ISSUE 52
October 2015
Working out
‘Workups’
New Season
Bliss on the
Little Rivers
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CONTENTS 4.. Editorial 8..
LegaSea Update
10.. Working out ‘Workups’
ABOUT / Short and sharp, NZ Fisher is a free e-magazine delivering thought provoking and enlightening articles, and industry news and information to forwardthinking fisher people.
EDITOR / Derrick Paull GROUP EDITOR / Colin Kennedy ART DIRECTOR / Jodi Olsson CONTENT ENQUIRIES /
18.. Pimp My Boat: A Sustainable Fishing Competition 20.. New Season Bliss on the Little Rivers 24.. Benisland.co.nz: Rock Fishing with my Dad 29.. Video of the Month
Phone Derrick on 021 629 327 or email derrickp@NZ Fisher.co.nz ADVERTISING ENQUIRIES / Phone Derrick on 021 629 327 or email derrickp@NZ Fisher.co.nz ADDRESS / NZ Fisher, PO Box 47794, Ponsonby 11144 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!
30.. Reader Pics 35.. Competition Cover Images: Maxi Rouillon with a hard fighting Wellington Trev
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EDITORIAL
THANKS TO ALL WHO have sent
reckon I’m hooked now.” – Eric. That is
feedback in the last few months. It’s
why I do this; thanks Chris and also to
very rewarding to receive your words,
Eric for the feedback.
even the critical ones. I’m especially
This month we’ve brought together
pleased by the response to our ‘trout’
a bunch of expert intel on the game
heavy issue last month.
of seek – chasing work-ups and their
Chris from Rod & Reel’s piece on Czech
pink disciples, the snapper. Neil spoke
nymphing was a good read and, actually
to a number of ‘experts’, searched
surprising, garnered one of the best
the forums and then put his skills to
responses from a reader who’s read
the test, and with great results. Your
NZFisher for years: “Cheers for the intel
feedback is, as always, welcomed.
on trout fishing. I’ve always been afraid
While the fresh water fishing begins
to give it a go ‘cos I never learned to
to warm towards a dry fly season, the
cast. The way they said it went I got
marine scene is also gaining pace with
pretty excited and bought a fly rod and
big hauls of solid fish being noted in the
headed to Rotorua for opening day
Hauraki, Bay of Plenty and Northland
weekend. I got my first trout, almost
once again.
by accident doing what Chris said and I
4 www.nzfisher.co.nz
The only real blight is the recent
Maraetai Beach Boating Club. There’s a
video posted by Legasea showing six
run down on the ‘Pimp my Boat’ comp
kilometres of dead snapper and gurnard
in this issue and we’re very keen to get
washed up on Muriwai beach on the
behind this sustainable competition.
week of the 20th of October. Its very
There’s great prizes, a great location
hard not to feel a pang of guilt that
and best of all it doesn’t require you
we, the fishers – be it commercial or
to waste the fish you catch just to
recreational – are damaging the fishery
win a prize. As part of the launch
we love so much with poor practice.
we’re offering two spots to NZFisher
This incident does appear to be the
readers, on the NZFisher Frewza to
result of a commercial vessel dumping
fish this competition.
or leaking fish or even potentially the
To enter, e-mail us a photo of you
result of a damaged trawl net, but we
and a fish and you’re in the draw.
all have a voice and we need to be
The prize will be drawn on 30th
telling government and ministry that
November, and includes two tickets to
this is not ok.
the ‘Pimp my Boat’ Tournament, bait,
This poor practice of trawling pays
food and tackle usage (if required)
such low returns, its hard to believe its equitable to do it. Trawled snapper are unsightly, un-appetising and low
and transport on the NZFisher Frewza (you’ll need to get yourself to and from Maraetai Beach) with our editor
grade – they fetch the lowest value
and technical editor.
on the international stage and are
Please send images to:
often the ugly seconds we see dolled
derrickp@nzfisher.co.nz. Images
up in supermarket cases. Please get
become the property of NZFisher
behind LegaSea and let’s put an end the
and may be used in the magazine
senseless waste of this valuable fish.
or as promotional material.
This month we’re please to bring the
Tight lines,
first announcement of a new type of fishing competition being run by the
Derrick www.nzfisher.co.nz 5
H
o n d a M a r i n e, S u r te e s a n d I zuzu h ave j o i n e d f o rce s to g i ve yo u t h e c h a n ce to W I N TH E D R E A M p a c ka g e ! T h e S u r t e e s 57 5 Wo r k m a te, p o w e re d by H o n d a B F1 0 0 H P, to w e d b y t h e I s u zu D - M a x to u g h u te, l o a d e d w i t h S h i m a n o
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t h e d re a m r i g f o r K i w i ’s ! E n te r o n l i n e a t w w w. h o n d a m a ri n e.co. n z!
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FISHERIESMANAGEMENT
Legasea
Update
What’s fishing worth? UPDATE Update by Trish Rae, Legasea
A BIG THANKS TO everyone who
and persuasive facts will provide the
has donated to the New Zealand
necessary tools to achieve more fish
Marine Research Foundation’s latest
in the water.”
project to measure the impact that recreational fishing has on the New Zealand economy. For others who are keen, you can still
Changing attitudes starts with understanding
donate directly through the
Changing the way people view the
www.whatsfishingworth.co.nz site or
ocean and creating a more positive
the Foundation’s website.
attitude towards con-servation is an
Foundation Chairman Jeff Romeril said recently: “For too long
outcome of overseas research into the value of recreational fishing.
recreational fishers have been the
LegaSea believes the same positive
poor cousins in the continuing lobby
benefits could apply to New Zealand
for better management and utilisation
when the results of the Foundation’s
of our fisher-ies resources. We need
research project are made public and
to empower our advocates for many
given effect through policy changes.
years to come”.
Those policy changes will only
“Having some hard-hitting, simple
come about through widespread
8 www.nzfisher.co.nz
understanding of both the benefits of having more fish available to local communities, and the potential earnings for the country as a whole. For example, a study of Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, found sportfishing generated over $245 million in new local and federal taxes. And, the total economic activity associated with 345,000 visiting anglers was estimated to be approximately USD$1.125 billion. Here in NZ, after 30 years of the quota management system we still have our precious kahawai being exported for $1.45 per kilo, and 25 to 29cm snapper exported to Australia for $9.00 per kilo. It’s time to smarten up.
Growth potential Our country has so much potential for job growth, wealth generation and tax revenues, but that all depends on having fish available.
C
M
Y
The Foundation is determined to complete the study. Preliminary results are expected by December and a peerreviewed report by early 2016.
CM
MY
CY
CMY
LegaSea is helping to raise the $400,000 to support the research and subsequent publicity programme, because building a business case and public awareness seems to be the most effective way to convince our politicians that we need more fish in the water. LegaSea urges you to get in behind the Foundation and contribute as much as you can to the fundraising effort. Visit www.whatsfishingworth.co.nz. K
All contributions are tax deductible because the New Zealand Marine Research Foundation is a registered charitable trust. â– Call 0800 LEGASEA (534 273) Email us info@legasea.co.nz Subscribe at www.legasea.co.nz Read more at www.facebook.com/legasea
www.nzfisher.co.nz 9
Working out
‘Workups’
This time of year it’s all about chasing work-ups. By Neil Wagener
10 www.nzfisher.co.nz
A pair of big snaps the fell to jigs under a work-up.
ley hael Walk Credit: Mic s d ir b e nder th hammy u Double w
EVERY FISHING PAGE I follow on Facebook shows me images of happy fishers hoisting fish with metal jigs
Good micro & slow pitch jigs last a re but change ally long tim your assist e. They’re st & leader regu ill effective larly Credit: Michael Wal kley
or heavy softbaits hanging from their
we decided to make some polite
mouths. As a fisher who grew up rock
enquiries and get our track record
fishing I struggle sometimes to make
back on track. First call? The
the connection between acres of
NZFishing Community facebook page
empty looking ocean over sand and
and then off to the local tackle store
huge schools of hungry fish.
for some bling.
Over the last few years my friends and
Work-up fishing has got to be the
I have headed east beyond the Noisies
fastest evolving form of snapper
in search of gold headed eagles
catching in our fisheries right now.
crashing in unison into a seething
The sheer number of lures, assist
mass of dolphins, whales and fleeing
hooks, new braids and super tough
anchovies – hiding the snapper that
fluorocarbons is astounding. Rod & Reel
lurk below, waiting impatiently for
recently expanded the store, but the
our lead offerings to drop from above. They’re still waiting.
new slow pitch jigs alone pretty much take up the created space. A novice slow pitch fisher could be forgiven for
Well, instead of giving up after
giving up before really having a go – the
trip number one like most years,
range is so vast and varied.
www.nzfisher.co.nz 11
HOTS Conker doing the damage - it’s slow fall and flutter motion is deadly on snapper Credit: Rod & Reel
One real advantage of metal jigs
30lb fluoro on an 8lb set, but a snapper’s
(be it slow pitch, inchiku or old
teeth will liberate a jig in a second if
fashioned jig) is their resilience to
you’re attaching it to light leaders.
snapper teeth. I’ve spent hundreds if
At around $15 to $25 per jig you
not thousands already on soft-baits
don’t want to be losing many,
that have been destroyed after just a
that’s for sure!
few drops; replacing them time and time again every day. Provided you go heavy enough on our leader it’s generally only snags (of which there’s
I’ve begun to appreciate the benefit of a dedicated slow-pitch rod and reel, but it’s not a necessity by any means. The majority of softball type sets will do you
a few) or ‘coutta’ that are likely to
right; they’re a bit fast taper sometimes,
offer your shiny new jig freedom.
but the general effect is right.
At this time of year, when the snapper
I mention tackle because at the end of
are at their most voracious, we definitely
the day it’s what’ll make the biggest
go heavy on the leaders. I’m often
difference to your catch rates once
accused of overkill when stringing up
you find the fish. Finding the fish is
12 www.nzfisher.co.nz
Jay enticed the bite. Credit: Rod & Reel The striped pattern of this Zest Slow
the tough part really – once you’ve got them locked in, it can be hours of madness or fleeting spurts of mayhem, but you need to find them first and that’s the key. Once you’ve got your gear sorted and have a feel for what to expect
(again, Facebook has a plethora of videos, reports and how to content to reference too), you’ll need to find some fish. We’re Auckland based and while there’s spawning congregations and work-ups that go with them throughout the country, we tend to
www.nzfisher.co.nz 13
14 www.nzfisher.co.nz
Alastair with a typical king from under the birds
stay near to home for our fishing –
fairly constant. We definitely found
why waste gas when you don’t need
better fishing deeper and further
to? We head to three different areas
out in the beginning of spring, with
in spring, depending on the reports
schools moving in and becoming more
we’re getting.
voracious from December onwards.
These are:
For the next month (November)
• North Ground – between Little Barrier, Kawau and Anchorite Rock • Back Paddock – North East of Tiri to North or Waiheke • South Paddock – East of Waiheke north to Channel Island.
aiming to fish between 35 metres and 45 metres is pretty safe, but there’s a good likelihood that there’ll be workups beginning to bear fruit between Tiri and Kawau Island this month too. Gannets are easily your best indicator of baitfish concentrated under the
The names may change within
surface. Even if you don’t see the
different groups, but the areas remain
gannets immediately, you’ll generally
www.nzfisher.co.nz 15
see other boats heading quickly in the direction of the forming work-up.
on their fish looking tails and skirts, the
This year we’re seeing pods of dolphins numbering in their thousands (no exaggeration). The dolphins, gannets and occasional whales are drawn together to eat anchovies and pilchards that are being chased by kahawai, kingfish and snapper. The pilchards themselves are here to gorge themselves on the zooplankton population the gulf nurses – aided somewhat by the high nutrient levels in the water (care of terrestrial run-off no doubt).
on visible levels but also through fish
There are few sights so awe inspiring as a thousand or more gannets on a helterskelter bombing run. They fly, dive, swim and if the bait is plentiful, recirculate in a tornado-like maelstrom of golden-head feathered torpedo’s, choreographed by the collective desire to eat more fish.
up to 100m. Anything deeper, and you’re
Once you’ve recovered from the spectacle, get your boat near, but not ‘in’ the workup so your jigs or soft-baits fall within ‘cooee’ of the gannet army – you want it to fall where the bait scraps are drifting towards the bottom.
modern, well designed jigs act not only sensory systems that alert them from a greater distance to agitated prey. As the depth of water you’re fishing in increases, the additional pressure likely affects the response of the jig; I am willing to believe this also increases the intensity of the vibrations it gives off. For this reason, I’m much happier dropping a slow pitch jig in water 40m or deeper, but I also like them in water waiting too long for them to drop as they’re not designed like a knife jig to drop quickly to the strike zone, but to almost suspend in the water-column to attract prey. If you’d prefer to stick with bait, there’s a really simple rig and technique that I was introduced to by Stephen Tapp. It’s not revolutionary but the result of a man who really thinks like a fish in an effort to encourage a bite. This can be fished directly to your mainline (if you’re fishing
The idea of flat-fall or slow pitch jigs is that they imitate a wounded, escaping baitfish. Their weight drags them down and when you lift your tip they respond, imitating that injured fish, vibrating and sending out the signals predators identify with as ‘lunch is served’.
mono – filament) or on a fairly long trace
The reason, I believe the ‘better’ jigs work when things are tough is this vibration on the lift. Where inchiku type rely largely
behind the anal fin, leaving the point and
16 www.nzfisher.co.nz
if you prefer braid. Start off with a free running ball sinker which runs directly down onto a pair of 4/0 octopus hooks; the end one attached, the other free running. Hook the fixed hook into the tail end of a pilchard, just barb very exposed. The free hook is then simply run from the chin, up through the
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lower and upper jaws and out the top of the head, effectively free swimming.
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To finish the rig, tie a ‘half hitch’ around the shank of the hook below the eye; this creates a stopping point for the line and allows the bait to ‘swim’ out behind the falling sinker. It looks very natural and again imitates the escaping baitfish. SECTION RUN OF BOOK
PUBLICATION NZ FISHING NEWS
You’ll be surprised how effective this is – even compared to jigs and FAX 5543
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softies in work-ups. I must warn you though – gannets do occasionally hit these baits. If this happens, please use common sense and release the
With gear like the Evergreen Poseidon, Ripple Fisher UL,Yamaga Galahad, Jigstar, Shimano and Daiwa slow jig / slow pitch rods, SeaFloor Control, Deepliner and HOTs jigs, Xesta,Vanfook and Daiwa accessories and YGK G-soul braid and leader, you have every base covered! Make sure that fish of a lifetime doesn’t get away!!
birds quickly, safely and with as little trauma as possible. I’ve also noted a larger number of kingfish and larger snapper on this rig when compared to imitation baits. PROOFED 10/09/2015 10:37:58 a.m.
Now really is the time to hit these work-ups so get your family or SALES REP BRAEDEN.SAUL
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I recommend a quick visit to some DESIGNER Fdixon
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you head out to get the low-down from
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17
SUSTAINABILITYCOMPETITION
A sustainable fishing competition THERE IS A GROWING movement
and friends. The benefits to our cultural
amongst the recreational fishing
and family well-being are immeasurable
community in recent times towards
in this regard and in my opinion, this is
sustainable fisheries and ‘fishing for
what our fishery should be all about.
the future’.
However, there will always be a
Gone are the days of groups of people
competitive nature within fishermen. The
heading out to catch and kill everything
desire to pit one’s skills against that of
they can land. Rather, most fishermen,
one’s fellow fisherman will always be alive
in an effort to limit the impact on
amongst us. The bragging rights earned
our fish stocks and help rebuild a
from winning a competition alone are
healthy abundance of fish for future
usually enough to stir the blood in most
generations, will now limit their catch
and, when prizes are thrown in, it just
and only take what is needed for a feed.
gets sweeter.
Every day through online media,
Unfortunately, however, with very little
forums, television shows and magazines
option but to kill and weigh their catch
we see images of anglers releasing fish
back at the club, the very nature of
back to the water to not only fight
traditional competitions (with valuable
another day but, more importantly,
rewards offered for the largest of each
breed again. A photo lasts an eternity
species) actually encourages anglers to
and is trophy enough for most of us
kill fish that they perhaps would have
these days, especially where prime
released in any other situation.
breeding fish are concerned.
The problem is further compounded
I’m not suggesting that keeping large
by a large volume of anglers fishing
fish, or your daily bag limit, should
in relatively small areas over the
be frowned upon. So long as we are
same period of time. The result is a
sticking to the rules and regulations
concentrated effort by many incentivised
then everybody should feel free to take
anglers to remove as many large breeding
what they need to sustain their family
fish from the gene pool as they can catch.
18 www.nzfisher.co.nz
Hardly ideal whichever way you look at it.
search of trophy fish, other anglers may
So the question was raised amongst members of the Maraetai Beach Boat Club fishing committee: How do we run a fishing competition that can satisfy the competitive spirit of even the hardiest of fishermen without causing the unnecessary damage to our fishery that usually accompanies most fishing contests? The answer we came up with was the Pimp My Boat fishing contest.
choose to target fish that can be caught
The obvious place to start was to address the need to kill the fish that contestants want to present. We will be running our competition in conjunction with the DB Export NZ Fishing Competition and each vessel will be required to have one of their measure mats on-board. Fish that are captured need to be photographed against this measure to be entered. The angler can then decide if they want to add the fish to their bin or release it back into the water. Whilst this concept is not new, there are very few competitions run in NZ that are entirely based on length. By limiting the number of tickets to 200 and then giving the entrants the option of fishing virtually anywhere in the Hauraki Gulf, we eliminate concentrated fishing pressure. To further ensure a varied spectrum of locations, we have included very good prizes for both longest fish and also target length fish. This means that while some boats may head out to the far reaches of the Gulf in
straight out in front of the clubrooms in the Tamaki Strait. Finally, by maximising the catch that is brought in, we can limit how much we need to take. For this reason, we will have a fish filleting station back at the club and it will be run by the Legasea initiative, freefishheads.co.nz. For a gold coin donation per fish, you can have your catch filleted and bagged at the end of the day with the heads and frames provided to very grateful recipients registered on the site. Not only does this utilise every part of the fish and sustain a wider spectrum of the community, but will help raise exposure for Legasea to further enable them to fight for a plentiful and abundant fishery for future generations. Furthermore, we will also be donating $10 to Legasea from every Pimp My Boat ticket sold. The 2016 Pimp My Boat contest will be the inaugural event. While we hope that the above initiatives form a great base for sustainable fishing competitions, we will be looking to improve and develop the structure each year so that we anglers can enjoy great, low impact, guilt-free fishing contests for years to come. For further information about Pimp My Boat you can visit the contest website at www.pimpmyboat.co.nz or join the discussion on facebook. â–
www.nzfisher.co.nz 19
TROUTFISHING
New Season Bliss on the
Little Rivers Fresh in the new season we stalk, hook and release some of the county’s finest game fish – brown trout
Words by Derrick Paull Images by Hamish Carnachan, Editor, Fish & Game Magazine
20 www.nzfisher.co.nz
DISCLOSURE: I WANT TO begin by
I had a short window after opening day
stating that nothing that happened
a few weekends back to visit Hamish
in the time I chased these wonderful
in his Wairarapa haunt. He’d been busy
Wairarapa fish was through my own
surveying the districts waters for Fish &
ability or knowledge. As a fisher of 30
Game and agreed to come for a wander
years on the salty stuff I reckon I know
up a small stream in the evening, before
a thing about finding, hooking and
the shadows could shut our spotting
landing good fish.
abilities down. To give some indication
I’ve even landed a few fat, tasty
of my ignorance, I’d naturally assumed
rainbows on the Taupo rivers this year that are, in principal the result
a cloudy day was the better option for spotting these golden ghosts, but I
of my discoveries, growing experience
quickly learned otherwise.
and ability. But wild brown trout in a
We headed out from Carterton, crossing
crystal clear, frigid mountain stream?
an ambling stream that Hamish noted
Not a chance. All that follows is due
was the downstream result of the
my patient, sharing and extremely
mountain stream we were heading for.
generous guide, Hamish Carnachan
Over these lowland reaches it was sadly
(notably, the images too are of his hand
dirty, a milky clay colour – I can only
– I am but a passenger).
imagine the punishment it receives as it
www.nzfisher.co.nz 21
TROUTFISHING
crossed the largely agricultural dairy lands of
surprised with my ankle submerged (I find
the Wairarapa.
the efficacy of polarised glass incredible).
We began heading to the hills, and as we
I walk scanning the pools and runs – seeing
drove further up the stream gained life,
nothing – but taking my cues from Hamish
and considerable beauty as the water
at each pool, where I flick at shadows in
cleared and ran faster between solid bluffs,
a few pools until after a kilometre or so
sleepy pools and long shingly runs. Even
Hamish freezes like a hunting dog, hand
my ignorance could not mistake the fishy
moving imperceptibly to tell me to stop and
look for these waters.
lower my frame. It did take me 30 seconds
Hamish pulled us up to a Fish & Game
to finally identify the shadow that this time
signposted access point. They do so much
was indeed a trout slipping in out out of the
for us – even working with land-owners to
main flow, presumably supping lunch as
provide us this access, so I have no qualms
they flowed kindly down to his waiting gob.
parting with my license fee each year.
I’d pre-rigged a size 12 gold-beaded nymph
The stream was not cool; it was cold – a
slung below a #10 Royal Wolfe. I’d recently
reminder of the recent snows on the hill
read up on this area in an old Geoff
tops around the valley. The clarity was such
Thomas book and he couldn’t write a page
that as we headed upstream, I mistook
without suggesting the Royal Wolfe, so
puddles for bare earth and ended up
who was I to disagree?
22 www.nzfisher.co.nz
Hamish had me throw a few dummy casts
the indicator snapped out of sight and
high over the pool to judge my line negate
I struck, coming up hard on a surprised
before fishing a drop that would spook
‘browny’ that immediately began doing
the fish. When he thought I had things
rapid powerful laps of his pool before
under control he let me drop a cast and,
ripping line downstream in search of snags
all nerves coming out at once, it landed far
in the exit run.
too long and mercifully left, away from the fast feeding fish. Second cast was as close to perfect as I could have asked. The dry-fly drifted immediately over the trout’s head and he obliged by coming up and supping it down, spiking my adrenalin and encouraging a premature
I cannot imagine how much of a tool I looked with a huge smile on my face and a little dance of excitement tripping my feet across the stones before I began to actually listen to Hamish; walking the fish to the shore for a quick photo and release.
and immediately disastrous response. I
This was no ordinary trout. It was long –
pulled the fly straight from his jaws and
way longer than the similar weight fish
spooked him deep and far from sight. This is
I’d nabbed in Taupo – but bright golden
where patience is really important. Rather
yellow with a green; iridescent head
than storm on, we held back and waited
and bold brown red spots covering it
for 15 minutes while the fish regained his
from shoulder to tail. I understand real
confidence back and began feeding again.
backcountry fishers come across fish like
This time around I knew the pattern and
this often, but for a northern city slicker
had a better feel for the drift. A couple of
like me, this was heaven on earth and the
testers and I dropped the fly in his path
first of what I hope is many big, stroppy
once again. This time he stayed deep but
and beautiful skinny water browns. ■
www.nzfisher.co.nz 23
BENISLAND.CO.NZ
Rock Fishing
With my Dad
24 www.nzfisher.co.nz
In German they say: “Aller guten Dinge sind drei” (Third time’s a charm), however, they also say: “Einmal ist keinmal” (Once doesn’t count). So where does that leave us? I don’t know, it’s not important anyway, but what needs to be highlighted though, is that Dad and I went rock-fishing, for the third time, and it was almost perfect. Words & images by Ben Island
WHEN I GOT HOME from work
A bit later than 14.30 and we’re
yesterday, I hurried Dad: “Come on,
fishing. The burley is dispensing, the
we need to go, where are the torches,
water has retreated significantly more
are you ready?”
than the last times we were here;
“I just made tea son,” he responded.
it must be a very strong tidal flow, everything is quiet and calm. We get a
“We don’t have time for tea Dad, we’re few nibbles here and there, our baits going fishing.” get bitten off the hook and we don’t “Aah, there is enough time for a tea,” Dad says and drinks his tea and then mine too. I’ve come to realise that when it
get any action for more than an hour. No kahawai, but there is a school of piper feeding happily on the burley.
comes to rock-fishing, especially
Focus on catching fresh bait
when I’m not on my own, I generally
Most of the good snapper I’ve caught
rush with the rationale of getting
off the rocks were landed on fresh
to the spot by a set time, preparing
bait. When the fishing is slow and you
everything and observing the
don’t get any excitement using the
conditions. The funny thing is that,
baits you brought along, there are two
once I’ve cast a few baits and got a
things you can do. Continue doing
feel for the situation, I calm down,
what you are doing, or acknowledge
feeling confident and on top of
that the fishing is slow and use this
things; whereas the person I take
time to catch fresh bait.
fishing starts rushing.
Easily said, but it is in reality a battle.
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BENISLAND.CO.NZ
“Should I re-rig and catch piper? Or cast one more time? Surely the moment I switch to small hooks a big kahawai cruises by, or a big snapper…” It’s challenging, but believe me, unless you are fishing two rods, switch your gear and catch fresh bait. It’s been a while since I targeted piper, I must admit, and it took a quarter of an hour until I hooked and landed the first one. A madman, a land-based fishing extremist, a man too big for
Go for a walk at low tide – unless you’re targeting kingfish I cease this extremely low tide and go for a walk and come back with heaps of big kina. I ask Dad to stop fishing: “Let’s have a break and a feed”. We open the kina, enjoy the roes and throw the shells into the water. “This will attract the big snapper to come in close Dad.”
any pair of jeans and a man with whom I hope to fish again showed me how to target piper.
The hookup As I see Dad’s rod bent and line
I wouldn’t be surprised to hear that
spooling off his reel, I retrieve my bait
another madman and dear friend showed
quickly and remind him to keep the
the former madman how to rig for piper
rod aiming high. He adjusts the drag,
(hold on, am I a madman, too?).
increasing it by one, then another
The important thing here is
notch. He knows what he’s doing. He
that it works and I’ve used this
isn’t snagged, there is clearly a fish on
method for years. I shall share this
and he is managing it. I wonder what
knowledge with you at some stage,
his drag setting is.
unfortunately, I don’t have a photo
We see some colour. It’s a decent
of the rig. It is very ‘un-Kiwi’ though,
snapper. Dad remains calm and utters
and involves a float… It is about 4PM and there are seven piper swimming, well, dying in the bucket; I switch back to my twohooked rig and see a small kahawai. I arrest it and put it into the bucket. It is about dead-low tide, the water is
in farsi: “This one is going nowhere”. Less than a minute later and I grab the leader and pull his fish up onto the rocks. “Woohooo, nice one.” Dad is impressed and measures the fish. “That’s more than 50cm.”
far out, Dad is fishing hard, he casts,
We take a couple pictures, it is about
waits, feels the nibbles, then nothing,
5PM and I remind him that now is bite
he retrieves, the bait is gone, he re-
time. We’ve been burleying, we’ve
baits and casts again.
been casting, we’ve ground baited with
26 www.nzfisher.co.nz
Stay organised kina and cubed pilchards, the change of light is soon, we’ve got fresh bait, in other words, we’re in the zone. Dad lands another 40cm snapper. I’m still casting far out, nothing really. He lands a third snapper; he keeps casting into the same spot where he got the big one. Our bag looks healthy, three decent snapper. I cast another piper and get a hook-up on the surface. The fish fights strongly and changes direction. ‘Finally, a bigger kahawai,’ I think. The fish jumps out of the water to our mutual excitement, and yes, of course it is a kahawai. Not big, but good fun and good eating.
I know that Dad will fish until he can’t see a thing, so I start packing in a bit; getting all the gear together and address our catch. It is a good idea to get yourself sorted out before dusk, otherwise you might forget something or spend heaps of time in the dark trying to sort things out.
The kahawai head – big snapper just love it! It should be no surprise to my regular readers that I wasn’t just scaling and gutting the catch, my rod was secured in a rod holder and there was a fresh, bloody kahawai head hooked to the end of the line far out.
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BENISLAND.CO.NZ
I finish cleaning the fish and find it somewhat surprising that nothing touched the kahawai head. Hmmm, I retrieve it. Indeed, untouched. So out it goes again. I walk to my bag and eat some chippies, I see my rod bend for a brief moment, a bit of line is taken.
gutted though. Up to now the fishing was perfect. It would have been much better had I not gotten that take.
Give fish
The bag of chips is dropped and I jump to my rod, tighten the drag, take the slack out of the line and strike. WHOOOOOM, line peels off the reel. I’m not sure how strong the drag setting is. I instinctively step onto the highest rock next to me and aim the rod up high.
After a good day’s rock-fishing I like
I fight a strong fish for about five seconds, and then, something I’m not accustomed to – ‘PIING’ – the line breaks. I know it, I feel it, but I am only convinced after retrieving the line. Yup, cut clean on the main line. SHOOT.
come home and find a decent, fresh
I check the drag. It is a bit tighter than I would have arguably liked it, but hey, it is shallow waters, the bait got taken more than 50 metres away, you don’t have much time goofing around in such conditions. Stop the fish first, only decrease the drag when you’ve gained at least some line. I am
the word gets spread that you catch
28 www.nzfisher.co.nz
to stop at someone I know who lives on the way home and give them some fresh fish. Giving fish away is much better than freezing it for later. When there is no one home, I help myself to their kitchen and put the fish into the fridge. What a nice surprise when you snapper (gutted, scaled and washed in sea water). Perhaps also a surprise to my readers, no one locks their doors here on Aotea. The more you give away, the more fish. For myself, this creates another challenge. There used to be a time when I was just glad to get out there, then came the time when I went out to catch a feed and now I’m at a time in my rock fishing, when I also want to catch a feed for others… ■
VIDEOOFTHEMONTH
The Joy of Fishing with Mates Through the team at Steve’s Fishing shop in Wellington I’ve come across the adventures of Maxi Rouillon, a travelling French fisher with a love of New Zealand
M
one especially because axi’s released a few videos and I chose this . Maxi’s here with it sums up a bunch of reasons I love to fish p) off the rugged coast Steve (of the above mentioned fishing sho za F14. They’re having a great time, of Wellington in Steve’s rugged little Frew utiful! Check it out here. getting a few and Maxi hits a nice trev - bea
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READERPICS
>
Joe McLeod on the rocks around Auckland with a very decent snapper
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>
Clay Pryce’s 56cm snapper taken his first time softbaiting .
>
Duncan Broad with a solid Whitianga topwater King on a Bonze Kaizen 159
>
Kingy Mike Harris 20.5kg, first drop, first king of the day
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READERPICS
>
Leah Phillips - It was 15.43kg. I caught him in the Whakatane Surtees comp in April. It was the hardest thing I’ve done.
>
Scott DeLacy with a recent 29 pounder off the bricks up North Scott Delacy with a soon to be released 22 pounder
>
Scott DeLacy with a recent 29 pounder off the bricks up North
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>
Snapper Jarvis Tusini pb 55cm snap first time softbaiting
>
Ted & The Zeelies
>
William Reid with a 585g 28cm Squid - Thats a first for NZFisher!
Winner!ďƒƒ
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READERPICS
>
The NSSC with a good haul of Snaps (Jeff Zeelie)
ďƒƒWinner!
>
Thomas Plow and his mate Sam with a JD he landed Without dads help! Ted Audain & his shiny new Alvey - and a beautiful Hauraki snapper
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>
COMPETITION
Competition!
Share an Awesome Photo and Be in to Win!
Share a fishy photo this month and be in to WIN one of two $100 Go Fish Vouchers! SHARE AN AWESOME photo of you with a fish to our Facebook page, or email it to derrickp@fisher.co.nz by November 27th 2015 and you’ll be in to win one of five $100 vouchers from Go Fish to spend on anything you like from their website or in store.
This month’s winners are: William Reid (yes, we awarded a squid pic!) and Thomas Plows (John Dory). William and Thomas have each won a $100 Go Fish voucher, happy spending guys! ●
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