The Fishing Paper & Hunting News August 2019 Issue 157

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August 2019 Issue 167

NEWS

 Karl Barlow pg26

Canal knowledge the key 3 pg

 Jig's up

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2

THE FISHING PAPER & HUNTING NEWS - AUGUST 2019

The branding of Fiordland Daryl Crimp

Will the All Blacks retain the World Cup? That question will spark debate internationally, such is the brand recognition of the All Blacks. In Africa recently, I was amazed that, even in small rural villages, seemingly everyone’s face lit into a smile when I mentioned New Zealand and people spontaneously burst into chants of “All Blacks, All Blacks, All Blacks!”

The value of this level of branding to New Zealand is almost immeasurable, but it wasn’t developed haphazardly, quickly, or without commitment from many quarters and support from the whole nation.

Measuring crays photo credit Rebecca McLeod

The mantle of promoting and protecting the unique essence of New Zealand is not the responsibility of the All Blacks alone, because we have many intrinsic symbols that epitomise our brand: the kiwi, the silver fern, Māori bone carving, and the koru. Worldwide, geographic features too can be ambassadors of a people as well as a national treasure to be revered, protected, and enhanced: Victoria Falls, the Grand Canyon, the Amazon, Mount Everest, the Galápagos Islands, Niagara Falls, and so on. In tiny New Zealand we have a giant that fits comfortably on this world stage—Fiordland.

While not as big a brand as the All Blacks, Fiordland is still recognised nationally and internationally so is huge currency for New Zealand.

But it’s value is multilayered: international and local tourism, a science resource, recreational playground, base of commercial enterprise, bastion of biodiversity, a significant wilderness area, and cultural and heritage importance.

Like the All Black brand, Fiordland needs nurturing with input from many quarters and the support of everyone.

The Fiordland Marine Guardians (FMG) is the key group entrusted with managing and caring for Fiordland’s precious marine environment. They collectively represent commercial and recreational fishers, mana moana tourism interests, recreational users, marine science, conservation, and the local community, supporting the ethic of Kaitiakitanga and stewardship.

It includes a fiord-by-fiord guide, including maps and recommended anchorage sites, to help users better understand the FMA. It’s truly a great read.

An electronic version of Beneath the Reflections is available from the Guardians’ website FMG.org.nz. Better still, get a hard copy for onboard your vessel. These are issued free when you get your Clean Vessel Pass for the FMA (a requirement to operate a vessel in the FMA, visit: ES.govt.nz.)

Groper catch Sunday Cove - photo credit Fraser Wilson

Fiordland Marine Guardians is a recognised body, formally mandated back in 2005 with the passing of legislation, the Fiordland (Te Moana Atawhenua) Marine Management Act. The group realised it needed to draw together and disseminate information about the Fiordland Marine Area (FMA), so developed a go-to-guide, Beneath the Reflections, for regular users and visitors. It provides practical information about activities permitted while travelling through the fiords, biosecurity requirements below and above deck, and recreational fishing rules and commercial regulations.

Peter Young holding a tarakihi - photo credit S. Logie

Everyone who visits Fiordland has a role in protecting the brand - tread lightly Like the All Blacks, Fiordland is a brand we can all get behind.

Ask a local – Boating in Fiordland is a privilege And with privilege comes responsibility.

As a group, we’re responsible for managing and caring for Fiordland’s precious marine environment.

Before you venture into Fiordland ask a local.

Collectively, the Fiordland Marine Guardians represent the knowledge/mātauranga and experience of Fiordland users. Whether it’s about safe anchorages, fishing regulations, or requirements for a Clean Vessel Pass for Fiordland, connect with us at FMG.org.nz

Photo courtesy of Dirty Dive South

(Timaru Hunt Fish story

Insider trading nets big fish

Issue 167 3

Doug with a 'freshwater snapper'!

Cover Story , Doug Clifton

For the last couple of years I’ve been seeing pictures of monstrous trout from the Mackenzie country popping up on social media daily!

It finally got the better of me and we made the eight hour journey down to tropical Twizel to meet up with Alister Jones from Hunting and Fishing Timaru.

The week provided some tough fishing conditions, with howling winds on the first day and minimalistic flow in the canals for the

duration of our stay. The saving grace for me was the local knowledge we were provided. Egg rolling was the major tactic used, as well as soft baiting. Being shown the little tips and tricks on the best ways to rig up our gear and how to present it correctly on the drift was key to success.

The biggest thing I learnt was staying in touch with your gear at all times, and having a longer highly sensitive rod helps a lot.

With the bites from fish

Doug tapped local knowledge to catch canal success

ranging between aggressive tugs to the faintest little bumps, these are easily missed if you can't feel them.

Using the correct sinker or jig head weight helps massively, as the flow in the canal often changes. Having plenty of egg patterns in different colour’s and sizes is a must and it helps to keep swapping them out if you’re not getting bites.

We caught trout ranging in sizes from 2lb’s to 29lb’s, with a few tasty salmon thrown in amongst them.

All of the trout caught were released and we always minimized the time that they were handled. This makes a massive difference to their survival rate and it's important that we keep this amazing fishery healthy so more people can experience the thrill of catching these canal giants.

I can’t stress enough how much local advice and knowledge of the area and tackle required helps. Make sure to stop in and see Alister and the team at Timaru Hunting & Fishing to give you the tips and tackle that you require to maximize you’re success rate at the canals.

Front Cover Picture : Levi Mcpherson with his 29lb giant caught on a black and gold softbait

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4

THE FISHING PAPER & HUNTING NEWS - AUGUST 2019

Exquisitely delicious Marquesas

Sydney-sider John Black shows off his 30kg wahoo, mahimahi and tuna catch with fisherman supremo Rasta

Gerard Hindmarsh

One of the most iconic trips in French Polynesia is aboard the 126m-long passenger freighter Aranui 5, which travels from Papeete out to six inhabited islands of the far flung Marquesas group. Unless you’re a yachtie, there’s simply no other way to visit so many of the legendary Marquesas Islands, usually with an atoll of the Tuamotu group (Fakarava) thrown in on the way through.

The crew fish off the stern at every stop and haul in amazingly good catches to supplement the dining room table. Passengers can use the ship’s dedicated fishing boat, which is slung aboard, to take advantage of coastline and deep sea fishing excursions around the Marquesas Islands.

Launching the sturdy 7m-long alloy fishing boat

Mahi-Nui 2 from the high deck of Aranui 5 is dramatic but once lowered to the water, the two fishermen aboard waste no time unshackling the lifting chains. They manoeuvre alongside to collect the eager fishermen passengers on board, who have signed up for the morning or afternoon trips. Because of the ship’s tight schedule, these 3-4

A local at Vaipaee on Ua Huka shows off his catch

hour trips normally range no more than five miles out into the ocean.

The precipitous Marquesas Islands plunge several thousand metres into the Pacific. Forget reef and lagoon fishing, these unexploited waters are a trolling adventure upon the deep seas, all home to swordfish, tuna, and big sharks. Delicate flesh catchable fish species include mackerel, frigate tuna, barracuda, wahoo, and mahi-mahi. Depending on the season, dolphins, sea turtles, and whales are often sighted in the western zones.

Seas can get big out in the Pacific and the purpose built Mahi Nui 2 is the perfect fishing boat for the job, with a powerful inboard motor, two mounted game chairs, plenty of handholds and no frills layout, with plenty of shade for the fishermen.

The two Marquesan fishermen who came with this boat share their passion for fishing. They are Tata Antoine, known as Rasta, and Jean Lois Kohumaoeiti.

All our eyes are out for any seabird action on the water.

Closer to land, any buoys where fish may aggregate are also checked.

We troll and troll, trailing big lures, the two boat rods with their Shimano Tiagra 130 reels stay safely tied into their holders. Two heavy handlines supplementing the gear get tied to the rear cleats. Differing weighted lines make sure nothing gets tangled. Rasta charges at near breakneck speed

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checking the rigs and gear.

Catches up to the day I go were spectacular, with mansize mahi-mahi and wahoo typically hauled in. This morning’s catch brings in just three average-sized tuna, which will all be cut into sashimi and steaks for the ship’s 10 seat ‘fishermen’s table,’ the prerogative of all successful charter fishermen on the ship to invite fellow passengers of their choice to dine with them that night and eat the actual fish they caught. If there was one thing our Tahitian chef had perfected, it was how to prepare fish. Every dish was exquisitely delicious!

The Aranui 5’s fishing boat gets hoisted back on board

Issue 167 5

Catch t hese

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6

THE FISHING PAPER & HUNTING NEWS - AUGUST 2019

Jig’s up on angler’s electronic eyes Blair Whiting A small silver fish darts through the water, terrified of what could be lurking below. A flash of pink slices past the panicking smelt.

This is the last thing he will ever see.

Trout in many lakes around New Zealand feed exclusively on small baitfish to gain weight rapidly. In my local lake, Tutira, smelt are not present, so what are these rainbows eating to become so fat? The widely held theory is insect life. I wasn’t convinced.

After examining a rainbow’s stomach, I later find trout are feeding on mosquito fish. These fish are common in most New Zealand river systems and lakes, growing up to 5cm.

good sensitivity, especially when trout are soft on the bite.

To find what depth the fish are holding in, I rely on my sounder. The thermocline— the rapid temperature change over a few metres— is where trout sit and I find it by looking for a thin line of disturbance on my screen.

When the water is too warm on the surface, trout will stay down deep to avoid the heat.

In the warmer months this is from 9-15m down.

Trout are able to burst into the warm water to grab a

meal before retreating to the cold stuff. The perfect location is where the thermocline intersects with the bottom; this is where I start my search for the target species. When a red arch appears on the sounder, I immediately drop the rig down. I watch the sinker on the sounder and stop it as it reaches the fish.

At this point, it can be like watching TV. A trout will eye up the offering and sometimes even fight over it with other fish! I jiggle the rod up and down to give some action to the flies—all

the encouragement trout need to inhale the rabbit.

When a trout smacks my offering, I lift the rod firmly to the set the hook.

The way I hunt trout and fish to them is very similar to nymphing in a river but, at times, the trout can be over 15 metres down, so I am relying on electronics to be my eyes. It is an awesome way to spend a day and feels much more like targeting specific fish rather than randomly dropping your line and hoping a fish will take.

Instead, you know that fish will take!

Revealing what lies beneath

I tie up two tiny white rabbit flies and create a two-hook jigging rig, using 8lb fluorocarbon and attach them to tiny swivels to prevent line twist. This looks like a typical ledger rig.

Another important part of the rig is a long leader. I use 5m of 8lb fluorocarbon, which makes it much harder for a trout to see my mainline. I have 4kg braid on my reel, which provides extremely

Jigging brings trout success

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Channel 01 – Mt. Stokes.

Coverage from Cape Farewell in the south to Cape Egmont in the north, and the east from Cape Palliser to Cape Campbell.

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The Fishing Paper & Hunting News proudly supports Marlborough-Nelson Marine Radio Association

Issue 167 7

Buck bonanza for beginner A gentle sea breeze blew up the beach, just enough to rustle the tussock and cool us down in the heat of the day. I had been granted a week off school to hunt the elusive whitetail deer on Stewart island and, so far, I had bagged a yearling after a great hunt.

However, the big bucks had managed to evade me. We had seen plenty of sign and heard them in the bush so knew they were there. We just had to find one and that was proving difficult, but there was plenty of time left and plenty of patience left in me.

A couple of days earlier, Dad and I had scouted out a very nice looking face. Full of sign and food, it looked like the perfect place for a big buck. Dad had decided it was worth checking it out so we got comfortable, out of the wind in some bushes on the sand dune and thus the wait began. Every 10 minutes, we glassed the face to see if one of these elusive

Daniel Crimp

animals had shown up, but nothing changed.

It stayed like this for a few hours and by then my patience was starting to wear thin, the sun was getting to the end of its shift, and the temperature was beginning to drop.

I was determined to shoot a deer but, with the shooting light fading rapidly, we only had ten more minutes to pull a rabbit out of the hat, or, in this case, a nice buck.

It was then that my day dream of shooting a huge whitetail was interrupted by a slight sound that had caught my attention; the sound of a bush rustling to my left. Thoughts raced through my mind of a big buck standing there 20 metres away, ready to be shot but I knew it was most likely a kiwi or a rat, so I slowly emerged from my bungalow and peered around the bush, immediately making direct eye contact with a massive buck slowly making his way up the hill to the bush edge. I didn't have time to muck around so I slid my pack out, rested the .08 on it, and put one up the spout.

The buck stopped two feet below the bush line and oh what a mistake that was, the cross hairs dropped onto his shoulder and before it even had a chance to blink, the stag was tumbling down the hill, dead before it hit the ground.

I didn't realise what I had shot until I got close enough to see the rack on its head. I was over the moon with it and that adrenaline was enough to carry me through the 3km hike to camp with the massive beast on my back.

We made it to the hut in time to compare with what the others had shot but, to me, nothing could compare with what I had worked so hard for.

To celebrate my whitetail buck, I was rewarded with a sleep in and some freshly caught paua for breakfast. I couldn't think of a better way to end the trip.

8

THE FISHING PAPER & HUNTING NEWS - AUGUST 2019

Wanaka trolling take two Tony Blyth

After an early lunch, David and I left Mt Iron Road in the new Kia Sorento with the Fi-Glass Firestar behind and headed for the top of Lake Wanaka, where the Makarora River runs in.

We launched and sailed out on the trolling motor, a 4hp Mercury, with its big brother beside it, the 90hp Merc’. Two fishermen were already fly fishing the edge of the river current so we trolled further out.

We 70-year-olds have been trolling together for years and have a good system.

When David, the captain, gets a strike, I stop the 4 horse and visa-versa when I get the strike.

We had only gone 50m when the 4 horse coughed and stopped. We quickly reeled our lines in. After a dozen pulls, we gave up on it. I thought that was it, home, but David said we’d troll on the big motor.

We had just got our lines

out, seven colours on the lead line, and David had a take. I immediately jumped up to stop the 4 horse.

ramp, strike, David’s line peeled off. With our system now working, he caught another 3lb rainbow.

Laughing, David said, “I’ll turn the big motor off here.”

As we got near to the ramp, the two fly fishermen were pulling out. We chatted a bit and they had good catches.

“Silly old bugger,” I said.

While David was fighting his fish, I wound my line in.

Strike—I got a take half-way in.

“Well done,” I said, “we're going to have ours for dinner.”

Two on at once, then David said, “Bugger, mine’s gone.”

All this happened in a half an hour!

I landed my fish, a 3lb rainbow, and dispatched it into the bin as David got the motor going. As soon as both lines were out, strike, my line stripped again.

Unbelievably, David jumped up to turn off the 4 horse!

We split our sides laughing.

As we were tying the cover on to the boat, another Kia Sorento pulled in with a slightly larger Fi-Glass on the trailer.

“Your luck should be in because Kia's and Fi-Glasses are in today,” we yelled out to them.

Back to fighting the fish as David stopped the big motor and reeled in. Strike, he had a take too—two on at once, again. Two more rainbows in the bin.

Back in Wanaka, the Mercury outboard dealer found a split in the fuel hose.

Motors do not go too good sucking air.

We made a slow turn and trolled back towards the boat

“Go catch more fish, NO CHARGE!” he said.

Such a nice gentleman.

A little canals Black Magic The hydro canals in the Mackenzie Basin have earned their title as one of the country’s most exciting freshwater fishing locations.

Yes, it is an artificial system, and yes, the trout do live an entitled lifestyle, but where else in the country can you go and have a consistent crack at landing 10lb, 20lb, or even 30lb+ fish? The fish here are the kind that get our blood pumping and so there’s no wonder that thousands of anglers come from all corners of the world to fish the system.

When it comes to fishing the canal, one must be prepared. We all know the feeling of being busted off because of a poor knot, low quality leader, cheap hook, or bad reel. It’s simple, don’t come down to the canals and cast out a half-prepared rig. You never know what is lurking down in the turquoise-blue waters; your fish of a lifetime could

literally be a cast away, so stay disciplined and use quality tackle.

Whether you’re drifting globugs, or casting metal spinners, or soft plastics, you want to make sure that your leader, in particular, is top quality. You want minimal visibility, ultimate abrasion resistance, and high knot strength, or you will get busted off quick smart. The Black Magic range is hard to go past; their fluorocarbon is bulletproof and sees many 20lb—30lb+ trout caught on line as light as 4lb. Just make sure you play the fish correctly. Their Deception range is a great economical option. The new pink version is particularly good in the canals, due to the water colour making the pink line less visible, and the suppleness of this particular trace allows your lures to swim more naturally.

If you’re drifting eggs,

you’re going to need a purpose-built hook. The Black Magic range of G-series, M-series, and A-series hooks are all fantastic options. What’s good about the Black Magic hooks is that they’re made in Japan to the highest quality—these are not cheap Chinese imitations, they’re from the best hook manufacturers in the world.

Plus, the sizes and shapes are specifically designed for rolling globugs and for getting an exceptional hook up rate—you cannot beat the strength and sharpness of these legendary hooks.

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Issue 167 9

SET UP FOR SUCCESS AT THE CANALS...

20lb+ brown trout, Globug, G Series #10 hook & 8lb Ultra Pink Deception

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10 THE FISHING PAPER & HUNTING NEWS - AUGUST 2019

Plenty of criticism is levelled at the Quota Management System, most of it by people ignorant of how and why it operates. A common theme of the critics is that there is no chance for a young person to get a foothold in the fishing industry. The reality is quite different. Daryl Sykes smashes the urban myth and uncovers a dynamic duo that has made a substantial commitment to the life of a professional fisherman. Introducing…

The young ones—sons of the QMS Jordan Sansom is a 27-year-old lobster fisherman, fishing on the Chatham Islands, New Zealand’s most remote lobster fishery. For a relatively young man, Jordan has a solid and successful work history and is carving out a lifelong career as a professional fisherman.

Islands where he now runs the FV Nancy Kay II, a fortyfoot lobster boat owned by the Croon family.

Being one of the youngest skippers on the Islands, and well into his sixth lobster season and his third as a skipper, Jordan remains very focused on providing a

extreme pride in. I am highly motivated to succeed, and I am always looking for opportunities to learn and for ways to improve,” he says.

“My love for fisheries and for the sea is not just a job for me, it is a lot more, it is a way of life and I have an Instagram page dedicated to my passion for fishing, @tekouratane.

Te Koura tane means ‘The lobster fisherman’ in Maori.”

Living and fishing in the Chathams presents numerous challenges due to the remoteness and isolation. Jordan works from Kaingaroa, a small settlement on the northern part of the island and the furthest point from the airport. Lobsters landed at Kaingaroa take an hour’s drive on gravel roads to fly two and a half hours back to New Zealand.

Everything must flow like clockwork to make sure the lobsters arrive at the mainland destination as fresh as possible. Nancy Kay II lobsters are packed and exported to overseas markets

by Leigh Lobster NZ.

Jordan Sansom

His love affair with rock lobsters started when recreationally diving in the Bay of Plenty. Jordan was keen, successful, and opportunistic, so decided to pursue a career as a commercial fisherman, leaving a well-paid job as a qualified builder to deckhand on a lobster boat, based in Tauranga.

His boss was impressed and encouraged the ‘deckie’ to chase down the qualifications necessary to get his skipper’s ticket. With an eye on progressing more quickly from the deck to to the wheelhouse, Jordan moved to the Chatham

quality export product whilst running an efficient business, with a strong commitment to maintaining and improving a sustainable fishery. He is an avid and reliable participant in the CRA 6 Vessel Logbook, which is collecting supplementary catch and effort data used to inform stock assessments and management decisions.

Jordan stands firm on his commitment to sustainable utilisation of the Chatham Islands marine resources.

“Keeping the fisheries in a healthy state for present and future residents is a primary duty which I take

Sam Gray

The Chatham Islands lobster fishery has a regulated closed season during March and April, leaving a ten-month season for the 38 vessel fleet to land the 360 tonnes total allowable commercial catch (TACC). During the two-month closure, Jordan has been working toward a commercial helicopter pilot license and currently holds a private pilot licence. He has it in mind that a return to helicopter transport—pioneered by Mike Alexander during the Chatham Islands lobster boom of the 1960’s— might enable the faster transportation of live fish, shellfish, and lobsters to mainland and export markets.

As the crow flies, South Wairarapa fisherman Sam Gray is a reasonably close mainland neighbour to Jordan. Sam has been around fishing from a very young age, as his father Evan (Curla) Gray was a professional fisherman for 34 years.

Sam had the opportunity, during weekends and school holidays to crew with his father, to pick up some basic skills and good work habits. As time progressed, he climbed the learner’s ladder to paid crewman, acquiring enough hours to complete a Commercial Launchmaster course. Keeping his future employment options open was a priority for Sam and he commenced a building apprenticeship and worked the deck when he had free time.

Then, one summer during time off from Sam’s building apprenticeship, his father Curla Gray decided to take off on holiday and left Sam to run the boat, during which time his passion for fishing grew immensely.

That experience as a skipper was the catalyst for Sam and his father to invest in a second vessel and Sam began fishing full time.

After four seasons, a small parcel of CRA 4 annual catch entitlement (ACE) came up for tender so Sam had a punt and, somewhat to his surprise, picked up the package, which he then leveraged to a solid portfolio of rock

lobster fishing opportunity. During the winter of 2016 Sam looked to broaden his fishing experience and started netting for butterfish (greenbone) and chasing a few tuna during the lobster off-season.

Sam has been involved in the CRA 4 vessel logbook programme for five years and promotes it as being and easy and efficient way to gain good hard data for the industry and for fisheries scientists.

Outside of fishing, Sam enjoys the outdoors while running a small deer farm, which works in well with his lobster season.

“It seems I can’t get away from boats, having a passion for dirt bikes, adventure jet boating, and jet sprint racing. I feel fishing still has a bright future for any person interested in our game; with new blood comes new ideas and ways of helping a sustainable industry continue to grow. Fishing has been great for me and I look forward to being able to give something back in time to come”.

Jordan and Sam – two young men with a commitment to the fishing industry and for the long term sustainable utilization of their rock lobster fisheries.

Kaingaroa Beach

Issue 167 11

Things to do

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12 THE FISHING PAPER & HUNTING NEWS - AUGUST 2019

PISTOL SHOOTING

Brian Bishop about to get his head served on a platter

Brian Bishop

Speed steel golf not cricket

Speed steel shooting is like a drag race; the pistol is drawn from the holster with five shots aimed at five different targets, one plate being the designated ‘stop plate’ to be shot last.

There are eight different courses of fire, ranging from nice and close, (smoke and hope) then moving out to 35 metres at the outer limits.

The scoring is similar to golf, (except more speed and less walking), the lower the time determines the winner. You get five runs and the top four count, so if you have four good times, it is then full noise for the last one.

Sometimes it works while other times you sink and burn.

Speed steel is good training for some of the other styles as well as being great fun to shoot or watch. I went to Ashburton for the South Island Champs a couple of months ago and, while it had been a few years since I had last shot it, my times were like a cricket score—high, which is good for cricket but not good for speed steel! A lot of fun was had and the friendly banter was flying; totally expected in light of my score. It was a nice

piece of relief from the last few months. All styles of firearms were used, from full open pistols with all the bells and whistles, to standard pistols, .22 pistol and rifle, and pistol carbines.

Ladies and gents, young and old, turned up from all over New Zealand to compete, complete with a good crew from the North Island. So, while I had my head handed back to me on a platter, I have made a promise to return next year and try to lower my score.

The next round of firearm reform is out and for those who didn’t think the last round mattered to them, maybe they are starting to

Tandem title fight a thriller Daryl Crimp Knife

Jo Nesbo Penguin Random House RRP $38.00 Scandinavian crime thrillers have firmly gained a foothold internationally in the past five years and Norwegian author Jo Nesbo is a standout storyteller. His flawed detective, alcoholic Harry Hole, has grown richer and darker throughout the 12 book series and this latest, a sequel to THIRST, is masterful—and dark. A real page turner.

think again. I see this as an attack on honest citizens because nothing talked about in any way is aimed at the criminals or gangs; instead it is aimed at those of us who follow the rules.

The forced confiscation of our now illegal firearms is

All styles of pistol are used

underway and, contrary to what the media say, none of my friends and associates are happy with losing their possessions, but that’s life here at the moment.

Keep safe and talk to someone if things are getting to you.

Hole faces his biggest challenge yet as he faces off with his nemesis and deadliest foe. It’s all about revenge and a lust for blood but there are enough red herrings and twists to leave you dizzy. Tight punchy writing, short chapters, and a rich cast of characters make this a compelling read. If you have read the series, treat yourself.

The Whisper Man Alex North Penguin Random House RRP $37.00 Wasn’t convinced by the clichéd publicity blurb but, once I picked it up, I couldn’t put it down— another cliché, right? However, this psychological thriller is fresh, nicely constructed and after a mediocre start, it races away. Based around the theme of abducted young boys, the author, who writes under a pseudonym, quickly breaks away from any form of predictability and keeps you guessing until the end.

The characters are rich and layered, and the multiple and seemingly disparate subplots come together in the end, in a surprising manner. There is a hint of Stephen King’s supernatural here, which rarely works for me but, dammit, another twist.

Clever writing.

If you want a good satisfying and absorbing read, these two books complement each other so well.

PERSON WANTED

How many winter words can you find lurking in the maze?

Shade every second segment of the snake to find a cool place to go in winter

ski, scarf, sneeze, winter, hockey, cold, frost, icicle, snow, freeze, fire, coal, storms, heater, illness

The Fishing Paper & Hunting News is looking for a person to further grow our advertising client base.

We are looking for a confident, outgoing, independent person with previous experience in advertising sales and/or customer service.

The successful candidate will be dynamic, enjoy dealing with people, love generating new business and closing sales in this performance-based position.

If you have experience in print media sales If you have energy and self motivation If you love fishing and hunting

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Answer: Ice Rink

Issue 167 13

Have your say on the draft Pãua Fisheries Plan for PAU7 Fisheries New Zealand is inviting feedback on the draft Pāua Fisheries Plan for PAU7 which has been developed by industry representative body PauaMAC7 on behalf of all PAU7 quota owners and harvesters, and with the involvement and support of local iwi and recreational fishing representatives.

PAU7 is the pāua fishery at the top of the South Island. It extends from the mouth of the Clarence River on the east coast northwards around the top of the South Island and down to Kahurangi Point on the West Coast. The fishery is highly valued by customary, commercial and recreational fishers. Earlier this year, PauaMAC7 began developing a draft fisheries plan for PAU7 for consideration under section 11A of the Fisheries Act 1996. Under this section of the Act, the Minister of Fisheries may approve a fisheries plan including objectives, strategies, and performance criteria, to support the purpose and principles of the Act.

The draft plan focuses on managing commercial harvesting activity based on fine-scale, timely, and adaptive management responses. The PAU7 plan will loperate within government management settings. The plan advocates three main aims:

• boosting the rate of stock rebuild by having commercial fishers voluntarily choose not to fish a portion of their quota; • controlling commercial fishing activity, including spreading the existing catch over a wider area (to help ease fishing pressure and enhance the rate of rebuild) and varying the minimum harvest size (allows additional spawning events before pāua become available for harvest); and • enhancing local pāua populations using techniques such as out-planting (growing of juveniles in land based hatcheries and then outplanting them onto the coast) and translocation (moving pāua from slow growth to faster growth areas to enable more pāua to reach harvestable size).

Your feedback is valuable to us and we strongly encourage you to submit your views. We look forward to hearing what you think. The opportunity to have your say will be open until 5pm 20 August 2019.

To find out more about how you can have your say head to: https://www.fisheries.govt. nz/news-and-resources/ consultations/consultationon-the-draft-paua-fisheriesplan-for-pau7/

Õpihi Mãtaitai proposed bylaw - Your views sought The Tangata Tiaki/Kaitiaki of the Ōpihi Mātaitai are proposing a bylaw to reduce the daily bag limit for pātiki (flat fish) to 10 per person within the Ōpihi Mātaitai reserve boundaries.

Background Currently, the daily bag limit for pātiki within the Ōphihi Mātaitai Reserve is 30 per person, as set out in the Fisheries (Amateur Fishing) Regulations 2013.

Given increasing fishing within the mātaitai area, which includes the lower reaches and lagoons associated with the mouth of the Ōpihi River, the Tangata Tiaki/Kaitiaki have proposed to reduce the daily bag limit within the mātaitai to 10 pātiki per person.

The proposed bylaw is necessary in order to: • enhance and maintain the pātiki fishery • ensure access for customary and recreational fishers who have less fishing capacity • ensure the long term future of the fishery.

Fisheries New Zealand invites written submissions in response to the proposed bylaw from persons who have an interest in the stock concerned.

Making your submission

Make sure you tell us in your submission:

Email your feedback on the draft

• the title of the consultation document

documents by 5pm on 23 August 2019 to

• your name and title

FMSubmissions@mpi.govt.nz While we prefer email, you can post your

• your organisation's name (if you are submitting on behalf of an

submission to:

organisation and whether your submission represents the whole

Manager Inshore Fisheries

organisation or a section of it)

Ministry for Primary Industries Private Bag 1926

• your contact details (such as phone number, address, and email).

Dunedin 9054.

Rob was gutted when he was caught.

Download the free NZ Fishing Rules App to get the rules.

If you go over the bag limit or take undersize fish, it could really spoil your day when you receive a fine. Make sure you check the rules every time before you fish because they change regularly and are different for each area. These help protect our precious marine resources – for you, other fishers, and future generations. Download the free App now.

MFI0018

www.fisheries.govt.nz/rules

Don’t be like Rob.

14 THE FISHING PAPER & HUNTING NEWS - AUGUST 2019

Howling with wolves – fishing with bears (Part 2)

Graham Gurr

I’m sure you have seen the photo of the bear standing on the top of the falls catching salmon as they leap clear. It is an archetypal scene that speaks to what most people think of as Alaska. Such was Brooks Falls.

We fished one of the streams that empty into the lake. It was narrow and twisting but opened to a broad mouth. Rainbow trout hung out among the spawning sockeye salmon, feasting on the eggs. The bright red sockeyes stood out on the bottom in the clear water, the trout darker shapes tucked in behind.

Beads were the order of the day. A plastic bead about two inches above a bare hook under an indicator, drifted down between the sockeye. Sadly the sockeye in their urge to spawn would knock the bead, either by design or by accident, and hook themselves, normally in the back. All hell would break loose until either the hook pulled out or one of the guides netted the sockeye several minutes

later. Amazingly, it did not stop the fishing; the rainbows stayed in their station and if you managed to drift the bead almost onto their nose, they would take it, then hooking them cleanly under the jaw.

These were fat healthy rainbows and put up one hell of a fight once they worked out they were hooked. I had one that just hung on the bottom after it had taken the bead and I was convinced I had hooked one of the many logs that festooned the stream bed, until it moved.

It went upstream at a fast pace to the first bend and then turned and ran back down and out into the lake, which resulted in a whole lot of slack line. I was sure I had lost it until everything went tight again, then it was just a case of keeping it out of the willows and letting it wear itself out. Max, one of our guides for the day, netted a bright colourful rainbow some 25 inches long.

Everybody was catching fish and having fun but an onshore breeze strengthened and short, choppy waves

Gurr with a nice Alaskan rainbow

pushed up into the mouth

the banks. Deadfalls slowed

from the lake. We walked

progress upstream, but the

upstream, to where it

trout were still there, easy

narrowed between walls of

to spot in the clear water.

Alaskan bush that hugged

The downed trees created all

Whitebait Frittata 1 - 2 cups of whitebait.

You can use more if you have it.

1 medium spud cooked and cut into 2cm cubes 4 eggs at room temp 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese 2 tbsp chopped chives or basil Salt and pepper Butter Separate egg and beat yolks and season. Mix in whitebait, spud and herbs and combine well. Whisk whites until stiff and pour into whitebait mix, combining thoroughly.

Melt butter in pan over moderate heat and pour in omelet mix in and cook until bubbles surface.

Sprinkle over with cheese and place under a grill for a couple minutes more or until cooked through.

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COOKING with CRIMPY

sorts of problems with drift but get the bead in front of the trout and you were in.

trees in the water, playing

The hooking part was easy; with a forest of dead

to the net and were safely

the fish was an exercise in frustration, but a few did get returned.

t i m a e r d t ’ n o D

Issue 167 15

DO IT?

Daryl Crimp's

Alaska

by Land & Sea - 21 Day Hosted Tour JUNE 2020

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Tuesday 3 September Club Waimea 6.30 - 8.30pm 345 Queen St, Richmond, Nelson Drinks and nibbles provided after the presentation

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16 THE FISHING PAPER & HUNTING NEWS - AUGUST 2019

Optically Speaking

Ant Corke

The new Pulsar Thermion thermal riflesight combines beauty with functionality Very few new hunting products have caused as much international interest as the new Pulsar Thermion XM and XP series thermal riflescopes.

The most significant technical difference between the Pulsar Thermion and its stablemate the Pulsar Trail, is the new

Lachlan Clarke. Age 11 Rod bent, top to bottom The fish in sight Battle on!

The first obvious point of difference between the Thermion and other thermal riflescopes is that the Thermion looks like a high quality daylight rifle sight. This certainly appeals to hunters with more traditional tastes because the Pulsar Thermion looks and feels great on a fine sporting rifle. Another benefit of its ‘traditional’ design is that its 30mm tube can accommodate many different types of readily available mounts, including mounts that are quick-detachable. This is especially important for rifle actions that may have specialist mounting rails, such as Ruger M77, Sako and Blaser for example.

Looks aren’t everything of course, and while the Pulsar Thermion looks aesthetically pleasing, it has features and performance that are now synonymous with Pulsar thermal imagers. These features include hot swappable batteries, one-shot and freeze-frame zeroing, video recording and streaming, stadiametric rangefinding, multiple colour modes, picture-in-picture and zoom focus.

A significant improvement is a new expanded 50 point-of-impact memory that is split into 5 profiles each with 10 user customisable reticle settings, ideal for swapping between different rifles and loads.

Kingfish victory Sweating from the fight The eager boy seeks his grip Holds tight Wipes his sweat Roughly tugs Pulling the weight Trying to reel Raises the rod Gains some line Holds tight Time to change

The Pulsar Thermion fits onto a rifle in the same way as a traditional riflescope

Dad’s turn now

Running it down deep Breathes Holds, Pauses Winds Waits with dead arms.

The fish zigs left, Jives to the right, Powers up, Jumps, Dives Splashes Denies it Frustration

Time to wind up It comes to sight Anticipation And then And then And then

Ulis Atto320 sensor that is fitted in the Thermion XM model. This sensor has a pixel count of 320x240 with each pixel measuring only 12 microns in size. The small pixel size reduces the physical size of the sensor because the pixels are packed tighter together, and results in a higher magnification for any given lens focal length. The net result is better target identification and distance performance, but at the cost of a narrower field-of-view.

The Pulsar Thermion XP version is fitted with the same large format 640x480 pixel sensor as the Pulsar Trail XP, producing an image with better overall resolution and field-of-view than the

XM model. The Thermion XP model delivers outstanding image performance in line with the Pulsar trail XP that is a first choice of professional pest controllers and discerning recreational hunters.

Right before the rod snaps We gaff it.

Victory Fish for dinner Success.

In a nutshell, the Pulsar Thermion thermal riflescope is a high performance, beautifully crafted piece of kit that any hunter would be proud to mount on their favourite rifle. It feels robust with its IPx7 waterproof body, that is recoil rated for heavy recoiling rifles. Visit one of our nationwide stockists to see a Pulsar Thermion for yourself. www.yukonoptics.co.nz

Russell Campbell mistaken for rhino poacher Members of the elite African anti poaching unit, Delta Squad, have been entrusted with guarding and protecting the few remaining rhino in Zimbabwe. The prehistoric animals are ruthlessly slaughtered for their horns, which feeds the lucrative Chinese black market, so remnant groups of black and white rhino are kept at undisclosed locations.

The anti poachers operate in units of two and have a strict shoot to kill policy, should anyone be found near the rhino sanctuary.

On one of his recent hosted non hunting Safaris to Africa, Crimpy was able to distract two of the guards by waving the latest copy of The Fishing Paper & Hunting News and, while they were engrossed in reading it, slip his group past to photograph the rhinos.

&

Travels The party had almost made it out before the guards realised they’d been duped, and opened fire. Only one of the party was wounded in the skirmish, Russell Campbell from Nelson, who was shot through the fat near his kidney.

wound but he whinged for the rest of the trip!” Crimpy said.“So typical, you give some people the experience of a lifetime and they can only focus on the negative.”

“It was only a flesh

At Worldtravellers Motueka we’re passionate about travel and are avid travellers ourselves. If there’s somewhere in the world you’d like to go, chances are one of our team has been there and can share their knowledge and personal experience with you – making the world of difference when it comes to booking your next holiday.

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Issue 167 17

Ron Prestage

Successful Surfcaster: Ben Sowry

The Fishing Paper: What is your first memory of fishing?

Ben: It would be similar to most Kiwi kids: abusing the ubiquitous spotties and yellow eyed mullet at the local wharf with my parents.

The local wharf for me was in the port of Nelson, an area now locked up by various security procedures, and terminating that tradition that transcended so many generations of Nelson children.

TFP: What stages have you passed through on your fishing journey?

Ben: From that initial baptism of bait catching, and catch and release of eels in the local creek, in my childhood, I stagnated until my early teens. Around 11-13 years of age I took up more specialised forms, like fly-fishing, whitebaiting and surfcasting.

Once the freedom of adulthood (read: a vehicle and licence) was reached, I could travel the country in my piscatorial pursuits.

Coarse fishing, rock fishing, out in boats, up little creeks, dragging a flounder net off the beach, casting a popper to kingies, dredging a zeddie in the rivers for a salmon, and it goes on.

TFP: What has been your most successful day surfcasting?

Ben: That can be a subjective answer: some days, success isn’t determined by numbers or size, but by the memories.

One such night, it was November. A friend and

From Sinker to Smoker His passion, energy and enthusiasm sees Picton based Ben Sowry range far and wide in his quest for fish, surf and waterfowl. If you asked him, “Are you thinking about going fishing?” Ben would probably answer, “I’m always contemplating going fishing!”

Moki catching requires specialised skill and preparation.

Here is an insight into some of Ben’s hunting and gathering instincts and exploits.

I went down to the Back Beach at Tahunanui, Nelson, and started fishing at about midnight.

We fished through until sunrise the next day, and had a bonanza on the rig. About a dozen fish landed each, all between six to twelve kilo, and all but one smaller rig released to breed, swim, and grow.

There’s been other successful days and nights, but that one always stuck with me.

Not just the fishing, but the company, the memories: THAT is what fishing success is for me.

TFP: What is your most favoured rig for surfcasting?

Ben: For nearly all of my surfcasting, I use a pulley rig with an IMP clip and detachable traces. The only exception is if I’m targeting blue moki, where I use a two-hook dropper (ledger) rig. I prefer to use a twohook rig for moki, because it allows me to present a variety of baits to this sometimes-finicky species.

TFP: What brand of rod and reel do you use?

Ben: I run a couple of Shimano combos: A Vortex and a Raider rod, with baitrunner reels.

TFP: What baits do you mainly use for surfcasting?

Ben: Species dependent.

I do have a reputation for using raw prawn cutlets, from the supermarket.

These will catch anything from gurnard, kahawai and snapper, to the specialised feeders like rig and moki.

If specifically targeting rig, however, I prefer paddle

crabs. Wrapped in a tonne of bait elastic, and smashed up with a pair of pliers, they become as much a little burley bomb as they do a bait. For moki, however, I will fish prawn, tuatua, paua gut, mussel and crayfish, in an attempt to find their ‘flavour of the day’.

TFP: What is your top tip for surfcasting success?

Ben: Homework! My success for a lot of my hunting and fishing stems from having a bit of background knowledge on the pursued target. In simpler terms: if you want to catch a moki- fish for moki.

What baits work? What rig?

What time of day/time of year? Water temperature?

What is their preference for feeding habitat? In the area that I’m fishing, what tide phase is best? What’s the moon phase, and when does it rise or set? So many of these questions can be investigated at home, with a bit of a Google search.

Each species is different too.

At the moment, I wouldn’t recommend trying to get a bunch of eating snapper at one of the local beaches.

TFP: Do you have favourite surfcasting spots and how do you fish these places?

Ben: One of my favourites is my old stomping ground: Tahunanui’s Back Beach.

I mostly target rig there, with best success before Christmas. Fishing around two hours either side of low tide, but preferably at night, using paddle crab or prawn for bait. The rig there fight powerfully in the shallow water, and some respectable

specimens are there too.

TFP: What aspects of preparing for a surfcasting trip are the most important for you?

Ben: Rig preparation. I like to tie up all my rigs, and have them stored in snaplock bags ready to go. Everything I need for surfcasting is in one bag, by my front door.

If I feel the urge to go, I can just grab the bait out of my freezer, and I’m in the truck and going, just like that.

TFP: What other forms of fishing do you pursue?

Ben: Mostly boat fishing these days, targeting gurnard, snapper and tarakihi as my bread and butter. A lot of fly fishing and salmon angling over summer months. Some whitebaiting, the occasional road trip to Canterbury specifically to

target coarse fish, and a bit of spearfishing/freediving too. But my absolute number one! Chasing kingfish with topwater lures.

TFP: Besides fishing what else do you like to do in the outdoors?

Ben: For three months of the year, I pack up my fishing gear, pull out my shotgun, and spend nearly every day of the duck season in the swamps and estuaries chasing those tasty and challenging waterfowl. I spend plenty of days with a rifle or surfboard throughout the year too, to break up the monotony of fishing and duck shooting every day.

TFP: What do you think of the present state of the Marlborough fishery?

Ben: There are fish there, but with the high levels of

pressure it pays to be more specialised, thoughtful and selective with where, how, and what we’re fishing for.

For example, I seldom fish in the sea any later than eight in the morning for snapperwasting my time. Other fish, like blue cod, I prefer to leave alone- they’ve been hammered for so long, and I’d rather leave them alone and chase something far more sustainable, like red gurnard.

TFP: How do you help others have success with their fishing?

Ben: Lately I’ve been producing ‘how to’ articles and videos on various Facebook pages, on some of the basics of angling.

From rig preparation, to correct handling of fish for release, to techniques for retrieving kingfish lures.

18 THE FISHING PAPER & HUNTING NEWS - AUGUST 2019

Rig caught laughing

Captain’s Log: Beam me up spotty Baby steps With The Fishing Paper coming up 15-years-old, I have to pinch myself over two things: one, how successful it is and, secondly, how quickly that time has passed.

From issue one the paper took on a life of its own and it comes together each month completely organically; what comes in goes in and I have no idea what is going to be in each issue until Annette plugs the spots between the ads with stories that Brownie, Ron, and I have edited.

Tim Robinson

plug! Real people.

Real paper.

Deane, apologies for taking so long to publish but can we now have an update on Mum and Bubs? I’m sure there are more fishing photos already.

I have ceased autopsies on why the paper is so popular, with it having the highest circulation of any fishing, hunting, or outdoor related publication in New Zealand (well over double), but am humbled and grateful that it connects with so many people.

I run a 6” snapper net and use it for flounder in the Waimea Estuary as well.

That way I only catch the big flounder, which is what I want for the table. Off Rabbit Island we ran the net at right angles to the beach, about 400m offshore. You don’t need to go too far out because the snapper come in quite shallow at this time of year with the tide. We like to set the net half-a-dozen times a year for a feed and, quite frankly, the fun of it.

I may have stumbled on to part of the reason for its success when trying to reduce the number of emails fermenting in my inbox—on average I seldom get below 400 un-actioned emails in my primary account!

After many hours chipping away one wet Sunday I came across this gem sent back in February, which I think speaks to the heart of The Fishing Paper.

It came from Deane from Westland Engineering, a tremendous supporter of the paper, and was a little quip about her niece who, pregnant and on crutches with seven weeks until delivery, caught the fish of the day in a local competition and had bragging rights on Facebook. You have got to admire her enthusiasm, fishing to the last. And you you have to admire Deane’s good ol’ West Coast eye for an opportunity: the fishing gear was bought from Westland Engineering, so Deane figured it only fitting he got a free

Why Print Will Always Remain Relevant Now and beyond For many years now, marketers have wondered if print is dead. And, with each passing year, those of us who make a living through print advertising continue to sing its praises. But sometimes, in order to convince people of something, you need more than sung praises – you need science.

Well consider this: neuroscience has now proven that print ads make a better impression than digital ones. Numerous studies have indicated that on a brain-chemistry level, people process print content with greater engagement and focus, not to mention a deeper emotional response, than they do content viewed on a screen.

While digital content is scanned quickly, paperbased reading is slower and more deliberate, leading to greater rates of comprehension and recall. For advertisers, this means that traditional print media ads are more likely to make a lasting impression and, thus, lead to more sales.

Print will always have many advantages over digital mediums, namely:

Respectability Perhaps the fact that print has been around so long gives it prestige. Thanks to its rich history, ads that appear in print tend to be taken much more seriously.

Trust Studies suggest that readers trust print more than any other medium. In fact, according to an October 2016 survey by MarketingSherpa, 82% of U.S.

With the end of the whitebait season my focus turned to the bounteous snapper and brim I’d been hearing so much about.

I was keen to get out of Mapua with the dinghy and rod but an endless run of winds from the easterly quarter dampened my enthusiasm; you never catch much in an easterly. Then my wife Jill suggested we set the net in front of Rabbit Island and my mood perked up.

Jill and I had a pleasant interlude with this set but were a little surprised when we pulled the net in. Not so much surprised at the bounty of rig, because they are common early summer, but surprised there was not one

snapper or brim in the net. A nice gurnard as an appetiser but not a single snapper.

Talking to the locals coming and going at Grossi Point, the snapper had been like a flickering light switch, on again and off again.

The rig still provided for

several delicious meals and the picture of them laughing back at me from the bin tickled my fancy and I just had to send it in to The Fishing Paper & Hunting News. You can almost hear them saying, “Ha ha no snapper!”

internet users trust print ads when making a purchase decision, more than any other medium.

Clearly Defined Target Audiences Healthy ROIs require the ability to target readers effectively. Print ads allow positioning in the most relevant editorial sections of publications.

Conversely, when buying ads from digital networks, you can never be quite sure your message will reach the right audience at the right time.

Now that you understand just how effective print advertising can be, here are some tips to make your ads as effective as possible:

Simple layouts work best. Busy or cluttered ads turn readers off are read easily.

Forgo large blocks of copy for smaller ones, and consider using bullet points to clearly define benefits.

High Engagement Rates Humans have become modern multitaskers. We check email while texting our friends while binge-watching our favourite TV shows. In other words, we rarely give digital content our full attention.

Print content, on the other hand, allows us to really focus and engage. Imagine this, you make a coffee, you have your paper and you settle in for a read, no distractions. You have made time in your brain to read uninterrupted, you are relaxed. So when it comes to getting your message across, there is full engagement.

Print Drives Online Search

The human eye naturally wants to start at the top left of a page or ad and move down toward the bottom right. You can help this visual journey by laying out text along the eye’s natural ‘route’ across the page.

Too many marketers make the mistake of pointing out features in their ad instead of benefits. Here’s an example: “We use only locally-sourced meats and produce.” Okay, that makes you sound lovely, but does your customer really care? No, not really. They care more about the fact that, thanks to your meal delivery service, they don’t have to cook after a long day at work and they can afford this convenience. That’s how your service benefits them.

While your website can list product or service features, your ad should only focus on the biggest benefits to your prospective customers. This is how you hook them and get them to find out more.

It’s not that digital ads should have no place in your marketing arsenal.

It’s just, if you want your audience to really connect with your ads,science says your best chances are through print publications.

According to the surveys, customers are most likely to start an online search after viewing a magazine/newspaper ad because print media accesses deep thinking in your brain and drives question asking.

Advertise in The Fishing Paper & Hunting News today CALL US 03 544 7020

Will print advertising still work?

Issue 167 19

STICK YOUR OAR IN HAVE YOUR SAY…

CRIMPTOON

email all your letters to editor@thefishingpaper.co.nz Brodifacoum targets tuataras Dear Ed, Interesting that tuataras at a Nelson zoo died from brodifacoum secondary poisoning after preying on a poisoned cockroach.

Brodifacoum is the same poison the Brook Sanctuary authorities aerially spread.

People protested against brodifacoum and letters went to papers but were not published.

As bad as 1080 is, brodifacoum is worse.

For example, brodifacoum’s withholding period after use is three years - 1080 six months. The buffer around a brodifaoum poisoned area is 15 kms while 1080 is 2 kms.

Brodifacoum is even crueler than 1080, taking 21 days (to kill) compared to two days.

I noted DoC’s director Roy Grose said DoC was aware of brodifacoum’s danger. Roy Grose is the former manager of DoC’s Picton Sounds office. Wild pigs in the Marlborough Sounds are unsaleable due to likely brodifacoum residues from rat poison used by residents and holiday home owners. I am not aware of DOC warning hunters of brodifacoum levels likely in wild pork destined for the dinner table.

The carelessness of authorities is shown by brodifacoum via rat poison, freely available to anyone over the shop counter.

Laurie Collins - Sporting Hunters Outdoor Trust

Pest free NZ could poison people Dear Ed, The recent news that four of Natureland's precious tuatara have died of secondary poisoning after eating cockroaches that had eaten Brodifacoum based Pestoff baits has at last brought attention to the deadly and long lasting affects this insidious poison can impose on our native fauna.

The Department of Conservation is very aware of secondary poisoning.

In a 1995 DoC published brodifacoum research paper it was noted that an unnamed overseas zoo had reported that a variety of birds "died in an aviary after feeding on pavement ants and cockroaches that had eaten brodifacoum baits".

(Godfrey1985).

Brodifacoum is a slow acting but deadly poison.

A perfect example of this was the finding of 13 dead Stewart Island robin nestlings by researchers 3-4 months after the Ulva Island aerial Brodifacoum operation. Twelve of those nestlings died of secondary brodifacoum poisoning.

Most of the weka population also died in that operation.

The entire weka population of Tawhitinui Island was exterminated by Talon 50B brodifacoum based baits (Taylor 1984).

The 2004 Little Barrier Island aerial brodifacoum operation killed kiwi,

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kakariki and morepork.

Captive weka, kaka, parakeets, kokako and saddleback have all eaten cereal-based baits as used in brodifacoum/1080 aerial operations.

The following statement is taken from an article by researcher Brian Hoplins from the September 2013 issue of Landcare Research magazine 'Kararehe Kino'.

domestic pets, wildlife and livestock. Moreover, these poisons variously pose risks through environmental contamination, accumulation in the food chain and general lack of humaneness.

These concerns are likely to become more prominent at the scale at which control would need to be undertaken to achieve predator-free New Zealand".

"Most vertebrate pest control has been achieved through use of acute poisons and first and secondgeneration anticoagulants.

Collectively, these poisons have varying degrees of success but one common disadvantage - they are all broad-spectrum and pose primary and secondary non-target risks to humans,

That above statement nullifies completely the factoid based propaganda used by the Government, its poison agencies, and mainstream media to brainwash the people of New Zealand. It is now time for the Government to stop obfuscating and impose a moratorium on all their public money wasting toxin/

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Ron Eddy, Nelson Border watch prohibit trafficking of paper Dear Ed, I am in a ‘battle of wills’ with NZ Post over sending your "FREE" newspaper to my son in Australia. They won't send it until I put a value on the Custom’s declaration.

They won't accept it is a "FREE" publication . ”It must cost something,” they said, and told me to seek clarification from Customs, which I did. Their advice, after a pregnant pause for what was obviously an office discussion about a suitable answer, was that I should ring the paper and ask for the unit cost per paper. I couldn't be bothered explaining this may be a commercially sensitive matter. Not knowing your circulation, I couldn't/ wouldn't hazard a guess.

I will not be upset if you cannot give me the figure NZ Post/NZ Customs want.

I know NZ Post will most likely accept any price I put

on the declaration, but then it could be seen as a false declaration... and, given my ‘discussions’ with them, who knows where it could lead?

This is bureaucracy gone mad. I look forward to your response.

Regards, Warwick Wockner, Alexandra.

Ed replies: Warwick, I sympathise with you but the answer was staring you in the face the whole time—The Fishing Paper & Hunting News is… well…

PRICELESS! Incidentally, We have a monthly circulation of just over 20,000, making us, by far, the most popular outdoor publication in the country… and Australia, obviously!

Tell Customs the unit cost is worked out at 0.00378 cents per printed letter and then ask them to calculate it; should tie several Government departments in knots for till the next election, or the one after.

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20 THE FISHING PAPER & HUNTING NEWS - AUGUST 2019

Penny well spent in Addu

The GT's in Addu are really big!

Daryl Crimp

Kaikoura entrepreneur Penny Betts is no stranger to travel and adventure, having travelled to Asia for quarter of a century while running her own business. Always on the lookout for new experiences and opportunities, Penny had cause to visit the Maldives last year, but it was her eye for the unique and what appeals to Kiwis that saw the trip evolve into something special.

To many, the Maldives conjure images of westernised expensive resorts and overpriced cocktails, but much of the archipelago consists of unspoiled atolls surrounded by crystal waters and abundant sea life. Addu, for example, Penny describes as an untouched Mecca for fishing and it is here she has based her next Kiwi venture.

Join happy Penny in Addu

Inspired by the beauty, serenity, and authenticity of this Indian Ocean oasis, Penny decided to create adventure vacations for Kiwis looking to escape the ‘tourist trap’, with a special interest in those wanting to experience amazing fishing, diving, and snorkelling. Penny is so confident of the appeal, that she is going to personally host each tour and introduce people firsthand to the real Maldives experience.

Penny says Addu Atoll is very easy to get to, “Fly via Bangkok or Singapore to Sri Lanka for an overnight transfer, then a quick one and a half hour flight to the Maldives."

As host, Penny organises everything. So it’s a stress-free holiday.

plenty of other areas of interest to keep you occupied. Addu is the perfect destination for couples who enjoy immersing in and sharing unique cultures, tasting local delicacies, or engaging with the past, such as learning of Addu’s rich World War ll history. Take in a spa or enjoy and afternoon snorkelling, kayaking, and hiking in the luxuriant nature park.

Giant turtles can be encountered in Addu

“All you need is sunscreen and a cap… well, perhaps a little more than that!”

Addu Atoll has it all: beautiful white sand, warm turquoise waters, amazing water clarity and underwater visibility, and a mind-blowing array of fish. Activities include game fishing, scuba diving, and snorkelling, as well as nature experiences.

And Penny speaks with authority; in her first ten minutes of snorkelling she encountered a giant turtle followed by an eagle ray breaching at dusk.

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“I was ecstatic,” she says, “and to top it off, the sunset was gorgeous.”

Penny describes the place as pure magic, with the authenticity of Addu the real selling point.

“My entire experience was wonderful and humbling, and the hospitality was simply incredible.”

While the fishing, diving, and sea sports is in a league of their own, there are

Fun times in Addu

One of Penny’s favourite memories was a day trip to an uninhabited island… with four guys to wait on her. They set the pop-up picnic table and cooked a special lunch while Penny swam in crystal clear waters teeming with tropical fish.

Penny’s hosted tours are tailor-made to make it easy for each guest, with all activities arranged. She has a local who is fluent in English as your guide on the ground in Addu. A key point of difference is her connection with real locals so guests get the absolute most out of the vacation.

Contact Penny now to start planning your Maldives experience.

Issue 167 21

Bugs by braille

Bryn Williams

Bryn with a brace of bugs.

Coutta’s Cut: The sport of tree hugging

I’ve managed a few articles now without appearing to overly upset anyone. I thought it would happen earlier when I pointed out that Speights is brewed in the North Island. No reaction whatsoever. I don’t suppose, with all the other pressing issues we have, that beer is all that important anymore, which is probably a good thing according to Lynne the Ruthless.

While I don’t intentionally set out to wind people up, my views on things, at times, does have that effect.

Looking through various fishing magazines and web sites, I can’t help but notice the number of fishing clubs that have the words ‘sport’ in them i.e. Sport Fishing Club.

If I remember correctly, they used to be called simply

Fishing Club or, in the case of the big ones, Game Fishing Club. There is even a magazine calling itself the ‘Sport’ Fisherman’s Voice.

I’ve never really been able to figure out any relationship between fishing and sport and, while I’m here, I’ll also throw hunting into the mix.

Sport has always been a contest between individuals or teams, who contest on what is usually a level playing field. OK, there are at times quite large gaps; for instance, the Wallabies playing the All Blacks or your Crusaders against the Blues.

What I’m saying is that sport is an even contest with rules and, except on rare occasions, the participants don’t die.

A lot of people are

JOIN US Catching crayfish is a classic Kiwi pastime, enjoyed by many who brave the coastal waters. It’s even better when you can share the experience with friends and family, from the ocean to the dinner plate. That’s why, whenever you can throw the wetsuit on with your brothers, you know it’s going to be a special dive, no matter the outcome.

Morning coffee in hand, I walked down to the coastline to see what the conditions were like. It was a grubby kind of morning, grey and overcast with lingering rain. No wind and no swell meant it was the perfect kind of day to round up the troops and don the wetsuits.

Manoeuvring through a minefield of seals to reach our dive spot was a balancing act with all the gear tucked under one arm. We were using shorter spearguns, expecting the visibility to be marginal. I jumped in first, while the other two were still putting on their makeup.

It was a ‘diving by braille’ kind of day but we had

Coutta

probably going to say I’m full of shit and that hunting and fishing is a sport. This is nonsense; let’s have a look at why. Look at the modern fishing gear—we see words such nano matrix, tons per square inch, and unidirectional fibre technology.

When I’m pulling up a fish that I’m going to kill and eat, I’m not really thinking about that sort of stuff. Look at the reels on the market. Huge modern line capacity and drags that bugger all fish can combat. Even the modern reels we use for ‘food fish’ have drags that are as smooth as silk so even kids can handle a double figure snapper with relative ease.

Then there’s the electronics boats have that can put the angler within a couple of metres of where they want

to be. The days of lining up the tree on the hill with the rocky point is long gone.

While in a shop the other day I heard the owner explaining the workings of a newly released scope to a customer. I have to admit to being lost long before he started talking about apps with bullet weights, velocity, and windage that can be loaded into the scope before a shot is taken. Precision barrels, premium rounds, and expanding projectiles make life pretty unpleasant if you happen to be a deer.

I’m not a vegan or even a vegetarian. The last time I hugged a tree was when I was too drunk to stand up on my own. I fish and I hunt, I just don’t consider those things to be sport.

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chosen an area loaded with good crays. I swam down a rock face and was greeted by a buck crayfish staring at a female who was all egged up. Before they could exchange phone numbers, I grabbed the buck on the back and bragged to the boys before securing it in the catch bag.

This time of year, when the females are spawning, there is often good bucks in close.

Females will tend to hang out in big numbers and are slow moving due to their tail being loaded by eggs. I usually hunt around until I see a lone buck or a crayfish that is obviously larger than the rest, which drastically reduces the accidental female catch rate.

The lads and I continued to feel around for crayfish until we had enough to satisfy us for the long weekend. We gave each other grief about who caught the smallest crayfish and lied about the BIG one that got away.

Standard procedure when diving with close friends and family, I swear it’s not a competition!

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22 THE FISHING PAPER & HUNTING NEWS - AUGUST 2019

TIDES OF CHANGE Poppa Mike

THE VOLUNTEER Jack Fairweather Penguin RRP $40

I have an aversion to thick books with drab grey covers, often finding the contents similar and the weight of the book hard on the wrists.

However on this occasion I inspected this book more closely and noticed the front cover carried descriptors like ‘gripping, revelatory, surreal’ and ‘remarkable’ then further down, ‘The True Story of the Resistance Hero, who infiltrated Auschwitz’.

Having grown up with a WW11 veteran father, where the few books we had were about Nazi and Japanese inhumanity to man, I decided I needed to know more about Auschwitz. Was it really as bad?

As I checked out the inners of the book, I was heartened to see ordered sequential chapters with one word titles like ‘Invasion,’ ‘Occupation,’ ‘Arrival,’ ‘Survivors, ‘Resistance.’ This appealed to my ‘concrete sequential’ personality type. I also noted

The book is largely based on Witold’s memoirs written during his time in Auschwitz and before his death once the war was over. In it the reader meets many other brave men and women, many with long complex Polish names, which makes

k-2

Seven of them - seven!

Each and every one of them a stag but between them and I was a bluff-strewn face cloaked in mature manuka.

A dicky breeze twiddled its thumbs and changed its mind every five minutes and my dicky knee spat the dummy about descents such as this.

20 percent of the contents consisted of very extensive sections comprising, ‘Acknowledgements, Characters, Notes, Bibliography, hundreds of references and Index.’

Clearly this was going to be a very thorough history account. It appealed.

The first words I read were Witold Pilecki. A Polish citizen with a German invasion looming, Witold joined the underground resistance moment but this collapsed once the Nazi’s conquered Poland. His capture saw him sent to Auschwitz prison camp.

There he rekindled his underground resistance efforts and began establishing communication networks back to his beloved Poland and to Britain. Many messages told of the horrors of Auschwitz - he wanted the world to know.

the story line a little complex at times, although this is helped by clarity in the ‘characters’ index.

Don’t pretend you know all about the horrors of Auschwitz until you have read this book. Whatever you thought before now, the truth of Witold is far, far worse. That Witold, along with two others, managed to escape from Auschwitz is a miracle story in itself. This is a book that needs to be picked up and read carefully and closely, the horrific life story of a very brave group of men who refused to buckle to the sadist Nazis and prepare for the surprise finish!

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As stags go they held no appeal. If I was trophy hunting I’d have snorted with contempt and turned on my heel. If I was meat hunting, I’d have considered the isolation and the exit route and shrugged at the hopeless situation. But, no, I was hunting the culprits who’d wrecked dozens of young trees by thrashing them with their antlers, chewing their growing tips and stripping their bark. Culprits now sighted!

The stags were no dummies. They’d outwitted the spotlighters, they’d survived stalkers and they’d evaded the helicopter cullers. Their current living quarters were positioned in their favour, a surprise attack from any quarter highly unlikely. Still, I had to try.

Slithering and sliding down through the bluffs I did a fine job of my approach. My canvas chaps and cordura camera bag scratched audibly but to be any quieter I’d have to be barefoot and naked. Yeah-nah, my feet are far too soft for silly behaviour. Besides, I had a more problematic issue to sort. I couldn’t see.

Even when I estimated I was within range of the stags I couldn’t see them. The manuka was well over my head and the hill angles gave no view. Finally, when I was well out of shooting range, I did locate a gap and from there I could see the stags still feeding and carefree.

They’d won that round but I’d be back.

A week later, minus six degrees, dawn, breathlessly still. I was back and I had company. I’d schemed a

Kim Swan

multi-purpose plan and it was the time to put said plan into action - exercise dogs, catch a pig, flush stags away from trees.

After a series of horrendous hoar frosts I reckoned on a pig camping in the bluffs and manuka, where the stags hung-out. The manuka canopy was the roof keeping the freeze at bay, the huge rocks and bluffs provided dry beds and a defendable home. Mid-winter pig paradise.

Pearl, Jenna and I took the ‘long road’ approach, gaining altitude from afar.

Then we contoured across the frozen white hillside towards the top of the manuka face. The dogs left me on a game trail and while there was no visible sign there, they had enough scent to guide them in their quest.

By the time I’d scurried to a suitable vantage point I was witness to my pig-on and deer-gone plan unfolding.

Perfect. A two-dog bail echoed noisily down in the bluffs and vacating their approach-proof sanctuary was a trail of terrified deer.

backed into a fallen tree. He was tucked into the upended tangle of roots and piles of rocks there. His bladder was full and he had sleep in his eyes. Repeatedly he shook his head, ears flapping, as if trying to waken from a very bad dream. Flap-flap-flap then an angry groan. Flapflap-flap.

The 7mm-08 shot sound bounced off the bluff and reverberated all about the hills. The bullet removed all grey matter from between the boar's flap-flapping ears and after bucking wildly for a few moments he eventually relaxed back into a deep sleep. Eternal sleep.

Meanwhile, somewhere out there where the booming echo rolled and rippled, seven fleeing stag's tongues lolled and muscles cramped.

For now the young trees have been spared their unwanted attention. I have no doubt they’ll be back in time. Then again, so will I.

A glorious view ensued as stags galloped across the opposite face, ice crystals showering off the vegetation, their exertions visible as plumes of steamy breath.

Run boys run. Going, going, gone.

Cartwheeling and careening down through the manuka and bluffs then.

No need for bare feet nor nudity this time, no stealth required till touchdown at bail central. The dicky knee buckled and popped in protest. Hair and skin caught and tore on manuka spikes.

Cold-numbed extremities warmed with the exertion.

Only at the final 50 metres was it time to slide a bullet into the breech, flick the safety back and approach with absolute silence and concentration.

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Issue 167 23

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24 THE FISHING PAPER & HUNTING NEWS - AUGUST 2019

South Island Iwi provide in principle support for Fish Mainland The Fishing Paper & Hunting News has run a series of articles on efforts to improve the South Island’s marine recreational fisheries. These improvements began with the formation of a working group to explore establishing a professional, adequately funded organisation to represent South Island recreational fishing interests.

The working group was formed early this year and includes recreational fishers, with and without fishing club affiliations, from the various South Island regions. It also includes members of some South Island Iwi. The July issue sets out the working group’s proposed design of the representative organisation, appropriately named Fish Mainland. Its vision is a healthy and

abundant marine environment in which recreational fishers have an equitable share of available fisheries resources and are respected partners in management decisions.

“To attain this vision, it is important that we design Fish Mainland to be more than an advocacy group. It is critical that Fish Mainland works respectfully and constructively with Government, Iwi, the other fishing sectors and interests,” says Jim Crossland, Chair of the working group.

“Representatives of all South Island Iwi have recently considered Fish Mainland’s design and intent. The Iwi have provided their in principle support for its establishment,” says Fred Te Miha (working group member and Ngāti Tama representative).

Softbaits, salmon and sea snakes

“What is important to the Iwi is that Fish Mainland represents their recreational fishing interests and those of fishers across the South Island, and that it has a professional structure and skill base to ensure it works collaboratively and effectively on shared problems in inshore fisheries,” says Fred.

will enter into dialogue with Fisheries New

The next steps are for Fish Mainland to be incorporated and build up a voluntary membership base. However, the working group acknowledges that voluntary membership fees alone will not provide sufficient funding for Fish Mainland to be a fully effective, professional organisation with the best people running it.

Fish Mainland. If any fees need to be paid,

Jim says, “The working group has considered several funding models. We

Zealand, the recreational fishing sector and Iwi about the best way to secure adequate long-term funding.”

“Of course, our strong preference is to avoid fishers having to pay the full cost of operating it must be apparent that the benefits greatly outweigh the costs,” says Jim.

Contact the chair of the working group – Jim Crossland 021 0294 5996 / 03 355 9433 bayfieldenter@xtra.co.nz

Big spawning fish deserve quick release

Elliot Hendry

Staring into the murky water off the end of the old wooden wharf, I wasn’t filled with optimism. Tyler and I were here to target escapee salmon rumoured to be in the area.

Flicking spoonfuls of berley into the water, we set our pilchard baits under floats. The baits were promptly attacked by plagues of spotties, mullet, and other baitfish attracted to our burley. I soon became sick of giving them a free dinner so switched tactics, tying on a 1/8th jighead and 3-inch softbait.

Dropping it to the bottom, I began to walk across the wharf bouncing my softbait along.

Seconds later, I had a solid hook up and, to my surprise, a salmon popped up to the surface. After a spirited battle, I guided it into Tyler's net.

After this initial success, things went quiet before I hooked and lost another salmon.

Then we noticed some piper chased to the

surface by unknown predatory fish further out, so I flicked my soft bait in their direction and was rewarded with a solid hook up.

The suspect soon came into view, a big barracouta, which proved great fun on light spin tackle. Tyler had joined the softbait party by this stage and we hooked and lost a handful of barracouta between us, before I nabbed another salmon and lost yet another.

At one stage, I thought I'd hooked the sea bed. Pulling hard to recover my gear, the ‘sea bed’ begun to move! As my little reel began singing, I realised I'd hooked a sting ray! 10 minutes of entertainment followed as I put on as much pressure as I dared, but I stood little chance against such a large powerful fish and eventually my leader snapped as the ray took me through some rocky ground. Things went quiet again, which concluded an enjoyable afternoon fishing.

Elliot's with a brace of salmon

Eggs in one basket Pat Noone

Winter hit the south with a bang, which means only one thing to fishermen like myself, the fish get on the move. Trout migrate up the canals to spawn and, if you know where to look, the fishing can be sensational.

These fish get a serious hammering from average anglers trying to land a big one and, as a result, a lot of fish are taken. Luckily, the fish are much harder to catch this year and

it’s all because of a storm a few months back, which filled all the lakes that feed the canals with dirty water, making the egg imitations anglers use very hard to see.

I was fishing the Tekapo Bowl with clients, when I noticed the change in water colour.

We were landing some cracking fish and within an hour the visibility went from gin clear to less that a foot. Needless to say, the fishing went from awesome to terrible very quickly. I tried all the different patterns in my box but, unfortunately for me, I hadn’t foreseen fishing in those conditions. I find simple patterns and colours work best, cream and white are my go to colours, but are very hard to see in coloured up water.

Since that trip, I keep a large collection of eggs in every colour imaginable.

If you are heading to Twizel over winter, just remember these fish are there to spawn, so a quick photo and a good release will see you catching fish for years to come.

t

Issue 167 25

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26 THE FISHING PAPER & HUNTING NEWS - AUGUST 2019

Softly treads the silent assassin Waking to a crystal morning, I left my two sleeping sons in our newly constructed bush hut and embarked on a solo bow hunt.

My headlight illuminated the ridge ahead and, 20 minutes later, I broke out of the bush and overlooked a basin interspersed with pockets of bush. Settling in behind the Swarovski binoculars, I glassed the area and listened to the dawn chorus as the sky lightened.

A couple of fallow deer, high up in the basin, were feeding away from me, so I continued to scan.

The increasing light soon revealed more deer and, fortuitously, a pig; wild pork would be welcome in the freezer!

I strode off up hill because the pig was heading away at a steady pace. Suddenly, a flash of movement caught my eye so I stopped to see what it was—another pig. It too was trotting fast; I think it had busted me. I cursed but then heard and then saw two more below. They appeared the same size as the one that had just scarpered—50lb.

These two were heading for a small bench where the previous pig had emerged

from, so I quickly nocked an arrow and moved, anticipating where the pigs would appear 12m away, giving me a clear shot. With no time to range it, I had to trust my judgement. The first pig appeared right where I thought it would and a short whistle stopped it broadside.

Already at full draw, I settled the pin just in behind the front shoulder and let my arrow fly; it streaked across the gap and the fletching disappeared right where I had aimed. The pig squealed, spun 180 degrees, and took off downhill, while the other scorched up the hill, following the trail of the first pig.

Karl Barlow

A good porker with the bow

Feeling stoked, I headed to the impact site and found blood immediately (always a good sign), but I had to hunt around for my arrow.

was free of any nicks—the point was still pointy so back into the rack it went, still slick from blood, from tip to nock (just what every bow hunter likes to see).

It was about 20m past where it had hit the pig and buried almost to the fletching. Extricating my arrow, I inspected the shaft, pleased to note it was intact, the fletching was good, and the G5 Montec broadhead

late summer. A quick autopsy showed the arrow had passed through both lungs and a rib, resulting in a quick death.

I proceeded to carry the pig

Locating the start of the blood trail, I followed in earnest, finding blood at regular intervals. I was drawn to my quarry by a horde of blowflies, it being

from the pigs but they saw the movement and spun to face me(not ideal for a bow hunter). One was quartering on to me so I lined up and let fly, the arrow hitting the pig. It spun on its heels, with

little sign of the pig so retraced my tracks to the last sign. Following an obvious game trail, hoping to found more sign, I covered 50m but found zilch. Back to the logging road, I tried another

One arrow two pigs

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back to camp along an old logging road that would pass close to my truck, covering about 200m before I heard a noise above me. Three more pigs, about the same size the one I had slung over my shoulder (more litter mates surely), were snuffling their way up and away. I slipped off my pack and pig and, taking just my bow, started after them. It was a good 100m before I could get into a position for a shot—a walking pig can get away on you when trying to be quiet and close the gap quickly. As I nocked an arrow, I noticed it was the same I had used on the first pig. I came to full draw 20m

the arrow flying off at right angles. I watched as the pig flew down the hill and out of sight, while the others fled into the hills. Making my way down, I found my arrow, again with no marks on the broadhead.

trail and soon spotted the pig dead, ahead. I was rapt to find the pig, given the minimal sign.

That was 2 pigs within an hour with the same arrow. I was pretty stoked, to be honest.

The autopsy revealed the arrow had gone through the rear of one lung, lacerated the liver and pierced the gut bag, hence the lack of blood flow. Lesson to be learnt?

More patience; a quartering shot is not ideal, resulting in a slower death and a harder trail to follow. I could have lost the pig.

Tracking the pig, I could find very little blood, but there were fresh scuff marks so followed these. They led to the logging track I had started down but I found

However, had I shot the pig with a rifle, I may not have had a chance at the second one. Softly treads ‘the silent assassin’. You got to love having a go with the bow.

Issue 167 27

Tip of the tahr’s horn

Aaron with a hard onebull tahr

Aaron Shields

To hunt truly wild animals, a hunter has to seek out wild places.

An opportunity arose in May for adventure companion Tom, and me to, once again, pit ourselves against the landscape— forever in my mind, calling me back. A tahr rut mission was required to scratch the itch I am yet to satisfy.

An agreement was made; regardless of weekday or weekend, if the weather gave us a window we would take it.

As I chalk up the years in my hunting experience, I have come to learn there is no point trying to force the hand of Mother Nature, because she always wins and rarely accepts calendar convention to suit a hunter’s plans.

With four days of no thunderstorms predicted, about as good as it gets on the West Coast, we pulled the trigger and started our seven hour journeys from opposite ends of the South Island, to converge on a West Coast river and a chopper to lift us into tahr country. There is something about the West Coast:

razorback ridges, boulderstrewn creeks, and loose shingle slips epitomise a true wild hunting location, where the weather is made and adventure exists under every perilous step. The country is awesome. It’s big, it’s dangerous, and it closely guards its animals from the waves to the mountain peaks.

We had missed out for a second year in a row in the tahr ballot, so chose a public hunting area the pilot thought might hold a few mature bulls.

As the chopper roared over a bush-clad ridge, we were greeted by a snow-filled basin on the cold side of the mountain. The snow was frozen, which gave us a flat tent site with a good view over some bluffs dotted with tussock. As the sun rose, we frantically set up camp with the mandatory glassing

stop every 10 minutes.

Excitement and the fresh cold air is something only that setting can bring.

With the bulls bedded down for the majority of the day, we had time to soak in our new home and smile ear to ear—we were back in the wild places we miss so much for the majority of the year. In the process we located a couple of bulls, with one further down the valley, warranting closer inspection. At 380m across the valley, we set up our shooting position, dialled in the scopes and waited for a full two hours for the animal to begin its evening ritual.

I was extremely privileged to watch Tom take a magnificent 13 inch bull, with thick mane and big ridges, on our first evening. The satisfaction from formulating a plan, executing it. and the sense of achievement is just the tip of the tahr’s horn when it comes to explaining why I hunt.

Bring on the next adventure.

Tony Glentworth — chief thinking guy TrackMe Age: Just over 50 Family: Wife, daughter & dog Lives: Christchurch Supports: Canterbury and every one playing Australia Interests: Everything outdoors, tried most things and when my wife/work allows, I will go fishing, hunting (bow & rifle), camping, mountain biking, kayaking, and scuba diving.

Work: Now the Chief Thinking Guy for TrackMe NZL and SPOTNZ in charge of product development and customer relations. I have previously been a development manger for plastering companies and solutions provider with Excel based software. Also an International Tennis Umpire with an ITF Silver Referees badge that has seen me work at Wimbledon, Australian Open, Paralympics, Commonwealth Games, and 30 Davis Cup Ties in New Zealand and the South Pacific.

I am passionate about providing safety in the outdoors; too many times I see a fatality in the back country and I know that, if they were using our gear, the outcome should have been a lot different. Getting you home safe and sound is a priority and drives a lot of what I do. I also enjoy the

quiet times on the banks of a river flicking a lure out, knowing that fishing can be 98% anticipation and 2% action, but that's ok because I enjoy the serenity that the outdoors offers. The real quiet times are when you are alone with your dog on top of a ridge, or diving into the cool waters to collect a feed of crayfish or scallops, or gliding through the clouds. Flying is something I have put on hold

since leaving the Airforce in 1985 but now realising again with our strong ties to Gliding NZ through our tracking and message platform. With a couple of medical setbacks in the last five years, cancer and two broken legs, I want to explore more, fish more, laugh more, and spend some quality time with my wife and daughter around New Zealand.

28 THE FISHING PAPER & HUNTING NEWS - AUGUST 2019

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