NZ Fisher Issue 49

ISSUE 49

July 2015

Potential

World Record on Fly!

Enjoying the best of winter in Aotearoa

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Contents 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.

EDITOR / Derrick Paull GROUP EDITOR / Colin Kennedy ART DIRECTOR / Jodi Olsson CONTENT ENQUIRIES / Phone Derrick on 021 629 327 or email derrickp@NZ Fisher.co.nz ADVERTISING ENQUIRIES /

4.. Editorial

Phone Derrick on 021 629 327 or email derrickp@NZ Fisher.co.nz ADDRESS / NZ Fisher, PO Box 47794,

6..

In Search of Beasts

14.. LegaSea Update

Ponsonby, Auckland 1011 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!

16.. Kingfish off Takatu Point 20.. Matapouri Moocher 30.. Muz’s Pauanui Lifestyle

Cover Images: Main image. Credit Barry Williams.

The transit of Mars & Venus across the Southern Sky. Inset: Nick Whitby & his potential World Record 6.8kg Trevally on Fly

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Editorial WE’VE BEEN SPENDING the last month looking at the history of NZFisher and finding the changes we need to make to bring you the best online magazine in New Zealand. We’re 49 issues old, and we promise some big things from our next issue, the 50th, and into the future.

We’ve listened and learned; you’re asking for more ‘How to’ and a bit more info on where and how we land our best fish. We’ve also heard you ask for more unique digital video, so that’s high on the agenda. We’re co-opted International Multi-Award winning filmmaker Karl Lear to produce our content, and there’ll be some big names on board too. After 49 issues we reckon we’ve done some good work, but there’s plenty more to give, and we’re as motivated as ever.

Thankfully, the coldest of winter appears to have passed (surely it can’t get that cold again!) but it hasn’t dampened the fishing much. The trout are running hard in the

We’ve had some cool footage come in from my old mate Murray the Butcher from the sunny shores of Tairua Harbour. Murray’s images are included, free of the obligation of words in this issue. Murray’s set up in Pauanui for the winter, and he’s tapping into

Taupo streams, the snapper have been

the natural goodness the harbour provides

feeding up in the Hauraki Gulf and the

in sustainable quantities. Unlike the snobs

Taranaki coast, and there have been great

like me, Muz has been very pleased with the

hauls of Kahawai from the beaches and

taste and abundance of Parore, Kahawai and

harbours down the east coast.

the odd snapper or flounder he can snare.

4 www.nzfisher.co.nz

It’s easy to forget how bountiful the waters

desire to once again disrupt and divide the

that surround us are when we search, often

recreational fishing voice.

fruitlessly, for trophies or a specific species.

In fact, there’s an awful lot of damned fine seafood swimming by the shore and ripe for a short set of the net, a quick spear or at the end of a line in the channels.

As of our deadline, there’s been no official word on the outcome of the Legasea Hawkes Bay/MPI/Commercial held in Napier. The meeting has come about due to the joint efforts of many local recreational

On the political front (I cannot leave it

members who have been galvanised under

alone sorry), I’ve been alerted to a meeting

the local focus of Legasea.

hosted by MPI in Auckland last month.

Apparently the Ministry invited a number of fishing representatives, including at least one TV fishing ‘celebrity’, with the

Sadly, in the lead-up to the meeting an unnamed MPI manager tried to talk the local representatives out of inviting

intention of finding a group with some

Legasea contractors to the meeting. This

punch who are not Legasea related but are

was another attempt to keep a valuable

keen to work with the ministry to develop a

knowledge base out of the meeting and

recreational fishing future.

again undermine our sectors ability to

Now, I know the Ministry can engage

represent ourselves.

whoever they want to discuss recreational

We want a future with fish in it, but this

fishing issues, but it is reprehensible that

won’t happen if MPI’s goal (“The goal is

they would not also engage the largest

to double primary industry exports in

and best organised recreational fishing

real terms from $32billion in June 2012

representative group in the country. I

to over $64billion by 2025.”) to double

know there’s never going to be consensus

exports is achieved.

on who should represent our rights, but by ignoring the leading group, the ministry expose their glaringly obvious

Tight lines,

Derrick www.nzfisher.co.nz 5

SPORTSFISHING

In search

of

Beasts

Challenging the Three Kings and returning with a (potential) World Record This article and images (including the great cover image) by Nick Whitby

6 www.nzfisher.co.nz

Nick & his brother with the pending World Record Trevally on Fly

IT WAS A LONG-TIME dream to head north

Craig Anderton managed to hook a monster

to the remote Three Kings for our group

Koheru during a morning livie session and

of keen as fisho’s. It was a pleasure to be

within moments of dropping this poor

aboard Pursuit for the journey with the

ecstatic fish into the depths on King Bank a

infamous Rick Pollock at the helm and

well-conditioned 35kg kingfish engulfed it,

keeping us in line. Rick is well supported

giving Craig a tussle to remember.

by skilled deckhands Mark Collins and

During a deep drop, we had an 800grm jig

Heath Kamins, who worked hard the whole trip to provide an experience that will keep us looking forward to heading back one day.

race to the bottom which ended abruptly for Craig as he ran out of line on his reel!

As he pronounced “good luck boys” and started to jig back up, the rod buckled

Rods were parabolically bent all day long,

over with only a few turns left on the reel,

either ending in triumph or with the skipper

unbeknown to Rick who had leaned out

reminding us not to mess with a gorilla and

of the window explicitly saying “don’t you

to give these fish the respect they deserve.

touch that drag”?

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SPORTSFISHING 8 www.nzfisher.co.nz

Craig was embedded in a stand-off, only

Mark enthusiastically set up a cube trail

able to use the swell to lift the fish and

while the rest of the group started to get

finally get some line back, subduing a

stuck into some nice kingfish and it was not

beautiful 37kg Hapuka.

long before silver hoodlums with rich blue-

Being a passionate fly fisherman,

green backs and yellow fins would flash up

the opportunity I’m most grateful

in the depths. We agreed that it was critical

for presented itself when Rick asked

for the fly to sink naturally, so I made a

if I would like to chase trevally on

roll cast with my favorite shrimp fly and

fly amongst weather-beaten rock

concentrated on letting the fly fall through

arches and the surging waves of

the water column. It was not long until I felt

the spectacular Princess Group.

a take and set the hook carefully.

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SPORTSFISHING 10 www.nzfisher.co.nz

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SPORTSFISHING

A hard fighting trevally was off heading straight for the bottom with the backing appearing rapidly. After managing to turn the fish and make some headway, the hook pulled. That first fish won the fight.

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The most epic and longest battle of the trip went to Kasey ‘Ox’ Coghlan, who willingly hooked a kingfish on a light 14lb braid line, taking him on a trip up and down the gunnels. After an unrelenting long distance stand-off, a beautiful conditioned green backed 22kg kingfish was boat side with a very happy Ox. We will endeavour to return one day to the place of giants, but this trip will be hard to beat! 

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In no time another, much larger Trevally, was on. Again, it headed straight for the bottom where it stayed, battling until for some unknown reason the trevally shot for the surface where it lost the fight. Once landed we realised its size, and now it’s a pending 8kg class tippet NZ record Trevally of 6.9kg.

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FISHERIESMANAGEMENT

Legasea

Update

Positive prospects for game-fishing Update by Trish Rae, Legasea

NEW ZEALAND IS FAST BECOMING

successful spawning events 9 or 10 years

world-renowned for trophy-sized kingfish

ago. Recreational fishers fund the project

and lots of them. This is no accident.

to collect data from this tournament. This

Management changes a decade ago,

support comes from the Bay of Islands

Mother Nature and the care shown by

Swordfish Club, the New Zealand Sport

recreational fishers who release much of

Fishing Council and LegaSea.

their kingfish catch have all contributed

In addition, a Government funded

to the stock rebuild.

monitoring project is underway this

Annual monitoring of kingfish length

year. Recreational charter and private

during the Bay of Islands International

fishers around the upper North Island

Yellowtail Tournament over the last five

are helping to monitor kingfish stocks by

years is showing a strong pulse of fish from recording catch details.

14 www.nzfisher.co.nz

While kingfish are hardy creatures,

This past season has also been notable

LegaSea encourages fishers to learn how

for the return of yellowfin tuna across a

to successfully catch and release kingfish

range of sizes in modest, but encouraging

in good condition. Most important is

numbers. There have been 110 swordfish

to use circle hooks, which lodge in the

tagged and released over the previous

corner of the mouth.

three years with two recaptures to date.

Marlin fishing on the east coast was

Gamefish success For 58 years, the NZ Sport Fishing Council has been at the forefront of research and conservation of gamefish, and more latterly the management of inshore fisheries and marine environment.

LegaSea is promoting this vital work

sporadic this season, but generally on par with 2013-14. Fishing on the west coast was very good at times. The Council is committed to tagging 50% of striped marlin and encourages all anglers to tag and release fish less than 90kg.

Some fishers like to keep the first fish of the new season. The NZSFC encourages

and recognises the Council as the

you to tag and release subsequent

only organisation in New Zealand that

captures of that species, to conserve

purchases and distributes fish tags to

them for the future and so we can study

recreational fishers.

their movements

There have been some large yellowtail kingfish tagged this season, and overall

Stand up

the average size and number of kingfish

Become a LegaSea Legend by making a

appears to be increasing.

regular $10 per month contribution. â–

Call 0800 LEGASEA (534 273)

Subscribe at www.legasea.co.nz

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Read more at www.facebook.com/legasea

www.nzfisher.co.nz 15

KAYAKFISHING

Getting down ‘n dirty with the king

Kingfish off TakatuPoint

It’s the last weekend in February and after a successful mission a weekend prior with my brother targeting Kingfish from a Kayak, the weather gods put together another stunner weekend of great kayak fishing weather on the Tawharanui Peninsula. Words and images by Danny & Eric Wilson

THE PREVIOUS WEEKEND my brother

confirmation at the end, gripping.

came away with his PB Kingfish that fell

We knew he had something big but we still

to a live-baited Jack Mackerel. A solid fish made better still by it being his first from a kayak. Not surprisingly he was chuffed, and I was envious!

couldn’t believe that we had indeed caught what we set out to catch - a kingfish and a decent one to boot at just on 1 metre and a PB at 26lb. We got what we came for and

The Kingfish put up a solid fight, and Eric

were buggered for it. We had around a 6km

kept it off the bottom with some tough love

paddle back to our launching spot of Jones

and his luck held, so it didn’t run towards

Bay and at times the going got tough, a

the rocks. We were in around 20m deep

slight headwind working against as and the

water and not far from the cliffs. A solid

tide turned to its way out, but the smiles on

20 minute hard-yakka fight ensued; the

our faces kept us in good spirit and eager to

excitement was nail-biting and the visual

tell the story of the one that didn’t get away!

16 www.nzfisher.co.nz

Eric has every reason to be happy!

Hell of a fish from the kayak; but could Danny better it.

A week later

peninsula for Jack Mackerel on my sabiki.

I was ready for round two and set out even

Livies acquired; I set out past Elephant point,

earlier to maximise my days fishing. I was

settling in around 20m of water and about

on the water by 5am, well before the 7am

200m off the cliffs. It was around about 9am

sunrise - it was a starry morning and only half

by the time I was well settled in my spot.

a moons’ worth of natural visibility.

Dead low tide was approaching at 9.50am.

Tasked with catching as much live bait as my

My Piper were quickly becoming

handy homemade tank could handle, I was

claustrophobic and with one on the line

surprised to see so many Piper in shallow

not giving off much fight I continued

water. I managed net a few unlucky ones who

paddling in long slow circles. I needed

were very curious towards the illumination

some help, so I set about chumming up

my kayak was giving off. Frustrated with

some of my Jacks to help get some scent

my net not being fine enough to net a good

going. Within a few minutes, my line

amount of Piper, I set off further up the

peeled off. I had myself a fight!

Failing to plan is not an option.

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KAYAKFISHING

Thats some serious fillets!

Not perfect, but the recipe is being followed.

The weather gods are smiling

Mint!

Incredible how much you can fit into a kayak!

One in the bag and a load of tired looking live bait left, I quickly stowed away my catch, rigged up another live bait and tried for another. Almost on the drop, my line takes off, feels like a Kingfish strike! This time I was in for a good fight and one that I was handling on my Shimano Bait Runner 6000OC. This Kingi danced around my yak a bit, and it was taking me longer to reel in. It felt like it was being chased. My luck held and eventually I got it up to the surface to deal with. And with a big grin on my face, I started my trip home to be back on dry land by lunch time.

18 www.nzfisher.co.nz

I was hoping to beat my brother’s catch, but I fell just short of bettering his, but I did manage to land two pretty much back to back, which was a first for me.

Takatu Point continues to pay off in my books as one of my favourite destinations to Kayak fish, but it’s never short of a lot of hard work, determination and fight, before you get to come away feeling chuffed. It pays to be prepared and to know exactly what the tides and forecast are doing. Get the tides and the wind wrong and you can be in for a long day. But time it right and it can delight! ■

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KAYAKFISHING

Matapouri Moocher Having only started kayak fishing just over a year ago I have been focused on getting my head around the fundamentals of this exciting way to get in the water and chase a feed of fish. Top of the list was ensuring I stay safe on the water but I have also been coming to grips with new fishing techniques such as the use of soft plastics and slow jigs. By Orson Waldock

20 www.nzfisher.co.nz

WHILE MY INITIAL TRIPS out on

of the importance of planning, my trip

the kayak were largely about time

started on the laptop.

on the water, I have now started

I used Google Earth and maritime charts to

to think more about setting goals including landing a legal Kingfish (still a work in progress) and targeting big winter snapper in the shallows.

survey a new area of the coast I was keen to explore. From the comfort of home, I was able to identify areas where fish are likely to be holding. This included visible foul, weed

One of the key pieces of advice I have

beds, ledges and reef systems. Knowing all

picked up from others is ensuring you

this greatly increased my chances of success

have a good plan. Preparing for a fishing

when fishing new ground.

trip based on knowing what you want to

I launched into the Matapouri Estuary

target, where, when and how stand you in good stead while chasing those big fish or elusive species.

and headed out the bay at just after sun up. Although a 40knot north-easterly had dropped there was still a significant

A recent trip up to Tutukaka provided me

amount of swell moving below the kayak

with an opportunity to explore a new

and smashing into the coast. I headed

section of coast along with the goal of

straight to a cliff face I had identified a few

dragging a big winter snapper out of the

days before with the plan of fishing the

shallows. Armed with my new knowledge

wash for large resident snapper.

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KAYAKFISHING 22 www.nzfisher.co.nz

“ It feels good to have set a plan, executed and it and have the fish to show for it at the end of the day.“

Conditions were tough with a stiff westerly

toward the boiling cliffs. I was keen to target

breeze pushing me off my casting position

10 metres or so out from the wash area

and well out of the bite zone. With little

assuming that large predating fish would be

chance of connecting in that spot, I headed

patrolling this edge looking for crustaceans

to the next headland I had identified where

and small fish that had come to grief.

I could set up a drift. The new spot looked

On my second drift, my soft bait was hit

more promising with the westerly pushing

on the drop and something started to pull

me along a reasonable length of wash zone

considerable line. I was not sure what it was

and rocky foul.

at first as rather than distinctive head shakes

Something like this is a tricky situation as

this fish just swam hard and straight. My

the impact zone is where I want to target

issue was that it was heading straight back

large snapper, but not at the expense of

into the wash at a considerable pace.

coming to grief on the some fearsome

With some big waves rolling in, I even

looking rocks. I needed to stay mobile

considered flicking over the bail arm and

as there were some large waves coming

backing out. I had started to make some

through, so I used my paddle to hold station

ground on the fish, though, so continued

while lobbing a light weighted soft bait

to put more pressure on the line which

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BENISLAND.CO.NZ brings up a good Snapper alongside. Still

check it out here.

not out of the woods I netted the fish and

There were a few other fish that came

paddled out to deeper water before iki’ing

alongside, some good Kahawai and the

the fish and stowing in the back. With

world’s smallest Kingfish but they all

relatives from overseas at home, this 62cm

went back. It feels good to have set a plan,

snapper provided a reasonable feed for the

executed and it and have the fish to show for

whole family.

it at the end of the day. With the westerly

I had the GoPro on the whole morning

picking up I called it quits and headed back

and Managed to capture the fight –

into the shelter of the estuary. ■

24 www.nzfisher.co.nz

18+ lbs snapper off the rocks.

Know what you’re doing Wide range of courses for all types of boating available nationwide

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READERPICS

Angela Kerr keeping an eagle eye one her lines in late July off the Coromandel coast

Reader

Pics

Alex Reeves with a solid 11.21kg Taranaki surfcasting snapper

26 www.nzfisher.co.nz

Ollie Reeves (Last months winner) with another great Ngongy Rainbow

Eoghan Waldock showing his skills with another Snapper he caught with his Dad on the kayak

Jase with a 5.2kg mid-winter Far North snap.

Jason Christiansen with a solid landbased king

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Teaghan Erringtyon’s results from a late August weekend

Shane Grahams with a hefty Kingfish

Ted Audain, Jeff & Louisa Zeelie at Papa Aroha fishing with the North Shore Surfcasting Club.

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Muz’s Pauanui

Lifestyle

When a retired fisho takes a break from the city, but needs to take the city with him, you’ll find his laptop on wharves and at the beach with him. The mobile’s in his hand but the scenery is the star.

30 www.nzfisher.co.nz

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