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WELCOME TO ISSUE TWENTY OF RHEEM OFF-SITE
CONTENTS 04 TAHR TIME! 08 TRADIE PROFILE – HAMISH WARD 12 EPIC FISHING DESTINATION 16 RHEEM – STEADY, HOT & STRONG 18 TAMING THE TIGER 22 TRADIE PROFILE – GEMMA O’BRIEN 26 NZ’S BEST SKI SPOTS
Cover Photo: Ben Starns
It’s been all about domestic adventures and supporting local over the last couple of months. With the borders closed, us Kiwis have been rediscovering some of our local gems – and they’re more than making up for the lack of travel. Nick Binks’ recent trip to the South Island’s West Coast to hunt tahr is a prime example. Is there anything more adventurous than being dropped onto a freezing mountain by helicopter for a week of remote hunting? Nick tells the tale from page four. We have two tradie profiles this issue, and both offer something a bit different. First – not missing an opportunity to visit the Deep Creek Brewery – I interview award-winning brewer Hamish Ward, before Helen Horrocks introduces architect and spearfishing national champion Gemma O’Brien. Nick Jones continues his series on NZ’s top fishing destinations by taking a look at one of the Hauraki’s most picturesque and productive spots: Great Barrier Island. For those who prefer fishing further inland, keen freshwater fisherman Josiah Atkinson provides an overview of tiger trout, one of the rarest and most prized trout species in NZ. Steve Dickinson rounds out the issue with another encouragement to support local. He runs through NZ’s best ski resorts, and lets us know how we can make the most of the snow season’s last month or two. Enjoy!
ETHAN NEVILLE
Rheem off-Site is published bi-monthly by NZ Fishing Media Ltd. Offices are located at 177B Marua Road, Ellerslie, Auckland, Ph (09) 579 4060. THE BOSS Grant Blair QS Grant Dixon PROJECT MANAGER Ethan Neville ARCHITECT Ricky Harris CONSTRUCTION MANAGER Leah Foxcroft HAMMER HAND (Advertising) Dean Andrew 021 862 579 sales@nzfishingnews.co.nz EDITORIAL ENQUIRIES Ethan Neville 021 176 1366 ethan@nzfishingnews.co.nz Advertising within this publication is subject to NZ Fishing Media Ltd’s standard advertising terms and conditions, a copy of which is available by emailing grant@nzfishingnews.co.nz or by calling (09) 579 4060
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Hunting
TAHR
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Keen hunter Nick Binks headed to the South Island’s west coast to chase the mighty tahr recently, and the trip did not disappoint.
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Nick’s bull tahr shot on the first full day of the trip.
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very year, I try my luck in the tahr ballot run by DOC. This allows you remote access by helicopter into some of the most fantastic, rugged and untouched country you will ever see. The periods are split up into sevenday blocks and run from late-April until mid-June, with the rut falling roughly in the middle. The lure of hunting these majestic tahr is not only getting a mature bull and some protein but also just being in their realm. They pass over cliffs, bluffs and razor ridgelines, defying gravity with every step – and they do it with ease and grace. I was lucky enough to secure a block on the second round of the ballot (Teichelmann Creek Block, Period 7) – not the best block or timing, but I certainly wasn’t complaining! My crew consisted of two newbies to the tahr scene:
my American friend Travis who had only hunted in the US and the North Island, and my mate Sam who had only been on one other hunt with me. It was going to be interesting! The chopper was loaded and we were off into the wilderness. Both Sam and Travis had grins from ear to ear as we navigated over the jaw dropping scenery to get to our block. It was a bluebird day and as the chopper noise faded, a surreal feeling sunk in; you are really on your own from here on! Having experienced how hectic the weather can get, we made a solid camp and then put the binos to work. It didn’t take us long to start picking up animals. After scanning the immediate faces, we headed up to a better lookout to see what the next catchment had on offer. As we made our way up the ridge, I saw two big bulls with their coats all lit
I SAW TWO BIG BULLS WITH THEIR COATS ALL LIT UP ABOUT A KILOMETRE AWAY. ALL OF A SUDDEN, ONE OF THE BULLS CHARGED, KNOCKING THE OTHER BULL INTO A SPIN DOWN THE FACE.
up about a kilometre away. All of a sudden, one of the bulls charged, knocking the other one into a spin down the face. Somehow, it gathered itself and raced back over to the nannies to get a more dominant position. For the next hour they jostled for poll position, becoming more aggressive with each blow. As the two bulls jousted, the nannies and juveniles were also intently watching, but what was strange was that an even bigger bull was also overseeing the fight. I knew he was the bull we needed a closer look at. The day got away on us and the sun started to fade behind the hill side. We had only gone 400m from camp so it was an easy stroll home. On an absolute high and pumped for the next day, we devised a plan to climb higher up the mountainside.
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Left to right: Nick, Sam and Travis at the landing site.
HE PAUSED ABOUT 20M BELOW THE RIDGE AND I SENT A SLIGHTLY UNORTHODOX SHOT DOWN THROUGH HIS SPINE AND OUT THROUGH HIS CHEST
g out
We had fresh legs on day two, and were ready to roll before the sun had greeted us. We got about halfway to our desired altitude before it started to get a bit hairy. The faces were iced over, and to safely move ahead we were going to have wait for them to thaw. From this vantage point, we still managed to relocate the nanny group and fighting bulls from the previous day, and on closer inspection, my hunch was confirmed: one of the three bulls was worth pursuing. Eventually, I decided to navigate my way through it anyway and find a safe pass for the others to follow. As I made it around the corner and up onto another ridge, I could see a clear path to get over to the bulls. I went back to the other guys and told them to follow the path I took. After
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some discussion, they decided their appetite for a bull wasn’t worth the passage I had just taken, so I took off on my own. Relocating the bulls as I made it onto the ridge, I could only see one bull, but it wasn’t the bigger bull so I kept searching the neighbouring faces. An hour passed before I heard a scurry of rocks. I poked my head over a ridge and no more than 150m away, there was a bull tahr making its way up the face. I scurried over the ridge to try and cut him off, and got within range just in time. I had to make a quick decision, and I decided to take him. He paused about 20m below the ridge and I sent a slightly unorthodox shot down through his spine and out through his chest. He dropped on the spot and slid down the shoot
where he had just come from. I could not believe my luck and had my suspicions that this was one of the bulls we’d watched earlier. Turns out it was, and the big one! I decided to leave my tahr and go back for the other guys. Unfortunately, they weren’t where we had stopped earlier and the path was still yet to thaw, so I headed back to process my tahr and make my way out. After a few tense moments of feeling like I was one wrong foothold away from being rag dolled down the side of the mountain, I finally found some more horizontal ground – it was a massive relief to be walking back to camp with the tahr still on my back! The boys greeted me halfway back, slightly concerned and surprised as they hadn’t seen me since I left them in the morning, and it was now around 6pm. We spent the next four days trying to find another mature bull but with an amazing spell of weather, it became a race in the morning to get up into a zone to cut them off as they made their way back up onto the ridgeline. After the bulls continued to find ways to evade us, we decided to change tack and search lower. We only had one gun between the three of us and it was Sam’s turn to have a crack. An hour after Sam had held the gun for the first time, the stars aligned, and a bull presented itself in front of us. I got Sam set up and ranged the bull as being just over 200m away and broadside. Sam squeezed the trigger and all fours legs collapsed. The bull then rolled 400m – luckily not 450m otherwise we would have never seen him again! After four days of hard slog, it was definitely well-earned. Sam decided he would mount his bull so we lugged it out through the glacial pass and back to camp. We hunted from before sunrise until after sunset every day as I said we would get a rest day when we had some bad weather. Turned out we had six bluebird days and our last day was forecast for the same. Travis was yet to get on the board and the chopper was due to pick us up at 3pm, so we decided we would give it one last nudge. We knew the area well enough
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Nick carrying out his bull tahr. now that we could get up super early and make it to our position in the dark, and that’s exactly what we did. A four hour slog later, we were in position and it was bloody freezing! As the light started to flood into the catchment, we could see a mob around 300m away. By the time we had shuffled into a decent shooting position, they had pushed out to 470m. Bit of a stretch for the old 308 but we were pretty confident in my drop chart, and there wasn’t a breath of wind. Despite his shivering, Travis had complete focus as I dialled to allow for the drop. “You steady?” I whispered. “Yep,” he replied with confidence. “Okay, when you’re ready.” BOOM! Before I had finished my sentence, the shot went and sailed about a metre over the bull’s back.
“S***, I think I dialled that wrong.” I redialled and he sent another pill flying. “Missed again, perfect height just in front,” Travis said. The bull ran 30m downhill and away from the mob of nannies, but then it fell. “Oh you hit it!” I exclaimed. The shot went through the neck and out the other side, then hit the rock in front it, which is what we saw. I grabbed the gun to shoot some nannies and do our part as they had run towards us. Looking through the scope, I wondered why they looked so far away. Travis only had the scope power on 4.5 instead of 14. Good shooting Travy! All in all, it was a great trip with a bunch of mates ticking off their first tahr and in Sam’s case, his first big game animal!
BOOM! BEFORE I HAD FINISHED MY SENTENCE, THE SHOT WENT AND SAILED ABOUT A METRE OVER THE BULL’S BACK.
RHEEM OFF-SITE IS ALL ABOUT FEATURING SOME OF THE INTERESTING OUTDOOR STORIES THAT TRADIES HAVE TO TELL – YOUR STORIES! Send us your best hunting, fishing, diving and outdoors images as well - we have a pair of top Oakley sunglasses to be given away each month for the best image. Tradies, Rheem off-Site is YOUR magazine. Please share your experiences and adventures with us. You don't have to be a Pulitzer prize-winning writer that is our job!
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Tradie Profile
HAMISH WARD DEEP CREEK HEAD BREWER Brewing beer is one of the oldest and most noble of trades. From the deeply spiritual processes mastered in European monasteries, through to the bloke in his garage just desperate to make something drinkable, the desire to create beer is a not so secret passion of most males on this planet. Hamish Ward is another on the list of legends who take brewing seriously, and it didn’t take long for him to become one of NZ’s best.
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’m lucky enough to live five minutes away from the Deep Creek Brewery (DC) in Silverdale, North Auckland, which also happens to be where Hamish is the head brewer, so I headed down there one overcast Tuesday to see where my favourite beer – DC’s Hazy IPA – is made. Hamish met me in DC’s on-site taproom – not a bad place to stop in at if you’re up this way – and wasted no time giving me the tour. The first stop was his office, and I couldn’t help but notice the half-full cup of beer on his desk. Having to taste all the beers is not
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Owners Scott (left to right), Paul and Jarred in Deep Creek’s Silverdale brewery.
a bad perk of the job. “Why does Hamish need an office as a brewer?” was the first and extremely naïve question that went thought my head. The answer: brewing is, first and foremost, a science, and Hamish, funnily enough, is a thoroughbred scientist. After completing his Master of Science at Auckland University (specialising in molecular biology), he spent the first ten years of his career at Fonterra working as a dairy geneticist – yes, he’s probably smarter than both you and me. Brewing beer, Hamish tells me, “is the perfect mix of art and science.” The scientific knowledge he gained at university and working in a lab provided the perfect foundation for brewing beer, and his natural desire to create meant this was a match made in heaven. With a hunch that brewing was what he needed to be doing, his beer-journey began with typing “how to brew beer” into Google – there’s hope for all of us, apparently. His first goal was to brew greenbottle lager, but he quickly found there was a lot more to brewing – and a lot more to get excited about. What started as a bit of fun on the side, quickly became a full-blown project. Over the next 10 years, Hamish honed his craft, a process which culminated in him having a 150L
brewery setup in his garage, including a 100L conical fermenter, three tap kegerator and glass door fridges. It’s fair to say that Hamish was taking his home brewing pretty seriously. The now infamous DC Dusty Gringo beer was, in fact, based off one of his original home brew recipes. At this stage, Hamish started thinking about brewing beer full time, so he and a mate started their own brand called Isthmus. Having already home brewed with Jarred and Paul, the founders of DC (who also were home brewers originally), he asked them whether he could brew out of their facilities. At this stage, DC brewed and served beer out of their bar in Browns Bay, and the guys often stayed up all night just to brew the beer they sold in the bar the next day. In need of another brewer, Jarred and Paul said yes to Hamish, but also asked if he’d like to brew DC’s beer as well. Hamish agreed and the rest, as they say, is history. Nearly ten years on, he is still DC’s head brewer, and with no small contribution from Hamish, they’ve become one of NZ’s most reputable beer brands – something that became immediately evident once Hamish lead me from his office into the brewery itself. The place was buzzing. With 14 staff and 19 tanks, they are now
pumping out 16-20,000L of beer a week, and it’s not like they are compromising on quality. DC won Champion Beer at the Brewers Guild NZ Awards 2019, Best International Lager at the Australian International Beer Awards (AIBA) 2019 and were also the Champion Medium International Brewery at AIBA 2019 (AIBA, Hamish tells me, is the largest annual beer competition in the world). While Hamish was too humble to take credit for these achievements, Scott Taylor, their operations manager, told it to me straight. “Without Hamish, we wouldn’t have the awards we have. He’s a huge part of the family.” What I did get Hamish to admit is that he does have the final word on every drop, but he was quick to put the emphasis back on the team. “Everyone in the company has input into the beers we are making, and I turn the ideas into beer,” he says. “It’s not a top down organisation. The whole company has a say and can have good ideas.” Seeing the vibrant factory and just generally being around all this beer got me wondering what kind of career path is available to those interested in brewing. On the career front, however, NZ appears a little behind.
Johan Canning concentrating hard on the production line. Below: Hamish doing what he does best. off-Sitenz
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The team behind the beer!
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“There are qualifications for brewing, but NZ hasn’t had the industry to train people,” Hamish informs me. “There hasn’t been much in the way of formal education in NZ for brewers, but that’s changing. We’ve been approached by Otago Polytechnic about a brewery course and we are planning to bring on a student.” If Hamish is anything to go by, then the brewing trade is not to be ignored lightly as a career path. Besides being around beer all day, it also a fantastic way to become popular in NZ. “I used to tell people I was a scientist and their eyes glazed over, but now I’m a brewer, there are plenty of follow up questions!” he laughed. Having learnt about Hamish’s story, I was now ready to learn a little more about the beer itself. I’m no stranger to a beer or two, but realised I knew next to nothing about what makes a good beer a good beer. “The majority of quality comes from day to day processes and the gear you have in the brewery,” Hamish patiently explained. “We’ve been fortunate enough to be 10
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supported enough to get the right gear.” The second important aspect, Hamish continued to inform me, is the quality and type of ingredients. The main difference between standard lagers and craft beer is simply more ingredients, and particularly the use of hops. For example, Hamish uses 15g of hops per litre for the Hazy IPA – which I’m told is a lot of hops. It’s here that art meets science; it’s not easy to get the balance right between the various flavours the different hops and brewing processes create. “Anyone can make beer, but it’s hard to make good beer,” is Hamish’s word on the matter. While Hamish was unfalteringly humble throughout the interview, it became clear that more and more people are realising Hamish is one of the people making “good beer.” Beyond their current success in NZ, DC is now established in a few overseas markets, including Australia, China, Malaysia, Norway, Thailand, Canada, Singapore and the UK. What also got my attention was their brand itself – which has a certain affinity with off-Site’s. Scott tells me that their original tagline was “flavour fuelled” but they
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The Deep Creek team with their prestigious AIBAs (Australian International Beer Awards).
“ANYONE CAN MAKE BEER, BUT IT’S HARD TO MAKE GOOD BEER”
changed it earlier this year to “for the adventure” – “for the adventure of life, for the adventure of flavour, for the adventure of anything you can imagine,” Scott explained. Another recent change was their move away from bottles to cans as they’re easier to carry in the outdoors and can be squished down and carried back. Cans are recycled at a far higher rate than bottles, which is something DC takes seriously. So what’s next for Hamish and Deep Creek? Hamish has no plans to stop brewing, and with him at the helm, I’d say Deep Creek isn’t slowing down either!
Redwood For the Adventure2.pdf 1 10-Aug-20 3:20:13 PM
FOR THE ADVENTURE
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Saltwater
EPIC FISHING DESTINATION GREAT BARRIER ISLAND Nick Jones continues his series on NZ’s best fishing destinations, setting his sights on one of the Harauki’s most impressive spots.
Jigs and livebaits are productive at the pins off Arid Island – Brooke Jones with a nice king. 12
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history, and several rare plant and bird species.
Getting there There are a variety of options available to get out to Great Barrier Island. You can grab a water taxi from Auckland which will take a couple of hours, jump on the car ferry which will be a slower journey, take a scenic 30 minute flight from Auckland airport, or take your own boat over. If you want to take your own vessel, it’s a decent run of 50 nautical miles from Auckland city or 30 miles if departing from Sandspit, so check the weather and be well prepared.
Accommodation and anchorages
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aving run snapper and kingfish charters in the Hauraki Gulf for many years now, there’s one place that I find particularly special and almost always delivers on the fishing and diving front – Great Barrier Island. Great Barrier Island is the largest and most seaward of Hauraki Gulf’s islands. The eastern shore of Great
If you’re going landbased on the island, there are an abundance of beautiful lodges, bed and breakfasts, backpackers and campgrounds scattered around the island, primarily around the main settlements (Tryphena, Medlands, Claris, Okupu, Whangaparapara, Awana, Okiwi and Port Fitzroy). The most sheltered anchorages are found along Great Barrier’s western shore, and Port Fitzroy is the favourite for many visiting boaties due to both its shelter from all wind quarters and stunning scenery. I also find Port Fitzroy a very reliable area to catch prime jack mackerel livebaits. In the right conditions, the east coast, normally exposed to oceanic swells, can be a stunning place to anchor for the night – particularly the cove at Arid Island which is a standout experience for many.
Fishing and diving paradise! Photo: Guy Macindoe Barrier Island faces the ocean with high cliffs and long white surf beaches, while the western side offers sheltered anchorages and calm bays. More than 60% of the island is public land administered by the Department of Conservation. The native forest is home to numerous walking tracks which lead to natural hot springs, relics of the island’s logging and mining
Fishing
“I’ve only scratched the surface of the fishing potential here”
Great Barrier caters for all manner of fishing experiences and being a large island, there will be somewhere to fish no matter what the weather’s doing. I’ve only scratched the surface of the fishing potential here, but I can give some general direction. If you’re into slow-jigging and workup action, then look no further than the western side of the island, particularly the area around the off-Sitenz
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Big snapper opportunities abound at Great Barrier Island.
Pigeon Rocks and the Broken Islands, which are home to a large gannet colony. In 40-50m of water this area can really fire with big snapper and kingfish. The fishing is great around the year, but the most intense workups I’ve seen here have been through winter. The northern and eastern coastline provide mile after mile of prime moocher snapper territory for soft-baiting or stray-lining close to the rocks and reefs. Kingfish regularly cruise this same territory, so having a livebait or topwater set ready to go for when his majesty turns up can pay dividends. If your main focus is kingfish, target the exposed reefs, headlands
and pinnacles around the island. Spots worth mentioning include Cape Barrier, Motuhaku Island, Miner’s Head, the Needles and the pinnacles around Arid Island. If you’re really lucky, you will sometimes encounter schools of kingfish working pilchards or mackerel right against the island’s western shore. Look for gannets bombing into the shallows and get ready for some crazy stickbait action! For the more adventurous fishos, hapuka and tarakihi can be found around the deeper foul northeast of Arid Island, and in the warmer months striped and blue marlin are regularly encountered to the
Topwater lures can be deadly when kingfish are working pilchard schools along the western shore of Great Barrier Island.
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north and east of the island – a hotspot being the 155 which you’ll find easily on the chart. Further afield there are a number of very productive swordfish locations closely guarded by those in the know! By all accounts, the landbased fishing on the island can be very productive for both snapper and kingfish, although I’ve never tried myself. The popular spots are Cape Barrier, Medlands, Awana and Whangapoua.
Diving Freediving the shallows can be productive all around the island.
The crystal-clear waters around Great Barrier make it a diver’s paradise. Scallops can be found in Tryphena, Blind Bay, Port Abercrombie and various other sandy locations on the island’s western side. The beds have been in reasonable condition over the last couple of seasons. Both red and packhorse crayfish can be encountered right around the island and in surprisingly shallow water. As a general rule of thumb: the more remote the location, the more bugs you’ll find. Legal paua can also be found in certain spots on the eastern coast around the boulder falls. So, there you have a very quick rundown on Great Barrier Island. I truly recommend experiencing the place for yourself – you will not regret it!
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STEADY, HOT & STRONG When Rheem heard families were going without hot water this winter as a result of COVID-19’s economic impact, they acted quickly. Their idea was to donate water heaters to Kiwis in need, but the first hurdle they faced was installation – something which can only be done by registered plumbers and gasfitters.
“One guy who had written in about his family had lost his job at the beginning of lockdown. Their old water heater had failed and they didn’t have the money to fix it, so they would boil the jug to bathe or wait in line at the local swimming pool to wash with their young son.” With this just being one of many heartbreaking stories, Brian’s glad to report they’ve already donated more than their allocated water heaters – including one to the family noted above – and are hoping to have enough to make a real difference to many families nationwide. After seeing the struggles of so many Kiwis throughout the country, Rheem and Master Plumbers are now considering how they can continue to assist local communities.
They approached Master Plumbers hesitantly, knowing their members lost a significant amount of their regular workload during lockdown. Master Plumbers, however, were 100% behind the initiative and put the word out to their membership. Amazingly, a whopping 72 plumbing and gas companies from all over NZ offered to install the water heaters free of charge! “We think that’s remarkable considering there was almost a complete loss of income in the lockdown period, and we asked them to help out by volunteering to donate their time,” says Brian McFarlane from Rheem. The ‘Steady, Hot and Strong’ initiative was launched, and Rheem & Master Plumbers asked the public to nominate households which are in desperate need of a water heater. The response was overwhelming. They received around 30 entries a week, and all were deserving nominations. “It’s been quite tough for everyone doing the selection,” says Brian. “You’re looking at someone who has lost their job or both partners have lost their jobs… it’s just not something we’ve seen in NZ.
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Thanks to the Rheem and Master Plumbers ‘Steady, Hot and Strong’ campaign, one more family can enjoy hot showers again.
KIWI SAFE-HAVEN Teams from Kiwis for kiwi and Rheem have been “on the tools” recently, partnering with Kaipara Kiwi to plant 1900 trees. Their efforts were part of the Mataia Restoration project, which is seeking to create a 1300-hectare kiwi safe-haven in the Kaipara region. Working alongside the farmers who own the land, the project has transformed a farm into a viable kiwi habitat thanks to meticulous pest and predator control. It now houses the closest mainland, unfenced kiwi population to Auckland city, and as long as the cheeky pukeko don’t get at the roots, the groups’ treeplanting efforts will go a long way to sustaining the health of this important piece of land. Top: The Rheem team: Brian McFarlane, Jessica Bensley and her daughter Taelan who doesn’t work for Rheem but got roped in for the day! Above: Brian McFarlane (Rheem) & Paul O’Shea (Kiwis for kiwi) hard at work. Below: The Mataia Restoration project is creating a 1300-hectare safe-haven for kiwi on this idyllic farm.
To help us help kiwi, please visit www.kiwisforkiwi.org/donate
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Trout Fishing
Another landbased tiger trout pulled out of the reeds.
TAMING THE I TIGER TROUT Josiah Atkinson has spent considerable time searching for the rare tiger trout, and not without success. He shares some of his hardearned lessons on how to tame the tiger…
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f you’re an avid trout fisher, you would have heard whispers about the “tiger trout”. For those that don’t know, the tiger trout (Salmo trutta × Salvelinus fontinalis) is a sterile, hybrid of the brown trout (Salmo trutta) and the brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis), and in my opinion, is the most elusive trout that can be targeted in the country. They are golden in colour and also have tiger-like stripes which give off a holographic look. The tiger trout can only be found in one place in NZ. Luckily, I live just 20 minutes away from this North Island location. However, there are rumours that tigers live amongst
A small netted tiger showing all his stripes. browns and brooks in a stream and couple of lakes in the South Island – but this is something I can’t confirm. It’s been a long and hard winter but luckily this is one of the better times of the year to catch a tiger. The “open season” has been well and truly closed for some time and winter has been its cold and damp self. With spring upon us and the itch to feel a tight line for us trout fishos becoming ever so agitating, the time is now to target a tiger! I’m unsure why tigers seem to be more easily targeted around this time of year. I can only guess
that the rainbow trout have moved into recovery mode, which lets the tigers roam free. But this is only a guess. Tigers are a sterile breed, so don’t feed up large in March to late May in preparation for spawning like rainbows do. I have been targeting tiger trout for two years now and have only landed a handful, with the most successful outings happening recently. I’ve put this down to the limitations that come with being a purely landbased fisherman. Targeting tigers from a boat seems to be generally more effective. The lake is quite difficult to fish
I’ve found that habitat is also critical to tiger trout. They are somewhat of an ambush predator.
from the edge as there is a lot of either vegetation or steep cliff. A small boat or kayak is very super beneficial to your success-rate when targeting this species. I’ve found that habitat is also critical to tiger trout. They are somewhat of an ambush predator. They lie and wait in oxygen weed, reeds, fallen trees and anything else that gives them a good place to hide. That’s when having a small vessel is great as you can reach all the nooks and crannies that these fish seem to wait in. My first tiger trout shot out of the reeds to hit my fly and I can remember as clear as day the trout swiping at my fly and missing, and then proceeding to swim directly back into the same reed it came out of. This process repeated until he finally committed to the fourth or fifth cast, and it was all on! When it comes to your weapon of choice, I only have experience in
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catching tigers by fly fishing, so if you’re a specialist spin fisherman, I don’t have a lot of advice for you – although a lot of the principles I am about to discuss will still be relevant to targeting tigers, whatever your specialist technique. After a lot of trial and error, I’ve found that my six weight Maxcatch Sky Gold rod and Sparta reel, used with an eight weight intermediate sinking line, has been by far my most successful setup. I’ve also found that having a heavier line weight helps punch the line further and also helps when the wind is up and casting is difficult. Because tigers are ambush predators, the sinking line is essential. Getting the fly close to the trout’s face will increase the strike rate. I’ve found the intermediate sinking line is perfect as it doesn’t sink so quickly that you’re catching the bottom all the time, but still fast enough to get the fly down the water column and in the “strike zone”. Fly (or lure) selection is always
This tiger trout was caught on Lake Rotoma and weighed in at 3lb.
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The writer with his first tiger trout – note the large pink smelt fly!
My go to is a brown Wooly Bugger as I’ve had my most hookups on that particular fly
vital to hooking up to any fish species. With tigers, I have surprisingly caught them on all types of flies. Big and small, both bright and dark – tigers seem to hit anything! My go to is a brown Wooly Bugger as I’ve had my most hook-ups on that particular fly. It is the perfect small fish imitation which these tigers seem to love. In saying that, I’ve also caught fish on a very large pink smelt fly and in all my years swimming, diving and fishing the lake, I’ve never seen any pink fish! It really is a lucky dip when fishing for tigers, which is
why I would put more emphasis on fly presentation and where the fly sits in the water column. All I can say is good luck in attempting to catch one of these special fish. Don’t be discouraged if it takes more than one, two or even three years to hook a tiger. It’s so important to learn from each trip, thinking about habitat, the water column, fly depth and the strike zone. All of these aspects will help you get into battle with a tiger and hopefully tame one!
Tim
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Send in a shot of you, your copy of Rheem off-Site and why you need a new pair of Oakley’s for your adventures in the great outdoors! Include a caption of who, what, when and where the picture was taken. You could win a pair of Oakley Polarised Caliber Sunglasses valued at $299. The winners will have their photos published in our next issue of Rheem off-Site.
Dylan landed this 7lb snapper from the bricks while fishing in Russell. Bruce White
Tim Evans
Jurie Denysschen
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Tradie Profile
GEMMA A O’BRIEN Architect, freediver and tiny house builder, Gemma O’Brien is what you might call a super-achiever, writes Helen Horrocks. In between her architectural work, various home projects and daily breath-hold exercises, Gemma took the time to chat to Helen over the phone during lockdown.
Gemma with her dad and dive buddy Geff ‘Cookie’ Cookson.
fter growing up on the family’s beef farm near Kawakawa in the Far North, Gemma went to Otago University, where she gained not one, not even two, but three degrees. She credits her mother, whose early-onset arthritis was a wake-up call for Gemma to live life to the fullest and engage her brain as much as her body. Eventually settling on a career in architecture, Gemma says she was drawn to the construction industry because she’s always loved the way buildings can affect people’s moods, health and
Left: Gemma O’Brien, Megan Edwards and Geff Cookson with a good haul of porae. Right: Bay of Islands Spearfishing Camp, 2016. wellbeing. “I love the idea of art improving society, and architecture making a better location for people to live in, helping them to enjoy their lives and be healthy and happy,” says Gemma. Freediving came later in life, which is surprising when you consider Gemma’s father is NZ spearfishing champion and international representative Geff ‘Cookie’ Cookson. But she says her father “actively discouraged” her and her siblings from diving with him as children. “That was his way to escape the family and the farm,” says Gemma. “It was his release. I don’t know if it was intentional – I feel it was – but he’d always give us old, baggy, holey wetsuits that just did nothing but hamper us. So of course, none of us kids enjoyed diving growing up.” She admits she was always jealous of the other kids at the annual spearfishing camp her dad would drag the family along to. While her dad spent all day diving, other kids would head out with their parents in wetsuits that fitted them and with spearguns
Working on the tiny house.
that worked, and Gemma thought they were “so cool”. But at age 27, working full time, completing a masters in architecture, and playing high-level competitive volleyball, Gemma hit burnout and returned home for some recovery time. She saw her opportunity to spend time with her dad and learn valuable skills that would help her secure a regular supply of fresh fish. They struck a deal, and Geff consented to buying Gemma a decent wetsuit if she would be his buddy for the New Zealand Spearfishing Nationals. Despite her inexperience, her first Nationals competition couldn’t have gone better. “Everyone else got seasick and I managed to get two butterfish and a porae, which is really embarrassing, but that won the Spearfishing Nationals for me that year.” The result was an invitation to the Inter-Pacific Spearfishing Competition in Tahiti. But the prospect of having to dive deeper than she had ever gone before didn’t fill Gemma with confidence.
“Then they told me that in Tahiti you have to dive 30 metres to shoot a fish, and I thought crap, that’s double, and I really didn’t want to go.”
“I’d done pool diving for three months that summer, and I went from diving one or two metres to being comfortable at 18 metres. Then they told me that in Tahiti you have to dive 30 metres to shoot a fish, and I thought crap, that’s double, and I really didn’t want to go.” So she joined the Auckland Freediving Club, where she was introduced to proper breath-hold and depth diving techniques under the guidance of freediving royalty, John Wright. “I was very lucky,” says Gemma. “I met up with some really experienced divers in the club who were in the same place as me, wanting to go deeper, with the added experience of understanding what’s happening physiologically to your body. It was a real rapid progression. Within a month I was down at 30 metres, with a minute bottom time. I went to 50 metres pretty early on.” In the seven years since her first Spearfishing Nationals, Gemma has packed in an incredible amount of diving achievements, winning the
Gemma and Pete’s “pimped-out mini-mansion.” off-Sitenz
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Gemma at the Auckland Freediving Club Pool Nationals 2017 (Left to right: Nick Rhodes, Nathanial Fairweather, Nicky Toothill and Gemma).
Gemma at the Guam Interpacific’s with Megan Edwards, Darren Shields (Women’s Manager) and Alex Edwards (right). women’s Freediving Nationals several times, and continuing to compete in both spearfishing and freediving competitions overseas. She’s since moved home to Northland too, bringing the wealth of experience she gained at Auckland Freediving with her, and establishing the Northland Freediving Club. Gemma says as a student she would never have been able to afford to pay for a coach with that level of experience, so to have it given freely was “an incredible gift”, and she feels compelled to give back to the sport she loves. “It’s been such an amazing experience and I just love sharing it with people. I love that adrenaline rush you get after a good dive – it’s
addictive, and it’s such a positive addictive feeling. It’s like a free drug.” Moving home came with its challenges too, like where to live. Her parents offered her a section on the farm, but she’d have to build the house herself. Gemma’s big idea was to think small. “I was looking at trying to live as low cost a life as possible,” says Gemma. “I was prepared to sacrifice comfy living for financial freedom, so I could do the things I wanted.” Her original tiny house design was fully sustainable and low cost, with a composting toilet, and even hand pumped water. It would have been “like camping”, she says, and given her a place of her own without the constraints of a mortgage.
“Life is short, so do everything you possibly ever wanted to now, while you can.”
Then she met Pete, an engineer, who is now her husband and “all about the luxury in life,” according to Gemma. With Pete’s input, Gemma’s “shack of a tiny house” has turned into a “pimpedout mini-mansion.” “It’s beautifully crafted,” she concedes though, with Pete’s eye for good timber leading them to process some of the totara from the farm to incorporate in the build. “But it looks like a very small shed that belongs to a multi-millionaire.” As Gemma knows all too well, however, life is for living, so she’s happy to accommodate Pete’s embellishments to their tiny home. “I really want to live my life to the fullest,” says Gemma. “Life is short, so do everything you possibly ever wanted to now, while you can.” And she definitely couldn’t be accused of doing anything else.
From left: Gemma representing NZ in the 2016 Pan Pacific freediving competition in Brisbane; Geoff Cookson (dad) won the Golden Oldie trophy and Gemma was the Women’s Champ at the 2018 Nationals, only one week after her wedding; A great session at Cape Brett produced these fish for Gemma and the team; Gemma competing in the Freediving Depth Nationals. 24
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On the Snow
NZ’S BEST SNOW
If you needed motivation to do one more mountain trip before the end of the season, Steve Dickinson provides it here. With 2020 being one of the toughest ever for tourist operators, he gives us a timely reminder of how many great slopes there are to visit in NZ. 26
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he mountains are now back up and running but 2020 still isn’t the same as other years. Our borders (not snowboarders) are still closed, so the hundreds of thousands of skiers and snowboarders that arrive every winter to crowd our winter slopes aren’t here! Some resorts are open as usual, some are not open at all and others are on a ‘flexi-scale’ where they will open when they need too. While mountains expected to have about 20% of their usual clientele, most operators have been pleasantly surprised by the number of Kiwis who have turned up on their slopes. However, the overall numbers are still down and we can do our bit to support Kiwi tourist operators as we move into the last two months of the season. I will give a rundown below on the major ski fields and some of the individual club fields you can visit over
the next few weeks; but in every case, if you are venturing up the hill, make sure you call in advance or check out the website to see what is available and when.
IF YOU ARE VENTURING UP THE HILL, MAKE SURE YOU CALL IN ADVANCE OR CHECK OUT THE WEBSITE TO SEE WHAT IS AVAILABLE AND WHEN.
Ski the Volcano Ruapehu Alpine Lifts owns and operates the ski fields on Mount Ruapehu. Ruapehu rises from a desert plain and is a stunning sight against a clear blue sky, and it is still an active volcano. There are three ski fields on Ruapehu: two commercials, Turoa and Whakapapa, and one club field, Tukino. The commercial fields are serviced by local communities – National Park Village and Ohakune. The two are operated together, with a combined lift ticket for both fields. Together, they are considered to be the largest ski resort in New Zealand and possibly the southern hemisphere.
Turoa Turoa is on the south-western side of Mt Ruapehu. The area has been used for skiing since the completion of the Mountain Road, but the first lifts opened in 1978. There are two beginner areas, and many intermediate and advanced trails. The upper field is a mix of natural pipes, steep drops, fast plains and more accessible slopes. The field is 500 hectares and has 722 metres (2,369 feet) of vertical drop. The ski field is reached via the Mountain Road
Whakapapa Whakapapa is on the northern side of Mount Ruapehu in Tongariro National Park. The ski season is generally from late June to late October, depending on snow and weather conditions. The terrain at Whakapapa is loosely divided up as 25% beginner, 50% intermediate and 25% advanced. Recently, there have been several significant changes to this side of the mountain, most notably the introduction of a
Tukino
Locale: Central Plateau, south-western side of Mt Ruapehu
from the town of Ohakune. The Mountain Road was built by locals from Ohakune, mostly during weekends after they formed the Mountain Road Association in 1952. They aimed to open Ruapehu’s southern slopes for skiing, partly as a replacement industry for the decline in logging which previously sustained the town. On a good day, it is possible to hike to the top of the mountain with skis or snowboard in hand, view the crater lake, and then ski back down to the field, or Whakapapa.
Locale: Central Plateau, northern side of Mount Ruapehu multi-million-dollar mountain gondola which makes access quicker and easier. Access to the ski field is by Bruce Road, a twolane, 6km sealed road. There is accommodation on the mountain, but you need to join a lodge, as well as an array of accommodation at the mountain base and National Park Village.
Locale: Central Plateau, eastern face of Mount Ruapehu
Tukino is on the eastern face of Mount Ruapehu. The field is a club managed field, but open to the general public. Tukino is known for its untouched trails, uncrowded slopes, friendly atmosphere and good weather. Accommodation is available at Tukino for those that want to stay and play, but bookings are essential. Access is from the Tukino Access Road via the Desert Road and is suitable for four-wheel-drive vehicles only during the winter months. Transport can be arranged by contacting the ski field.
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Coronet Peak
Locale: Queenstown, South Island
Only 20 minutes from central Queenstown, Coronet Peak was New Zealand’s first commercial ski field and has been celebrating good times since 1947. It used to be a sheep farm, and due to its height, is often one of the first fields to open. Because of its proximity to Queenstown, it offers night skiing, which is something special. The season typically runs from early June to early-October or late-September. The view from the ski field is legendary, stretching south across Lake Wakatipu and the smaller Lake Hayes. Dubbed the “original” resort, Coronet Peak is only 25 minutes from Queenstown and always worth a visit if you’re in the area.
The Remarkables
Locale: Queenstown, South Island
The ‘Remarks’ are an imposing mountain range which loom over Queenstown. After taking the legendary steep and windy road (not for the faint-hearted), you’ll find the spectacular ski field hidden out of sight from the town. The ski area has three mountain bowls covering 540 acres (2.2km²). The patrolled area covers 220 ha with seven lifts (four chairlifts, three magic carpets). The terrain is rated as 30% beginners, 40% intermediate and 30% advanced. The Remarkables offer something for everyone, including some backcountry areas, giving that “big mountain” feel.
Craigieburn If you are looking for a backcountry club field, this is it. It’s located in the heart of the Southern Alps, where the ups are good, and the downs are even better. You’ll find steep, narrow chutes, wide-open powder bowls and uncrowded runs surrounded by the impressive vista of the Craigieburn Range. If you are an advanced or expert rider, then skiing The Big One at Craigieburn is your holy grail. Some of the high mountain terrains feel like something you’d get on a heli-ski trip, except it’s just a few rope tows and a hike away. There is accommodation, which is uniquely nestled in trees.
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Locale: Craigieburn Forest Park, Canterbury, South Island
Cardrona
Locale: Wanaka, South Island
Cardrona has a vast park. You’ll find rails, boxes, kickers and halfpipes, which is why it’s often the location for winter games. The ski field ranges from 1,260m to 1,860m. The distribution of slopes is 25% beginner, 25% intermediate, 30% advanced and 20% expert. There are two detachable quad chairlifts, one fixedgrip quad chairlift, one detachable express chondola, three surface conveyor learner lifts and one platter lift to service the halfpipes and big air jump. On average, the snowfall is about 2.9m per year. There is also a “high-performance centre” which trains more advanced skiers and snowboarders. They have some of the best family facilities in New Zealand, catering for infants and young children with their Cardrona Nursery and Ski Kindy.
Snow Farm
Locale: Wanaka, South Island
Opposite Cardrona Ski Field on the other side of the valley is Snow Farm. It is unique in New Zealand, focusing on the massive international sport of cross-country skiing. Snow Farm provides 55km of ski trails which are ideal for all abilities, giving you the opportunity to climb, traverse and descend through the Pisa Range. They have a range of packages from half-day lessons to the full experience. They also provide snowshoes and fun activities for kids. Overnight experiences are also an option, and you won’t regret staying in some of their remote huts.
Mt Hutt
Locale: Methven, Canterbury, South Island
Rising to 2190 metres and isolated in the Canterbury Plains, Mt Hutt provides 365 hectares of snow. As the largest commercial ski field in Canterbury, it has all the essential facilities, including a six-seater chair lift which takes people from the base to the top of the ski field. Each edge of the ski field has advanced runs to try out, while intermediate and beginners gather in the middle area. Since there is no accommodation on the mountain, most visitors stay in the nearby town of Methven, a 35-minute drive from the mountain. The larger town of Ashburton is 55mins away, and Christchurch is only 1hr 45mins away. Each of these ski fields or club fields offer something unique. For such a small country, NZ is blessed with some fantastic skiing. Let’s support our local operators and hit the slopes over the next couple of months.
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GIVEAWAYS To celebrate the release of each issue, we’ve been
running giveaways on our social pages. We’ve already gifted a Shimano Stella, $1000 towards a charter of the winner’s choice and a WilliamsWarn BrewKeg10...
AND WE’RE NOT DONE YET! he will put his Pat Fuller promisesn brewing kit to ar W new Williams this spring! great use
This month, we’re giving away a Makita drill kit thanks to Rheem and Toro Safety & Powertool Shop!
Luke Shanks workup season,istawell and truly prepped for the king ho the first off-Siteme a Stella 8000HG in giveaway.
d on a ed a $1000 to spen Zak Judge receivoice, and will be heading out charter of hisaschtal Fishing Charters soon*. with Co *Note: image not of Coastal Fishing Charter’s boat
To enter, follow our Facebook page or Instagram and watch out for the competition post!
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