Issue 76 - The Fishing Paper & New Zealand Hunting News

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INFORMING • ENTERTAINING • ENCOURAGING TO FISH January 2012 Issue 76

The Hangover Snapper

Inside

8 page fi shi guide in ng side

Nelson Fishing Guide

Maruia: River of Secrets pg 14

Birdlings Flat Moki Bonanza Snow Hits The Heights pg19

pg 24

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WASSP

By Ali Kennard

Happy New Year! I am going to start the year by looking at a product that some of you may have heard of, WASSP. WASSP stands for Wide Area Sonar Seafloor Profiler and it has been designed and manufactured here in New Zealand by ENL. It’s now distributed internationally to more than 30 countries.

Although it is primarily aimed at the commercial market, the reason I’m writing about it in The Fishing Paper is not only because it’s a product we as a company are very proud of, but I feel it also highlights the quality of staff at ENL, and the understanding of marine electronics we have built up over the years.

WASSP is able to cover an area of 120° from port to starboard.

I know I am always saying how you need a narrow beam to get good good bottom definition, but WASSP is different because, unlike the average transducer which has only one beam, this has 112 beams each with an angle of 1.07°. This enables it to not only cover a very large area, approximately three times the depth of water, but the quality of the information we get back is very high.

This information is displayed on Windows based software in various formats, including a standard echo sounder display. It can also be split into three beams: port, starboard and centre.

This means you can better define where the fish are in the water column. The sonar style display gives instant echoes accurately placed in the water column, side scan and bottom hardness.

What sets WASSP apart is that it’s also able to provide very accurate profiles of the seafloor. These are drawn in real-time,

www.thefishingpaper.co.nz so as you pass over a wreck for example, it is being drawn on the screen in front of you. This information can be viewed in a 2D format or in 3D and pan around the seafloor seeing it from every angle.

The WASSP data can also be viewed with another software package we have developed called Navigator. It is a Windows based plotter system that will overlay the WASSP data on the chart. What you then end up with is very detailed information on the area, where you can precisely pinpoint wrecks, reefs, pinnacles and holes increasing your knowledge of the fishing ground. This information can be viewed in either 2D or 3D and in addition to the information above we can also overlay 3D fish data onto it, showing us where the fish were in the water column as we passed over it. I’ve included a screen shot of Navigator in 3D, you can clearly see a wreck and the fish marks above it. This information was gathered from a single pass.

We have WASSP demo’s running in both our showrooms, Nelson and Auckland, so if you want to see WASSP running please come and see us; we love showing it off!

Christmas Came Early

By Matt Woodman With an early Christmas party coming up and a stunner of a weather forecast, the bro and I decided to take the day off work to stock up on some fresh fish and other seafood. We wanted to try our luck at some promising new spots we had been thinking of hitting for a while.

We headed out from Titahi Bay beach for an early morning dive to try spear some fish and maybe collect a few crays. The first spot we hit produced a nice john dory and some butterfish.

We then headed further south down the west coast for a second dive, that led to some crays and a few paua.

Feeling good about our morning’s work, we decided to go for a quick jig. In around 20 metres of water and with not a hell of a lot of structure, we weren’t expecting too much but after seeing some promising signs on the sounder, we thought we would have a try anyway. Three drops later and my rod was bent over like never before. Line was screaming from the reel. After some good boat work and a hard fought battle, the fish was landed.

Unfortunately it had swallowed the jig and this amazing fish was bleeding badly from the gills so couldn’t be released.

We rushed home to get this magnificent fish on the scales. To my delight it came in at a whopping 30.4kgs, or a little more than 67 pounds in the old language!

All in all another very successful day out on the water.

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Maruia: The River of Secrets

By Daryl Crimp

The Maruia is a beguiling river but to get the most from it, a stealthy approach is required.

The successful angler will linger, take time to absorb the surrounds and take stock of the many possible lies for cagey trout. The fish are there but not always obvious, so let the eyes do the stalking and move forward only when you have looked and looked again. Look into the water, not at it.

Don’t just seek the whole fish because the Maruia has a habit of protecting its own, camouflaging the trout so that only those little telltale shadows, patterns or cheeky flashes of movement give the fish away. This is no more apparent than where flowing water over a bed of boulders creates a mottled backdrop, providing excellent cover for the trout.

Disguise is also good for the angler, with muted colours helping keep his presence a secret.

Long casts may be necessary on the larger, faster stretches but the smaller more intimate lies need close inspection. Finesse and a delicate touch produce good results here, and the ambience is soothing, suggesting you mooch a little and make the most of time spent there.

The Maruia River is versatile, accommodating most techniques to varying degrees and providing opportunities to all skill levels. Trout average 3-4lbs, with much larger fish resident

Fish Facts Landing nets Most fish are lost after they make a final rush when confronted by the landing net. Do not hold the net vertically and expect the fish to swim into it; do not attempt to sweep the fish up from behind - touch the tail and it’s the last you’ll see of that fish! Place the net flat on the streambed and lift it as the fish swims over it.

in the big pools and while the bag limit is two, catch and release is encouraged on this unique water way.

Of course, if you do extend your day to fish the mesmerizing witching hour or you want to be on the bank at an early hour to ensure you get the good water, the perfect accommodation is a short cast away.

The Maruia River Lodge provides a fitting end to the perfect day on the river and in fact, the combination of sublime fishing capped off with understated luxury in a natural, wilderness setting is unlikely to be eclipsed – anywhere.

Anglers and visitors with only a day to spare or travelers passing through, need not miss out on The Maruia River Lodge experience. Coinciding with the summer season, The Maruia River Lodge has opened a classy, affordable café with incredible river views and an ambience quite unlike anything you could expect from even the best of café society. The menu is sourced locally and is superb café fare.

Not only will the staff indulge you but warmly welcome the opportunity to share some of the river’s secrets, offering more detailed information on how to fish the Maruia. For those wishing to take their fishing to a whole new level, we suggest you take up the lodge’s offer of a very skilled professional local guide.

After all, the Maruia is a river of secrets but with a little teasing, they can all be revealed!

Intelligent fish Laboratory experiments show that fish can learn to navigate a maze and remember the task for at least nine months. In heavily fished streams, trout quickly learn to associate movement on well-used approach paths to popular pools with danger and “spook” easily; or they will refuse well-used traditional fly patterns. Often, the novice fisher who, through inexperience, approaches the same pool from an unexpected direction and selects an unusual fly pattern will succeed in hooking the fish.

U.S based international fly fisher Bruce Jones with a Mariua brown trout

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Tarakihi from Tinnys

Every year I take four day’s annual leave and tow our caravan to the beach.

It actually turns out to be a ten day break though, because Labour weekend and Marlborough Anniversary weekend are either side of the four days.

Once the van was set up it was time to kick back for a few days and enjoy a beer or two.

The weather wasn’t as settled as other years but we still managed to launch the boat on six of the days.

Around day three I noticed a chap further down the beach getting good results with tarakihi, while we were only getting a few. I thought it was time to introduce myself, have a bit of a chat and a beer with him. His name was John.

Over the next hour or two we emptied a few cans and I picked up some good advice and a couple of new traces tied by John. The forecast was good when I woke in the morning and Gav, my caravan neighbour, was already up so

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By Mark Wills

it was time to get the tinny ready.

After dragging the boat down the beach, we had to launch through about half a metre to a metre roll. We rowed through the break zone and once clear, I started the motor and off out to spot X we went.

The anchor was set and we put out our secret berley mix.

It wasn’t long before the first tarakihi was landed, a fish of 38cm and a great little scrapper! The second strike hit only minutes later and then the action was full on for about an hour. We landed twenty-seven tarakihi, four blue cod and three blue moki.

The action stopped when the tide changed but in that time we had some good tarakihi with the largest measuring 46cm long.

Back on the beach it didn’t take us long to fillet the fish, washing them only in salt water.

There was a unanimous decision tea that night was going to be fish and chips.

I was in charge of cooking the fish, while Gav was in charge of the chip factory.

Once enough was cooked, we served it with lemon wedges and tartare sauce, washed down with a lightly chilled chardonnay.

We do it pretty tough down in our caravan, but I spose someone has too!

Soft Bait Seven Pounders

By David Lauer My son Michael and his buddy Rory German were fishing off my boat close in along the Nelson’s Boulder Bank, when they nailed this pair of seven-pound kahawai.

We were following birds that were feeding on baitfish from the air, while the kahawai chased the baitfish from beneath. We were casting into the birds with standard chartreuse coloured Berkley Gulp baits.

The schools of kahawai have been great this summer with some really big fish, putting up thrilling fights on light gear.

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Tagger ofh the monset o

Sam R

Join The Fishing Paper Tag Team The local kingfish are going off. Use this opportunity to play a part and tag a kingi!

Send us a photo of your tagged kingfish and if published you win a Black Magic Livebait Gift Pack.

Valued at $ .95

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Sam Rose of Wairau River Wines enjoyed a successful winter season on the kingies, tagging heaps and collecting plenty of “WooHoos!” along the way!

Length of kingfish nose to tail fork in cm rounded down (eg. 85.9cm = 85cm) and tagging location.

Big Blue Dive and Fish Cnr Akersten St & Wildman Ave, Port Nelson 03 546 7411 Coppins Outdoors 255 High St, Motueka 03 528 7296 Henderson’s 38 Grove Road, Blenheim 03 578 9960 Stirling Sports 213 Queen St, Richmond 03 544 8290

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Yakking with Kathy A Comedy of Errors Fish? What Fish? We’re in heaven -

Kayak Fishing in Kenepuru - By Kathy Pantling Two keen kayak fishermen set off from Nelson at around 2:30am when most of us were snuggled down cosy in our beds. They had their hearts set on a exciting day’s fishing in Kenepuru Sound and nothing was going to get in their way. This was their first trip there so pulses were racing and grins were permanently etched. With the car loaded with their kayaks, rods, PFD’s, bait, tackle and all the necessary gear, they headed into the dark towards the SH6 and then onto Queen Charlotte Drive to Broughton Bay. Arriving at the bay at 4:45am they unloaded the gear in the dark and headed to the water’s edge to prepare for the trip. The water was smooth as glass and the air still. There was a hushed peacefulness about the world as they watched an orange glow lazily rise above the misty horizon. The new day dawned.

The pair launched in silence with the only disturbance to the tranquility being their paddles and rudders gliding through the water. It was a short paddle to the ‘deep hole’, where anchors and baits were dropped in anticipation of what was going to bite first.

After a few light nibbles they decided it was time to move on and try a different spot towards the mussel beds. Again anchors and bait dropped with slightly better luck in the form of some

reasonable kahawai. The beauty of sitting in a kayak on a glassy ocean while dawn broke to the chorus of songbirds welcoming the day, made the dismal fishing results seem insignificant.

They met another kayaker out there who had better luck with 45 and 32 centimetre snapper.

The lads now have a great excuse to do a return trip. Hopefully this time they will take me!

Be Quiet, They Can Hear You - Can’t They?

Have you ever fished with a friend who avoids speaking above a whisper because they are scared they will scare away the fish? Well, next time tell him he’s not a spectator at a golf match.

Sound, and more distinctively the human voice, does not conduct well from air to water. In fact, snapper, who are most likely swimming closer to the ocean bottom, can’t hear a thing you’re saying.

If the silence theory was true, TV show host Matt Watson, with his incessant screaming and laughing, wouldn’t catch a single fish. On the other hand, the noise through the bottom of a boat made by clanking around onboard, or the smacking of an oar or paddle on the water, passes easily through the water to the lateral lines and ears of the fish.

Advice: Talk all you want, just keep those paddles as quiet as possible.

Gary, a keen local kayak fisherman, launched for a fishing trip early one morning in Cable Bay. Later that day he was due to collect his wife, who was being discharged from hospital following an operation. Gary carefully put his keys and phone into his waterproof capsule for safekeeping and paddled out to sea. Unbeknown to him, his ‘floating capsule’, had disappeared over the side of the kayak. This went unnoticed until he needed to use his phone. He frantically searched the kayak and his pockets; everywhere, but to no avail. He then pulled his anchor up and paddled back to shore the same way he had come out, searching the waterline as he trekked back.

Despite an anxious search, the capsule was gone and Gary was resigned to the fact that it was either floating off to Aussie or in the belly of a mako shark. An anxious few hours followed while his friend, who he had arranged to meet there later, ferried him back and forth to collect spare house and car keys, however he could not find spare car keys anywhere. Meanwhile his wife, who had by now been discharged, was perched on the end of her hospital bed waiting to be collected.

Gary tracked down a locksmith who was able to meet him at the car at Cable Bay, but not till the afternoon; it was about midday by now. So at around 2:30pm Gary met the locksmith and $250.00 lighter in the pocket, had a new set of keys and was off to collect his wife, who was beginning to think she would be staying another night in hospital!

Gary replaced his phone a week later. However, shortly afterwards he received a call from a resident of Delaware Bay, who informed him that they had found a capsule washed up that morning on the beach. The capsule contained a set of keys and a mobile phone.

They arranged to meet and to reunite him with his property.

To add insult to injury, the packaging from his new phone had been savaged by his dog so

By Anon

s

Dawnbreaker story

he was unable to return it for a refund.

A true and fitting ‘Bugger Aw a r d ’ was presented by Nelson Dawnbreakers Fishing Club for this gallant effort.

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Garmin Has Global GPS Reach

By Daryl Crimp Garmin is practically a household name and that should come as no surprise because the brand truly has ‘global reach’. The company was started in 1989 by two innovative thinkers, Gary Burrell and Dr. Min Kao, who essentially manufactured GPS products. Many of us will remember those first ‘chunky’ units that literally ‘teleported’ fishing into a new dimension – you could find that secret rock without lining up the dead shag on the beach with a tree on the skyline and Betty’s washing in the house paddock!

In the time spanning the last two decades, changes in technology, style and use of GPS related products has been phenomenal, with Garmin evolving as the leading worldwide provider of navigation, communication and information devices and applications, most of which are enabled by GPS technology.

What used to be the domain of ‘gadget nerds’, big boys with bigger toys and the commercial sector, is now accessible to all of us.

GPS technology is now part of everyday life and Garmin innovation has lead the way in allowing GPS assisted

technology enhance lifestyle options.

Garmin now designs, develops, manufactures and markets a diverse line of userfriendly handheld portable and fixed-mount products for the auto, mobile, outdoor, fitness, marine and general aviation markets. In short, Garmin pretty much has it all covered.

Garmin has fully embraced touchscreen technology and introduced it in their colour touchscreen chartplotter series, ranging from the popular 7-inch GPSMAP 750 to the 12-inch and 15-inch GPSMAP 6000 and 7000.

Garmin’s new GSD 24 & 26 digital network sounders feature advanced noise suppression for optimum clarity, and they have even brought full-featured autopilot technology to sailboats and powerboats.

Their marine lineup is extensive, from HD radars, integrated VHF communications, NMEA 2000® instruments and networking options, to the Garmin echo™ series fishfinders with exclusive Garmin HD-ID™ tracking technology.

Garmin recently invited me to have a play with some of the new products and for

Kina Beach Charity After hearing reports of good size snapper being caught of the Kina Bluffs, I thought I had better throw the kayak on the car and head out to see what all the fuss was all about.

High tide was around 5.00am so it was going to have to be a stupid o’clock rise. I arrived at the beach around 4.00am and was on the water just before high tide; being greeted by a sunrise that could only be described as bloody stunning!

As I paddled out I dropped a setline, then set course for the 10 metre mark where I dropped pick and deployed a salmon burley bomb.

The rods were rigged with a stray line and ledger rig, and were soon sent down to the

somebody who still thinks a fish finder is a seagull tied to a rope at the front of the boat, I’m amazed at what is currently available and not just for fishers or boaties.

Hunters, athletes, extreme sports participants, general

Kayaking with Chris West This is the first of a regular where I want to share useful information to help when you are out and about with your kayak. This month I want to take a brief look at communication options, so you can stay safe on the water.

- Cell phone: Most of us own a cell phone so it makes for a cheap option. Buy a waterproof case and you have a way to communicate.

The limitations are that you may have to get to land to remove your phone from the case to dial a number. But remember this option also only works if you have coverage where you are going.

- VHF radio: This is the main form of communication at sea. The benefits are: Many radios are waterproof.

• You are able to talk to any other radios within range, so if you get into trouble you are asking for assistance from any boats in the vicinity, making for a quicker rescue.

• VHF weather forecasts are broadcast regularly, so you can keep up-to-date with the weather.

• VHF needs line of sight, so hills will reduce the range and that will in turn limit how many people can hear your

call. Users of VHF radios need to have a licence and a call sign, except for emergency use.

- Personal Locator Beacons (PLB or EPRIB): These send a signal via a satellite asking for assistance. Some have a GPS built in that transmits your location. PLBs are a useful backup form of communication. Also available is the SPOT messenger. This uses satellites to relay a message to a preset email address and/ or cell phone. There is also an SOS button that informs the emergency response centre of your location.

- Satellite phones and mountain radios: If you are venturing further a field, then a satellite phone or a mountain radio will give you the option of staying in touch. Reception can still be a problem and there are similar limitations to cell phones.

Before venturing out make sure you can say, “Yes, I have a suitable means of communicationshould I get in trouble and require help.”

Please ensure that you have adequate skills and knowledge for the kayak trips that you undertake and always carry the necessary safety equipment.

health and fitness buffs, drivers – there’s something for everyone.

Over the next few months Darryn and I will be putting some Garmin units to the test and will bring you our appraisals in future issues. In the meantime, check out the Garmin ad this issue.

By Glen Godsiff

bottom. Perfect, I thought, now we wait … and wait … and wait. Bloody hell are there any fish down there?

Then nibble … nibble, strike!

Up comes the first fish for the day, a spotty! Back it goes. I re-bait the hook and send it back; down then more waiting.

Finally a bit more interest and up comes a sand shark. A s@#t slow morning and the catch quality isn’t improving.

Seeds of doubt were starting to override the excitement that left with me at the beach. Oh well, at least I had the setline out. That will have something on it.

I stayed in the same spot until the next sand shark came up, then moved out a bit deeper.

This turned out to have a lot more of nothing than the first spot. So I turned tail to pick up the setline.

The first dozen or so hooks came up empty, then as I got along a bit more could feel a bit of movement on the line.

The excitement returned; it felt a bit like a snapper! There was a bit of colour down below and next thing I know, up pops a bloody eel followed by another sand shark! That was it, time to head in.

I Paddled past a couple of people on a boat pulling up a net and they offered me a kahawai. I was pretty quick to say yup, then next thing I know they passed over a nice size trev too; a sweet dinner after all. Good buggers!

When I got back to the beach I thought about dropping the set line off and heading back out.

But after a dog came along the beach and got it’s leg tangled in one of my rigs, I decided to stick with the charity feed and head home. I guess the fishing gods weren’t on my side that day, but I was stoked to be out there doing it. Heading home with a donated feed was a nice bonus.

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nautically speaking A Washout is a general failure where no trace of any effort has been made. This expression has its origin in the way the old tall ships passed messages to each other.

Naval signals would be read and then chalked on to a slate before being passed to the correct authorities. Once the message had been received, the slate would be washed clean so that no traces of the message would be left other than in the correct hands.

This was known as a ‘washout’ and it is easy to see how the phrase spread into wider use on land.

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Captain’s Log:

Star Date 2012 and warp factor in the red zone, with The Fishing Paper Enterprise still going where no man has gone before!

Well it certainly feels that way. Most weeks I head into work on a Monday morning and when I come home for dinner that evening – it’s Friday night!

Maybe this time speeding up is an illusion or perhaps as you get older God becomes more impatient to meet you, or the other perspective may be the busier you are, the faster time slips by.

When I reflect on the previous year, we certainly achieved a lot: the hugely popular Three Town Jig road show, the discovery of the albacore fishery in Tasman Bay, continued rapid growth in the paper, the Crimpys moved house in the Great Flood and there’s been continued great fishing.

Over summer while the kingfish are in shallow, it is the perfect opportunity to experience exciting action with surface casting gear. The Walk the Dog series of surface and subsurface lures have been popular for the past couple of years, and to good effect. Kingies will be found around any structures on, in or under the water and around the Top of the South, mussel farms are obvious places to target.

Choosing Binoculars At the age of 15, whilst on holiday, I bought my first set of binoculars from a shop in the beautiful German town of Bad Lauterberg im Harz.

These binoculars set my quality benchmark for all other binoculars that I have owned since.

A binocular has a distinct advantage over a monocular because it enables the brain to form a single image from two sources. This renders more detail, delivers a perception of depth, a wider field of view, and is more comfortable for prolonged use.

The size and performance of a binocular will vary depending on the size of its objective lens, magnification, and prism type.

Binoculars are categorised by either being a Roof prism binocular or a Poro prism binocular. Each prism type erects the image and folds the light path enabling the binocular to

By Anthony Corke

be shorter than its focal length, providing a more compact and convenient optic.

A Roof prism binocular uses a mix of air to glass, glass to glass, and silvered reflective surfaces to fold the light path. Roof prism binoculars are currently the most fashionable type due to their sleek, compact appearance.

Good Roof prism binoculars cost more than their Poro prism counterparts to manufacture.

A Poro prism binocular uses air to glass, and glass to glass surfaces to fold the light path, and have the classic binocular shape, whereby the objective lenses are spaced further apart than the ocular lenses. All specifications being equal, a Porro prism binocular will transmit 12-15% more light than a Roof prism, giving a brighter, clearer image, and greater depth perception.

Here is a summary.

Small optics equal less clarity and lower light transmission, but are more compact.

High magnification equals lower clarity and less light A 16X50 Yukon Futurus Porro Prism Binocular offers a good mix of specifications for high power viewing in lower light conditions.

Nelson fishers, Brian Fensom and Shon Emerson, have developed a very effective technique of catching kingfish off the Motueka mussel farm, which they call Tease & Switch.

They have their mechanical (long) jig sets on standby and use surface lures to entice the kingies away from the structure. If they get follows but no hook ups, they stop the boat, switch gear and drop a jig down.

Some might argue the water here is too shallow to jig but this Tease & Switch technique goes off big time. Believe me – I’ve tried it and have long arms to prove it.

Another innovation that will help you this year is stickbaits, which are surface casting lures about twice the size if Walk the Dogs. I have been testing some JigStar StarWalker 180F floating and sinking stickbaits and the kingies are going nuts on them. The lures swim and skitter just above or just below the surface in an erratic action that really excite predatory fish.

I’ll also be giving them a nudge on the albies shortly so I’ll keep you posted. Check them out at your local tackle store – definitely worth giving a nudge.

Don’t forget guys, it’s your stories that make The Fishing Paper such a great read so send in your holiday snaps with a few words and we’ll make you famous!

May Your Rod Always Have a Bend In It!

transmission but lets you see objects at a greater distance.

If performance, light transmission and/or higher magnification, is your main criteria, choose a Porro prism with larger objective lenses. If a smaller more compact binocular is required, choose a Roof prism binocular, or an inverted Porro prism if you can get away with smaller objective lenses.

Make sure the objective lenses look dark. If they look bright red, that is information rich light not going through to the eye. If you want to know what a good coated lens should look like, go into a camera shop and take a look at a Nikon or Canon SLR camera lens.

Choose the type of body that best suits your use. Waterproof if you need to use it in poor weather; rubberized finish for comfortable use, especially with wet or sweaty hands; long eye relief if it is being used when wearing glasses, and make sure it has a tripod mount if you choose a set with a higher magnification.

There are other binocular types, such as zoom binoculars, binocular with integral rangefinders, and binocular with selectable light filtration systems, but I’ll talk more about

those in later articles.

www.yukonoptics.co.nz info@yukonoptics.co.nz

Mooring

Dory

By Peter Anderson Sitting on the mooring hooking into fish, it was a great afternoon.

We were tied up on the Tasman Bay Cruising Club Mooring in Wairangi Bay in Croisilles Harbour, tidying up our 45-foot keeler, when we decided it was time for a fish.

There were tonnes of herring around and we’d been using good old squid to catch them. Within an hour we also had four or five decent snapper and some nice blue cod, but a switch of bait to freshly caught herring immediately paid dividends.

The tide was relatively low when I lip hooked this beauty and it did the typical dory thing, making ever-decreasing circles as it came to the surface.

Tipping the scales at 10 pounds, with a girth of 24 inches, it was the biggest john dory I’ve ever landed.

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Stick Your Oar In NZ King Salmon Replies: Dear Ed Re: Salmon Farm Concerns.

Like any responsible farmer, at NZ King Salmon we have robust management plans to ensure we maintain the integrity of the environment in which we farm.

The economics of our business mean we have to maintain conditions to achieve the best result for the product and for consumers. That includes ensuring minimal effects on the marine environments within close proximity to the

farms.

We have no plans for a farm at Ketu Bay. However, all the sites applied for will be dealt with under the robust provisions of both the Resource Management Act and the relevant Fisheries legislation.

Anyone can make a submission to the Environmental Protection Authority-sponsored hearings and we encourage them, including Mr Hardyment, to do so if they have any concerns.

Mark Gillard Operations & Manager NZ King Salmon

Contracts

Have Your Say… Mail your letters to Stick Your Oar In The Fishing Paper, PO Box 9001, Annesbrook, 7044, NELSON. Email: editor@thefishingpaper.co.nz The Fishing Paper encourages readers contributions and points of view. We ask that all contributions come supplied with contact details.

All letters must be emailed, type written or printed legibly, signed and not more than 300 words. The Fishing Paper states that opinions put forward are not necessarily those of the publisher. We reserve the right to publish in part or refuse to publish on legal grounds if the content of the letters are in any way legally contentious.

CRA8 Award

The inaugural CRA8 Management Committee Inc. scholarships were awarded at the Annual General Meeting held in Invercargill on November 23.

The CRA8 rock lobster fishery, which includes South Westland, Fiordland, Stewart Island and Foveaux Strait, has made a notable comeback in recent years.

“The CRA8 Board agreed in 2010 to set up the $5,000 scholarship fund to assist members and their families. It is all about providing opportunities and fostering a sense of community amongst the CRA8 industry. We were very pleased with the standard of applications and that we were able to make awards to three people,” the CEO Malcolm Lawson said.

The recipients were: Chloe Squires. Chloe is undertaking a 10 week summer research project at Otago University into the development of new drug targets for cancer treatment. In particular she is investigating the mode in which bone marrow stem cells migrate to tumour cells.

Eleni Hogg. Eleni is studying towards a BCA in international business and marketing and a BA

Proud Mum, Tania Belworthy accepts the Scholarship award on behalf of her son Dylan. Left is CRA8 Chief Executive Malcolm Lawson. John Steffens, Chairman of the CRA8 Management Committee Inc, is right.

in politics and mandarin at Victoria University. In 2012 she will spend the first semester at a business school in the south of France.

Dylan Belworthy Hamilton. Dylan has completed a BSc at Massey and is now studying at the University of Tasmania towards a Master’s degree in Applied Science: Marine Environment.

PO Box 175, Nelson - 137 Vickerman Street Ph 03 548 0711 - Fax 03 548 0783 email: cscott@scallop.co.nz Representing your fishing interests and property rights

Capital Capers

Snapper have returned to the Captial’s harbour in good numbers, with both the shore and boat fishing being very successful. A member of the Wellington Surfcasting and Angling Club caught a lovely five-kilogram snapper off the shore during their annual competition last month.

Small schools of warehou have been making an appearance off the local wharves, while kingfish are around, smashing schools of baitfish and testing people’s gear.

For kingfish and snapper, Eastbourne or Evans Bay are places well worth trying are.

The back of the NIWA building in Evans Bay has produced several really big snapper over the years, while the rocks at

Shelly Bay have already had some nice trevally caught off them this season.

Boaties have been enjoying the beginning of the summer

Steve’s hop Fishing S Stor y

snapper runs on the west coast, with divers reporting good numbers of kingfish, many in excess of 20kg. While Hunters Bank and Kapiti are popular destinations for kingfish, don’t underestimate the north end of Mana and Pipinui Point.

The South Coast is fishing better by the day, with good numbers of bluenose and groper being caught out wide.

Inshore fishing for blue cod and tarakihi has been improving, with the odd kingfish and trevally being thrown into the mix for interest.

The haul of kahawai in the picture was taken off Oriental Parade a few weekends ago.

Crimptoon

12 The fishing Paper From Westport: Greymouth +05 minutes Hokitika +10 minutes Karamea +35 minutes Whanganui Inlet -1 hour 05 minutes From Nelson: Picton is -47 minutes on the high tides and -1 hour 19 minutes on the low tide Elaine Bay -35 minutes Stephens Island -30 minutes Collingwood -25 minutes Croisilles Harbour -18 minutes on the high tides and -02 minutes on the low tides

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Tide Chart

January 2012

Marine Weather 24/7 NELSON • 1341 AM MARLBOROUGH • 92.1FM WEST COAST • 98.7FM

From Akaroa: Kaikoura +1 hour 08 minutes on the high tides and +1 hour on the low tides Lyttelton +43 minutes on the high tides and +42 minutes on the low tides Moeraki -1 hour 08 minutes on the high tides and -35 minutes on the low tides

FISHING WITH CRIMPY NELSON • 1341 AM MARLBOROUGH • 92.1FM WEST COAST • 98.7FM SATURDAY MORNINGS | 7 - 7.30 To find out what’s hot and what’s not and whose rod has a in it.

Join Crimpy and Darryn for fishing mayhem, madness and much more!

Tidal data supplied by OceanFun Publishing Ltd www.ofu.co.nz Note: Tides in chronological order. Lower daily depth = low tides. Higher daily depth = high tides.

Sounds Searunner

By Cliff Kindell Merv Prattley and I were fishing for snapper early last month at the head of the Pelorus Sound, close to Havelock, when Cliff hooked into what we thought was a large snapper.

After a good fight the fish was finally boated and to our surprise it was in fact a very fine searun brown trout.

The fish, weighing 16.5lb, was caught on a 6/0 Octopus circle hook baited with yellow eyed mullet!

We were a bit worried that we might have needed a trout licence but after a few checks we found out you only need one when fishing within 500 metres of a river mouth. The nearest river to us was several kilometres away.

The fishing Paper 13

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Roughy’s Ramblings

By Rob Rough

Hidden Treasure My father was a real treasure to all his and the Neal’s grandkids.

He used to tell them great stories about pirates and hidden treasure that was buried on the islands by Bully Hayes. He was reputed to have anchored in Okiwi Bay in his sailing ship the Black Diamond, where upon the ship’s cook mysteriously disappeared. This was supposedly back in the 1800s.

Anyway, Dad kept this story going with the kids for twelve months. In the meantime he built a real dinkum treasure chest. He filled it with all sorts of sweets – crunchie bars in gold wrappers, those chocolate coins wrapped in silver and gold, along with all manner of toys and bits. Just before Christmas, he took it to the bach and rowed it out to the islands and buried it in the sand above high tide. That Christmas he kept the story going with the children and told them to keep an eye out for a bottle with a map in it.

One day while out fishing with my brother, he slipped the bottle over the side. When the children consequently found it, they couldn’t believe their eyes. Inside was a map with the treasure instructions written in old style writing. They were hooked!

Trouble was, however, the weather was too rough and it was two days before we could get them all to the island. The kids went nuts! They eventually found this big treasure chest buried deep in the sand but they weren’t allowed to open it until it was back at the bach. The look of delight on their faces when all was revealed and they could share the spoils of the hunt, was incredible.

They just loved Grandfather Rough and still talk about those great days as kids down at Okiwi Bay. They are all adults now with wives/partners and children of their own. They still come down with us today, to teach the young ones about the great outdoors.

It Will Be What it Will Be – part one

By Mark Hubbard

“It will be what it will be,” were the final words spoken between Huge, my hunting and fishing buddy, and myself the night before our annual three-day trip into the remote Nelson wilderness.

Our destination was a lake, with two valleys at the head of it, giving us good options for both hunting and fishing.

Travelling out of Nelson the next day, we talked of previous trips and the successes we had, when the sound and vibration of a boat trailer wheel trying to part company with the wheel hub snapped us out of our trance.

With repairs done, we arrived four hours late, slid the boat in the water and shot across to the hut to drop off our supplies.

I decided, since the lake was calm, to fish the margins while Huge shot down the lake to hunt up a small open creek mouth.

The lake level was high which gave plenty of shallow flats to stalk my prey.

Immediately, fish were spotted and my nymph was tossed out to intercept the approaching fish. It was refused so I changed to a small snail pattern. The next fish was spotted, the cast was good, and there was a flash of white as my offering was sucked

in. I struck and the calm lake erupted as the line met with resistance.

A spirited fight ensued, with leaps and runs from the fit three pounder. As I netted my prize I saw Huge boating back to the hut. “That was a short hunt,” I thought.

I hit stalk mode again and spied a fish moving away from me. A good cast, the leader

twitched and I was in. This fish was a lot stronger than the previous one, heading down deep into the weed where the hook parted company with my line.

The wind picked up so I summoned Huge by radio to come and ferry me to the hut. Huge exclaimed, “Hunters camp up the creek,” explaining his quick trip.

Huge was up early the next day, heading up the valley to a big open section we call the ‘Top Flats’: a great area of open country lined with pockets of bush well suited for stalking deer. I left a couple of hours later planning to meet up for smoko and try my luck in the river. ...To be coninued.

14 The fishing Paper

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west coastwith North Canterbury

By Rhys Adams Fish & Game Field Officer

With the school holidays in full swing no doubt kids, parents and grandparents alike will be looking at options for an hour of three's entertainment. Nearly all lakes and streams on the West Coast have trout, salmon or perch fishing on offer. You may be surprised how accessible sport fishing is.

In Westport a good place to fish on the Buller River is near the gravel pit at the end of Reedy’s Road. Also, when the tide allows, fishing is available near the main Buller River Bridge. Another option near Westport is the Buller River at Island Creek, opposite the Scout Lodge; access the river down Island Creek.

In Greymouth, the Grey River has a couple of options. There are always a few trout (some big) around the main road bridge to Cobden and the adjacent railway bridge. Another option is the Blaketown lagoon, from the wharf or the shore. The New River lagoon also holds a healthy population of trout and the odd perch.

Only five minutes from Hokitika is Lake Mahinapua which holds high populations of perch. Fishing from a boat is best but good fishing can be had from the jetty. Mahinapua Creek runs out of the lake and joins the Hokitika River mouth on the south bank near the sea. There are always a few trout and perch

along its entire length. The lower reaches can be accessed from Golf Links Road.

Everybody needs a licence to fish for trout, salmon and perch. Children 11-years-old and under fish for free, a junior licence 12-17 years old is $23 for the whole season or $7 for 24 hours. You can purchase licences at your local sports store or online at www.fishandgame.org. nz

Wairau River Firing!

By Fish & Game Office - Rhys Barrier

A nicely conditioned brown trout captured in the mid-lower Wairau area by a Fish & Game honorary ranger.

Anglers report the midlower Wairau has been fishing really well when clear enough.

There have been a lot of very fat sea-run brown trout being captured in the 1.5-to-three pound range plus the odd bigger river resident fish in the four-to-five pound range.

One angler reported nine fish landed in a single morning’s fishing.

Our prediction of a good salmon season for the Wairau is looking accurate, as salmon are now already being captured at the mouth of the diversion and the bar. Salmon have also been seen or caught by marine anglers in Port Underwood and Kaikoura.

Now is a good time for anglers chasing brown trout to be looking for the bigger pools in the mid Wairau, with a view to coming back to target these

areas for salmon from late January onwards. The Clarence River mouth is also showing promise, with one or two fish already being caught. Unlike the Wairau, the Clarence is effectively a river mouth only salmon fishery, which means you need to check the swell forecast before you go – calm surf conditions are required for effective surf casting to target salmon.

One Kaikoura based salmon angler has already reportedly landed seven fish for the season so far – we haven’t been able to ascertain exactly where they were caught, but it does show it's all go for the salmon this year, so get into it while you can!

The lower Pelorus River is also worth a look at this time of the year before it heats up next month. While reports of

fishing at present are patchy, some anglers have been very successful, with one person handing in six heads to our staff, from fish in the five to seven pound range. Please note we still want any heads plus associated length/weights of any trout or salmon taken for the table from rivers in this region.

Some good reports are coming in from the Motueka River too, so if you live in the Tasman region, it’s definitely worth a go.

Further afield, options include the Murchison area, Nelson Lakes, and the Aorere River in Golden Bay. We have some of the best freshwater fishing to be found anywhere in the world, so grab a licence and get stuck into it this summer!

The fishing Paper 15

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Spicy Fish Sticks Any firm fish fillets cut into thin strips 2 tbsp chopped coriander juice and zest of lemon 2 cloves of crushed garlic 1 tsp minced ginger 1 tsp cumin 1 tbsp roasted sesame seeds 2 tbsp olive oil

Combine all the ingredients in a blender to form a smooth paste. Mix through the fish and marinate for an hour or overnight in the fridge.

Thread fish onto bamboo skewers and grill or barbecue for a minute or two per side depending on thickness, turning once.

Serve with fresh salad.

Cracked pepper

Pan-fried Snapper with Champagne Sauce The title of this recipe makes it sound a bit pretentious to the real kiwis amongst us, but it is a very quick and tasty dish.

Any firm white fish may be substituted if snapper is not available and when it comes to the bubbly, an inexpensive brew serves the purpose admirably. The sauce can be served quite runny, or reduced to a thicker consistency if

desired.

4 medium snapper fillets Butter Olive oil 1-1/2 glasses bubbly 1 tbsp mustard 6 thin strips of lemon rind Cracked pepper 200 ml dessert cream Chopped chives

Heat equal quantities of butter and olive oil in a heavy bottom pan and fry fillets until just

cooked, turning once. Remove to a warmer.

Add the bubbly to the pan, stirring any reside from the base and bring to the boil.

Stir in the mustard until well blended and add the cream,

taking care not to boil. Add the lemon rind and cracked pepper to season and simmer gently until reduced to the desired consistency. For a silky sauce, remove from the heat and whisk in an egg yolk before the sauce becomes too thick.

Serve immediately over the warm fillets and enjoy.

16 The fishing Paper

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Beach Tales

Amberley Beach Surf Casting Comp

The annual Amberley Beach Surfcasting Competition has the highest catch rate per fisherman of any other surfcasting event in the South Island. It’s also established a reputation for fun, and this year’s January 8 event will be no exception. It’s also one of the most popular fishing events in North Canterbury.

Dave Moore’s been at the centre of the hi-jinks for years and has tales a plenty to tell, like the one about the bloke from the Department of Labour.

Two years ago a bloke was looking over the prize tables. Spying three large packets of Macintosh Toffees, he asked if this was a prize.

He was told they were actually for the kid’s lolly scramble at prize giving. He promptly produced a card and ID confirming he worked for the Department of Labour and advised that public lolly scrambles were banned, because the risk of children banging their heads together was to great!

Right, I thought, I can fix this. We had been donated a large quantity of ‘Crocs’ shoes to use as we wished, so not to be out done, I promptly sent a fellow Lions Club member to the shed to get a couple of boxes, around 150 pairs.

During the prize giving I pointed out the inspector and told the crowd that this gentleman from the department had advised we were not permitted to do our traditional lolly scramble.

However, if they turned around, there would be a shoe scramble from the ute behind them.

The shoe scramble began and the DoL guy disappeared into the sunset shaking his head!

You can be assured even more beach tales will be shared at the Railway Tavern over a cold one after the competition.

Entry fees are $15.00 for adults and $5.00 for under 13 year olds. Tickets can be purchased at Nappawalla Barber Shop and Arthur Burkes in Amberley and at Hamills in Rangiora.

The fishing Paper 17

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Chasing Canterbury Sea Runners

By Chris Burt

November and December is the best time to target sea run brown trout in Canterbury’s braided rivers. The fish have recovered some condition after spawning and are actively feeding on the runs of smelt that enter the river mouths.

Sea runs will take spinning gear, such as the Tassie Devil, but this is not the preferred method of fishing. Many, if not most, anglers who target sea run trout in Canterbury rivers use a lure rod and a feathered lure. When mastered, this is a very effective method.

The first consideration is where and when to fish. The two issues are somewhat interrelated. The fish are easier to catch in faster water, partly because the water pressure imparts more energy into your fly and makes it look alive, so if you arrive at the river mouth and the tide is high, move up stream to a point where the river flow is fast. Look for a place where the smelt running up stream need to come out of deeper water and run over a shallow area. Another consideration for when to fish is the ‘bites’ which occur at dawn and dusk. Fishing after dark can also be very productive, but that’s another story.

Once you’ve decided where

to fish, it’s time to develop your technique with the lure rod.

Many anglers seem to use the heaviest weight that regulations will permit or that they have in their pocket. I carry 10 or 15 different weights and use the one which suits the particular water best. You want to get to the bottom, but not constantly get stuck on the stony river bed.

The trace is normally around 1.5 metres long. Lure selection is important. If you tie your own, then you can be very creative and match the smelt.

Commercial lures such as the Hopes Silvery or Parsons Glory will work fine. Parsons Glory is best fished in smaller sizes, 6 and 4’s, and the Hopes Silvery in larger sizes.

The real secret to mastering the lure rod is understanding the casting and retrieve.

Stand in a position close to the water’s edge so you will always be fishing in fast water of at least 40-50cms depth.

The cast is made upstream.

The deeper the water opposite you, the further upstream the cast is made. But casting too far up stream is likely to result in the weight getting stuck behind a rock. Work out where to cast so that the weight first touches the bottom directly opposite you. Given you are

fishing in fast water, the current will wash your weight down stream to the length of your cast and then bring it around to your side of the river in a large arc. Once the line has moved to your edge of the current it is retrieved by hand and the process is repeated.

During this process, your fly does four different things.

Firstly, the fly does the ‘run’.

That is, it runs down stream, normally at the waters surface or just below it. Next, when the weight has bounced downstream to the length of your cast, the fly will do the ‘turn and dive’, and is now facing up stream, near the bottom of the river and under the pressure of the current.

Now begins the ‘sweep’ as the fly moves across the river bed.

The water pressure will make the sweep. If you can, hold the rod and line very steady at this point, with no retrieve until the sweep is finished. Finally, the fly imitates the ‘spawn’ run of the smelt as it is retrieved by you. All four motions of the fly will attract bites, but many anglers miss the very subtle changes in pressure associated with run, turn and dive, and sweep bites.

A final thought: every action at the end of your rod is transmitted to the fly, if your rod is going forward and back, so is your fly, and smelt don’t swim in reverse. Good luck.

18 The fishing Paper

PRODUCT PREVIEW Parsun Outboards Continue to Grow.

Parsun continues to carve out a very useful share of the New Zealand outboard engine market, and as more engines are released, that share and the Parsun reputation is growing.

A very large Chinese engineering company in conjunction with a U.S. based company manufacture the Parsun outboard range. At the moment the it’s limited to engines of up to forty horsepower, but there’s a wide range of larger engines being designed for future production.

In the tough Australian market even cynical fishermen who didn’t really expect them to last have been quietly amazed at their rugged performance.

Christchurch man John Baxter agrees, he’s extremely impressed with his Parsun.

He has a five horsepower four stroke as an auxiliary on the back of his Figlass boat and raves about it. “It keeps the boat at a perfect trolling speed, and using the internal fuel tank I get three to four hours of fishing out of it. It’s fantastic!”

John did a lot of on-line research before buying his engine and is very pleased with the results. “I’m really impressed with the presentation, performance and price, not to mention the after sales service and support. I thoroughly recommend Parsun Outboards.”

Black Magic 120lb Fluorocarbon Leader Black Magic has answered the great number of requests received for a higher testing fluorocarbon leader by introducing a 120lb version of their very popular TOUGH FLUOROCARBON. This new addition still provides a 100% fluorocarbon product with excellent knot strength and abrasion resistance and no reduction in breaking strain when wet. Like the other line weights, it remains almost invisible in water.

John Dory Rig Black Magic’s very popular range of rigs has a new addition with the introduction of a John Dory livebait rig. Apart from the inclusion of the super rust resistant Black Magic 7/0 livebait hook, this rig features a unique 360° swivel which minimises tangles and allows the livebait relative freedom of movement.

Black Magic recommends the use of one of their 15kg plus lines as this rig may also attract large snapper or kingfish.

www.thefishingpaper.co.nz

Super Lube – Everywhere But No Wear

Super Lube Grease is an exceptionally pure lubricant because it is synthetic which means it’s highly stable and has predictable chemical properties.

Petroleum-based machine and gear oils are made from refined crude oil and contain impurities that can’t be removed and these impurities interfere with the protective qualities of the lubricant.

Super Lube Grease is - Completely waterproof – both salt and fresh water - Remains free flowing in freezing temperatures - Will not stain or harm wood, rubber, leather, plastics, fabrics and paint.

- Won’t drip, run or evaporate - Repels dirt, dust, grit and grime - Prevents rust and corrosion while reducing friction - Long lasting - Compatible with conventional lubricants - Reduces friction and wear The Sportsman’s Kit has all you need to lubricate, clean and maintain the small components of your sporting goods, tools, automobiles, etc. Packaged in a compact, easy to carry container, these kits can be with you wherever and whenever you need them. Whether you are hunting, fishing, biking or driving ... you will always have the right Super Lube product with you!

Available from all leading outdoors stores.

Trade enquiries welcome RR Fisher, PO Box 10055- Phillipstown, Christchurch ph 03 377 0025 - fax 03 377 0086

Belmont Precision Ammunition The Belmont factory in Wanganui has been manufacturing precision hunting and target ammunition for several decades now. Now hold on to your steak and cheese as they say!! We recently had our .308 ammunition with a 130grain Hollow Point projectile profiled in a top (November issue) New Zealand Gun magazine. Travelling along at a happy 2810 ft/ sec, a 3 shot group at a range of 100yards provided a 24mm or .94inch group. Needless to say, the ammunition beat out two quality USA manufactured brands by approximately half an inch for each (1.37” and 1.61” respectively). A super performance for Belmont Precision Ammunition.

We want to make sure this ammunition is available to those who want exacting results and so we have loaded up more.

What’s more it is on special from mid-January through February. If you would like to place an order direct – call us on 06 344 6741 to talk to one of our friendly team. You can also check out www.belmontammunition.com. If you can’t find it in your local store – let us know and we will contact your retailer to see what we can do. We think we can help you to get your rocket launcher shooting dead straight!

Game Lures Black Magic has introduced five new trolling lures aimed at expanding the opportunities with some of their more successful head styles. The Bobby Dazzler gives a ‘flying fish’ combo, which is an enticing allrounder to all pelagics.

The Zippy Skippy is designed recognising the importance of skipjack tuna as part of the pelagic’s diet, and its black/ purple colouring is a must in any lure pattern. The legendary ‘Prowler’ head has been used in the Mahi Magic and the Lumo Prowler. The Mahi Magic gives a great mahi mahi imitation with its UV green and yellow skirt combination while the Lumo Prowler is perfect for overcast or ‘change of light’ conditions – the lumo colouring being irresistible to both blue and striped marlin. The Rainbow Rocker is a stunner featuring a black oily overskirt with red lateral line combined with the high intensity UV rainbow underskirt.

This lure can be run at any time of day anywhere in your lure.

DIY PVC KONTIKI KITSET If you enjoy fishing but don’t have sea legs or want the expenses of owning and running an boat then an electric kontiki could be your answer.

Waverider Marine Limited design and manufacture their own kontikis and would like to introduce to you their Waverider PVC DIY Kontiki Kitset.

“Your kitset comes with, 150mm moulded plastic nose cone, 150mm moulded plastic End cap with tacking unit, 30lb thrust Mercury electric motor, 30 minute timer, 30 amp motor relay, base plate with motor tube, prop guard, flag & flag pole.

Full assembly instructions are included but it’s pretty simple.

Glue the nose cone and end cap to a length of stormwater pipe (not included). Make up a lid to access the inside of the body for the electronics. Wire up the electronics. It’s that easy. Why buy an expensive kontiki when you can make it yourself with the Waverider DIY PVC Kontiki kitset only $520 plus freight. Waverider also stock complete kontikis, plastic trace rack, traces and supply all kontiki parts.

Available from Waverider Marine Limited, PO Box 4028, Rotorua Ph : 027 6169907, waverider@xtra.co.nz, or www.waverider.net.nz, Checkout us out on trademe and sella

The Crow Fishing Club Fishing Competition

It’s back, as big and as bright as ever! The Crow Fishing Club Annual Fishing Competition.

There’s been a fishing competition in Picton in various guises over the years, but it’s now firmly cemented with the Crow Fishing Club.

Warren Robertson has been involved in the competition for as long as many can remember and is passionate about keeping it a family affair. With this in mind, there’s a strong emphasis on making sure there are categories especially for children, with great prizes.

Every year there’s tremendous support from the Picton community and Marlborough businesses, which means the event has been able to raise funds for the local community through the competition’s fish auctions. Several thousand dollars has been donated to Marlborough Child Cancer, Picton Emergency Centre and the Endeavour Park Complex.

However, none of this is possible, and in fact the competition itself would be in jeopardy, without the continued financial support from Pub Charity, enabling great prizes to be offered across many different categories.

The competition runs over three days from Friday January 20.

Entries will be taken until noon on Saturday January 21, with tickets available from the Crow Tavern, Sportsworld Picton, Hendersons or Hunting and Fishing in Blenheim.

A highlight of the competition for many is the opportunity to score fresh fish at the fish auctions on Saturday and Sunday at the Crow Tavern carpark.

The Fishing club has also provided free junior tickets to one lucky child from each of the local primary schools. These children will also receive a book, donated by the club on the Sunday at the prizegiving.

Grab a fishing competition entry ticket from one of the outlets, and join in the fun.

Join the THE

FISHING PAPER

on Young winners are grinners!

The fishing Paper 19

www.thefishingpaper.co.nz

On Yer

Bike

Mr Moki

By Ian Robertson

They’ve been gone for a while – two to three years – but this year they are back off the beach at Birdlings Flat - with a vengeance. Moki that is; fish in the two-toeight pound class and with enough fight to get the rod tip twitching. They are quite common all around Banks Peninsula but many of the good rocky outcrops that hold them are inaccessible to land-based fishers, so this currently makes Birdlings Flat the place to be.

The moki seem to transit along the beach from the bluffs, feeding on krill and coming in close to feed on shrimp in the shingle. Like most fish species, change of light in the morning and evening can be productive times to fish but one thing I have learned after countless hours fishing this stretch, is don’t listen to the ‘experts’. All good fishermen have theories and my mate, Ross Le Compte, and I are often amused at the specifics people come up with as to when the moki are going to bite. The simple fact is there is neither rhyme nor reason as to when or why it fires.

There are no specifics – it just happens!

The strategy for catching these marvellous fish is

straightforward. First, get a line in the water – seriously.

You’ve just as much chance of catching them in the middle of the day as any other time, so wet a line. I use 35lb braid on both my rods and run a 60lb trace ledger rig with a 3oz breakaway sinker. I use long shank hooks and you’ll soon see why.

Now the most popular bait over time has been tuatua but I am having huge success with a lethal little delicacy called the ‘New World Cooked Prawn’ – the ‘New World Cooked Shrimp’ is just as effective. It just depends on what is available. These thread perfectly on to long shank hooks but it pays to tie them on with bait elastic, for obvious reasons. Then it’s just

a case of time on the water.

We fish conservatively here at Birdlings Flat, returning the smaller fish and keeping just enough good fish for a feed.

It’s a special part of the world

and the only place close to Christchurch where you can fish for moki from the shingle.

Oh and did I mention rig – big plump mothers? You’d better pop back next month then.

20 The fishing Paper

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The Pink Page Jorja’s Winning ‘Couta

By Grant Hutton We were chasing salmon on Otago Harbour early last month when my eight-year-old daughter Jorja caught a bit more than she bargained for.

Jorja comes out with me at every opportunity she gets and has had great success with her pink lipstix rod that we bought for her from Allan Millar’s Hunting and Fishing a while ago.

We were anchored up off Deborah Bay when the fish hit her line and it took a good five minutes to get the barracouta to the boat. I gaffed it aboard and finished it off. She said it fought really well and ran a bit like a salmon.

Jorja had caught dozens of barracouta in the past but this was her biggest. We usually release them but, like me, Jorja’s a member of the Tautuku fishing club and wanted to weigh it in for the heaviest species for the year competition. It officially tipped the scales at 4.295 kilos or close to 9.5 pounds, and was big enough for her to win the junior club trophy.

Last year my little fishing buddy also caught a 12lb salmon. It took fifteen minutes to land and ran about a dozen times. It was fresh from sea and full of fight.

Gurnard Through Beer Goggles

By Laura Loughran

After some planning and many reconnaissance meetings in the shed, our first thoughts were to go to Kenepuru Sounds. However we changed our minds and finally decided to go to Beatrix Bay on the hunt for some snapper instead.

Getting permission from the boss to leave work early on Friday afternoon and after buying at least $80,00 worth of bait and berley, we headed off, bound for the Sounds.

There were three boats on the trip – Captain Tuna, The Dominator and Totally Goating, with the latter bragging they

were going to claim the trophy with a twenty pound snapper – Yeah Right!

We fished late into the night but with only sharks biting, I decided to call it quits around midnight and get some shuteye ready for a 5.00am wake up call.

Early morning came and we set off, passing the two other boats. There was no sign of life on either, so a brilliant idea was hatched. We decided to give them a gentle wake up call by way of a rooster tail straight into the back of the boats. It worked and off we all went for another day’s fishing!

It was a long slow morning and after having no luck with the bait, it was decided we needed to change tactics.

It was time to bring out the bottom ships – and straight away, I pulled up my champion gurnard.

The first two went back before I decided we could at least have a feed for our troubles!

We ended up with four great sized gurnard on our boat – the others got only one each for the whole of the trip!

Clearly, I won the trophy with my magnificent catch!

We’ve also devised a cunning and extremely useful new way to measure our fish, as you can see in the picture.

Isn’t it amazing just how big fish can get after a few beers?

Sudoku

More Giant Gurnard

By Jude Bishell I read with interest your article in the December copy of The Fishing Paper, about the gurnard caught in Kenepuru Sound and the author’s query about the size gurnard can grow to.

My husband and I were fishing the Pelorus Sound in the vicinity of Beatrix Bay in early October, when I caught the biggest gurnard we have ever seen. We didn’t weigh it but it measured 53-centimetres in length.

It was the coldest day ever! It started out nicely but the southerly came through and certainly took the edge off the fishing!

How to solve Sudoku!

Fill the grid so that every row and every 3x3 square contains the digits 1 to 9. Answers on page 22.

The fishing Paper 21

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Teenage Trout Tryrant

By Chris Dyksma

Stay Cool At this time of year fish deteriorates incredibly quickly unless steps are taken to keep bacteria under wraps. Fish are cold-blooded creatures and the enzymes and bacteria that spoil flesh kick into gear once the ambient temperature starts to rise. For every hour the fish sits at surface temperature it loses a day’s freshness.

It only takes a little preplanning and a few quick seconds effort to ensure the catch arrives at the dinner table in optimum condition.

The secret is to keep the fish chilled so that bacteria won’t be stimulated and secondly, to remove the key areas bacteria attack first.

Soft tissue and blood are key targets of bacteria, so the moment the fish is landed, bleed it. This can be achieved by slitting the chin under the gills and snapping the neck, or by slicing through the base of the tail to sever the main artery that hugs the backbone. All fish benefit from bleeding.

The next step is particularly important if there is no

Lake Lyndon is a pretty spot nestled somewhere between the Coast and Canterbury. On a return trip from Greymouth, my fishing nemesis, Jos Olykan, and I stopped for an hour to thrash the water. Jos caught his first two rainbows and was well rapt. He was using a black and gold Toby-type thing.

I managed to feature in the tally this time – thankfully!

It was the first time since we have been trout fishing together that I had caught anything that would not have fitted in a Brunswik sardine can. Luckily it was also the biggest of the day, which seemed to stem the imminent ribbing I was usually in line for.

I was using a knocked about blacky-bronzie wedge that I find good anywhere.

The fish hit surprisingly hard and fought well on the light gear. An excellent interlude if you ask me – especially when it puts a teenage trout tyrant in his place.

provision for chilling the fish.

Prime areas for bacteria build up are the gills and stomach, so remove these as soon as practicable.

Reducing the temperature of the flesh is the best insurance policy and the most effective way to do this is with a slurry of ice and seawater – a bag of party ice to a fish bin of seawater will do the trick.

If ice is not available, a cheaper and equally effective option is to freeze several fizz bottles of water and add them to the fish bin. Water may be added or just keep the bin covered and the outcome will be fresh fish for supper. Chilling the fish also makes filleting much easier.

22 The fishing Paper

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Poppy and Me go to Sea

By Cameron Eggers (Age 8) My Poppy has been fishing a long time and one day before Christmas he took me and his friend Bill fishing off The Boulder Bank. We put a longline out and baited about 20 hooks with squid – I think.

While we were waiting we fished with the rods and got heaps of bites but no fish.

When we pulled the longline

in, a shark came up first but we released that. Then we could all feel something really tugging hard. Soon a big silver shape appeared in the water and a monster snapper came up. Poppy got the net and had to scoop it up. I was really

Coarse Fishing

excited because it was my biggest fish ever and when we went home, we took heaps of pictures. The snapper weighed 15lb and was 80cm long.

The rest of the hooks had nothing. Even the baits were gone.

By Dave Dixon

Canterbury Open Coarse Fishing Championship

Lake Rotokahatu in Christchurch played host to the Canterbury Open Coarse Fishing Champs early last month, and once again the competition weekend coincided with peak spawning time for the resident tench!

This meant the fishes' priority was nookie rather than nosh, and catches were much lower than we know the venue is capable of producing.

With a relatively low number of anglers taking part this year, the pegs were divided into just two sections, one along the productive western bank and the other along the eastern side. This was an area recently repaired by the city council after the earthquakes slid 100m of bank into the lake!

The section had never been fished before so its potential was unknown, but with a row of willow trees poking out of the water at 20-metres,

the locals. I prefer to use maggot but also believe the tench seek out higher protein foods around spawning time.

So with that decision made, I sat and watched Ray Bricknell on the peg to my left catch the first few fish on bread! However, soon the fish settled in my peg and without it being frantic, I started to put weight into the net, with some of the big female tench going well over four pound. As often happens at Rotokahatu, the fish would drift in then drift out - catch a couple then nothing. This can be frustrating when other anglers seem to be getting all the action. I endured a tense last hour as Ray landed a string of fish to put himself in contention for the section.

Two late fish however gave me a margin and my 35lb 15oz was three pounds clear, although I fell just short of

it looked fishy enough and it was in this section that I drew on day one. Peg 35 appeared a disappointing draw, as it was the only position along the bank that didn’t have tree shelter, and with a hot sunny day forecast, I was concerned the fish might retreat to the shade as the sun became high.

However, Lake Rotokahatu defies the logic of traditional tench fishing, dawn and dusk, and with 14ft of water to fish into, I was hopeful I could compete with the featured pegs. My approach was to fish the pole at seven metres over ground bait with maggot on the hook instead of the sweetcorn bait favoured by

winning the match outright behind Auckland’s Paul Senior with 36lb 3oz from the other section.

The second day’s draw meant Paul and I avoided each other by swapping sides of the lake. I was happy with peg seven, having fished it on the second day in last year’s championship, but as the wind changed to a southerly and started to rip into my face, I struggled with bait presentation and lost touch with the fish. Changing rigs, distance from the bank and feeding patterns, I eventually found a system that worked and in a busy last hour must have put around 20lbs of fish

into the net to again win the section with a total of 31lb 14oz. Two section points is always the first target in these events so I knew that Paul Senior was the only one who could beat me but he’d need to win his section and total a greater combined weight.

Unfortunately, that’s what he did, taking out B section with a very good catch of 46lbs.

This was revenge for Paul, who’d finished second to me at Nationals a couple of years ago. Third place overall went to local rod and previous winner Steve Gaskell, while another two Auckland anglers filled fourth and fifth spots making the North v. South contest a very close affair: Both teams scoring 14 points but South just coming out on top with a combined weight of 152lb 6oz to the North’s 151lb 2oz.

Crossword

& Sudoku answers

The fishing Paper 23

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Harbour Views Life jackets Man, don’t we go on and on about them. I guess the evidence is in the number of people who have drowned this year, that haven’t been wearing them and evidence that had they worn one, it would have saved their lives.

Our staff have observed that when mum is on the boat, everyone on board wears a lifejacket, including dad. When mum is not on board everyone wears a life jacket EXCEPT dad. What is with this machismo trend?

Kids, try refusing to let Dad come unless he wears his lifejacket. Dad must have seen the clown who gets left behind because he refused to wear one, on TV by now.

Here’s a potential letter from heaven.

Not too long ago in my lifetime, I was sailing with my kids. We were fishing off the stern, trolling I think its called, when a big fish struck. The reel started screaming; so did the kids with the excitement.

I ran up to the mast to let go the main sail, I ran back to the cockpit to start the engine and the reel screamed louder.

I didn’t hear my son’s scream as the sail boom flicked across the boat and knocked me into the water.

And the reel screamed. The kids screamed now; what were they going to do?

I remembered my lifejacket was on the settee just inside the cockpit. I felt the cold immediately penetrate my armpits, my groin and there was a fierce pain in my head Just as I began to slip below the surface, I heard the reel run out. A cold sudden click.

By Dave Duncan

The line snapped.

I wondered what my kids would be when they grew up? Then darkness, cold quiet darkness.

If I had seen the light, I would have worn my lifejacket.

Seaworthy it’s a strange term. It means 'in a fit condition or ready for a sea voyage.' Is your boat seaworthy? If you haven’t fixed the leak from last time you were out, then it’s not. If it has spaces the sea can readily spill into, then its not.

It is also a relative term. Your boat might be seaworthy with two people in it but not so with four. Your boat might be designed for use by children, so it’s unseaworthy for an adult.

Your boat might be seaworthy in one sea state but not another.

Many boaties forget to watch the weather.

If you are fishing one hour off Nelson’s Cut, ensure you give yourself one hour, in the same conditions, to get back.

When you see the smoke from the factory at the south end of the Tasman Bay start to change, you have about 20 minutes before that change reaches you.

You should be over halfway home again by then. Watch the weather and get the latest weather forecast.

Boat safely this summer … and remember, if in doubt don’t go out!

24 The fishing Paper

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g n i t n u h THE

n

io sect

A Liberal Dusting of Snow

By Daryl Crimp

With a name like Snow Hewetson it’s not surprising the man is passionate about his alpine and High Country hunting. Since getting the stalking bug as a teenager, Snow has hunted all New Zealand deer except Wapiti and Rusa, and his aim is to take a representative head of all species. That aside, he’s pretty much fulfilled most of his hunting ambitions but like the alpine regions he hunts, there is always another horizon to peak over.

For Snow that’s guiding and while there is a commercial component to it, his real motivation surfaces on two levels: it gives him a purpose to continue hunting on a regular basis, but most significantly, there’s a genuine desire within the man to share his experience, expertise, knowledge and opportunities with others.

“I love alpine hunting because it’s huge – it’s nice to be able to see and glass game, to plan a strategy, execute a stalk and finally select an animal without being pressured into a shot.”

He’s talking about tahr, chamois and deer predominantly and he has a profound respect for these creatures and the domain they inhabit. His philosophy is old school; he believes hunting is about the total experience and the hunter must earn the kill.

“Anything worthwhile has to be earned, not taken for granted. It brings with it a greater appreciation,” says Snow.

To this end, Snow presents a comprehensive service to his customers that really is exceptional value, and he caters to all skill levels. For accomplished hunters there’s plenty to challenge and extend, and to those coming up through the ranks, Snow essentially aims to short-circuit the trial and error process.

Hunters upskill quickly to become proficient, safe and efficient, and are encouraged to adopt sound principles and ethics.

Snow also instructs on field shooting techniques and offers advice on how to sight your rifle in to gain maximum performance.

Then there are the intangibles, such as local knowledge, game husbandry and intuitive knowledge that otherwise take years to acquire: Snow makes a point of sharing these on every hunt.

He also gets people amongst the animals and into prime hunting country, much of which has taken years of relationship building

to earn the trust to get the access. It’s all free-range fair chase hunting and can be for the pot or for trophy animals, and there is a choice of scenery: Marlborough, Fairlie and West Coast.

Animals include chamois, tahr, red deer and fallow, and Snow can now offer stalking wild pigs as a bonus on some hunts.

Snow sees potential in the Lower North Island/Wellington market because just a quick flit across the ditch and a whole new world of hunting opportunity is opened up. Similarly, Mainland urban dwellers who haven’t had a country background can virtually step out the backdoor, see some new country up close and personal, and enjoy an outdoor experience that is almost guaranteed to be life-changing.

It’s the perfect opportunity to kick-start a young hunter’s career, give them a good grounding and build confidence with that first animal. For fathers and sons (or daughters), what better way to experience one of those milestone moments than in the company of a master hunter who has your success and satisfaction squarely in his sights. And for those with a wall-mount in mind, remember the first rule of trophy hunting – aim high and go where the animals are. You might just find them under a liberal dusting of Snow!

The Rock – You Can Bank On It

By Daryl Crimp

“The whitish rock in that clay bank over there!”

Boom!

“SHOT! Shattered it – good enough!”

That pretty much describes the way many of us used to sight our rifles in on the way to the hunting grounds. Fortunately the ‘she’ll be right’ attitude has become more Kiwiana than Kiwi practice these days and a Rock of a more precise kind has become instrumental in sighting in our rifles.

I’m not a long-range shooter, preferring the thrill of a stalk and a kill at close quarters.

However, I do recognise the need to be proficient in a variety of circumstances and in a bid to develop and get more consistency out of my shooting over distance, I invested in a Caldwell Rock bench rest and rear support bag.

Made of cast iron with stainless steel fittings, The Rock is precision made to provide a consistently stable platform from which to zero in any rifle. It is fully adjustable and essentially removes the human error component from zeroing in firearms. Once set up correctly the mechanics are consistent for every shot.

It even has a fore-end stop for consistent repositioning of the rifle. The only disappointing weakness I could see was the plastic bubble level stuck on with double-sided tape. These are prone to be bumped off and lost if you are not careful.

The Rock is portable so you can make a range wherever you wish and it’s a perfect fit for any SUV – just open the tailgate, set up the Rock and pull up a chair – perfect fit. The Rock has certainly given me greater confidence in my shooting.

Chris Helem of Outdoor Adventure Sports in Ashburton put me onto The Rock and has a lot of useful advice in this area – 03 308 2493 for more info.

The fishing Paper 25

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BOOK REVIEW

Dressing Fish, Game & Seafood

By Brad Parkes

The Halcyon Press Reviewed

By Daryl Crimp

All Tuckered Out

Brad Parkes is no stranger to instructional outdoor books, having penned five over the past twenty years. Rather than the know-it-all expert in the field, Brad comes across more as the archetypal uncle figure who is worldly in all things ‘country’ and his advice is pragmatic and functional. There is also a whiff of nostalgia to his advice because interspersed with the kind of stuff we all know, there are some ‘old world’ tips and techniques that lend credibility to his expertise.

His latest is basically a plucking, gutting, shucking and filleting guide to New Zealand’s wild foods and sits as a relatively comprehensive, practical and useful addition to any Kiwi outdoorsman’s library (This is a non PC paper so that includes outdoor chicks as well)!

I found the landscape format off-putting to start with, but it actually sits well as an instructional guide. The content is broad, ranging from knife tips, game preparation and sinew removal to tips for de-sliming eels, caping headskins, curing pelts and ‘filleting’ deer – I kid you not. I used this technique recently, which proves you are never too old to benefit from something new. The book even dispels some myths and misconceptions about handling game and the like.

On the negative side, many of the photos are too small for tired eyes and the diagrams are not crash hot. That aside, this little book surprised me and I’m rather glad to have it in my collection. Thanks Brad.

By Kim Swan I cried intermittently from Rai Valley to the Blenheim Saleyards. Try as I might, I couldn’t stop myself, couldn’t sweet talk myself out of it. Fact was, I was headed to a final farewell - goodbye Tucker - little mate for over three fun-filled years.

Tucker who I’d rescued from his birth sac as he struggled in vain.

Tucker who’d choked on a piece of meat at five weeks, suffocating while I tried to dislodge it. Tucker who’d hobbled slowly behind me with pink bandages tight

around his ripped neck and legs.

Tucker who I’d carried grimly in my arms as he lolled comatose.

The bull-headed, beady-eyed little beast that was so loyal he’d tackle any boris I came too near.

That loyalty was the problem.

That dogged devotion to mistress was Tucker’s downfall.

He thought he was keeping me safe by tackling big bad boars - hanging grimly to their ear as they flailed and fought. Instead he made it harder, and his running mate and I inevitably had to save HIM! If only he would back off and bark.

I put Tucker on Trade Me, with an eye to finding him the best and most suitable home I possibly could.

Trade Me is a great selling tool, reaching a nationwide audience.

Sadly though, some sellers aren’t as genuine as others so you need to ‘read between the lines’ sometimes. The following is a list compiled by some members of Monteria Boar Hunts and myself as a guideline to inexperienced buyers.

Best run with another dog because it can’t stop a decent pig on its own.

Must sell, too many dogs - this one isn’t worth me keeping, its useless.

Good second dog - he’s a lazy hua and lets the other dogs do all the work.

Gives the odd yick - sounds like a huntaway rounding up sheep.

Doesn’t get on with my main dog – doesn’t get on with any dog better than him, which is most of them.

Just needs more pigs - he’s progressing way too slowly for my liking.

Has caught small pigs - the big ones are far too scary, he avoids them.

Goes a long way sometimes - I spend more time looking for him than I do pighunting.

Giving up hunting - I have to, my dogs are bloody hopeless.

Hard on the back end - always the last dog to arrive so all the other positions are taken.

Younger dogs are pumping he’s past his due-by date and should be retired.

Price is negotiable - he’s not worth what I’m asking but I thought I’d try.

Missus says I have too many dogs - should read ‘Flatmate wanted, preferably female who loves dogs’.

Nothing a shock collar wouldnt fix - Been chasing a couple of possums and deer lately As stockproof as the rest of your dogs ..... surely these need no explanation other than to say, “Don’t go there!”

Needs finishing off - yes, a bullet between the eyes should do the trick!

I must say, I can understand why disreputable sellers have such an easy time exaggerating their dog’s skill level or harvesting ridiculous amounts of money and not refunding it.

I got emails saying things like ‘Hey mate, I’m desprit, can put cash in your account right now, don’t need a trial’. Others would not give a name or district where they lived - why not? One had a pack of dogs for sale on another website, sadly had to drop them for personal reasons, and yet here he was standing in line to buy mine and offering it a forever home - yeah right!

I had listed Tucker on Trade Me at 6:15am, I had the first response by 6:30am, from a cocky in Otago. A decent honest bloke with a supportive wife and kids keen on hunting. He had a lifetime of dog skills as a shepherd and pig hunter, he had a good clean pack of dogs and plenty of pigs to hunt at home and away.

So, after all the enquiries from hunters and humans good, bad and downright dodgy, I came back to that very first contact, the bloke with first option, and confirmed the deal.

So here I was a fortnight later, driving to Blenheim Saleyards to meet a stock truck travelling to Southland via Dunedin. The driver had said, “Be here by 11:30”. I arrived at 11:18, puffyeyed and gulping back sobs, ohso-sad at what I had to do. The truck wasn’t there. Nor was he there at 11:30. Nor 12:30.

The sod had left early, and now I’d have to do it all again next week - buggar!

26 The fishing Paper

A Christmas Gobbler Christmas was coming, and my son and I had not been hunting for a while. With this being fawning season, a deer hunt was out of the question and I still had some goat meat in the freezer. However, the thought of getting a couple of gobblers had merit and if it all went to plan, I could head out after lunch, get the birds, and be home in time for dinner.

A quick call to my buddy, Dave, soon had it all set up. He has access to a mate’s farm, which has deer, feral goats and hundreds of wild turkeys, peacocks and pheasants. Last time we were there after deer, the bloody birds kept popping up and giving our position away. So I hauled out the .22, grabbed a couple of bags, and headed out. The plan was to get four birds for the festive season.

As soon as we arrived we could hear peacocks in the nearby bush. We also spotted a couple of gobblers on the opposite slope and headed off after them.

But something had happened to these birds. Last time we could hardly go through any patch of bush without flushing out a bird or two, usually within a range of around 20-metres. I thought fish went to school while birds just flocked about, but these birds were now smart. It was as if someone had been whispering into their ear, telling them the effective range of a .22. They steadily maintained their distance of around 150 metres and melted away into the scrub whenever possible.

We walked and walked, beating through every likely spot and scoured the open paddocks. The farm is around two kilometres long, with hillsides that climb nearly 300 metres. After about two hours of hot, dry work going up and down the hills we were knackered, with the turkeys keeping their distance.

We eventually spotted one solitary bird that hadn’t seen us.

This fat hen was sitting in the middle of a cattle track on the opposite hill. There was a ridge behind the track that would get us close enough for an easy shot.

We dropped out of sight, worked our way around and about 20 minutes later carefully looked over the ridge. It was still there, so I got the .22 into position ready to shoot. Moving for a clearer shot, I noticed it was watching me and not moving.

Somewhat clumsily I stood up.

But bird still didn’t move. A quick shot and it squawked, flew up, flapped a couple of yards then lay still.

At that point I had a heartstopping moment, thinking that only a hen on a nest would have been so defiant. However, I checked where it was sitting and there were no eggs nor chicks.

Well, at least we got one bird and now faced a long walk back to the car.

Once there we spotted a mob of goats not too far away, with a valley we could walk up to reach them unobserved. Not wanting to go home with just one turkey for our efforts, I left the .22 in the car and grabbed the .270. We worked our way up the ridge to where the goats were and poked our heads over.

Just before I took a shot my son gesticulated wildly pointing down the slope. Not 50 metres away, on open ground and unconcerned by us, was a flock of four gobblers and a couple of peacocks feeding in the grass. Of course we no longer had the .22, and hitting one of them with a 270 would pluck, skin, gut and mince the entire bird at the same time. So we had to settle with bowling over a goat. The birds were completely unconcerned by the bangs and slowly ambled away.

So my question is, are turkeys clever enough to not only know the range of a .22 but also be able to distinguish between that and a deer gun? If so, what sod has been teaching them?

www.thefishingpaper.co.nz

By Norman Holtzhausen

THE

FISHING PAPER

Published by Coastal Media Ltd 7 Kotua Place, Wakatu Industrial Estate, NELSON PO Box 9001, Annesbrook, 7044, NELSON Ph 03 544 7020 Fax 03 544 7040 www.thefishingpaper.co.nz Editor Daryl Crimp 021 472 517 editor@thefishingpaper.co.nz Assistant Editor Darryn Palmer darrynp@thefishingpaper.co.nz Sales & Advertising Annette Bormolini 021 996 541 sales@thefishingpaper.co.nz Laura Loughran getresults@thefishingpaper.co.nz 021 277 2575 Neil Simpson beseen@thefishingpaper.co.nz 021 111 9714 Graphic Design Patrick Connor production@thefishingpaper.co.nz Printer Guardian Print Deputy Editor Ron Prestage

Contributors David Lauer Daryl Crimp Darryn Palmer

Glen Godsiff

Ali Kennard

Chris West

Poppa Mike

Peter Anderson

Ivan Wilson

Cliff Kindell

Ron Prestage

Mark Hubbard

Kim Swan

Chris Burt

Dave Duncan

Ian Robertson

Emily Arthur

Grant Hutton

Kathy Pantling

Jude Bishell

Craig Grant Frank Cartwright Mark Roden Malcolm Halstead

Laura Loughran Chris Dyksma Cameron Eggers

Peter Hyde

Norman Holtzhausen

Dave Dixon

Robert Leighs

Rhys Adams

Sandy McNeilly

Rhys Barrier

Ian Robertson

Rob Rough

James Carson

Matt Woodman

Nigel Carson

The Fishing Paper is published by Coastal Media Ltd. All editorial copy and photographs are subject to copyright and may not be reproduced without prior written permission of the publisher.

Opinions or comments expressed within this publication are not necessarily those of the staff, management or directors of Coastal Media Ltd. Unsolicited editorial, letters, photographs will only be returned if you include a stamped self addressed envelope.

The Fishing Paper encorporates the Top of the South Edition and The Canterbury Edition.

The fishing Paper 27

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By Malcolm Halstead

To me the cup is always half full. I really had to try hard to believe this recently when I discovered I had left my Steiner binoculars on the hill while hunting. I had two choices, either claim

insurance or go get them. I chose the go get them option, which my son supported and offered to come with me.

Time would be tight as we could only leave Christchurch

answers on page 22

Cup Half Full

after 4.00pm, which gave us five and half hours of daylight to use. There would be two hours of driving to get there then at least an hours walk to get the bino’s so in theory we only had one hour of daylight up our sleeve, should we need it.

As usual in these circumstances, the traffic was diabolical and we even had to contend with two sets of traffic lights on the open road!

However, once in the car park we got our boots on and headed off at a brisk rate up the creek, observing a few hares as we went. Jack was keen to level a few but I impressed upon him the need to get to the bino’s before considering doing anything else. I promised Jack that once we had completed our mission, he could cut loose with the .223 on the hare population.

We shortened the walk in to 45 minutes and quickly located the missing bino’s and my cap that was also with them.

Realising we had a bit of time on our hands, we had a boil up before wandering down the creek at a more sedate rate.

The hills around us are a mixture of scrub and clear faces, which is ideal for hares.

The first hare made off through the Matagouri to safety but then made the mistake of reappearing at 40 metres, propping up on his hind legs.

Jack cranked a round into the .223, then casually raised the Ruger to his shoulder and despatched said hare.

I congratulated him on an outstanding free hand shot; not bad for a 14-year-old. Jack regularly shoots successfully free hand and puts his skill down to the thousands of rounds he has put through his air rifle at home.

The hare was collected and I was relegated to game carrier as we moved closer to the truck.

We keep the hares to either eat or feed to the dog becasue we live by the philosophy of not killing anything that we can’t use. The second hare stopped at 150 metres and with a steady rest on the Bipod he too was sent rolling for one shot. The clear sound of the bullet hitting home was very noticeable as the Ruger is suppressed.

Back at the truck, I spied another hare at about 200 metres. Jack’s first shot went high, kicking up the dirt and scaring the hare closer by another 30 or so metres.

There was no mistake with the second shot, making it three from four shots. The hares were loaded into the truck and our gear stowed away for the drive home.

Two tired but happy hunters made it home by 11.00pm, having had a successful Tuesday night just because the cup was half full!

Molesworth Goose Shoot

By John Inwood October's goose shoot to Redgate, Molesworth Station, was well worthwhile for our group of seven shooters. Three traveled from the North Island to join us regular shooters from Motueka.

We were on the road very early one Friday and headed up the Rainbow Road to Redgate Hut, where we set up our tent camp.

We all shot the same tarn, where we had set up the lay down blinds and laid out about fifty decoys.

We were most successful shooting late evening and into the night, with a total of 201 geese retrieved, providing a lot of meat to take home.

The team was Runner, Nathan, Jonathan, Stuart, myself, Ray and Brian.

28 The fishing Paper

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In Touch with North Canterbury

By Emily Arthur

Long-Time Salmon Angler Turns To Science When 82-year-old John Hodgson heads out to fish the Waimakariri, he doesn’t just take his fishing tackle - his thermometer and notebook are always handy too.

For the past eight years Mr Hodgson has been testing a theory that salmon migration is affected by river and ocean temperatures.

Underlying his research is a concern over the effect that water takes have on salmon migration: “These braided rivers heat up quite a lot in the summer naturally, but add to that the water abstraction for irrigation and you start see an effect.”

Mr Hodgson started fishing for trout in 1955 on the Selwyn River and then went on to develop a passion for salmon fishing in the 1970s – a devotion that continues today.

Around eight years ago, he started to notice a pattern around when the salmon were moving up the river and decided to test this theory.

On his weekly fishing trips throughout the season, he measures the water temperatures from a site between the highway bridges on the Waimakariri and ocean temperatures at Kairaki.

He then correlates this with anecdotal evidence on how many salmon are moving up the river, from discussions with fellow angers.

“When I turn up at MacIntosh’s or Kairaki on the Waimak, the first thing they [the salmon anglers] ask me is, "what’s the temperature today, John?"

They all know me there,” he says.

Although the Waimakariri River has been the focus of most of his study due to the proximity to his home, Mr Hodgson also records the temperature when he fishes the Rakaia, Rangitata and Hurunui Rivers.

Although he has not finished his research, early indications are that if the river is too warm, salmon will not enter. “My early findings are that the braided rivers will increase in temperature up to five degrees on a sunny day and when you

Angler John Hodgson measures the water temperature in the Waimakariri River

combine this with low flows, you can get quite warm rivers. You would be very lucky to catch a salmon if the river is over 17 degrees Celsius. It makes them very uncomfortable because of the lack of oxygen,” he says.

Mr Hodgson is an active member of the NZ Salmon Anglers and over the years has been involved in enhancement activities, such as planting salmon eggs in tributary streams of the Waimakariri River and writing submissions on resource management issues.

“Fishing is a disease,” says Mr Hodgson, who clearly has no qualms about his affliction.

Coastlines Why would yuh? Could it be avarice? Did it seem like a good idea at the time?

The environment court has given the green light for a subdivision on the eastern shores of Lake Poerua. Yes, you read right; a great sprawling, appalling pile of buildings that’ll largely be uninhabited for much of the year.

The extreme dislike I have for this awful decision is two pronged.

One - after the devastation of Christchurch located on a previously unknown faultline, developers are intending to virtually straddle a major known fault-line. Man, yuh can even see this geological rupture from outer space.

Two - this is a lake of choice for fly fishers and others who want to enjoy the remoteness, lack of buildings and the natural life. A subdivision will detract majorly from that.

Perhaps the builders don’t understand the appreciation of the remote, thinking it’s something they point at the television set.

So what is there to spoil?

Avian creatures' habitat for starters. The elusive bittern, a huge array of aquatic wild fowl, heron and many other birds make Lake Poerua their home.

There’s the sub-aquatic life: koura, eel, trout, damsel fly nymphs and whitebait whitebait have already lost significant habitat to other development!

By Ivan Wilson

Lots of Coasters prefer Poerua's solitude to the growling powerboats and jet skis around nearby Lake Brunner, where there are already masses of mostly empty houses, many languishing on the market unsold.

What makes Poerua unattractive to the city boating fraternity and vacuous jet-ski people, makes it attractive to locals. Remnants of early forests left as spiked stumps and rocks placed strategically by a capricious Mother Nature. We love that!

The lake is in two parts, separated by a short deep neck of water, reminiscent of the everglades, with overhanging trees and beautiful native orchids.

This is an amazingly eerie, almost primeval place where a moa, should it suddenly poke its

head out of the bush, wouldn’t look out of place. The backdrop is Mount Te Kinga, a massive lone mountain unmoved by eons of glaciers rubbing their way along its flanks. On its lower eastern slopes there’s the talked-about urupa (Maori burial site) not far from the proposed development.

Oh yeah it’s there alright.

In my view the decision to allow building is flawed. Apart from the threat to the natural values, commonsense should make a person ask the question, why do it?

I encourage you to put in submissions, talk about it with your fishing mates, write to The Fishing Paper, and rattle the MP’s cages!

A sub-division at Lake Poerua, why would yuh do it?

The fishing Paper 29

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The Things We Do

By Robert Leighs

Let’s say it was ‘Product Testing’ and nothing to do with the boys getting away on a stress release trip, because here at Nalder Protective Clothing we are in the business of converting other people’s stress into contented smiles. There, I managed to get a plug in before Crimpy woke up and edited it out!

Leaving Nelson with an international crew of one Irish, one Aussie, one Spanish and two Kiwis, we swung the bow of Highlander in the direction of Port Hardy and settled into a rhythmic cruise. Scarcely free of The Cut the sea was blistered with roiling patches of agitated water so we wasted little time deploying the trolling lures, hooking up on some thumping kahawai that were immediately consigned to the smoker.

By the time we hit Croisilles the weather had turned to snot so we ducked into Squally Cove to dredge for scallops.

This provided the perfect opportunity to field test Nalder Protective Clothing bibs and storm vest. It’s one thing selling the product but to be able to back it from first hand experience is invaluable.

I have to say both items of protective clothing kept me warm and dry all day, which greatly enhanced the overall experience.

The weather didn’t abate for two days so we sheltered in Squally and gorged ourselves on scallops until conditions allowed us to make a move

to Port Hardy. There we filled up on our quota of nice blue cod from our never-fail spot in a couple of metres of water, before letting out a bit of anchor rope and cleaning up on good size tarakihi. These are great little battlers on light tackle and were taking tiny slivers of squid and baracoutta.

The hook size didn’t seem to matter but the bait size was

crucial to success.

Sometimes you just need these little ‘man’ trips to put things into perspective, which is quite clearly that Nalder Protective Clothing relieves stress and brings out the contented smiles. Check out our ad this issue. The things we do for publicity, eh!

Silly Season Started For those who fish on the East Coast of the South Island, the weather has been a bit of a challenge so far this so far summer. We have had a lot of easterly winds resulting in rough seas and dirty water.

During the odd window of favourable conditions, some people have gone a bit nuts and have well and truly exceeded recreational bag limits.

Last month we conducted surveillance on three men at Wainui in Akaroa Harbour.

One person was in the water gathering the paua and then passed them to a person on shore, who removed the meat from the shells. A third person, fishing rod in hand, cruised the area keeping a look out for Fishery Officers. When we made the apprehension we found 248 shucked paua, nearly all of which were below the minimum legal size limit of 125mm.

A vehicle was seized and all three will face fisheries charges.

Two weeks later Fishery Officers stopped a car as it was about to leave the Taylors Mistake car park near Christchurch. It was searched, and back packs were found containing 147 paua, nearly all of which were undersized. We found this paua had been gathered near Lyttelton Harbour

By Peter Hyde District Compliance Manager Christchurch Phone 0800 4 Poacher

heads.

Both these areas had signage advising the public of the fishing rules and both areas are heavily patrolled

by Fishery Officers. This still does not seem to deter some greedy people. In case you don’t know the maximum daily limit for paua is 10 per person and the minimum legal size limit is 125mm.

During January every available Fishery Officer and Honorary Fishery Officer will be working along the coast.

If you see any illegal activity please ring 08004poacher.

This will go through to our call centre where your information will be passed onto a Fishery Officer.

Of late, we have been able to immediately respond to

information and have made apprehensions as a result.

Enjoy your recreational fishing this summer but don’t go silly – IT’S NOT WORTH THE RISK! Clarification of last month’s MFish Column.

The rules should have read; during the open season, you can only take or possess two blue cod per fisher at any one time, this applies even if you are transiting through with blue cod taken outside the area. This prevents any aggregation of more than one day’s catch.

Some of the Paua seized at Wainui

30 The fishing Paper

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TIDES OF CHANGE

By Poppa Mike

The Rise and Fall of Aurora Early Europeans in small provincial settlements around New Zealand were always alert to the possibility of Maori uprisings or invasion by some other country seeking to take over this young British colony. Isolated ports with easy sea access, such as Nelson, were deemed to be the most vulnerable.

The locals responded with the formation of the Nelson Naval Brigade Volunteer Corps in 1875, with Mr Ralph Richardson as first captain. The main purpose was to establish a harbour defence system. The Brigade’s first public function occurred later that year when they brought ashore the Marquis of Normanby, Governor of New Zealand, George Phipps.

Captain Richardson recognised the need for a boat and very soon a vessel was designed and construction begun, funded largely by the government and local efforts. Aurora of large whaleboat design, referred to as a ‘pinnace’, was launched in late summer 1876. It was rowed by fourteen crew, seven on each side, and steered by a sweep at the stern. The pinnace also had a removable mast and sail stowed in the centre console, to be erected when conditions allowed. The same year, two 24-pound cannons were mounted in position on the end of the Boulder Bank on what is now Haulashore Island. Under Captain Richardson’s popular and progressive leadership and with their smart new uniforms, membership of the Naval Brigade continued to grow.

In August 1877 the Naval Brigade took a significant role in the search for missing passengers and crew from the Queen Bee

following her wreck at Farewell Spit. Leaving the harbour about midnight with twenty crew aboard, Aurora rowed for about three hours until a breeze allowed the sail to be raised.

Unfortunately, the breeze soon became a gale, with heavy cold rain.

By daylight Aurora was nearing d’Urville Island so they headed for a sandy beach to rest and recover around a fire. As soon as they neared the beach, local maori greeted them with news that they had found a boatload of survivors from the Queen Bee. When they eventually returned to Nelson with survivors on board, a large crowd gathered on Rocks Rd to cheer them home.

In 1878 another popular Captain, Captain Gully, replaced Captain Richardson but he died the following year and was replaced by Captain W.H.Drake. Under Drake’s command things began to deteriorate. Members lost confidence in him, which eventually led to requests for his resignation, both at meetings, in newspaper letters and a signed petition.

With Captain Drake refusing to budge, conflict continued into 1881.

Increasingly frustrated, Brigade members arranged a procession down Nelson’s Trafalgar Street. Torch bearers leading the way accompanied by a fife and drum band.

Upon reaching the mudflats a stuffed effigy of Captain Drake was burnt with much cheering and laughter. This prompted authorities to act and his employer, the Colonial Bank, saved the day by transferring him to Napier.

The Naval Brigade survived but Government changes dictated that all such organisations be standardised. The Nelson Naval Artillery continued for a time, then was renamed Nelson Coast Guards eventually becoming the Nelson Rifles, with khaki uniforms.

Many of the original members resigned, naval aspects of the brigade faded and Aurora was returned to the government.

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Dive and Survive

By Darryn Palmer Worryingly nearly a dozen of the drowning fatalities over the past 12 months have been divers. Contributing factors were people diving alone or in inappropriate conditions. In several cases it was people returning to diving after having time off over winter, not realising they were out of condition then over estimated their abilities.

Diving health and fitness is crucial. Just like getting the dive gear checked at the beginning of a season, divers too should get a thorough medical examination.

But what level of fitness is required for diving?

Diver fitness is a relative term. There is no level of fitness that guarantees the safety of a diver but there are many illnesses and injuries that greatly increase the danger.

The risk to the diver may occur when the diving environment exacerbates a pre-existing disease or a preexisting disease increases the risk or severity of a diving accident or illness.

The factors taken into account during a medical examination include; Age – very young divers can suffer bone bends, while older people tend to suffer preexisting medical conditions.

Pregnancy – in theory a fetus is at greater risk of decompression sickness.

General Fitness/Strength – divers must be strong enough to carry their wet weight out of the water, climbing a vertical ladder.

Psychiatric/Psychological Wellness – significant mental issues can impair judgment.

Neurological Disorders – brain injuries can cause loss of sensation, strength or movement.

Heart Disease - angina

Photo - Anne Neumann or recent heart attack, intracardiac shunts and heart failure of any type excludes people from diving.

Lung Disease and Asthma – reduced lung function excludes people from diving.

Gastrointestinal - diseases provoking vomiting such as active peptic ulcer and reflux are not condusive to diving, but a treated ulcer is okay.

Musculoskeletal - Mobility and strength are the chief determinants of fitness to dive.

Ears - the ears are the organs most often injured by the diver, which can cause problems equalizing pressure.

Vision - divers have to be able to read their gauges and visually communicate with their partner.

Diabetes – there’s a risk of low blood sugar and confusion or loss of consciousness, especially following unexpected exercise.

Statistically, diving is one of the safest sporting activities around. This, of course, does not mean there aren’t potential dangers. With care

and appropriate training it is safe – but for those who take risks it can quickly become life threatening. Don’t let the rush to go diving lead to tragedy.

Follow the DiveSafe rules: - Get professional training.

- Have a medical assessment prior to entry into the sport or after extended layoff.

- NEVER dive alone – ALWAYS dive with a buddy.

- Maintain and service your equipment.

- Plan your dive and dive your plan.

- Carry a signaling device i.e. safety sausage.

It is also a legal requirement that a dive flag is displayed. It must be able to be seen and readily identified from 200m away. The minimum legal flag size is 600mm high by at least 600mm long. It must be clearly visible even when there is no wind.

All other boat users must maintain at least 200m distance from the flag or keep your speed down to under five knots.

Knot Maintenance

By Frank Cartwright After playing a fish on fly, spinner or baited hook, always retie the hook knot because it becomes weakened by a struggling fish. A knot is the weakest link between hook and hand, and not to re-tie invites possible break-off and fish loss.

Prior to tightening knots, always moisten them. By doing this you lower friction, eliminate heat build up and resulting knot fatigue. Slowly draw the knot tight and remember to give it a good tweak before resuming fishing. It’s much better to have a knot break then and there, than to a good fish.

If you are spinning, every hour or so shorten the line by approx 15cm, as this will eliminate a section of line most stressed by ring-tip friction when casting. After you get home, always slacken off reel clutch tension and store equipment, especially monofilament, in a darkened place to avoid deterioration from ultra violet light.

The fishing Paper 31

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d’Urville Perfection

By Sandy McNeilly This year, the team from Computer NetworX decided to have a diving and fishing adventure as part of our end of year celebrations.

Weather reports hadn’t been favourable during the week leading up to the trip, however on the day the rain stopped, the sun came out, the wind died away and we experienced one of those rare perfect days at sea. Fresh coffee, date scones and the anticipation of the day ahead made the trip to d’Urville pass quickly on dead flat seas.

Working with the tide, we decided to dive first. The water was warm with good visibility.

We collected a good catch of paua, made easier using a measure tool that allows you to measure the paua for legal size without prying it from the rock. A couple of nice cray’s came aboard also, including this 8.5lb specimen caught free diving at a depth of three metres.

On the fishing side, good size blue cod and tarakihi were caught. The prize catch though being a lovely tope caught by Drew – making an excellent addition to the family BBQ planned for the next day.

In all, we landed paua, kina, crayfish, blue cod, tarakihi, perch, gurnard, tope, scallops and oysters.

Spearfishing With Mark Roden

Boulder Bank Action “The Boulder Bank is going off,” was the call so it was all on!

Once in a while – maybe every few years or so, warm blue water gets pushed up along the Boulder Bank and we get primo dive conditions – we’re talking 20 metre plus visibility, and 20 degree water. One year we measured the surface temp at 26 degrees!

Nigel Bethwaite called me at 8:30 on a Friday morning and we were in the water an hour later – we swam around for a couple of hours, which may seem like a long time but we were enjoying the warm clear water and the time just flew by.

We didn’t see any kingies but we knew they were about, as Mike Ponder had been the early bird on the same day and speared one out of a large school. Nigel got some nice footage and we were back in town, having coffee, by 10.00am having a coffee.

Saturday was clear again and kingfish were sighted, so early morning seemed to be the go. Unfortunately, I was up at the entrance to Greville Harbour on Saturday but that’s

another story, although a good one! So, Sunday rolled around and Dan and Stevie called in, “We’re off to The Glen to shoot a kingfish, wanna come?”

An hour later the three of us were 300 metres off The Glen in clear water just enjoying ourselves, when a school of kingies swam past. Two were speared: one ending up on the barbecue, the other smoked for the Nelson Underwater Club end of year do, and very nice it was too. (Can you believe it: there were actually crayfish and scallops left over after the event!)

Sunday morning was great, then the weather changed and by the afternoon there were guys surfing in the same area.That was it, the window had closed, maybe for the whole summer, maybe for several summers.

At a very rough count maybe a total of 15 kingfish were speared over the week, that’s quite enough too, and that may be the sum total of fish taken from that location for a while, the weather being the big factor in the conservation of these fish.

Mike Ponder with a 10kg kingfish

Spearfishing Nelson - Unit 6/1 Koru Place, Stoke Nelson Phone 545 7222 (next to Placemakers off Saxton Road)

32 The fishing Paper

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Yeah, Right Son!

By Ian Robertson

‘Hey Dad – I have something big!”

‘Yeah, right son. Just tighten the drag and wind it in.”

That was how the conversation started the first time I told my eight-year-old son, Marlin, he was going solo on the rod. We were fishing Birdlings Flat back in November and I’d decided it was time he did the hard yards himself, so rigged a rod with small hooks and little strips of squid. I, of course, took the big rod with big hooks and big bait because – obviously – I catch the big fish. Yeah, right Dad! “No Dad, I have something really big.” The kid didn’t give

up easily.

“Shut up, tighten the drag and wind the dam thing in,” I commanded for the second time.

“Daaaaad … it’s REALLY big!”

The sight of one’s son - rod bent double – barefoot skiing down the shingle toward the surf tends to galvanize one into action. I helped steady the rod but Marlin is a great little fisher and he worked that fish in – and it WAS really big. Once it was in the surf, I tailed it for him and we soon realised he’d caught a fish to be proud of – a whopping 60lb tope.

Tope are also known as

school shark or grey boys, and the females grow bigger than the males. They can grow to 1.8m and reach sizes of 35kg, which put Marlin’s catch in the monster category.

They come in close to shore to drop their pups over spring and summer, which are about a foot long. The juveniles remain close to shore until they are big enough to survive offshore, where they school according to size.

Good baits to use are fresh oily ones such as mackerel and mullet, but obviously squid works too. Marlin’s tope was heavy in pup, so we released her unharmed.