Offsite issue 7

ISSUE 7 JUNE/JULY 2018

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FISHING FUN! PG 04

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FLY FISHING LOST AND FOUND! PG14 s

INSIDE

MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR GAME BIRD LICENCE NEIL BOWDEN CONQUERS THE BIG SIX CHALLENGE

On the upside, the latest 2018 Ford Transit Custom has a 5-Star ANCAP Safety Rating. ford.co.nz

WORK HARD, PLAY HARD! WORK HARD, PLAY HARD!

Great Barrier

SNAPPER READY FOR TAKE OFF SNOOPING WELCOME TO EDITION SEVEN OF RHEEM OFF-SITE

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CONTENTS 04 08

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JET-SKIS EQUAL FUN FISHING CONQUERING THE BIG SIX CHALLENGE APPRENTICESHIP TRAINING TRUST SUPPORTS TRADES OFF-SITE PRODUCTS WILDERNESS FLY FISHING ALTERNATIVE GAME BIRDS

ay 4 marked the start of duck shooting season, which traditionally sees keen hunters all around New Zealand huddled in maimais in the pre-dawn darkness. In many places, though, the day will have dawned fine and still – not great weather for ducks.

This has been the way of it for the last few seasons, but most hunters don’t mind too much because Opening Saturday is as much about camaraderie as it is about shooting a big bag.

In this issue Barry Sharplin suggests there’s more to game bird hunting than ducks, or at least mallards. Make the most of your licence, he writes, and get out after paradise ducks, swans, pheasants ands quail – even pukeko. They all provide challenging hunting and most are great table fare.

Other features this month include an unlikely tale of fishing gear lost and found in the remote Mohaka River wilderness.

Peter Elliot was plagued with tackle failure on his first fly-in fishing adventure to the Mohaka, eventually losing his reel spool in the river. Imagine his surprise when the spool was found by a member of his party on a return visit to the river a year later.

Jet-ski fishing is huge and growing all the time, with many choosing a Personal Watercraft (PWC) over a boat for fishing and family fun. The Editor talks to a couple of expert jet-ski fishers and gets the low down on what makes a good fishing PWC. We hope you enjoy the read.

If you or any of your mates has a story to share, please see contact details below.

JOHN EICHELSHEIM, EDITOR

Off-Site is published bi-monthly by NZ Fishing Media Ltd. Offices are located at 177B Marua Road, Ellerslie, Auckland, Ph (09) 579 4060.

MANAGING DIRECTOR Grant Blair MANAGING EDITOR Grant Dixon OFF-SITE EDITOR John Eichelsheim DESIGNER Debra Tunnicliffe OPERATIONS MANAGER Sarah Ng EDITORIAL ENQUIRIES John Eichelsheim 021 775 789 johne@xnet.co.nz ADVERTISING MANAGER & ENQUIRIES Scott Taylor 021 862 579 sales@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 online at www.fishing.net.nz or by calling (09) 579 4060 Cover photography: Grant Blair

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Off-Site Feature Jet-sk i fishin g

d e l l e p o r Jet-p

FISHING FUN! Jet-ski fishing is huge! Ask proponents like jet-ski fishing pioneer Andrew Hill or TV and web host Kirk Davis, writes John Eichelsheim.

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ill’s business Jetski Fishing manufactures fishing kits for PWCs and organises jet-ski fishing events, Ultimate Jetskifishing Adventure stay-aways and competitions that attract keen PWC fishers of all ages from all walks of life. Demand for his trips exceeds supply. For more details, follow the link at the end of the story.

Davis’s popular Jet-ski Fishing Show, a regular segment on Adam Clancey’s Fishy Business on Choice TV, started life a few years ago as a series of video clips meant to share the exceptional fishing he was enjoying from his jet-ski.

“Some of my mates were skeptical about the fish I was catching, so I decided to make a few videos to prove I wasn’t lying!”

Scan the QR code somewhere on these pages for excerpts from the Jet-ski Fishing Show and other video clips.

GROWING POPULARITY

The growing popularity of jet-ski fishing is no surprise. For many, a PWC represents a viable, practical alternative to a trailer boat. For considerably less outlay than a new boat – a suitable PWC can be purchased (and kitted out for fishing) for less than $30,000 – you can buy a vessel that’s fast, compact, economical to run and easy to stow, clean and store. Bigger models can seat three people, tow skiers, wake boarders and water toys, have sufficient range to stay out all day and can cover long distances in comfort.

PWCs are more commonly called jet-skis in New Zealand. ‘Jet Ski’ was the brand name given to the original Kawasaki stand-up PWC from 1972 and is now also used to describe the larger sit-down varieties of PWC that makes up the bulk of the market.

Modern PWCs are larger and more powerful than they used to be. Manufacturers such as Yamaha (WaveRunner), BRP

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“IT’S EASY TO TOW, I CAN LAUNCH IT JUST ABOUT ANYWHERE AND UNLIKE THE BOAT, IT’S EASY TO PARK ALMOST ANYWHERE.”

TOP: Large, modern PWCs like this Kawasaki Jet Ski are stable at rest and make great fishing platforms.

(Sea-Doo) and Kawasaki (Jet Ski) have successfully pitched their machines at families, but they make ideal fishing craft when family activities are not on the agenda.

Using personal watercraft for fishing isn’t new – if it floats you can fish from it – but buying and equipping a jetski specifically for sport fishing is a relatively recent phenomenon. And it’s and growing fast, according to Yamaha Motor NZ’s Pete Dick, with Yamaha WaveRunners used mostly for sport fishing now making up a large proportion of total sales.

The surge of interest in jet-ski fishing has spawned an industry devoted to rigging fishing machines and supplying accessories. Jet-ski fishing pioneer Andrew Hill’s company Jetski Fishing fits fishing kits and supplies accessories for all brands of PWC, from handheld VHF radios and locator beacons, dry bags, specialist clothing and fishing tackle.

Jetski Fishing also supplies major PWC dealerships like JFK Powersports in Mount Wellington, Auckland.

Andrew developed his fishing kits over a number of years, building on his own experiences.

“When I first started fishing from my ski I carried my rods tucked under my knee and the bait in the glovebox, which wasn’t ideal,” explains Andrew. “Storing the catch was a challenge and I lost more than one rod and reel over the side in transit,” he laughs.

Andrew put his practical and engineering skills to work

For more images click the G-code.

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customising his ski with a fishing kit he designed. It included rod holders and an icebox/cooler; electronics came later. His fit-outs became increasingly sophisticated over time.

NO HASSLES FISHING

Like many people, Kirk, whose building company Palladium Homes operates in New Zealand and USA, stumbled onto jet-ski fishing. He bought his first PWC with family fun in mind, since he already owned a sport fishing boat, but it didn’t take long before he discovered fishing from his PWC. A fishing kit soon followed.

Kirk can, however, lay claim to developing the livebait tank conversion, taking water from the Yamaha’s distinctive highpressure tell-tale and directing it into the ice box. This system has been widely adopted by other WaveRunner owners.

With so much demand on people’s time these days, the ability to launch a PWC, blast out to your chosen fishing ground, and then return home within a few hours should not be undervalued.

You can squeeze in a lot of fishing and cover a fair bit of water in a relatively short time, says Kirk, which for him is one of the many attractions of fishing from a PWC, but he also loves hitching up the ski and heading away for a day, a weekend or longer: “It’s easy to tow, I can launch it just about anywhere and unlike the boat, it’s easy to park almost anywhere.”

Cleaning up after a day’s fishing requires nothing more than a hose and a soft brush, flushing the engine is painless, using the hose attachment fitted for the purpose, and the sealed engine compartment requires little attention other than scheduled servicing.

THE FISHING PWC

Fishers tend to prefer large, naturally aspirated (non-supercharged) four-stroke PWCs, trading horsepower for range and reliability – no one wants to break down or run out of fuel many miles from shore. A fishing ski such as Kirk’s naturally aspirated Yamaha WaveRunner or Andrew’s SeaDoo typically offer 150hp and provide a top speed in excess of 100kph.

Certain PWCs have a reputation for being more comfortable in rough water, so if it’s all seasons fishing or running well offshore you’re interested in, it pays to choose a ski that can handle rough conditions.

Turning a suitable PWC into a serious sport fishing machine requires a few modifications and some add-ons. The most obvious feature is the large ice box on the transom.

The bin is usually part of a strap-on fishing kit that includes a stainless-steel cage or frame to hold the icebox, rod holders and safety lanyards to secure the rods and reels. Its lid may or may not incorporate a bait tray; some ice boxes feature split lids and others have compartments inside the bin. Live bait conversions are popular.

Electronics are an important tool for the serious PWC fisher. Kirk’s set-up is typical: a through-hull transducer mounted close to the boat’s keel and a Lowrance MFD. Really keen fishers sometimes fit 1kW transducers and large bracket-mounted MFDs, but it’s more usual to flush-mount a modest display in the console below the instrument binnacle as Kirk has done. More basic kits make do with a more vulnerable exterior transducer.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN A FISHING PWC

SIZE: bigger skis provide superior performance and comfort in rough water and tend to be more stable at rest, making them better fishing platforms.

ROUGH WATER ABILITY: if it’s all-seasons fishing or running well offshore you’re interested in, be sure to choose a ski that can handle rough conditions.

DECENT RANGE: Jet-ski fishers often travel long distances in search of fish.

FUEL ECONOMY: Four-stroke PWCs generally offer better fuel economy that two-stroke models (which are usually older and smaller) while naturallyaspirated four-strokes are more fuel efficient than supercharged models.

DRY STORAGE: A fishing PWC should offer plenty. A sealed compartment for phones, car keys and wallets is an excellent feature.

FISHING EQUIPMENT FISHING KIT: a strap-on fishing kit that includes a transom-mounted stainless-steel frame to hold the icebox, rod holders and a landing net, plus safety lanyards to secure fishing outfits. These are available from PWC dealers to suit a range of models. Iceboxes are sometimes plumbed as live bait tanks and may feature lids with bait trays and tackle storage drawers.

ELECTRONICS: A bracket or flush-mounted sounder-GPS, often with a through-hull transducer, and a handheld VHF radio are standard. Skis may run one or two batteries.

SAFETY: Always wear a personal flotation device (PFD), carry a VHF radio and a personal locator device (PLB), both of which should be carried/clipped to the PFD rather than stored aboard the PWC, plus a cell phone in a waterproof bag (two forms of emergency communication). Always attach the kill switch lanyard to your wrist.

WWW.JETSKIFISHING.CO.NZ WWW.JETSKIFISHINGCHANNEL.CO.NZ WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/JETSKIFISHINGSHOW

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BOWDEN’S BIG SIX CHALLENGE The first rod went off just as the second one had been set.

As he grabbed the rod, Noel Bowden joked: “If it all goes like this, we’ll be finished by tonight!”

“Well, fishing and hunting isn’t always like this, Noel,” Geoff Thomas replied. “But it’s a hell of a start!”

Bowden, a plumber from Patumahoe in South Auckland, was embarking on the annual Rheem Big Six Challenge, and he began with trout fishing at Lake Tarawera.

The challenge is to shoot two different game animals, catch two freshwater fish, which can be trout or salmon, and two saltwater fish of different species.

To put the difficulty of the challenge into perspective: nobody has ever managed to bag all six species in the seven years of the Rheem Big Six Challenge.

For years, the best score was four out of six, until Wellington’s Tony Cain raised the bar to five last year.

The trout section had proven a real problem in many of the past challenges, but for Bowden – who had never even caught a trout before – it was seeming easy.

“Conquering the Big Six is as much about skill and smarts as it is about planning. Hunting is always better at dawn or in the evening, and you can catch fish on the salt all day. And the weather is always a major factor.”

As they passed through the tiny township of Pongaroa, Thomas explained the choice of destination.

A couple of years earlier, he had been in town to film an Outdoors show about a local hunting competition.

Thomas had spotted locals weighing in impressivelooking stags and boars at the Pongaroa Hotel, and thought it would be the perfect spot to do the Big Six. For this year’s competition, Thomas’ mate in the area, Paul Peeti, organised an expert hunting guide – known as Gonzo – to help them bag a stag, with hopes of also shooting a billy goat or a boar.

Peeti also arranged for a local fisherman to launch them off the beach at Akitio.

Then, as he was playing the first trout hooked, the second rod started nodding.

“A double strike!” Thomas said. “We have never had a start like this!”

Bowden brought his first fish to the boat, and everybody agreed it was a fantastic catch – fat and deep, a perfect six-pounder. Then he raced across and grabbed the other rod – under the rules nobody else was allowed to touch it – and that trout had played the game nicely and not thrown the hook while the rod was unattended with a slack line.

Bowden played the fish like a seasoned angler, and within three minutes of the clock starting, he had two trout on the board.

The challenger has 48 hours to complete the challenge, and the clock starts when the first fish is hooked or the first animal shot.

With the trout in the bag, the team headed down the middle of the North Island, from Lake Tarawera to Taupo, then over the hills to Napier and through Hawke’s Bay, to Dannevirke, where they turned off towards the coast.

Noel Bowden (right) had some help from his wingman, Shane Middleton.

All the group needed was for the weather to play ball – but it wasn’t to be.

That came as no surprise to the Big Six crew: every time they visit, it rains.

According to local legend, whenever there is a drought, locals call Peeti and ask when Thomas will next be in town, to bring them some much-needed rain.

And this year, it was a deluge.

The rain began as the crew headed out on the coast road – a remote and spectacular stretch of the Wairarapa coast, with crayfish and paua among the rocks, and plenty of animals in the bush.

“The Rheem Big Six is always a monster challenge to tackle, but this year, Mother Nature made sure it was a wild experience for Noel and our crew.”

The rain, which began as a morning mist, was now bucketing down. After fuelling themselves up, the team covered up and took buggies into the hills for a billy goat, one of which is almost guaranteed in the area. Bowden shot several, and his wingman, Shane Middleton, who is a serious hunter, added a few more to the bag.

By now, Bowden had a score of three, with 24 hours to go.

Ready to hit the river for fish, the crew loaded up the buggies with surf rods and headed to the rivermouth.

The tide was coming in as Bowden cast his spinners and baits.

Although Peeti and a pal caught five kahawai just a few days earlier, Bowden had no such luck.

The remnants of Cyclone Hola also brought howling winds that smashed waves onto the beach and turned the rivers into brown torrents bubbling with trees and branches.

But the challenge clock was ticking, and the crew knew they would definitely get a goat, possibly a kahawai in the river mouth, and there was a good chance at a stag too, so they dug out the rain gear and went for it.

Bowden had also never shot a deer, so it was a big call for him to put his first shot with a high power into an animal, but that is what the Big Six is all about – it provides an opportunity to give something a go, even if you have no experience.

The following morning saw the team high in the mountains, waiting for the first flush of light to push through the dense fog which drifted over the tops.

Gonzo pointed to a little valley on the bush edge, where three deer were standing. The deer quickly spotted the four hunters and the film crew, and scampered into the scrub. A bunch of fallow then quickly sprang up and bounded over the ridge.

Gonzo and Bowden went ahead of the group, hoping to find a clear shot at a stag – but stags don’t read the script, and the only one that fell over was a hind for meat.

It was then time to head back for a breakfast feast, courtesy of Peeti, who put on a spread of baked and minced paua, sausages, eggs, and hash browns baked with cheese on top.

Noel Bowden finished with three out of six – two trout and a billy goat – which was an impressive effort, given the extreme weather.

The team called a halt when their coats and clothes could not get any wetter, and it was back to the bar for a korero.

Bowden’s chance to bag all six looked lost as the weather worsened.

The sea was totally out of the question, the rivers were in flood, and the roads were closed by flooding and slips.

The worst was yet to come: the power went out, phone lines went dead, and it took the team all of the following day just to get into Hawke’s Bay, which was a sea of floodwater.

Nonetheless, Bowden was rapt with his trout and goat, and a final score of three out of six.

His freezer is packed with sausages and steaks from a lovely fallow, and the miserable weather is already a distant memory.

WHO IS ATT AND HOW DO THEY WORK? ATT (Apprenticeship Training Trust), whose headquarters are in Highbrook, Auckland, is one of the construction industry’s success stories. ATT recruits, employs and places apprentices with host businesses in plumbing, gas-fitting, drain laying and electrical trades.

ATT was established in 1991 to provide trade training opportunities for New Zealanders. Its purpose is to deliver a regular stream of quality tradespeople to the construction industry. ATT calls this the “managed-apprentice model” A managed apprenticeship takes the worry and hassle away from trade businesses who want to take on an apprentice. This allows them to focus on what they do best – working on providing trade solutions to their customers.

ATT’s mission is: “To provide opportunities for New

Zealanders to train and become successful tradespeople”.

This has never been more important than now, as the New Zealand construction industry struggles with a shortage of trades people.

ATT is the largest employer of Plumbing, Gas-fitting and Drain laying apprentices in New Zealand, with 27 years of experience. ATT recruits, employs and places apprentices with host businesses, providing a full service, value-formoney package, including apprentice management, administration and recruitment. They make training an apprentice hassle free, so employers can focus on growing their business.

WHY TRAIN AN APPRENTICE?

Training an apprentice is the future of any business.

An employer can teach an apprentice according to his company’s standards and expectations, which is a huge

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advantage. Additional off-the-job training also ensures the business remains abreast of the latest industry developments because the apprentice is learning the newest trade skills.

Apprentices quickly earn their keep – once a level of competency has been met, they become a lot more productive.

By year three most can work with limited supervision.

The trades industry is booming all over New Zealand, but businesses can struggle to find apprentices of the right calibre. ATT understands its clients’ business needs, using this knowledge to select the most suitable apprentices, with a view to client companies retaining their apprentices long term. Team dynamics, personalities and work types all play a big part of the decision-making process, for both the apprentice and the host.

Training apprentices benefits not only the employer.

Apprentices gain a trade and build a career, which grows and strengthens the trades industry as a whole.

WWW.ATT.ORG.NZ

SIGN AN APPRENTICE TODAY! ATT is offering any business that takes on an apprentice prior to the end of August 2018 a $1000 credit on their account.

Host businesses that sign up and meet the criteria will also receive a fishing rod and reel set with a fleece shirt and camo light cap, courtesy of Rheem.

Terms and conditions apply.

APPRENTICES GROW BUSINESS. LET ATT GROW YOUR BUSINESS. GASFITTING

DRAINLAYING

PLUMBING

ATT has been providing quality managed apprentices to New Zealand industry for over 27 years.

APPRENTICESHIPS MADE EASY...

RECRUITMENT • ATT takes care of the entire recruitment process, we look for mature young people who have made a commitment to plumbing, gasfitting, drainlaying or electrical trades and have the ability to succeed.

CERTAINTY • ATT employs the apprentice for the length of their apprenticeship and we aim to keep the apprentice with the same Host throughout their time. Hosts only pay for the hours the ATT apprentice is working for the Host business.

MENTORING • ATT is passionate about mentoring apprentices, we have regular contact, we give them an independent voice and we ensure they remain on-track with their study and on-job training.

SUCCESS • ATT apprentices have a high success rate, allowing the Host to concentrate on their business while ATT handles any issues with the apprentice’s training and performance.

CONTACT US TODAY TO DISCUSS THE BENEFITS OF ATT IN MORE DETAIL

GUARANTEE

0800 187 878

• ATT offers a three week handback option - ‘for any reason’, allowing the Host to invest in growing their business with less risk and greater flexibility.

www.att.org.nz

info@att.org.nz

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Off-Site products Rheem Hot Water Systems

Go with the flow Rheem continuous flow hot water – new look, new features

N

ew Zealand’s favourite hot water brand has created a new standard in its gas continuous flow range of water heaters.

With a sleek new design and modern colour, the new 16L, 20L and 24L models come with added performance and installation features.

Suitable for natural gas or ULPG, these wall-mounted water heaters can be set into the wall within matching recess boxes or onto external cladding where connections can be concealed

with matching pipe covers.

The range of Rheem Continuous Flow Water Heaters can also be linked using the EZ Link® system to increase flow capacity, which is ideal in colder areas with lower water temperatures.

Flamesafe overheat protection continues to provide peace of mind while the optional remote temperature controllers provide convenience.

Rheem’s existing and popular 27L model will also be updated with the new modern colour.

AVAILABLE FROM RHEEM STOCKISTS NATIONWIDE. WWW.RHEEM.CO.NZ

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WE WANT YOU!

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THE AIM OF RHEEM OFF-SITE IS TO FEATURE SOME OF THE INTERESTING OUTDOOR STORIES TRADIES HAVE TO TELL. YOUR STORIES! Send us your best hunting, fishing, diving and outdoors images as well - we have a pair of top quaility Oakley sunglasses to be given away each month for the best image.

ETS CARLNGTIVE INVE

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GET SE OPENING BIRDS ON WEEKEND NTING E FIND A HU D PREPAR BLOCK AN ROAR FOR THE

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Tradies, Rheem off-site is YOUR magazine. Please share your experiences and adventures with us. You don't have to be a puiltzer prize-winning writer - that is our job!

Look forward to hearing from you.

JOHN EICHELSHEIM

EDITOR RHEEM OFF-SITE

TALK TO US SO WE CAN SHARE YOUR STORIES WITH OTHERS.

EMAIL JOHNEICHELSHEIM@GMAIL.COM PHONE 021 775 789

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h t i w WIN

OAKLEY tly

n e r e ff i d e f i L e Se WINNERS

On a cold Wellington Autumn night, While waiting for the fish to bite, My Rheem fleece keeping me warm, While I read Off-site and keep informed, I would love to win the Oakley sunglasses.

I hope this photo passes.

LUKE TAYLOR

ALTON ANAMANI

SEND IN A SHOT OF YOU AND YOUR COPY OF RHEEM OFF-SITE IN THE GREAT OUTDOORS

Include a caption of of who, what, when and where the picture was taken. You could win one of two Oakley Polarised Caliber Sunglasses valued at $299 per pair. The winners will have their photos published in our next issue of Rheem Offsite.

Post a pic at www.facebook.com/offsitenz

Off-Site Feature

Fly fishing

WILDERNESS FLY FISHING Peter Elliott relates a remarkable tale of tackle lost and found in the Mohaka wilderness.

A

few years back I bought a Shimano fly reel to use on a lovely four-piece, 6-weight Adam Scott rod. I figured the 5/6 was good quality Japanese tech and I was keen to use it on an upcoming trip into the bush south-east of Taupo.

In December I joined three experienced angler friends on a fly-in to the Upper Mohaka River for four days’ wilderness fishing. It was my first visit to this fabled water, which had been talked up for years around many a table, so I was eager, if a little naïve.

A week of rain prior to our trip saw the river high and discoloured but, according to the helicopter operator, still fishable. More downpours delayed our departure by a couple of hours and we could only get access to a nearby hilltop instead of the standard river drop at camp, which was now flooded.

This alternative site was so small we had to fly in two at a time in a much smaller ‘copter. Mark and I watched envi-

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FAR LEFT Deep green and fishy.

LEFT Pete with a lovely Mohaka fighter.

BELOW LEFT Left to right: Steve Driver, Mark Worthington, Phil Worthington and Peter Elliott at the Mohaka Hut.

ously as a clattering Robinson 44 took off with our grinning mates, Phil and Steve. Damn! They were going to be on the water before us.

The boys were less perky when we finally dropped through the cloud to the tiny clearing. They had lugged all the heaviest stuff down a precipitous, muddy hill to the hut and had then had to climb near-vertical mud faces all the way back up to help us bring down the rest of the supplies.

My jibes about their fitness levels were barely tolerated.

It was thrilling to see the river up close, even if there were doubts about the weather and its fishability. We settled in, assigned bunks, unpacked and began stringing floating lines.

Right in front of the hut was a beautiful set of runs and riffles spilling out of a rocky gorge with a larger, spreading pool that narrowed into a run up against a sheer cliff wall. It was dark-green, deep and looking decidedly fishy. I decided to try my luck.

I flicked a couple of false casts and fired out a hare and

copper beneath a small white fluffy indicator. It drifted just on the edge of the riffle and in the feed line. Nice!

I mended and let it swing past and then ran out more line to let the fly drift for as long as possible. There was a bit of bobbing but nothing to strike at, just the faint, gravelly bounce of a weighted fly on the bottom.

Exhibiting buck fever, I then pulled down against the rod tip and snapped off the top 15 centimetres of my Scott.

With my first cast, on my first trip to this legendary water, I’d broken my rod. Disaster!

I was screwed for fishing and faced spending the worst four days of my life being ribbed to death.

Fortunately I had a tiny kit for replacing loops on lines, which included super glue. With difficulty I removed the top guide from the broken tip section and after much scraping away of graphite, refitted it to the shortened rod. It was now five inches shorter but worked – just.

Unfortunately, the guys discovered I’d screwed up and got me back for my earlier comments about their fitness,

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and then some. My mojo was definitely gone, my casting wooden and I was all thumbs. I finished day one fishless.

Day two and the river was still up and discoloured. I was wading a stretch about 500 metres downstream from the camp when my new reel started playing up. The drag wouldn’t tighten and line raced off the spool. I could find nothing obviously wrong with it, but at lunchtime I headed back to camp to have a closer look.

Under the drag knob was a tiny stainless nipple sited atop a spring which pushed it into a series of dimples on the underside of the drag. This created the ratchet noise, but I couldn’t get it to stay in place. By removing the nipple I got the drag to work, but without the clicker. Fine by me, I went back to fishing.

Later, standing in a long, swift run, I was retrieving when the spool fell out of the reel cage and splashed into the water. It was slippery underfoot so I couldn’t chase it as it was carried away from me, flashing over and over in the current.

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT A glimpse of heaven from the chopper.

Steve hooked up.

Vittles on the campfire.

A re-rig beside pristine water.

Loading in on trip two.

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KNOWING WE WERE TO FLY OUT AT AROUND LUNCHTIME, I DETERMINED THAT I WAS GOING TO GET MYSELF A FISH BEFORE I LEFT. By now I was fairly annoyed with this new reel. But all I had to do was retrieve the entire line and the attached spool, pulling it in while letting the rest of the line run downstream through the rod. No worries.

The end of the backing line appeared but no spool…no spool? The backing had either come undone, or I had just forgotten to tie the line on to the reel. It was obvious which scenario was going to be apparent to the chaps. Damn it!

Aghast at my seemingly endless stupidity, I gathered up the line and trudged back to camp with an empty reel housing and an emptier feeling inside. It was day two and I was still fishless, but worse, I was unable to fish my own gear at all.

The ribbing was merciless, despite my gloom.

Day three was even worse because the pity started

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A red wine while dinner cooks.

and I was given spare equipment: a 7-weight Redington rod and reel combo that had wonderful feel and power, but I was rattled by my mistakes and failures and remained fishless on day three, too.

My mates’ alternating needling and sympathy for my abject performance was intolerable: “We’ll put you in the best water tomorrow, Pete,” or “I won’t fish until we’ve got you on the board,” and “Everybody has a day like this…but not usually three!”

Knowing we were to fly out at around lunchtime, I determined that I was going to get myself a fish before I left.

Sleep was a stranger.

Day four dawned. I grabbed the loan kit and headed off alone before the others were up. Thirty minutes later I had a four-pound rainbow on the bank and three men cheering me on. The rogues had sneaked after me to watch!

But I was happy and relieved. I dropped another fish, but things were improving. At lunchtime we flew out, vowing to come back at the same time next year. I’d be ready.

The following year everything went without a hitch.

The weather was sensational while the river was low and clear and full of big, strong rainbows and browns. We used a single chopper and enjoyed some of the most memorable fishing of our lives, including my first wild fishery ten-pound rainbow. Brilliant!

I had the right equipment for the river and the days passed in a happy blur of fish and wading, sun and glinting water, bush and beech leaves, billy tea and laughs – a trip filled with camaraderie. It was truly miraculous.

With the river lower than the year before, we were able to explore kilometres of untouched water. On day two, Steve and I headed away on a long trek. At some

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point during the day Steve lost his tackle box containing a couple of hundred dollars worth of new flies. Steve was disconsolate that night and vowed to go back and have a look, but with the bush-bashing, river crossings back and forth, and clambering up and down various banks, cliffs, rockfalls and blackberry, there was virtually no hope of finding his lost fly box.

Sunday morning, Mark and Steve headed off down river while Phil and I headed upstream. Both parties had sensational fishing and we were exhausted upon returning that evening. But Steve was excited and he told Mark to relate his tale.

Climbing through dense bush, Mark had lost his footing, slid and rolled down a steep bank and crashed to the water’s edge. As he dusted himself off he looked down, and there beside his foot in the moss and stones, was Steve’s lost tackle box!

But Steve was still beaming: he told me that when he was wading in the river, way down below camp, he’d clambered out over a gravelly wall cut flat by recent storm flows, when he noticed a glint in the side of the bank. He brushed away some sand and grit and pulled a crusted metallic object out of the bank.

It was my lost spool.

It was gritty and grey and covered in what looked to be some sort of lichen-ish growth. But it was definitely my spool. The chances of finding it were infinitesimally small.

But there it was!

I cleaned it up; rubbed away at the growth on it and put a little oil in the works. It went back into the reel seat with a firm snick and spun as free as the day it was made. It has never played up again.

Off-Site feature Game birds

MORE TO GAME BIRDS THAN DUCKS With the duck seasons not getting any longer, Rheem Off-site regular Barry Sharplin decided to write an article on species other than ducks you can hunt during the game bird season.

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O

ne thing I want to make clear is that I don’t encourage people to just go and shoot game. If it’s just pulling the trigger you’re keen on, join a clay target club or buy a clay bird slinger. You will get to fire more shots and its cheaper than hunting, that’s for sure, and with a lot less clean up.

But if you enjoy shooting for the sport and refining the various techniques, then read on!

PUKEKO

One bird that people don’t seem to hunt enough is the pukeko. The population of pukekos in New Zealand is growing quickly and hunters need to target them a bit more to keep the numbers down. They can be a fun bird to hunt when you actually target them and there are a lot of methods that can be very successful.

One of my favourite methods is walking a willow-choked river or swamp and having them fly out. It can be challenging shooting at times, but very rewarding, involving some memorable shots between trees or at long range. The chance to shoot a double or triple is common.

Another method that can be good fun is floating for them. Get into a kayak or dinghy and find a river to float down. Normally this kind of shooting can be quick-fire, as the birds head smartly towards higher ground.

PARADISE DUCKS

In a lot of regions around the country, there is a bit longer to shoot paradise ducks and black swans. Targeting paradise ducks can be some of the most fast-paced shooting you can get, because when they decide they want to come in, its hard to change their minds and mobs of paradise ducks can be very large.

The trick to paradise ducks is doing a reconnaissance mission first: work out where they are landing and at what time. Are they there early in the morning or is it a roosting spot for the evening?

Shooting paradise ducks over decoys or silhouettes using a caller can be a very rewarding and great fun when the adventure is shared with someone who appreciates or wants to get into shooting.

Getting permission from farmers to shoot paradise ducks doesn’t seem to be too hard. Most farmers are happy to let you on on their properties if they are having problems with ducks, but remember to respect the farm, leave gates as you found them, and to be cautious when shooting around stock.

Another thing a lot of people don’t realise is that Fish and Game regions throughout the country have different regulations, so you never know – you may be able to hunt a game bird a little longer in the month if you drive for half an

LEFT Pheasants are challenging birds to hunt.

ABOVE A decent bag of delicious pheasants.

hour and shoot in a different region.

Be sure to read your license book to get the most from your game bird license.

PHEASANTS AND QUAIL

Pheasants and quail are also challenging birds to hunt and you don’t necessarily need dogs.

T hough your success can be greatly improved by using a dog, you can still have a lot of fun without one – you just have to learn the kinds of areas where you will find these game birds.

Pheasants love ink weed, so if there is an old pine block or ex-pine block nearby, it could be worth asking around and going for a walk.

Whenever you come across an area that has ink weed, slow down and get ready – you don’t have a lot of time to shoot because a pheasant in the air can be out of range very quickly.

If you’re hunting with a mate, a bright item of clothing is a good idea – something like a blaze hat or vest – because the way pheasants fly can be unpredictable. For my own safety around other shooters, I want to stand out as much

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THIS SEASON, ALSO TRY TO TAKE SOMEONE NEW HUNTING, EVEN IF JUST FOR A DAY AS A TAG-ALONG.

LEFT Game bird hunting can be a family affair.

BELOW A pair of pheasants staying close to cover.

as possible when shooting this way.

Quail are another exciting bird to hunt. And don’t let their size fool you! They are very quick, and normally where there is one there is more.

Quail sit tight until you are right on top of them and then and burst from cover right in front of you, but before you know it they are out of range. Remember to use finer pellet sizes like 7s or 9s rather than a duck load because they are a small bird.

Quail are a fantastic table bird with white, mild-flavoured meat that’s perfect to prepare for guests or for the family.

HOME RUN

If you are looking for a challenge this season, try and get the ‘home run,’ as I like to call it. That’s bagging one of each species of game bird in the season.

It’s good fun, takes you to all sorts of places and can be a fun to do with mates – a bit of a contest to see who can get the most species.

Shoveller is another species that’s a real challenge to target. To increase your chances you definitely need to learn where to find these ducks around our costal margins.

BIRDS FOR THE TABLE

There are many different ways to cook game birds, and if you think you won’t like duck or pheasant because you tried it once before a long time ago, just try cooking it using a different method. There are a lot of Asian mixers out there that go well with game birds, or even curries. Just experiment with things you like.

There are also more traditional dishes, like birds slowcooked in the crock pot with red wine, a few herbs and veggies. Just jump on Google for some inspiration – there are

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so many different methods out there.

You can also take birds to your nearest home kill butcher and get the meat made into salami. I tend to do half duck meat and half venison, but have used wild pork or goat meat in the past and it came out great.

This season, also try to take someone new hunting, even if just for a day as a tag-along. It’s great to see newbies getting into hunting and it’s even better seeing kids out there with dad or mum.

So happy and safe shooting out there everyone: be responsible, identify your target and always point your firearm in a safe direction.

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