NZ Fisher Issue 24

f sher ISSUE 24

June 2013

(Re)Learning LBG Lessons at the East Cape Small boat Swordfish Congratulations to our Hooked Up prize winner for Issue #24! www.nzfisher.co.nz 1

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editorial

CONTENTS Pg 22

14

LANDBASEDFISHING 6

New Season Lessons

10

East Cape Dreaming

14 The NZACA Nationals Roadtrip 2013 SPORTFISHING 18

Small Boat Swordfish

LOCALFISHING 20

Inner City Sole

22

Reader Pics

24

Competition

OLDSCHOOL

10

22

Shark Fishing the 1880’s Way

28

Hooked Up

Pg 6

www.nzfisher.co.nz 3

The Beginning of the Future The day you caught your first fish.

The first time you climbed into a boat. These moments make up the beginning of the future.

Today, Honda’s forward thinking comes together to bring you a reliable, fuel efficient range of outboards.

From 2.3hp to 250hp.

TheBegin ing

Contact your local Honda Marine Dealer today Freephone 0800 478 765 www.hondamarine.co.nz

4 www.nzfisher.co.nz

Scan me for a free cap!

editorial

//From the

EDITOR ABOUT /

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

AS WE HIT AUTUMN I always

to fish, untouched ledges, top drawer

have mixed feelings: I’m a summer

fishing, topped off with a night at the

EDITOR / Derrick Paull

person, no question, I love hot, sunny

Waihau Bay pub, maybe the friendliest

ART DIRECTOR / Jodi Olsson

weather, blue skies and long days. But

in NZ. I don’t think I’ve enjoyed a start

CONTENT ENQUIRIES /

as the weather changes, the water

to the season more in recent times.

Phone Derrick on 021 629 327

temperature drops, and we’re into the cold, rainy season, I don’t mind so much. That’s because this is, for me, the beginning of the serious LBG season, and as much as I love my

But it’s not all landbased colder-weather fishing either. While we were off at the E Cape my good mate Andrew was out there doing it and getting into a

softbaiting and workup fishing, LBG is

swordfish from a trailer boat, the jetski

my real love! With trips underway for

boys were having an amazing time

East Cape, Great Barrier, Coromandel

out of Colville and the inner harbour

and the Far North twice in the next

was firing for the saltwater fly guys.

few months, topped off by what

Just today I was out softbaiting under

will be an epic ROctober this year

workups of gannets and bait with

(tickets go on sale soon!) it’s going to

snapper and kahawai everywhere, and

be a fantastic season I’m sure. And

then I’m heading off to the Far North to

it started in great style at the East

fish another slice of LBG paradise.

Cape on my now annual trip with the NZLBG club with some fantastic fishing in what is one of my handsdown favourite LBG destinations

The weather might be getting cold

or email derrickp@NZ Fisher.co.nz ADVERTISING ENQUIRIES / Phone Richard on 09 522 7257 or email richardl@espiremedia.com ADDRESS / NZ Fisher, C/- Espire Media, PO Box 137162, Parnell, Auckland 1151, NZ WEBSITE / www.NZFisher.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!

but the fishing is still hot, so make sure you’re out there getting amongst it!

in our wonderful country. Amazing

Tight lines,

accommodation, spectacular country

FT

www.nzfisher.co.nz 5

LANDBASEDfishing

New Season Lessons

(Re)Learning some key LBG lessons at the East Cape

By Forsyth Thompson

THIS YEAR’S EAST CAPE trip was

of my winter LBG series, I thought

We’d treated it as a fishing holiday

a memorable one for many reasons:

I’d start by sharing a few things that

and had a great time, rather than

a first decent kingy for me in 4

we learned and re-learned over the

flogging ourselves from pre-dawn

years (!), a first livey-caught kingy

course of what was an excellent trip.

till after dark every day. Then, on the

for Brenton (see Page 10), a 7.3kg snapper which fought top water like a kahawai, and some utterly spectacular fishing and scenery with

Over the rest of the series we’ll cover off hardware, tackle and so on, for this one we’ll focus on some other things.

third day Brenton bagged a solid king but by Friday night I was getting worried about whether my kingy horror streak was going to continue.

great mates.

After 3 days fishing, we’d had some

But what struck me most of all at

good successes and were feeling

with rain, and only one king had been

the end of it was how different a

pretty happy with life: the first day

caught between 9-12 anglers each of

trip it had been for us in the way we

had put us onto an amazing steady

the previous days so the other crews

approached the 4 day trip, how we

snapper bite with fish up to nearly

all decided against fishing the last

fished, and how that translated into

6kg, some much bigger ones lost (!)

day. On top of that, I’d hurt my back

results. So, as this is the beginning

and a number of big, fat blue cod.

so badly before leaving that I had to

6 www.nzfisher.co.nz

The forecast was for strong S/SE winds

LANDBASEDfishing

lie flat in the back of the truck all the

produced in the past and was surely

couldn’t find a livey to save ourselves

way down and was dosing heavily on

due to again.

but by casting as far out as possible

codeine and ibuprofen to get through the days!

B and I unloaded the boat (slowly, my bad back making me pretty

past the berley I got a couple and the balloons went out.

Despite all that, we got up in the

useless!) and then as I stepped off

After 3 hours of inactivity, I’d more

morning, packed the gear one last

onto the rocks I managed another

or less dried off! I’d just cast out a

time and headed down to Lottin and

first: missing my footing and finding

bait when I saw the liveys trying to

launched off the beach. There was no

myself swimming off the rocks for

tangle each other up so put the reel

chance at all I was going to get my

the first time ever, in full wet weather

on clicker and ran up to sort them out.

kingy sitting at home or diving for crays.

gear! Thankfully the water was still

Then a small king turned up, harassing

warm and I just swam round to the

the liveys but not big enough to really

back of the boat, climbed back in and

trouble them.

We had Midway in mind for our final push, but as we got round there the SE was wrapping right up the coast and making it unfishable, so

stopped laughing for long enough to step off properly.

I turned and looked back down the rocks: no rod anywhere to be seen,

we headed back towards Lottin and

The berley went in, the country looked

it had somehow been dragged in.

found a point out of the wind where

incredible and then the maomao

Talk about gutted, a bad day was

one crew had spent the last 6 days

turned up. Thousands of them. We

just getting worse for me and the

for just one kingy. But it has always

couldn’t get baits past them and

expensive loss reminded me how

And then it was gone...

www.nzfisher.co.nz 7

LANDBASEDfishing

much my back was hurting!

Another couple of hours went by with nothing more than lunch to break the monotony so at nearly 3pm we had a final “what shall we do conference” and came within a hair of packing up.

We were at the exact same stage of the tide as when we saw and caught kings the day before, so decided to give it 30 more minutes and throw every last bit of berley and bait in.

Within minutes we had a mini work-up going on with mao mao everywhere and birds all over the place, creating a huge amount of noise in the water.

I looked up: “B…where’s my balloon?

No, seriously mate, where the **** is my livey?”

the net until I saw her come up by the

you’re in the right place, there are still

Then B pointed to it just as it surfaced.

ledge – this was no rat! B gaffed her

loads of reasons to pack it in when

And then blew away in the wind as the

straight in the lateral line, and blood

things aren’t going your way. Stick at

ratchet on my Everol 50 went off! Over

pouring out and heaved her up.

it and keep making more effort, not

On the mat she went 1.21m, and on

less. Keep cubing baits, changing

the scales 20.3kg. Not quite a PB but

liveys out, cubing baits and doing all

with all the work we’d had to do to get

the things that you know work.

this and all the reasons we’d had to

The easiest thing is to get lazy and

stay at home or pack up and go home,

let your head go down, but when

the last 4 years, every time this had happened had resulted in heartbreak: bust offs, pulled hooks, spat baits, reefings etc. But this time I had the serious gear, 37kg mono, wind-on leader, trace and a CD 24-37kg stick to match and there was no chance this fish was getting off. In fact, I was able to subdue it so much that I called for

8 www.nzfisher.co.nz

this was the most satisfying fish I can remember catching in many years.

So when you bring the right gear, and

you keep going, keep doing the right things, and keep having a great time, its funny how things go your way!

www.adventuresmart.org.nz

KNOW BEFORE YOU GO The Boating Safety

CODE Before you go boating on our seas, lakes and rivers, get familiar with New Zealand’s Boating Safety Code, no matter what kind of boat you use.

1

Life jackets

5 4

Take them – Wear them.

3

Skipper responsibility

Marine weather New Zealand’s weather can be highly unpredictable. Check the local marine weather forecast before you go and expect both weather and sea state changes.

Boats, especially ones under 6m in length, can sink very quickly. Wearing a life jacket increases your survival time in the water.

2

simple rules

to help you stay safe:

5

Avoid alcohol

The skipper is responsible for the safety of everyone on board and for the safe operation of the boat. Stay within the limits of your vessel and your experience.

Safe boating and alcohol do not mix.

Things can change quickly on the water. You need to stay alert and aware.

Communications

The Water Safety

Take two separate waterproof ways of communicating so we can help you if you get into difficulties.

Also available:

CODE

The Outdoor Safety

CODE

For more information about safe boating education and how to prepare for your boating activity, visit www.adventuresmart.org.nz

www.nzfisher.co.nz 9

LANDBASEDfishing

East Cape Dreaming

By Brenton Cumberpatch

10 www.nzfisher.co.nz

LANDBASEDfishing

EAST CAPE, LOTTIN POINT. It’s

I’ve been trying for 3.5 years to

East Cape is good 6 hour journey

one of NZ’s great Land Based Game

catch a kingfish off the bricks on my

from Auckland with the boat on the

meccas and when I got an invite

Offshore LBG 70 rod and TLD25 reel.

back. It’s remote and has no cell

from Forsyth to go fish 4 days of the

I’ve been lugging that set around

phone coverage – not something

NZLBG Clubs annual 10 day Easter

everytime I go landbased fishing, and

I’m used too that’s for sure!

expedition, I immediately said “95%

have floated numerous kahawai under

Forsyth’s new Mazda BT50 was

yes” (Actually I think an expletive

balloons in an attempt to entice those

exceptionally more comfy than the

may have replaced the 95% if I’m

wily kingfish.

old Isuzu (smelt a hell of lot better

completely honest), a quick call to my

In March of 2012 I caught my first

long suffering fishing fishing widow

ever landbased kingfish on a piece

wife and I was 100% commited to

of pilchard I was straylining to

Luckily it was also comfy, especially

the trip. Awesomeness! Now, how

catch a kahawai. It weighed in at

given Forsyth had put his back out while

was my fishing OCD going to handle

10.1kg, was 98cm long and caught

fishing over Easter... pain drugs and

the next 4-5 weeks?! Luckily I was

on 8kg mono. That fish recently

resting on the journey down helped to

kept busy with work and family life

won me the Bill DiMento Shield

ease the pain. In fact he looked quite

(you can never earn enough brownie

for Heaviest Fish Caught on a Club

comfy reclined in the passenger seat,

points, ever. And they only have a

Outting and the Ralph Kennedy

his iPad slung over the passenger visor,

limited shelf life...), so I only ended

Cup for Heaviest Fish of the Year

watching some episodic TV while I

up repacking four times in the lead

at the North Shore Surfcasting

drove. A bit different from how we used

up to our departure.

Clubs end of year prize giving.

to road trip!

too!) and it hardly even noticed the Stabicraft 349 we were towing.

www.nzfisher.co.nz 11

LANDBASEDfishing

We had some fantastic fishing on some awesome ledges that probably haven’t been fished since the NZLBG Club were here last year, but for this article I’ll focus on Day 3...

Forsyth and I launched out of Lottin, and went left with a SE wind blowing over the hills and chilling us down. (Well me especially as I left my wet weather gear back at the farm. Clever... not!) We found another nice gut to park the boat

for as I was baiting up another hook I

in figuring it wasn’t particularly large...

up in, burleyed up and setup the gear.

heard “Zzzz! Zzz-zzzzzzzz!”, I looked

until it rolled up next to the ledge!

Once setup we saw kahawai straight

up, Forsyth yelled “B!” I looked

away. Awesome! 3 were caught in

at my virgin TLD25 and it went

quick succession and went out under

“Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz!” again. Line

balloons and the next hour was spent

was screaming off my reel! Awesome,

training them to NOT make plaits in

I was in! “Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz!”

our lines, useless liveys! 2 were so

I raced over, unclipped the tether,

misbehaved they were disciplined into

“Strike it! Strike it!” was yelled at me,

Snapper bait. Luckily the kahawai were

I pushed the lever to strike. came up

still there in droves, so I cast out my

solid and I pumped the rod hard a

snelled 2 hook rig and instantly caught

couple of times to set the hook.

2 more to replace them, these were

“Gaff!!” I hollered and Forsyth leapt into action. The kingfish decided it wanted to roll around a bit in the kelp and try and get under the ledge, there were a few tense moments while disappeared and rubbed against the rocks and kelp until it resurfaced again and a well placed gaff shot to the head saw it being hauled up the rocks, until it decided that it didn’t

Finally I had a kingfish on my livebait

like several inches of sharpened steel

gear after years of frustrating near

in its head and went beserk, flipping

misses. The kingfish gave a little run

itself off the gaff and sliding down the

then the tension came off! Crap! I

rocks, back towards the sea! “Aargh!”

Forsyth managed a nice 7kg snapper

wound like mad until I felt the weight

I screamed. “Crap!” muttered Forsyth,

while I was messing around having

again, and it was swimming back to

scrambling after it and swinging the

fun catching and releasing kahawai,

towards us. Phew! It didn’t really fight

gaff at it, connecting solidly in the

trying to ring Mr Kingfish’s dinner

that hard after that, it pulled against

shoulder and man handling it up the

bell with distressed fish splashing in

me a little more but there were no

ledge towards the chillybags. I was

the shallows. It must have worked,

more runs, so I pumped and wound it

high on adrenalin, grinning like a

were sent out and the message must have been passed around as they stayed out there like little troopers.

12 www.nzfisher.co.nz

LANDBASEDfishing

coolly bag, spread some ice on it and stuck it in the shade.

10 minutes later Forsyths livey went beserk darting around the place frantically and then stopped. We waited a couple of minutes with no movement from the balloon, so we wound it in to see if it had been killed and all we found was a bare hook.

Bugger! Interestingly, all the kingfish madman, and staring in awe at my first

thankfully it slid right into the big

big green machine.

landing net we’d brought as I body

sightings, harassment and hook ups we had during the week were within

checked it’s downward momentem.

an hour of the high tide, not the

Lucky! It got in a cheeky tail slap to

typical either side of low tide. Maybe

kingfish. Once I had introduced it

my legs and a head butt to my check

they’re always there and this was the

to the Shank Of Love™, I pulled out

as I wrestled it under control, before

bite time? All I know is I have more

the lie detector and we strung it up.

I finally dealt it a killing blow with my

chance of a king eating my livey if I

Apparently gaffing it in the head and

iki stick.

have one out than if I don’t.

sticking 4inches of steel in it’s brain

Once we were sure it wasn’t going to

Finally I had achieved my long time

wasn’t enough to subdue this fish, for

cause any more grief, we strung it

goal of catching a landbased kingfish

as I lifted it’s weight off the ground on

up on the scales. “Whoa, it’s a bit

on my livebait set. I had managed

my scales, the bloody thing flapped

heavier than the last one” I grunted

to do it at one of NZs primo fishing

around about like crazy, wriggled of

as I lifted it. The scales settled on

destinations, with a great mate, in

the scales hook and started flapping

18.9kg. Nice! We laid it out on the

fantastic conditions. Life was good,

NSSCs IGFA measure mat, the v in

now to get one another livey and aim

I have to do to subduew this fish! I

the tail was just under 110cm. Yup,

for one over 20kg! Unfortunately it

launched myself on top of the maddly

definitely bigger than the first one.

wouldn’t be mine, but it would be

wriggling fish as it slid away from us,

We packed it into the Precision-Pak

over 20...

There flapping madly at my feet, was my very first livebait caught LBG

down the rocks! Heck, what more do

www.nzfisher.co.nz 13

LANDBASEDfishing

The NZACA Nationals Roadtrip 2013 NZACA Nationals 2013, Gisborne (and Kahawai World Cup)

By Barry Williams, NSSC THIS YEAR’S NZACA NATIONALS

huge catches, but I felt I had a slightly

a bite, but consoled myself knowing

(Nats) were hosted by the Gisborne

better than average chance of walking

I’d chosen my spot well, with the

Surfcasters club and was held over

away with the $10,000 1st prize due

winning fish being caught about 100m

four days, beginning with distance

to what I’d learnt at last year’s event.

to my left on day two. I tried casting a

casting, ending with accuracy casting

The two-day competition is held off

range of distances, different rigs and

and two days of fishing between.

Papamoa with about 8km of white

baits including the local go-to bait

I had annual leave with a use-by

sand beach available for fishing.

of anchovy and didn’t even manage

date of March, so I planned a tenday road trip taking in the Nats in Gisborne and the Kahawai World

There were about 200 people competing, and the Bay of Plenty

a bite. Even so, it served as a good warm-up for the Nats.

was the Bay of Empty for most. I

Wanting to get some casting practice

think there were a grand total of 19

before meeting up with fellow club

I’d found the fishing at last year’s

kahawai weighed, with the winning

member Mark Mortimer in Gisborne,

KWC really slow, so wasn’t expecting

fish going 1.938kg. I didn’t even get

I found myself at a deserted Tolaga

Cup (KWC) at Papamoa.

14 www.nzfisher.co.nz

LANDBASEDfishing

Bay beach and set to work on my off-the-ground technique. Having gotten some good distance, I wound up for a beast of a cast, and…snap!

That was the end of my rod. Bugger!

Luckily, Mark Graham of Action Bait and Tackle personally delivered a replacement rod section in time for the competition - service doesn’t get much better than that.

Day 1 of the Nats dawned and after the AGM and competition briefing we headed to the casting venue, stopping en route for a flat white (you can take the Aucklander out of Auckland…).

My confidence must have taken a hit after snapping my rod the day before - two of my casts were out of bounds and my only measurable cast went 144.8m; 12m short of my personal best. Mark managed 127.8m, beating his previous best by 2m. The best cast on the day was 192.833m by Gary Whitaker from Wellington.

Next up was a drive through the Waioeke Gorge and on to Te Kaha, our base camp for the next two days.

We picked a likely-looking spot on the rocks near the Waikawa Stream, with a nice mixture of deep water, rocks and kelp that we hoped might hold large snapper.

www.nzfisher.co.nz 15

LANDBASEDfishing

two for me, all over 50cm and in the 1.8-2kg range. The few snapper we landed were all below the 35cm qualifying length.

By 6am on day 2, we had lines in the

The next day we were on the rocks

Omaio Beach, which, according to

at 5am, where we set the burley,

Spot X, has accounted for some

cast out into the dark and waited.

monster snapper. Not that day. Small

Unfortunately all was quiet so at

snapper stripped our baits almost

sunrise, we moved a few hundred

as soon as they hit the bottom. We

of the drought-dry Pakaranui stream.

metres to fish into more open water.

landed some small kahawai. One was

Surprisingly, this spot produced my

Soon after, Mark landed a trevally of

put to work as live bait for a passing

largest kahawai for the two days’

about 47cm, a good fish to kick off our

kingy but only got the attention of a

fishing at 2.11kg.

Nationals tally. Between us we landed

large ray.

a few kahawai, snapper and hiwihiwi, but nothing large enough to weigh in.

For the afternoon, we headed to

16 www.nzfisher.co.nz

water at the previous day’s kahawai spot, but with no sign we bailed before the sun was above the horizon, relocating to the beach at the mouth

En route back to Gisborne, we

Returning to the rocks for the evening

stopped at the legendary Motu River

change of light, we landed a few

mouth, planning to slide bait for

decent kahawai, three for Mark and

kingfish. We took the bush track down

LANDBASEDfishing

from the Tokata Scenic Reserve and

Spring and late summer are the best

walked along the gravel spit to reach

times here - make sure you take

the eastern bank of the river.

along a few lures as they are easily

The fishing here was nothing short of sensational with four out of five

lost and bait fishing is frowned upon by the locals.

casts resulting in a 50cm+ fat, hard-

In two hours, we must have caught

fighting kahawai. We soon gave up

about 30 fish, all released except for

on slidebaiting for kingfish, as all the

Mark’s first Motu kahawai. I don’t think

fish were too large for this technique.

I’ve ever had as much fun fishing as

Instead we just enjoyed the spin

that session at the Motu. Believe the

fishing and marvelled at the kahawai

legend and pay it a visit if you’re on

surfing the waves.

the East Cape.

www.nzfisher.co.nz 17

sportFISHING

Small Boat Swordfish

By Andrew Evans

I HAVEN’T DONE TOO much big game

getting the bait down and we were off

sent the squid bait down on a double

fishing, and of all the 15 or so days

with the Surtees 5.5 in tow. Neither of

hook rig with lights. It hit the bottom,

marlin fishing I have done, I have only

us had seen, let alone caught a broady

and the breakaway sinker did its job.

actually seen one marlin and my only

before but you’ve got to get out there

Then, only about 20mins in, all the

hookup turned out to be a mako! So

and give it a shot!

weight came off the line. Josh started

when a great weather forecast for the

With no bait to be caught in close,

weekend coincided with an invitation

we headed out to the Shallow Patch

After a few minutes further winding

from my mate Josh to go and chase a

where we saw an incredible sight.

with still no weight on, we knew

daytime swordfish, its fair to say that I

Out of nowhere the ocean erupted,

something was up…surely we couldn’t

was very excited to say the least.

thousands and thousands of sauri flying

be onto a sword after 20 minutes of

Josh has had a stonker of a game

clean out of the water. Then we saw

trying, people take years before they

season, popping two of his mates’

big tuna coming from every direction,

get one. Then, incredibly with only

marlin cherries on his own boat and

smashing sauri and covering the water

about 100m of line still out, the rod

then getting himself a 264 kg blue

with oil as they exploded out of the

loaded up, and we were into it.

marlin at the Nationals. Josh and his

water all around us. Then as quickly as

crew had lost a swordfish last year out on the garden patch when the hooks pulled after 35mins of getting dealt to.

But this year everything was upgraded, bigger gear, and a new technique on

18 www.nzfisher.co.nz

it started it was over. Arriving at the Garden Patch we were the smallest boat surrounded by 7 big sport fishers and clearly in the right place.

Picking a spot on the bank in 540m we

winding but no weight came on.

The fish had taken the bait without one click of the ratchet and swum 400m straight up towards the surface. The first 15 mins as we backed up closer to the fish was fairly easy and we were wondering what all the fuss was about!

sportFISHING

Then things got really interesting as the

burning in no time and with half a

incredible, and with its long bill, broad

fish started dealing to us. The weight

wind here it felt like lifting a car: this

and sharp, this was a true gladiator.

and power of the fish was incredible,

just wasn’t fun! About 30 minutes later

With its head out water we grabbed

and we had so much drag on that

we had colour, and it looked amazing

any handhold we could, heaving it’s

Josh was seriously struggling. Despite

as it thrashed its sword side to side.

head over the gunwale and then she

catching a massive Blue earlier in the

There were a few hair raising angle

was in the boat. Relief. High fives, hugs

year he called it as easily the toughest

changes we had to deal with as it

and a couple of energy drinks were

fight he’d ever had. A few times we

came closer then as Josh had the

sunk as what we had achieved hit us.

got to the 50m leader to only to have it

leader in hand, it gave a last burst and

First time out and just an hour and a

taken straight back in crackling runs.

smashed the outboard with his bill.

half in and we were both broken and

After 30 mins on this severe drag

We got it back to the side and up it

had a sword on board.

setting Josh was just about broken,

came: I threw in the flying gaff, Josh

Once we’d got a few pics we realised

even half turns being hard to get,

grabbed the big fixed gaff, I dumped

that there was no more fishing for

and then the harness gave way, the

the rod and Tail roped him.

us, we were both done, mission

stainless clip snapping under the

The fish didn’t have much left at this

accomplished and we headed back

pressure. You can’t overstate how

point, the heavy drag we used (maybe

to get her weighed at Reel Rods in

serious these fish are! The call was

a touch too heavy?!) had broken it, as

Whatuwhiwhi (thanks to Kieron). She

made for a change of angler, so I

much as it had us. Up on the surface,

pulled the scales down to a healthy

clipped in with the spare and got

it’s bronze skin was shining like armour,

128.4kg and we’d done what we came

stuck in. My legs and back were

the bulk and thickness of the fish

for, an experience I’ll never forget.

www.nzfisher.co.nz 19

localFISHING

Inner City Sole Alan Radcliffe and Scott Macindoe - keeping the Chesters comp on target for 23 years

Story and images by Matt von Sturmer

CASTING A FLYROD to surface schooling Kahawai is what many people think when you mention saltwater fly fishing. Without a doubt Kahawai are a truly world class sports fish that make great targets for the fly fisherman, but they represent just a one of the many opportunities for the way of the long wand.

New Zealand is relatively new territory for SWF and consequently new discoveries are being made all the time, like Clark Reid discovering Kingfish riding on the back of stingrays and Craig Worthington perfecting pot holing for snapper in rocky terrain. All those who have seriously fished fly have brought their own innovations and ground-breaking

20 www.nzfisher.co.nz

localFISHING discoveries. Recently Mark Hoffman and Jeremy Coombes showed us that Point Chevalier and Meola Reef are legitimate locations for proper saltfly fishing all within sight of the Auckland sky tower. My discovery is as a result of this growth in the Meola scene and came about while exploring further up the harbour system in pursuit of shallow water kingfish, but that’s another story.

Technical fly lines matched to the appropriate size fly rods provide an elegant system to present creative lures to fish hunting in the shallows.

Once cast, the fly line is fished in the hands and this controlled retrieve combined with the subtle weighting of the fly, means we can impart an action of pauses, flits, starts and stops to fool fish where other methods just cannot succeed.

Once the water really starts to warm up, its time to start stalking the mudflats of the upper harbour.

When fishing there, I’m constantly scanning the water in the hope that a passing kingfish will reveal itself with a telltale bow wave. Or even better, with a smash and grab feed sending mullet or flounder flying through the air. Over the course of many intense hours waiting and watching, my attention started to be drawn to much smaller events. These splashes of smaller predators began to distract me from the search for kings, and I often missed my shot at a passing king while throwing my lighter fly rod at what I thought were the splashes of Kahawai. Then, out fishing with my mate Trevor (an excellent fisherman and regular visitor from the UK), we both got to see a flash of pink and the back of a snapper bust the surface in

on the flats. I managed to land a cast right on the spot and instantly caught the snapper we had just seen, proving they were there, and feeding.

But we didn’t know what they were feeding on and what was causing the splashing. It was not until a further season had passed that I began to see tiny bow waves ahead of the busting snapper, clearly they were chasing something, but what? The answer to that question was revealed to me when one of these tiny bow waves kept coming towards me and deiced to take sanctuary between my feet! And there was the snappers’ quarry: a juvenile of a species of sole and just 50mm long. My kahawai chasing bait turned out to be snapper chasing flatfish! Knowing what these upper-harbour snapper are feeding on allows me to present them surface flies knowing that seconds later a snapper will hit. As a consequence, my catch rate of 30-40 cm snapper has increased significantly. But with all this distraction, my catch rate on the 10 kg kingies on the flats has not been so good. Next season I’m going to have to refuse new discoveries as I really want to land a kingfish on fly from the mudflats in central Auckland, and its going to take some real focus!

one of these splashes. This suggested

We knew there were snapper in the

that for the last two seasons what we

shallows so it was never a surprise

had thought were Kahawai were in

to come up solid and bring a feisty

fact snapper, surface-busting baitfish

snapper to the beach.

www.nzfisher.co.nz 21

READERpics

Aaron McDonald with his PB Snapper at a scratch under 20lb

Graeme ‘Sea Ox’ Cox ‘Dancing’ in 5m Swell and 50km winds

Charissa and Toni Frank Mountjoy with a couple of lanbased beautys from near Taipa - PB’s no less!

22 www.nzfisher.co.nz

:Coromandel Porae YUM

READERpics

Pursuit deckies, Sam & Zane with a pair of ‘Pup’ Bass

John Callandar with a healthy Three Kings Puka

This month’s winner of the ReelWear tee is Aaron Macdonald. Aaron wins a Reel Adventures, ReelWear Tee. Keep sending in your pics for the great OKUMA and Reel Wear prizes up for grabs every month.

www.nzfisher.co.nz 23

Win a Rod and Reel with OKUMA & NZFisher!

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Personalised or optional Navionics® charts. View both at once in 3D perspective view, plus StructureMap™ and Broadband Radar™ capability. www.lowrance.com/navigate

New super-bright widescreen displays in 7, 9 and 12-inch sizes with touchscreen control. Dominate your time on the water with greater command and control that’s now easier to learn and customize. www.lowrance.com/dominate

PREVIEW THE NEW HDS GEN2 TOUCH AT LO W R A N C E . C O M

JUST POST A PIC of you with a fish to our Facebook page and you’re in the draw to win an Okuma Salina II Rod and Reel combo plus tackle worth $750.00.

Not only that but every month we’ll give away an Okuma T-Shirt and ReelWear between now & June 2013. Every image you enter has a chance to win each month and also the big prize. The more and sooner you

www.enl.co.nz

24 www.nzfisher.co.nz

enter, the better your chances so get fishing & posting those images to Facebook!

VIDEO

Fishing Video of the Month

HAWAII ON A Kayak. Legend in the making right here!

www.nzfisher.co.nz 25

oldSCHOOL

Shark Fishing the 1880’s Way

By Sam Elliot Auckland City Libraries Tamaki Pataka Karero

Drying Sharks

THERE IS NOTHING LIKE a good

with the fishing restricted to two

on getting plenty of kinaki (relish)…

fishing story, especially from the

days per year, first on the full moon

and looking forward to a plentiful

good old days. Fortunately some

in January and only by night, the

supply of dried mango (shark) for

of the really old yarns have been

second two weeks later and by day;

kinaki during winter…The village was

preserved in the literature, and they

with severe punishment if these rules

humming like a swarm of bees”.

make a great read. Here is a doozy

were not observed.

from way back.

The preparations that were being

After a notice of the date of the fishing

undertaken by the fishers also

In the article below R. H. Matthews

was announced and a signal cannon

sounded extensive. Different groups

recalls the “old time institution”

fired a “muster of not less than fifty

were involved in a multitude of tasks

of shark fishing, in the far north

canoes, each with an average crew of

including rolling flax fibre to attach to

(Rangaunu Harbour) during the 1880’s.

twenty” gathered. So about a thousand

hooks, lashing ornamental bow pieces

Matthews describes how this particular

fishers plus a full support crew!

onto the canoes, fastening elaborately

shark fishing event is a strictly observed maori custom rich in tradition that is like a national holiday for maori in the area around Rangaunu.

Matthews goes on to describe the gathering of fishers as a hive of activity and excitement “For many days prior to the fishing crowds of Natives were

carved stern posts, filling joints between boards on the canoes and making movable platforms on which the sharks were killed.

They are fishing for dogfish (or

to be seen going to Te Unahi ….All

The most attention, however, was

kapeta) (presumably school shark)

bent on having a good holiday, and

paid to the hooks and lines that were

26 www.nzfisher.co.nz

oldSCHOOL

“For many days prior to the fishing crowds of Natives were to be seen going to Te Unahi ….All bent on having a good holiday, and on getting plenty of kinaki (relish)…and looking forward to a plentiful supply of dried mango (shark) for kinaki during winter…The village was humming like a swarm of bees” to be used for the fishing. Matthews

“Hua kina” (Charge). Then followed

the time of anchoring, and for the

describes how the hooks and snoods

a most exciting race for the fishing-

space of at least three hours, the

were put together with specialist

ground and the mataika (first fish).

sound of the timo could be heard

technique and material to prevent rust

All through the fleet the Maoris

incessantly all around us, accentuated

and avoid being cut by the shark teeth.

were shouting…It was a brilliant

by shouting and loud splashes. The

moonlight night, and the whole

scene was simply indescribable.”

The morning before the fishing was to begin several canoes were sent to catch bait, clubs (timo) for killing

fleet could be plainly seen paddling furiously for the channel.

When the fishing was done Matthews noted that ”The catch in our canoe

the sharks were made, and finally the

The shouting, yelling, and cheering,

totalled 180. The cleaning of the

canoes were pronounced ready for sea.

together with the noises that only

sharks had now commenced… the

the old-time Maoris could make,

bodies were hung by the tails… There

were indescribable… As soon as the

they remained until thoroughly dried

channel was reached anchors were let

by the sun and wind… In a day or two

go… and waterproof coats were tied

the stench would be intolerable.

Then as dark fell “the order was given to go on board, and off we started to the refrain of “Huka ka huka”…

When we arrived at the rendezvous at Te Ureroa we found the fleet in position… We took up our station…

around the waist and then the readybaited hooks were thrown overboard…

Almost immediately, “Kohi kohia” (Haul

The livers were thrown into a large funnel, made of green flax leaves... and suspended. Large stones were then

Here we waited for high water…

in) was shouted from a canoe close to

The Maoris believed that the strong

us, followed by a loud splashing and

spring tides swept immense numbers

cries of “Mataika” (First fish).

of sharks into the harbour and far up

Then came the blows of the timo

sharks, and hung up in the sun until the

the rivers and creeks, and that when

clubbing the snout…Presently one

oil exuded from them.

the tide ebbed the returning sharks

of our crew called “Kohi kohia”.

were intercepted by the fleet. As the

Eventually my turn came to give

time of high water approached, the

warning. I pulled the shark to the

talking ceased, and there was a dead

gunwale, my friend then took charge

silence through the fleet.

and landed it on board… several

Presently our chief whispered, “Kua

smart blows with the timo close to the

whati te mata o te tai” (The tide has

end of the snout soon quietened it.

turned). Almost immediately after

A corner of the raho is then lifted up,

Popata stood up in his canoe and

and the shark is passed to the bottom

shouted out in a stentorian voice,

of the canoe. Within five minutes of

heated and placed on them, and the oil was caught in calabashes. Surplus livers were put into the stomachs of the

The total number of sharks caught by the fleet, including those taken at the pakoki held a fortnight later, was about seven thousand an average of about sixty-five per canoe for each of the two trips.”

R.H. Matthews 1910. Reminiscences of maori life fifty years ago. Transactions and Proceedings of the Royal Society of New Zealand. Art. LIV, 598-605.

www.nzfisher.co.nz 27

HOOKED UP!

CO

HOOKEDUP!

U

LD

Every issue, all NZ Fisher subscribers* go in the draw to get hooked up with some fantastic prizes courtesy of generous NZ Fisher supporters.

To find out if you’ve won simply check this section in each issue to see if your name has been drawn and then email us before the deadline to claim your prize. Sweet as!!!

IT

B

E

YO

U

?

Congratulations to our Hooked Up prize winner for Issue #24!

Allan Preece from Pukekohe You’ve won this month’s awesome Hooked Up prize pack including: •

Your choice of mens or womens ReelWear T courtesy of Reel Adventures

•

A $50 voucher to spend online or instore from GoFish.co.nz

•

A super tough 3-tray tackle box from Flambeau (contents not included)

•

Plus two 500ml bottles of Tackle-It Odour Eliminator from PureAir to keep those fishy smells at bay!

To claim your prize you simply need to email jenniferl@espiremedia.com before 5pm Friday 21 June 2013. Easy!

*To be eligible to win stuff in the Hooked Up section you need to be a confirmed email subscriber to NZ Fisher e-Magazine and be a resident of New Zealand at the time of the draw. A big thanks to our Hooked Up sponsors! Please support them!

28 www.nzfisher.co.nz

f sher

NEXTmonth regionalREVIEWS

In next months issue: - - -

East Cape Paua mission Far North Queensland Barra hunt Know how: Winning Fishing Competitions

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

www.nzfisher.co.nz 29