But the total secret here to eating

1 cup of vegetable ( or rice bran) oil.

until half of the liquid is gone and

Skippie is for it to be cooked really

2 - 4 fresh green chilli

the sauce thickens

well. Skip Jack tuna braised on

6. Turn off the heat and let it warm down.

Coconut milk is regular lunch fair back

Preparation:

7. Serve with rice or dip you’re Naan

in the Philippines for us. They are

1. On a well sized pan, heat half a

bread

usually prepared in the morning as fish

cup of the oil and sear the fish stakes

are bough fresh early from the markets.

about 2-3 minutes both sides until

Delicious

www.nzfisher.co.nz 19

regionalREVIEWS

BOP Summer Report Source: Rick Pollock – www.Pursuit.co.nz As far as air temperature is concerned, someone summed it up very well – February going on May! Fortunately the water temps, while cool, do not follow suit. Having three layers on over summer is bizarre – makes one wonder where we will go from here!?!

boaties in the lee of the island.

These gases are quite to very potent, raising heck with any type of metal (including quality stainless) as well as paint (including the best two pot variety known to man)! Indeed, even the Pohutukawa trees are dying and

Still been a lot of effort put in by many

they are some of the hardiest foliage

over the past week, particularly at Waihau

known to man! Visiting boats vow to

Bay. The NZ Nationals are yet again a

never return again – oh well!

memory with many getting on the water

Ranfurly Bank Does anything ever change down there? Seemingly little this entire season. If White Island has been inconsistent (and it has), then Ranfurly is the antithesis. Kingis always seem eager to please, whether it be in the shallows or depths – only the size varies.

Speaking of size, the past week saw some smaller than normal fish come to the fore. Few over 25k’s showed

On the fishing scene, the main draw

themselves with most back in the teens.

card is (and has been) sadly lacking

Surface action still spectacular for

of late. While we know they have

those throwing hookless stickbaits or

concluded their spawning for the

poppers. Hapuka, trumpeter and bass

season, it’s not been license to cease

(in that order) are leading the bottom

Inshore

and desist in the past. While a few have

brigade with the odd bass tipping 40k’s

A real mixed bag as we slide into a time

been landed at night, most daylight

the heavyweights. Water very pretty

that normally shows great consistency.

hours are fruitless in their pursuit. Most

down there but many boats triedw

Autumn is generally a great time to

are of a modest size and very lean –

their luck atw

fish inshore and maybe it will be but

spawned out and needing a good feed.

in earnest for their respective clubs. Some great results come out of the eight day marathon contest complete with some outstanding captures.

late “summer” has been anything but.

Snapper, most everyone’s favourite target, have failed to inspire overall.

Offshore Gamefishing

They will fatten up in time but even

And all failed to get even a strike.

their dilapidated condition doesn’t

Certainly Ranfurly has had two of the

mean they won’t inflict pain on their

worst game seasons in living memory.

A few bright sparks manage to cobble

would be captors – far from it! Shallow

Further west however is totally different

together a decent catch but most fail,

water reef fishing is productive and a

scenario. Waihou Bay has easily had its

some miserably! Some fairly decent

lot of fun on huge variety (18 different

best season in three years, probably

terakihi fishing will top up the larder

species the other day!) but the quality

more. While the usual hoard of boats

with fat kahawai eager to please – and

among them (read that terakihi) is

descended upon the tiny coastal

tear up light traces! Water has gone

lacking in numbers. Trevally, mainly

enclave, most were rewarded to a lesser

very green now, not the best for diving

between three and four kilos, are

or greater extent during the recent

but may improve snapper prospects.

very consistent – that’s if you can get

tourney. Blues continue to rival, or even

through the rats! Lots of light tackle fun

supersede, Stripies in a pleasing trend –

on the sand; huge challenge (and loss

great quality here.

Offshore White Island is a strange place now, stranger than normal even! The

rate) on the foul!

Lures continue to rule the day

island itself is a steaming caldron

Out deep is still the overall winner with

although a few staunch livebaiters

which has seen the usual lake

spawning bluenose (the largest of the

are not without reward. Most of the

evaporate in its entirety. Rather than

warehou family) adding to the fun. Small

blues are in excess of 200k’s with a

filtering the omnipresent variety of

males are the bulk of the catch but a few

few well over. Adrian Stokes onboard

gases through water, they are now

females to 27 kilos certainly spice things

brought a leviathan boat side onboard

descending upon unsuspecting

up – not to mention fill fish holds fast!

“Maltilda”. After measuring the fish

20 www.nzfisher.co.nz

regionalREVIEWS

at 3 ½ metres in length and 1.95m

a few really hot (in any regard) days

all the best to those remaining in

girth, it was valiantly released. Working

of fishing have been documented.

home waters. With the ultra strong

through the formula it comes out at

“PURSUIT” and her crew will now

westerly’s we’ve just endured I have

986lbs – a near grander! Ian Kinvig and

relocate to the Far North and pleased

grave concerns for water quality and

Graham Ballard, onboard “Ramoe”,

to do so.

gamefish for the rest of the season –

Next report will be from up there

hope I’m wrong!ted off the Devonport

but not for awhile. In the meantime

wharf too!

hooked blues every day save one during the tourney! Such is the calibre of fish available there currently.

A few mahi mahi, spearfish and even tuna (yes, tuna!) add spice to the catch. After the second tuna of any kind (no, we don’t count skippies/albies) was landed onboard “Epic Adventures” during the recent Nats (106 bigeye – well done Anthony Honeybone), two more fell to “Mawhai” recently. The 72 and 73 kilo fish took a combined hour and a half to land. Not to

Coromandel Source: Carl Muir www.EpicAdventures.co.nz We’ve just finished a crazy week in the NZ Nationals fishing competition which has run for the last eight days coinciding with the Whitianga Marlin Classic and the Whitianga One Base.

be outdone, the following day

We’ve fished the tournament the

saw an actual yellowfin of 63.8k’s

last five years and it is always a good

fall to “Oscar”. So now four tuna

break for us to do something a little

confirmed in the BOP – what a sad

bit different fishing wise.

indictment on our tuna fishery.

Further offshore, some 25-35 nautical miles north of White, some great action has developed. Meatballs were assembled of saurie, complete with whales, gannets and muttonbirds were assembled in an awesome spectacle.

While bigeye tuna could be seen in the melee, only decent albacore (average 11-13k’s) were landed in good numbers. While the water is near 21 degrees and purple out wide, it’s an unsavoury green and a degree cooler inside White now – good enough for Stripies but not much else.

Summary A lot of this season left? One would like to think so but with strong westerlies and southerlies on the horizon who knows? Been an odd and, unless you’ve hung out at Waihou, family frustrating and unproductive season thus far. Full of surprises? You

section on the Classic.

This striped marlin was taken in the middle ground near the Aldermen Pins on a Bonze Trojan lure.

Over the course of the three day Marlin Classic we had a few other Stripies on as well, one to JP from YeeHaa which we dropped at the boat. The Bonze Trojan on short rigger

The crew consisted of Carl, Tony, Ants,

and Azure Hayley’s Comet on short

Wayne, JP, and Ski.

corner produced these bites.

The highlight was good mate Anthony

Some groundwork went in the day

Honeybone who has fished every

prior to the Nationals to find the bait,

Nationals with us getting a 106 kg Big

marlin and good water and with us

Eye Tuna! It was one hell of a fight and

was Woodsie and crew and Woodsie

we had to scramble back to just get in

got to stick a tag in his first ever

for the 5pm weigh in that day.

striped marlin too.

The Big Eye took a Bonze Darter lure

This one came on the Pakula Lumo

on the shotgun. Epic Adventures

sprocket and Woodsie did and

took out the Tuna section of the NZ

awesome job getting the marlin to the

Nationals and Anthony got Champion

boat in 15 minutes.

angler overall and line class for the tuna section of the Nationals as well as the Carol Atwood Trophy for most meritorious tuna.

Wayne Henson, a regular who came with us to hopefully nab his first marlin and he managed to tick that off the list 2 hours into the Marlin classic and

With the water still warm, lots of bait around and some full sized tuna showing up who knows what the next epic week will bring.

For a very comprehensive and professional round up of Epic’s summer see their latest report here.

Nationals. We put a tag in this fish and it earn’t us 2nd equal in the tag

bet on nearly a daily basis but only

www.nzfisher.co.nz 21

regionalREVIEWS

The Hauraki Report Source: Espresso www.catch.org.nz Out of Work

was landed within sinker cast of the

Alas the fever of frustration grows

downtown wharf! But trophies and

ever stronger with the continuing

proud anglers aside, standard 40cm

absence of significant workups in the

snapper are simply the best eating. And

Hauraki Gulf for so many weeks now.

they fight hard-out in shallow water,

Not good for the mood, neither is the

working with the current stressing light

relatively cold and windy ‘summer’

line and reel drags. Some new areas

weather making fishing a no go out

I’ve been sounding out have pleasantly

wider. Typical January, fish breeding

shocked me with their sheer quantity

and only sometimes feeding out

of snapper, 10-15m depth all over the

wider. There are masses of mackerel

place and somewhat surprising areas

around the gulf especially northern Tiri

with extremely high boat traffic and also

area but no real action on the workup

‘boring’ looking built up suburban and

battlefront out there, I wouldn’t

city areas among moored boats even.

expect too many hot spots for a few

Prospecting potential new areas is an

weeks yet…but when the switch is

enjoyable side effect of being forced

inevitably flicked to ‘engage’ the

into hiding from strong winds at times,

workups will be explosive!

worthwhile when you find a new albeit temporary ‘spot x’ or two. It’s been an

The Snapper Channel

amazing eye opener this season with so

Even though the cauldrons of gannets,

much more time spent in the shallows

dolphins and fish are on holiday,

among boats with the sounds of cars

fortunately at this time of year there

and the city clatter nearby. Classic

is a shiny silver lining i.e. when the

Auckland fishing which can be enjoyed

tide is flowing there will be very

even when the wind out in the gulf is

good snapper on the bite, oh so very

howling, the leeside inner areas are the

close to home! Making camp with no

place to be, not just sheltered but the

signs of a turnaround are good sized

fish are quietly swimming the shallows

snapper all around the Waitemata

waiting for you to turn up.

Harbour, right downtown and in similar depths (<15m) around the islands and shorelines of the gulf. This shallower water is definitely the place

(fishing) life!

There’s been no red algae to date, some skipjack tuna - a few small schools seen in the gulf since Christmas in fact, but not widespread like there may well be later in the summer. Bring them on! These guys are great fun and catching them a new experience for most Auckland anglers, not just buying one out of the bait freezer somewhere and using as snapper bait.

The fun factor is huge with these fish for anglers of all ages and experience, catch them trolling a little feathered lure like you would for Kahawai.

Hoodlums Thankfully the sheer quantity of kingfish in the gulf is good. Prolific around the place, buoys, headlands, submerged rocks and hounding the mackerel schools further out around northern Tiri and beyond. Jigs, soft plastics, live bait – all can work their magic on any given day. The usual suspects have their followers like all channels markers and buoys, around bait schools in 40m around Tiri, Anchorite rock, Channel Island – you

Motuihe channel has slackened off a

know the usual haunts, but really out

bit lately, but the Rangi channel and

in the gulf there are excellent kingfish

environs are now firing!

schools and many that you won’t necessarily pick up on the sounder. Try

to be if you want to put snapper in

Tax

the bin consistently right now. Small

Many and all sorts of sharks are

boats are great, being fast, fun, cheap

cruising the gulf, makos flippin’ out,

to run and perfect for quickly scooting

hammerheads surface cruisin’ in the

in and around the channels hunting

sun without a care, threshers emptying

down snapper schools on the bite.

light weight soft plastic spools

It’s amazing how many guys I see out

quick smart and the unseen, who

either before or after work with a nice

knows what swirling the depths and

bounty of fresh fish, a big grin and

diminishing your prize catch to mere

For those in the know, Catch Softbaits

happy-as and why wouldn’t you be?!

second hand leftovers still twitching

are awesome on our northern species

We live in a fishing paradise, right

while being brought aboard.

– check out this offer from Instant

here, inner city even.

Between Tiri and Kawau there are lots

a livie simply rigged with a big hook through its nose, a weight (say4oz) and send it down…I like trying the bottom area as snapper and kingies hunt here and seeing a struggling livie can lead them to give in to temptation.

Fishing Supplies.

Sizes of the inner harbour snapper

of these grey suited collectors. The

And finally those inspirational YouTube

are generally small to medium, but

tax man is everywhere and just like an

clips from this past year for when

with some biggies thrown in now and

audit, they’ll show up sooner or later

you’re not out fishing enjoy www.

then, like yesterday a 24.2lb snapper

and when you least expect, that’s

catch.org.nz

22 www.nzfisher.co.nz

NEXTmonth

IN NEXT MONTH’S NZ FISHER • • • •

The NZFisher Boat – the big reveal How to smoke your fish at home on the BBQ GT’s from the Rocks – Getting smashed by the best in Rarotonga Downtown Auckland – The best snapper fishery in the country??

Have you subscribed to NZ Fisher? It’s free!

Simply visit www.nzfisher.co.nz to get a copy of NZ Fisher delivered straight to your inbox every month!

www.nzfisher.co.nz 23