ISSUE 49
July 2015
Potential
World Record on Fly!
Enjoying the best of winter in Aotearoa
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Contents ABOUT / Short and sharp, NZ Fisher is a free e-magazine delivering thought provoking and enlightening articles, and industry news and information to forward-thinking fisher people.
EDITOR / Derrick Paull GROUP EDITOR / Colin Kennedy ART DIRECTOR / Jodi Olsson CONTENT ENQUIRIES / Phone Derrick on 021 629 327 or email derrickp@NZ Fisher.co.nz ADVERTISING ENQUIRIES /
4.. Editorial
Phone Derrick on 021 629 327 or email derrickp@NZ Fisher.co.nz ADDRESS / NZ Fisher, PO Box 47794,
6..
In Search of Beasts
14.. LegaSea Update
Ponsonby, Auckland 1011 WEBSITE / www.NZFisher.co.nz This is a GREEN MAG, created and distributed without the use of paper so it's environmentally friendly. Please think before you print. Thank you!
16.. Kingfish off Takatu Point 20.. Matapouri Moocher 30.. Muz’s Pauanui Lifestyle
Cover Images: Main image. Credit Barry Williams. The transit of Mars & Venus across the Southern Sky. Inset: Nick Whitby & his potential World Record 6.8kg Trevally on Fly
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Editorial WE’VE BEEN SPENDING the last month looking at the history of NZFisher and finding the changes we need to make to bring you the best online magazine in New Zealand. We’re 49 issues old, and we promise some big things from our next issue, the 50th, and into the future. We’ve listened and learned; you’re asking for more ‘How to’ and a bit more info on where and how we land our best fish. We’ve also heard you ask for more unique digital video, so that’s high on the agenda. We’re co-opted International Multi-Award winning filmmaker Karl Lear to produce our content, and there’ll be some big names on board too. After 49 issues we reckon we’ve done some good work, but there’s plenty more to give, and we’re as motivated as ever. Thankfully, the coldest of winter appears to have passed (surely it can’t get that cold again!) but it hasn’t dampened the fishing much. The trout are running hard in the
We’ve had some cool footage come in from my old mate Murray the Butcher from the sunny shores of Tairua Harbour. Murray’s images are included, free of the obligation of words in this issue. Murray’s set up in Pauanui for the winter, and he’s tapping into
Taupo streams, the snapper have been
the natural goodness the harbour provides
feeding up in the Hauraki Gulf and the
in sustainable quantities. Unlike the snobs
Taranaki coast, and there have been great
like me, Muz has been very pleased with the
hauls of Kahawai from the beaches and
taste and abundance of Parore, Kahawai and
harbours down the east coast.
the odd snapper or flounder he can snare.
4 www.nzfisher.co.nz
It’s easy to forget how bountiful the waters
desire to once again disrupt and divide the
that surround us are when we search, often
recreational fishing voice.
fruitlessly, for trophies or a specific species. In fact, there’s an awful lot of damned fine seafood swimming by the shore and ripe for a short set of the net, a quick spear or at the end of a line in the channels.
As of our deadline, there’s been no official word on the outcome of the Legasea Hawkes Bay/MPI/Commercial held in Napier. The meeting has come about due to the joint efforts of many local recreational
On the political front (I cannot leave it
members who have been galvanised under
alone sorry), I’ve been alerted to a meeting
the local focus of Legasea.
hosted by MPI in Auckland last month. Apparently the Ministry invited a number of fishing representatives, including at least one TV fishing ‘celebrity’, with the
Sadly, in the lead-up to the meeting an unnamed MPI manager tried to talk the local representatives out of inviting
intention of finding a group with some
Legasea contractors to the meeting. This
punch who are not Legasea related but are
was another attempt to keep a valuable
keen to work with the ministry to develop a
knowledge base out of the meeting and
recreational fishing future.
again undermine our sectors ability to
Now, I know the Ministry can engage
represent ourselves.
whoever they want to discuss recreational
We want a future with fish in it, but this
fishing issues, but it is reprehensible that
won’t happen if MPI’s goal (“The goal is
they would not also engage the largest
to double primary industry exports in
and best organised recreational fishing
real terms from $32billion in June 2012
representative group in the country. I
to over $64billion by 2025.”) to double
know there’s never going to be consensus
exports is achieved.
on who should represent our rights, but by ignoring the leading group, the ministry expose their glaringly obvious
Tight lines,
Derrick www.nzfisher.co.nz 5
SPORTSFISHING
In search
of
Beasts
Challenging the Three Kings and returning with a (potential) World Record This article and images (including the great cover image) by Nick Whitby
6 www.nzfisher.co.nz
Nick & his brother with the pending World Record Trevally on Fly
IT WAS A LONG-TIME dream to head north
Craig Anderton managed to hook a monster
to the remote Three Kings for our group
Koheru during a morning livie session and
of keen as fisho’s. It was a pleasure to be
within moments of dropping this poor
aboard Pursuit for the journey with the
ecstatic fish into the depths on King Bank a
infamous Rick Pollock at the helm and
well-conditioned 35kg kingfish engulfed it,
keeping us in line. Rick is well supported
giving Craig a tussle to remember.
by skilled deckhands Mark Collins and
During a deep drop, we had an 800grm jig
Heath Kamins, who worked hard the whole trip to provide an experience that will keep us looking forward to heading back one day.
race to the bottom which ended abruptly for Craig as he ran out of line on his reel! As he pronounced “good luck boys” and started to jig back up, the rod buckled
Rods were parabolically bent all day long,
over with only a few turns left on the reel,
either ending in triumph or with the skipper
unbeknown to Rick who had leaned out
reminding us not to mess with a gorilla and
of the window explicitly saying “don’t you
to give these fish the respect they deserve.
touch that drag”?
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SPORTSFISHING 8 www.nzfisher.co.nz
Craig was embedded in a stand-off, only
Mark enthusiastically set up a cube trail
able to use the swell to lift the fish and
while the rest of the group started to get
finally get some line back, subduing a
stuck into some nice kingfish and it was not
beautiful 37kg Hapuka.
long before silver hoodlums with rich blue-
Being a passionate fly fisherman,
green backs and yellow fins would flash up
the opportunity I’m most grateful
in the depths. We agreed that it was critical
for presented itself when Rick asked
for the fly to sink naturally, so I made a
if I would like to chase trevally on
roll cast with my favorite shrimp fly and
fly amongst weather-beaten rock
concentrated on letting the fly fall through
arches and the surging waves of
the water column. It was not long until I felt
the spectacular Princess Group.
a take and set the hook carefully.
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SPORTSFISHING 10 www.nzfisher.co.nz
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SPORTSFISHING
A hard fighting trevally was off heading straight for the bottom with the backing appearing rapidly. After managing to turn the fish and make some headway, the hook pulled. That first fish won the fight.
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The most epic and longest battle of the trip went to Kasey ‘Ox’ Coghlan, who willingly hooked a kingfish on a light 14lb braid line, taking him on a trip up and down the gunnels. After an unrelenting long distance stand-off, a beautiful conditioned green backed 22kg kingfish was boat side with a very happy Ox. We will endeavour to return one day to the place of giants, but this trip will be hard to beat!
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In no time another, much larger Trevally, was on. Again, it headed straight for the bottom where it stayed, battling until for some unknown reason the trevally shot for the surface where it lost the fight. Once landed we realised its size, and now it’s a pending 8kg class tippet NZ record Trevally of 6.9kg.
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FISHERIESMANAGEMENT
Legasea
Update
Positive prospects for game-fishing Update by Trish Rae, Legasea
NEW ZEALAND IS FAST BECOMING
successful spawning events 9 or 10 years
world-renowned for trophy-sized kingfish
ago. Recreational fishers fund the project
and lots of them. This is no accident.
to collect data from this tournament. This
Management changes a decade ago,
support comes from the Bay of Islands
Mother Nature and the care shown by
Swordfish Club, the New Zealand Sport
recreational fishers who release much of
Fishing Council and LegaSea.
their kingfish catch have all contributed
In addition, a Government funded
to the stock rebuild.
monitoring project is underway this
Annual monitoring of kingfish length
year. Recreational charter and private
during the Bay of Islands International
fishers around the upper North Island
Yellowtail Tournament over the last five
are helping to monitor kingfish stocks by
years is showing a strong pulse of fish from recording catch details.
14 www.nzfisher.co.nz
While kingfish are hardy creatures,
This past season has also been notable
LegaSea encourages fishers to learn how
for the return of yellowfin tuna across a
to successfully catch and release kingfish
range of sizes in modest, but encouraging
in good condition. Most important is
numbers. There have been 110 swordfish
to use circle hooks, which lodge in the
tagged and released over the previous
corner of the mouth.
three years with two recaptures to date. Marlin fishing on the east coast was
Gamefish success For 58 years, the NZ Sport Fishing Council has been at the forefront of research and conservation of gamefish, and more latterly the management of inshore fisheries and marine environment. LegaSea is promoting this vital work
sporadic this season, but generally on par with 2013-14. Fishing on the west coast was very good at times. The Council is committed to tagging 50% of striped marlin and encourages all anglers to tag and release fish less than 90kg. Some fishers like to keep the first fish of the new season. The NZSFC encourages
and recognises the Council as the
you to tag and release subsequent
only organisation in New Zealand that
captures of that species, to conserve
purchases and distributes fish tags to
them for the future and so we can study
recreational fishers.
their movements
There have been some large yellowtail kingfish tagged this season, and overall
Stand up
the average size and number of kingfish
Become a LegaSea Legend by making a
appears to be increasing.
regular $10 per month contribution. â–
Call 0800 LEGASEA (534 273)
Subscribe at www.legasea.co.nz
Email us info@legasea.co.nz
Read more at www.facebook.com/legasea
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KAYAKFISHING
Getting down ‘n dirty with the king
Kingfish off TakatuPoint
It’s the last weekend in February and after a successful mission a weekend prior with my brother targeting Kingfish from a Kayak, the weather gods put together another stunner weekend of great kayak fishing weather on the Tawharanui Peninsula. Words and images by Danny & Eric Wilson
THE PREVIOUS WEEKEND my brother
confirmation at the end, gripping.
came away with his PB Kingfish that fell
We knew he had something big but we still
to a live-baited Jack Mackerel. A solid fish made better still by it being his first from a kayak. Not surprisingly he was chuffed, and I was envious!
couldn’t believe that we had indeed caught what we set out to catch - a kingfish and a decent one to boot at just on 1 metre and a PB at 26lb. We got what we came for and
The Kingfish put up a solid fight, and Eric
were buggered for it. We had around a 6km
kept it off the bottom with some tough love
paddle back to our launching spot of Jones
and his luck held, so it didn’t run towards
Bay and at times the going got tough, a
the rocks. We were in around 20m deep
slight headwind working against as and the
water and not far from the cliffs. A solid
tide turned to its way out, but the smiles on
20 minute hard-yakka fight ensued; the
our faces kept us in good spirit and eager to
excitement was nail-biting and the visual
tell the story of the one that didn’t get away!
16 www.nzfisher.co.nz
Eric has every reason to be happy!
Hell of a fish from the kayak; but could Danny better it.
A week later
peninsula for Jack Mackerel on my sabiki.
I was ready for round two and set out even
Livies acquired; I set out past Elephant point,
earlier to maximise my days fishing. I was
settling in around 20m of water and about
on the water by 5am, well before the 7am
200m off the cliffs. It was around about 9am
sunrise - it was a starry morning and only half
by the time I was well settled in my spot.
a moons’ worth of natural visibility.
Dead low tide was approaching at 9.50am.
Tasked with catching as much live bait as my
My Piper were quickly becoming
handy homemade tank could handle, I was
claustrophobic and with one on the line
surprised to see so many Piper in shallow
not giving off much fight I continued
water. I managed net a few unlucky ones who
paddling in long slow circles. I needed
were very curious towards the illumination
some help, so I set about chumming up
my kayak was giving off. Frustrated with
some of my Jacks to help get some scent
my net not being fine enough to net a good
going. Within a few minutes, my line
amount of Piper, I set off further up the
peeled off. I had myself a fight!
Failing to plan is not an option.
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KAYAKFISHING
Thats some serious fillets!
Not perfect, but the recipe is being followed.
The weather gods are smiling
Mint!
Incredible how much you can fit into a kayak!
One in the bag and a load of tired looking live bait left, I quickly stowed away my catch, rigged up another live bait and tried for another. Almost on the drop, my line takes off, feels like a Kingfish strike! This time I was in for a good fight and one that I was handling on my Shimano Bait Runner 6000OC. This Kingi danced around my yak a bit, and it was taking me longer to reel in. It felt like it was being chased. My luck held and eventually I got it up to the surface to deal with. And with a big grin on my face, I started my trip home to be back on dry land by lunch time.
18 www.nzfisher.co.nz
I was hoping to beat my brother’s catch, but I fell just short of bettering his, but I did manage to land two pretty much back to back, which was a first for me. Takatu Point continues to pay off in my books as one of my favourite destinations to Kayak fish, but it’s never short of a lot of hard work, determination and fight, before you get to come away feeling chuffed. It pays to be prepared and to know exactly what the tides and forecast are doing. Get the tides and the wind wrong and you can be in for a long day. But time it right and it can delight! ■
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KAYAKFISHING
Matapouri Moocher Having only started kayak fishing just over a year ago I have been focused on getting my head around the fundamentals of this exciting way to get in the water and chase a feed of fish. Top of the list was ensuring I stay safe on the water but I have also been coming to grips with new fishing techniques such as the use of soft plastics and slow jigs. By Orson Waldock
20 www.nzfisher.co.nz
WHILE MY INITIAL TRIPS out on
of the importance of planning, my trip
the kayak were largely about time
started on the laptop.
on the water, I have now started
I used Google Earth and maritime charts to
to think more about setting goals including landing a legal Kingfish (still a work in progress) and targeting big winter snapper in the shallows.
survey a new area of the coast I was keen to explore. From the comfort of home, I was able to identify areas where fish are likely to be holding. This included visible foul, weed
One of the key pieces of advice I have
beds, ledges and reef systems. Knowing all
picked up from others is ensuring you
this greatly increased my chances of success
have a good plan. Preparing for a fishing
when fishing new ground.
trip based on knowing what you want to
I launched into the Matapouri Estuary
target, where, when and how stand you in good stead while chasing those big fish or elusive species.
and headed out the bay at just after sun up. Although a 40knot north-easterly had dropped there was still a significant
A recent trip up to Tutukaka provided me
amount of swell moving below the kayak
with an opportunity to explore a new
and smashing into the coast. I headed
section of coast along with the goal of
straight to a cliff face I had identified a few
dragging a big winter snapper out of the
days before with the plan of fishing the
shallows. Armed with my new knowledge
wash for large resident snapper.
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KAYAKFISHING 22 www.nzfisher.co.nz
“ It feels good to have set a plan, executed and it and have the fish to show for it at the end of the day.“
Conditions were tough with a stiff westerly
toward the boiling cliffs. I was keen to target
breeze pushing me off my casting position
10 metres or so out from the wash area
and well out of the bite zone. With little
assuming that large predating fish would be
chance of connecting in that spot, I headed
patrolling this edge looking for crustaceans
to the next headland I had identified where
and small fish that had come to grief.
I could set up a drift. The new spot looked
On my second drift, my soft bait was hit
more promising with the westerly pushing
on the drop and something started to pull
me along a reasonable length of wash zone
considerable line. I was not sure what it was
and rocky foul.
at first as rather than distinctive head shakes
Something like this is a tricky situation as
this fish just swam hard and straight. My
the impact zone is where I want to target
issue was that it was heading straight back
large snapper, but not at the expense of
into the wash at a considerable pace.
coming to grief on the some fearsome
With some big waves rolling in, I even
looking rocks. I needed to stay mobile
considered flicking over the bail arm and
as there were some large waves coming
backing out. I had started to make some
through, so I used my paddle to hold station
ground on the fish, though, so continued
while lobbing a light weighted soft bait
to put more pressure on the line which
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BENISLAND.CO.NZ brings up a good Snapper alongside. Still
check it out here.
not out of the woods I netted the fish and
There were a few other fish that came
paddled out to deeper water before iki’ing
alongside, some good Kahawai and the
the fish and stowing in the back. With
world’s smallest Kingfish but they all
relatives from overseas at home, this 62cm
went back. It feels good to have set a plan,
snapper provided a reasonable feed for the
executed and it and have the fish to show for
whole family.
it at the end of the day. With the westerly
I had the GoPro on the whole morning
picking up I called it quits and headed back
and Managed to capture the fight –
into the shelter of the estuary. ■
24 www.nzfisher.co.nz
18+ lbs snapper off the rocks.
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READERPICS
Angela Kerr keeping an eagle eye one her lines in late July off the Coromandel coast
Reader
Pics
Alex Reeves with a solid 11.21kg Taranaki surfcasting snapper
26 www.nzfisher.co.nz
Ollie Reeves (Last months winner) with another great Ngongy Rainbow
Eoghan Waldock showing his skills with another Snapper he caught with his Dad on the kayak
Jase with a 5.2kg mid-winter Far North snap.
Jason Christiansen with a solid landbased king
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Teaghan Erringtyon’s results from a late August weekend
Shane Grahams with a hefty Kingfish
Ted Audain, Jeff & Louisa Zeelie at Papa Aroha fishing with the North Shore Surfcasting Club.
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Muz’s Pauanui
Lifestyle
When a retired fisho takes a break from the city, but needs to take the city with him, you’ll find his laptop on wharves and at the beach with him. The mobile’s in his hand but the scenery is the star.
30 www.nzfisher.co.nz
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