Swapping between fresh and salt

Swapping between

I wonder how many fishers use the same techniques across sea fishing and freshwater angling?

Or do most have two separate collections of equipment and methods?

I have recently used an old lead line to troll for kahawai and have enjoyed success when the kahawai were not evident on the surface.

I trialled three lines and the lead line would have had five times the success versus the surface-trolled lures when there was no bird sign evident.

When the fish were schooling on the surface, both methods were equally successful. The results were similar for skipjack tuna and albacore so having the lures slightly deeper does seem worth the effort. I’ve had some bust offs so am unsure of the breaking strain of the leadline or if the age of it could be a contributing factor. Perhaps it’s time to invest in some better line.

Trial and error

Another method ‘borrowed’ from the trout fishing fraternity is the use of a trout fly that imitates whitebait.

The grey ghost fly has been particularly effective during the whitebait season when kahawai terrorise the whitebait schools. Having such a proven fly which so closely resembles what the kahawai are feeding on has been very successful.

At times when the kahawai, trevally or mackerel are on the surface herding krill, they will not often take a bigger lure.

During these times a slow trolled tiny fly that resembles krill works a treat. I am unsure of the name of the fly and have lost several so I would suggest any tiny fly would be ideal.

Using such a fly to catch jack mackerel has also been used to advantage by friends, especially at night around lights.

They have had some great sport fishing using fly rods casting

A Flasher from Canada used for salmon fishing on the Great Lakes

fresh and salt

among the schooling fish. Perhaps squid could be targeted as well as they are often near such a light source.

Any lure that can glow obviously appears more attractive to these species. I have tried with mixed success the use of down riggers after bringing two sets back from Canada where they are used for deeper water trolling.

Experiments continue

I need to experiment with slow trolling live baits for kingfish when they are in deeper waters. I did have some problems when the weighted ball hit the top of the reef we had been trolling over and the vibrating wire did not appear to be enticing or appealing.

With a range of bigger lures available I will be trying various combinations and methods this summer.

When stray lining in a big current, the burley container can be deployed deeper with the wire line against a wider rope.

I am thinking of lowering my witch doctor game fishing teaser possibly with a lure and/or live bait attached on a trace in current to see if this is appealing to kingfish.

Worthy of more experimentation are lowering lures to bait fish showing in deeper water. Such species as tuna could be deeper down as often they only appear on the surface for short periods so the down riggers could be deployed to advantage using the sounder to indicate the ideal depth.

The Canadian salmon flashers which I saw used in the Great Lakes could also have potential. There are a huge selection of these flashers ranging from single flashers to those on a wire trace with several circulating discs which flash to imitate fish.

I tried one with a live bait attached on a trace so the swimming bait spun the flasher. Unfortunately a shark took all the tackle so I am awaiting new stock to further experiment with these.

Hung from a float with a bait live or dead could also be a possibility as I note from some spearfishing programmes they use such a device to attract pelagic species in deep water.

Fly fishing

Jigging for trout has been especially successful over recent years and this method has been utilised by salt water anglers for sometime in deeper waters. In shallow waters, such as estuaries and harbours near mangroves, there have been reports of successful catches fly fishing some distance from the fish, which can be easily spooked if you are too close. There could be potential for fly fishing for flounder with a fly that resembles what they are feeding on such as small crabs and shrimps.

Many folk near marinas or waterways or in harbours see mullet and as they will not readily take a bait perhaps a fly could be enticing to them. They would be great to take on a fly rod.

I am unsure of the methods used when harling but no doubt such techniques could be adapted for salt water use, especially in harbours or around islands.

No doubt many other anglers have adapted fresh water techniques to salt water and will continue to experiment and trial. Ron Morgan

‘We are guests on the water’ is the message the Department of Conservation would like to remind boaties, as hot-spots remain busy.

DOC say the safety of sea life should always be at the forefront of people’s minds when enjoying our waters.

With border restrictions of Covid-19 meaning more Kiwis are holidaying at home and enjoying the Bay of Plenty’s water playgrounds, DOC Tauranga marine ranger Karl McCarthy says it is always good to remind people that we share the ocean with living species and to give them the necessary space to be safe in their natural environment.

“Boaties need to be particularly mindful in the shallow harbours of the Bay of Plenty where boat traffic is high and animals may be confined to shallow waters,” says Karl.

“Boat strikes and strandings are real risks for these animals.

“The last thing they need is people getting in their bubble particularly when they need to be busy feeding, nursing their young or sleeping.

“It’s not always appropriate to interact with marine mammals and that’s why we recommend going out with a DOC permitted marine mammal operator.

“They have extensive knowledge not only in where to find animals but when and how to best interact with them. “Marine conservation is at the forefront of what they do.”

Trained to protect

Bay Explorer owner Brandon Stone says that as an approved operator, the crew is trained in the rules and regulations regarding different species, as well as understanding the behaviour of different marine life.

“We operate under a DOC permit and stick to the legislation established to help the protection of marine species and their habitat,” says Brandon.

“Our crew members are marine enthusiasts and conservationists.”

Brandon says there are many ways to safely share the waters with marine life with the right understanding of their biology and behaviour.

For example, finding marine mammals in the Bay of Plenty requires an understanding of tidal flows and current movements. Boaties who are not familiar with this could change direction and speed which potentially increases the risk of striking sealife.

“Constant speed and constant direction is important.

“We are trained to know, for example, what direction a whale is swimming in. But an untrained person may change direction or increase speed suddenly trying to sight particular wildlife.”

Stay aware

Keeping focused on the water and understanding the behaviours of different marine life is also paramount.

“Understanding the behaviour is important, for example approaching dolphins, we are trained to know when they are feeding, or what they are doing at certain times in their natural habitat.

“At the beginning of summer, dolphin pods can be particularly vulnerable as there are a lot of juvenile dolphins in the water.

“Unfortunately some people in their boats just do not keep an eye on the water and what’s around them.”

Brandon says the tours aim to educate people about their biology, behaviours and habitat.

Karl says we are all responsible for ensuring the continued safety of our marine life.

Being mindful and slowing right down to idle or no wake speed when coming across pods of dolphins, turtles, and other sea life prevents the likelihood of boat strikes, says Karl.

Written in law

All reptiles, including sea turtles, are protected under the Wildlife Act 1953 and all seals, sea lions, dolphins and whales are protected under the Marine Mammals Protection Act 1978.

It’s an offence to harass, disturb, injure or kill marine mammals and sea turtles.

If you come across injured or stranded marine mammals and reptiles call 0800 DOC HOT (0800 362 468).

Annemarie Quill

Siren set-up delayed

Previous plans to install new sirens from Papamoa to Omanu have been delayed, with the impact of Covid-19 attributed as the main factor.

However, any system must fit the profile for new regulations regarding tsunami warning infrastructure.

It comes after residents in the Thames Coromandel District Council region expressed major concerns about the deactivation of the tsunami warning system in their area.

Mercury Bay resident Linda Cholmondeley Smith expressed her concerns with TCDC Mayor Sandra Goudie after the earthquake and tsunami threat across the East Coast on Friday, March 5.

Tsunami scare

Linda was left disappointed at the lack of alerts and soon discovered regional plans to deactivate sirens.

“Within six hours we have had three earthquakes and there has not been anything from Civil Defence,” Linda says.

Linda claims the Mayor told her at a public meeting on Sunday, March 21, that the decision to deactivate the sirens in the TCDC area was an internal decision with no public consultation.

TCDC civil defence controller Garry Towler clarifies the tsunami sirens in TCDC will be disconnected in September. He also disputes the idea there was no public consultation.

“We’ve been flagging up since at least December 2016 that the tsunami warning sirens in our district are not compliant with the new national standards,” says Gary.

“Because of issues around their location, wind direction, double-glazing in windows they are not the most effective means of alerting people.”

In 2014, the Ministry of Civil Defence & Emergency Management released a new standard for tsunami warning sirens.

A timeframe until June 2020 was given to meet this new standard.

In July 2020, TCDC were informed their sirens no longer complied.

Alarm-less

In Tauranga, there are currently no active tsunami sirens.

Much like in the TCDC area, any sirens in Tauranga would need to meet the new guidelines set out in 2014.

“The standard requires sirens intended to be used for tsunami warnings to be PA capable in order to provide simple and clear voice messages after the alert signal,” Barbara explains. Plans to install up to 12 sirens, covering around 15km, remain. However, the project is on hold due to Covid-19 related supply chain issues. A report related to the use of sirens will be presented to Tauranga City Council commissioners on April 27.

Get gone

Civil Defence New Zealand advise not to wait for official warnings. If you’re near the coast and feel an earthquake that is long or strong, get gone is the message.

Linda has now started a petition to try and ensure sirens remain a part of the alert system in the Thames-Coromandel region.

She believes implementing the new systems alongside traditional air-raid style sirens, is the most expedient way to ensure safety for all. “We’re doing all these great things which are ok when they are already complimenting a system that already exists.” Mathew Nash

Connecting Taupo with the lake

Taupo authorities are using the Government’s “shovel-ready” projects cash to push forward with a project to link the CBD with the waterfront.

The $20 million CBD Transformation project has been part of the Taupo District Council’s strategic plan since 2004 but was on the back burner because of more pressing projects.

When the Government was handing out cash for “shovel-ready projects” to stimulate local economies post-lockdown, the idea was ready to go and the council seized the chance.

The project will see the main road through town shifted so it skirts the CBD to the east. The existing four lane Tongariro St main road will be reduced to two lanes, with landscaping and traffic calming in place to encourage more pedestrian use. It is hoped this will connect the main retail area with the adjacent Tongariro Domain, Lake Taupo Marina and the lakefront opposite Robert St, where many of the cafes and restaurants are located.

Work is already well underway with new roundabouts installed in the CBD and work now underway on the new main road down Titiraupenga St. It is expected to be completed by about the middle of 2022.

Follow and watch...

Whales by satellite

Tohora photographed near Auckland

Island. Photo: R Robinson under DOC permit.

Whale watchers can now follow the summer travels of six New Zealand southern right whales online, thanks to scientists successfully attaching satellite tracking tags to the tohora in August.

As part of a major research project involving the University of Auckland and Cawthron Institute, the researchers worked in freezing conditions in the subAntarctic where tohora gather each winter in the sheltered harbour of Port Ross on Auckland Island, which serves as a nursery and socialising destination.

And winter 2020’s gathering provided scientists with the opportunity to attach the tracking tags and do other research including taking skin samples for genetic and biochemical analysis and to measure the size of individual whales using drone technology.

Defying predictions

The expedition to Port Ross, which lies more than 400km south of Stewart Island in the Southern Ocean, aimed to find out more about the migration routes and offshore feeding grounds of this population of whales.

Early results from the satellite tracking shows the whales – named Tahi, Rua, Toru, Wha, Rima and Bill/Wiremu – already leaving Port Ross for the summer but so far they have defied predictions of where they might head to.

Dr Emma Carroll, a Royal Society of New Zealand Te Aparangi Rutherford Discovery Fellow at the University of Auckland, say her team had expected they would travel north to the warmer waters nearer New Zealand and Australia “where we assume their traditional feeding grounds are”.

“But first they swam even further south towards Antarctica. They also initially spent longer in the general region of the Auckland Islands than we thought they would, so that’s a clear indication of just how important this area is to these amazing animals.”

Population recovery

As of November, one of the whales, named Toru, was about 1300km east of Bill, south of South Australia, probably also in the subtropical convergence.

“Toru is closer to where two whales tracked offshore, in a pilot study, from the Auckland Islands in 2009 went to feed,” says Emma.

“So three whales with regularly transmitting tags – Toru, Bill and Tahi – seem to have reached their feeding grounds, likely in the subtropical convergence south of Australia.

“It will be really interesting to see where they go next. Maybe they’ll keep feeding there all summer, maybe they’ll move south – we’ll have to wait and see!”

Whales found refuge in the Auckland Islands while around mainland New Zealand whaling nearly wiped them out in the early-1800s. Today, the Port Ross region is still the only nursery area for tohora in New Zealand waters, and the whales have been protected by a moratorium on tourism since 2002.

Emma says the winter 2020 expedition of eight scientists into the wild Southern Ocean aboard the yacht Evohe posed some major challenges. “It was freezing cold with snow and sleet, so working in those conditions is really hard but we went prepared. Sailing into Port Ross and seeing so many whales was a wonderful moment.”

Cawthron Institute marine ecologist Dr Simon Childerhouse, who was also involved in the expedition, says this particular population of tohora have recovered well from whaling from the early-1800s when numbers plummeted to as low as 40 from an estimated 30,000.

Changing climate

By 2009, the population had recovered to around 2000 whales. But one of the biggest potential remaining threats to tohora is climate change and the effect it might be having on marine species the whales rely on for food once they reach summer feeding grounds.

“Other populations in the Southern Hemisphere are not faring that well and there is ongoing concern about how climate change may be affecting the amount of food available to them,” says Simon.

“We need to do more to whether these impacts have had the same effect on New Zealand’s population to date, and learn from what has happened elsewhere so that we can protect New Zealand’s tohora now and in the future.”

The research is made possible by private equity leader, philanthropist and New Zealand proprietor Brian Sheth, the Royal Society of New Zealand Te Aparangi, the University of Auckland, Live Ocean and the Lou & Iris Fisher Charitable Trust.

Follow the voyages of the whales at: www.tohoravoyages.ac.nz and www.liveocean.com