There’ve been a couple of major events since last I managed to get out on opening day of trout season, to the day after my hip replacement.
I have to say ‘Lynne the Ruthless’ wasn’t happy about it and reckoned I probably should have given it a couple of weeks longer to recover. I was a little bit disappointed in her lack of loyalty when the bloody hospital chose that particular day to phone to check on how the wound was and was I managing on my crutches and how was I coping with the pain. Now, she could have lied and said I was having a sleep or something but no, ‘The Ruthless’ was way too honest and told them I was out
They weren’t overly happy because, apparently, I should still have been on crutches and not doing much for at least a month. While I was a bit sore that night, there’s no bloody way I admitted that to ‘The Ruthless’. As it was, I didn’t even need my arms let alone my slightly damaged pretty crappy.
Of course, apart from the rugby, where order was
well and truly restored, the other item of interest that happened over the weekend was the election. Now, I’ll be totally up front and proudly admit I gave my candidate vote to the blue corner and my party vote to ACT.
While I’m not way to the right on centre, David Seymour got my vote solely due to his standing up for the owners. I was actually not at all concerned with seeing the arse-end of MSSAs in the vast majority of cases. I don’t consider them a bona been starkly illustrated, they are the weapon of choice for the hardened crim and, as we have sadly seen, for the absolute fanatics who don’t deserve to share our oxygen. There were however a growing group of totally law-abiding people who had to have one to compete in a discipline of sport shooting.
I think a bit of understanding should have led to dispensation for those people. A far stricter and well policed E category should have been introduced.
Saturday night did however see an event that has not happened since the start
of MMP. One party has the numbers to govern alone. Some will say that’s not a good thing but when their coalition partner was going to be the bloody Greens, it is a cause for major celebrations.
I wonder, how many voters gave their party vote to Labour just to keep the Greens out.
I would suspect a lot. Now, Jacinda is having talks with them and I would not be surprised if she tosses them a few crumbs. As a reward for Chloe Swarbrick winning Auckland, I’d be supportive in her getting the Ministry of Organic Lattes. I’d give Julie Anne Genter, Ministry of Idiots.
My final suggestion is to give Eugenie Sage the Ministry of Shit All, because what she has done to our lifestyle is way more than she deserves.
Catch you next month.
Fish Mainland Inc congratulates the Labour Party for its election success, which is essentially a public mandate to govern on its own. This is a first since MMP began in 1996.
However, Fish Mainland understands the politics of considering what role, if any, the Green Party might have in the new Government. While Fish Mainland can work with any political party or combination of parties in a coalition government, we will continue to express our concerns about two Green Party initiatives that ban recreational fishers’ access to areas that are important to them:
If progressed as proposed, the Southeast MPAs would lock up in perpetuity some longstanding recreational fishing areas, even some inside Dunedin.
The near ban on set-netting precludes recreational netting in estuaries and inlets where it has been done for over 100 years without any dolphin sightings, let alone mortalities.
Fish Mainland supports MPAs and measures to mitigate dolphin mortality, if supported by science-based evidence. What we object to is locking up areas without any evidential basis and failing to listen to those who are directly and adversely
impacted.
Fish Mainland is confident that both initiatives can proceed in meeting their desired objectives while avoiding unnecessary impacts on fishers. Our ‘sit around the table’ approach is what best suits resolution of South Island fisheries challenges.
Our newly elected and appointed Board of Directors intend to meet with incumbent and new Labour MPs in the South Island to discuss how we can keep moving forward building on the support and endorsement that the Hon Stuart Nash, as Minister of Fisheries, provided us in early 2020.
Minister Nash commended us in working respectfully and collaboratively with Government, Iwi and the other fishing sectors and interests. Also, he acknowledged the benefits of our proposed recreational fisher selfreporting system that can greatly improve catch and e ort data for management decision making.
Our Board of Directors will work with the new Minister of Fisheries and o cials to progress the self-reporting system and other components of the Blue Cod Strategy that can improve the management of this important fishery and with minimal impact on fishers.
We are currently holding some public meetings with Fisheries New Zealand o cials present to discuss fishers’ concerns with the Strategy’s implementation, namely the inability to transit through an area with a larger daily limit taken in another area and the requirement to land blue cod in a measurable state.
Another way we will work with the new Minister and o cials is in seeking support for our South Island Recreational Fisheries Policy https://www.fishmainland. nz/south-island-recreationalfisheries-policy The purpose of this policy is to coordinate the actions of the South Island recreational fishing sector, Government, Iwi and the other fishing sectors and interests in realising opportunities and meeting the challenges facing the recreational sector.
The benefits of Fish Mainland coordinating, representing and promoting the interests of South Island recreational fishers is now quite apparent. Stated another way, the alternative provides little hope for improvements when facing inevitable challenges.
Now is the time to show your support by signing up and making what donation you can https://www. fishmainland.nz/
The aim of Fish Mainland is to provide a uni ed voice for the South Island marine recreational shing community. Its aim is also to demonstrate the ability to work respectfully and collaboratively with others to nd workable solutions that provide the best public outcomes.
Its vision is a healthy and abundant marine environment in which recreational shers have an equitable share of available sheries resources and are respected partners in management decisions.
The recreational shing sector is far more numerous, diverse and unde ned than the commercial shing sector and Iwi shing interests. As a sector, recreational shers remain largely unknown, except for a small proportion with membership to shing and boating clubs
If you are interested in and supportive of recreational shing and/or sustainable sheries management practices then become a member of Fish Mainland today
• AkeydevelopmentforFishMainlandisitsSouthIsland RecreationalFisheriesPolicy.
• ItspurposeistoguideandcoordinatetheactionsoftheSouth Islandrecreational shingsector,theCrown,Iwi,other shing sectorsandinterestsinrealisingopportunitiesandmeetingthe challengesfacingtherecreationalsectorinshared sheries.
• Shared sheriesarethosewherecommercial,recreationaland Māoricustomary shershaveasharedinterest,andtheyvalue theirsharequitedi erently.
coming in amongst the barrage of undersized cod—
The weather was the complete opposite to what was forecast and it turned out to be a beautiful day on the water. By lunchtime we were ready for a change of scenery so headed towards d’Urville Island and after a
it was a surprise to see the pinnacle pop up on the chart otherwise known as Hope Rock.
Dad and I were frothing at the thought of what could be living on this oasis in the
Tasman Bay desert of sand and mud. I dropped down a whole mackerel with expectations of something huge, only to pull up an undersized cod. Several drops later and I hooked into something decent! After an pop up to the surface and promptly hauled it into the boat. This cod was massive and comparing it to a decent 39cm cod in the photo, it absolutely dwarfed it.
Looking at it had me drooling at the thought of cod and chips but it was not to be. As I was holding this monster up for some photos, it suddenly had a last-ditch effort for freedom and wriggled itself out of my hands and over the side of the boat. I was gutted to see it slowly swim down into the depths.
Overall the day had been pretty good, with a haul of
blue cod, tarihiki and a few gurnard, as well as the huge amount of wildlife that kept us company. Blue penguins, dolphins and gannets all fed around us.
The adventure was not over and it was about to
get interesting. Launching from Okiwi Bay means you can generally not launch and recover at low tides, especially on big tides. Seeing the body of water in front of the ramp sitting dry was not a good sight
for tired eyes. The decision was made. I had a long drive home on my own, while dad drove the car and empty trailer to meet me at the launch ramp in Nelson.
A great adventure out on the big blue but gutted to
have lost that whopper cod. However, I am sure he is still out there ruling over his little reef.
So the moral of the story is hold on to your catch and check the tides before you go out!
The election ushered in a new Government, free to implement policies unencumbered by the wheeling and dealing previously required in support of the coalition. All parties were generally light on fisheries policy as it applies to managing fishing—‘enabling utilisation within sustainable limits’. This Government may even appoint a new Minister of Fisheries. New or old, there are messages that the Minister needs to read and heed. In a post-election conversation, Daryl Sykes suggests good governance is more than just saying
Dear Minister,
elected Government, you arrangements that have
Underlying the New management regime is the quota management system (QMS)—an ‘incentive, effort and reward’ system that creates incentives for proper stewardship, custodial attitude, and active management to the mutual and public interests. The system should aspire to and enable collective responsibility, transparency, and accountability.
You need to understand that the Quota Management System is a misnomer for the regime, in that, it fails to of the regime. We work with a rights-based system reliant on a mix of input and output controls. The output controls—catch limits
Catches (TACs)—are generated and informed by an ongoing stock monitoring and stock assessment programme.
Utilisation whilst ensuring sustainability underpins our Fisheries legislation, which also contains concurrent standards of environmental, social, and economic performance. When rock lobster in 1990, we regarded that transition to a rightsbased regime as a social
contract between industry and Government. Industry understood the concept of stewardship and custodial attitude, which underpin rights-based regimes. Those qualities were evident in industry representation and advocacy from the late 1970’s. However, the 1990 allocation of tradable rights, with secure tenure and duration, provided a new catalyst for industry participants to take a more direct role in managing the invested.
The principles of e ort and reward were and still remain great motivation for the NZ lobster industry. The QMS gave greater certainty that industry would reap a share of the benefit from rebuilding depleted rock lobster stocks.
were to be had: increased catches as TACs were increased; increased catch per unit effort and better economic performance as stock abundance improved. Industry’s contributions to better science, more timely management interventions and increases in lobster abundance, advanced its reputation with politicians and community.
anywhere in the world, what their principal aspirations are and the response will almost certainly be ‘security and certainty’. Not unreasonable
aspirations or expectations. In my experience, if they
industry, the industry will respond positively.
Rights-based management frameworks—secure rights of access and utilisation—bring greater certainty to industry. Effort and reward outcomes result from collaborations; between rights holders, and between rights holders and management agencies. Such is the case with New
The New Zealand rock lobster industry believes
From healthy, productive, and abundant lobster
We have nurtured our rock years, rebuilding stocks that had been in decline and maintaining stock abundance well above statutory reference levels.
We have initiated regulatory amendments, which have made input effective and cost effective. We have invested in stock monitoring and stock assessment, consistently exercising caution when faced with uncertainty over stock status. We have management procedures that allow us to adjust total allowable catches in performance.
It is essential to have good science in support of good management—and
support of good science and good management. The challenge is for managers and industry participants to work together to achieve desired outcomes.
‘We’ are the New Zealand rock lobster industry. We consider ourselves to be in concert with relevant Government agencies; but importantly, exercising an independent management responsibility within the constraints of the Total Allowable Catches set for
We are organised: each commercial stakeholder organisation comprised of commercial rights holders. The nine groups cluster in a national umbrella agency— the NZ Rock Lobster Industry Council. This organisational design is sound because it is based where the industry works and is inclusive of all industry participants. This is very important given the ownership and very broad geographical distribution of rights.
The Council has a secure funding base, using a primary producer levy system established in statute. It has formal contractual relationships with skilled external consultants and service providers.
How it was done in the 1960’s, Mick Reardon with a Kaikoura catch
Research provider status was accorded to the Council in 1997; Government policy has long supported contestable research
all other primary production. The rock lobster research planning and implementation processes are timely; open to all interested parties (so are transparent); are overseen and coordinated by the Ministry responsible for internally and externally; and are prioritised so as to ensure that research outcomes reliably inform management decisions.
collection underpin all stock assessments. There are two strands of lobster
catch and effort reporting system overseen by the Ministry, and an extensive industry-generated data system managed by the NZ Rock Lobster Industry Council. Again, each data set is regularly audited for consistency, accuracy and ‘representativeness.’
The regional organisations and the NZ Rock Lobster Industry Council must annually demonstrate high thresholds of mandate. They have rarely fallen below 85% on a general mandate and for special projects routinely achieve greater than 95%.
The New Zealand rock lobster industry has a committed and highly experienced leadership group, and retains external policy and legal consultant advisers of the highest quality and credibility.
The rock lobster industry does not argue its case in the media—they take issues directly to the persons or agencies with which they have the issues. They do not publicly criticise or undermine Government agencies or especially the persons within them that have some responsibility
They do not go to Ministers over the top of agency managers. Managers tend to stay around longer than Ministers.
And the rock lobster industry has been and will stay around longer than them all. Tending the bounty of the ocean – ka whakapai te kai o te moana.
so food is scarce. A small number of large adults rule over the thousands of smaller
and ready to pounce. Soon a
One strays out of the school and the last thing he ever sees is an orange and green
targeted by many freshwater anglers, they live in slowmoving rivers, lakes and estuaries. Often their main prey are other perch smaller than themselves. I had wanted to catch one of these
my chance on a trip away to Palmerston North.
An oxbow lake formed by the Manawatu River lies right in central Palmerston, this is known as the Hokowhitu Lagoon. The lake is full of perch and even some trout. Most perch lakes have highly competitive ecosystems,
a brightly-coloured soft bait to imitate the small perch’s
red seemed to be a favourite.
plastics, was how much action I could get out of them. When retrieving I used a very jerky motion. Think about a lure hopping up and down on the bottom with a big curly tail waggling away.
The next part of the equation was working out where to cast. There is a ton of structure in the lake, including weed-beds, overhanging trees, docks and even a canoe polo arena. All of these locations will hold perch, so it just was a case of covering the water until the lure found the right zone.
Quite comically I landed
my lure right inside one of the goals in the canoe polo area and as it sank a perch twitches. He must have been the goalie.
Perch don’t seem to fight very hard but do have a few good bursts in them. The goalie had taken a bright yellow curly tail.
It was one the large adults, measuring 37cm and weighing over 1.2 kilos. I couldn’t have hoped for better really. Even though they have brightly coloured
The colouration is a very natural olive, with great dark stripes running down the
There was time for just
Blair Whiting
one more perch. The bright
being proven with an orange variation being the snack this time.
The perch was another
solid adult of 40cm and 1.2kg. The slow retrieve was making all the difference.
to the lure and take its time, deciding if it wanted to go in for the kill.
Perch are an awesome don’t require a heap of gear. Grab some soft baits and go for yourself.
clear, blue and gold days
I called Matey and he told me that, due to the weather, he had been thinking of me every day lately.
“I’m touched,” I replied.
He agreed—then suggested we wet a line.
With no rain for weeks, Lake Brunner was lower than I can ever remember; something for the illinformed, who say it rains a lot on the West Coast. Launching was completed
Spot X was canvassed to no effect. A couple of cruising
they turned away as if it was might have been.
On to the next favourite place, where there were
skittish in the very shallow water. We could get the boat within casting distance of the thin water but they kept taking off when the cast was made.
Matey looked across the lake and reminded me we’d never been over there, having stuck to our regular possies, so over we immediately. Fish swirled, and turned away in fright. Hmmm what to do? Ah, feathery lure went and a nymph was subbed on for the second half. Having just tied on a new tippet out went the pheas’ tail and in short order BANG, YES, but aw NO; the leader parted
and it was gone.
Did we worry? Not a bit, as it was a beautiful day, we were not stuck indoors working, and it’s not always all, we’d both killed plenty of them in the past and don’t have anything to prove. Another aspect was the total absence of other poweredcraft on the lake. The only across the other side, which we kept clear of in the correct and proper manner. A whole lake basically to
Ivan Wilsonourselves, lovely sunshine, not a cloud in the sky, not a breath of wind, so anything through, or near the surface was seen.
The time went by pleasantly as we did turnabout on the oars, looking into all sorts of nooks and crannies. Ducks splattered off as we got near and when we got closer to some black swan, Matey observed, “They know we don’t have guns so they’re not charging off.” Nothing
taken, but we both agreed it was a very good day out there and thoroughly enjoyable.
Another Mate has told me about a very accurate northern hemisphere weather forecasting site, so I have begun trying it out. I asked how they could give such accurate information and he said they have better satellites than we have access to. We’ll keep an eye on it and if it details more golden Coast weather—we’ll be back out there.
You can’t go past Night ‘n Day Blenheim without trying Helova Coffee made by our expert baristers. Call in and grab one on your next trip to fish and boat in the Marlborough Sounds.
Hot food all day everyday 60 Main St, Blenheim
Navico, parent company
Chris Radford with dinkum mulloway
sales management roles for 14 years (from 2005 up until for their marine division.
“I’m thrilled to welcome Chris back into the Navico he will build on Mathew Hooper’s success in growing our sales in the Australia / New Zealand region.” – Alain Pakiry, Chief Mathew Hooper, Sales Director and COO, will be taking on a new role within Navico as Product Director for the Simrad brand, as of
28 October. Mathew has done a great job as COO of APAC, leading the region to record numbers. This move across the organisation represents an exciting opportunity to blend his technical support and sales knowledge to the Simrad Product team and to our Saltwater initiatives. Chris will be based out of located in Sydney.
Seamlessly combine core fishing products on your boat to create one Ultimate Fishing System. Navigate, control your position, switch your sonar views, follow a route, find birds or turn up the tunes.
With the Lowrance HDS Live at the helm you have the complete view and control in any fishing situation.
The anchor chain rattled brief silence. We’d anchored in 17m hoping to catch more of the spring snapper surging into the
all sorts of sizes scattered across all the usual haunts.
rods each: straylines and droppers running Hunting
dispensed—Kina and
Then came the wait. Being
condition Crimpy refers to as the Energiser Bunny Syndrome, I cannot sit still for longer than a nanosecond before being distracted by a job in need or something for my hands to play with. Therefore twenty minutes without a bite was torture and—‘coffee, perfect—I’ll make myself a coffee!”
Where was I going with this? Ah yes, I poured myself a coffee, with my back to the rod, and was surprised at how much noise a stirring spoon makes—then I clicked—the Shimano 12000 Baitrunner was zinging out
Clive Chapman
line, so I abandoned the caffeine and launched at the rod, engaged the baitrunner and felt a tremendous weight load up.
baited with squid, we had pillies and piper for the straylines. I’d rigged a big piper—around 30cm—on a rod length long with two Black Magic hooks (7/0 & 8/0). Rather than a sliding keeper hook, which can slip as the bait thaws, causing it to present poorly, I snood a set distance apart. This the water.
Once hooked, the behemoth slipped the clutch and went into overdrive, peeling out line effortlessly. Eventually the drag pulled allowing me to pump the rod and put pressure on it. I got the classic head nods back and the bugger was off again, and again. Stop, nod, pump and run. Stop, nod, pump and run.
Ultimately I started gaining
the spool that I was quietly
bag. Bag! Damn, in my excitement to get out here I’d left the gaff behind and hadn’t yet bought a net to go in the new boat.
The snapper was spent and rose to the surface where it plopped onto its side—it was a bloody horse. Easing it up to the boat, I handed the rod to Chris and almost dived over the side, gripping the snapper’s tail while simultaneously sliding my
it did the bull in the rodeo trick, but there was no way I was letting go of this monster, and heaved it over the gunwale. It thumped or two, then we absorbed the true dimensions of the and would need a very large wide mouth net to accommodate it.
I stopped at Burnsco on the way home and made a purchase. Priorities. It wasn’t cheap but quality pays.
The new scales weighed the snapper at 26.5lb.
I’m now saving for a new net!
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number of successful anglers
Magic Snatchers. There about the history of this type of rig.
I remember as a kid
Mangonui wharf in the far north. They were using Japanese sabiki rigs with material. I was fascinated at the number of sprats they were catching. My previous experience was as a ‘wharf wharf with a single sprat hook and a small ball of dough—successful enough
These rigs gradually upsized into larger J style hooks and
When you look at the ensuing success of this type of rig, it would appear much of that growth came with the development of the Black
nowadays as the Snatcher® rig. In later years, there have been many versions come onto the market with varying
price points and levels of quality, but the Snatcher® is still recognised by many anglers as being at the top of the pile.
So why is that? I think it comes down to history and tight control over how the product is designed and made. When you ‘own’ every aspect of a product’s design and build, as opposed to buying it off a manufacturer somewhere else in the world, there is a greater pride and awareness about that product’s features and performance.
The story started in about 1995 when they designed the first flasher rig with a circle hook rather than the traditional J hook
It used smaller Black Magic KL hooks and the rig was aimed at tarakihi. It wasn’t long before they decided to up size this to KL5/0 hooks and the Snapper Snatcher® was born. The range has of course grown over the years featuring a wider range of hook sizes, plenty of colour options with the suicide hook options for those that prefer to strike
Back to that success story. Like a lot of Kiwi companies, Black Magic maintains control over all aspects of the product. Every Snatcher® is rigged right here in New Zealand. The knot that attaches the branches to the backbone is Black Magic’s own knot, designed to improve knot strength. They use their own hooks sourced from their Japanese factories. The backbone and branches are made from their Tough Trace and they use their own swivels. The luminous bead is Japanese made and has a longer glow time. And
That comes from various sources depending on the colour required, the texture, content or luminosity. Lastly, they get to test each batch at their warehouse facility.
Flasher rigs will remain a popular method of catching your level of expertise, they luminous bead—and smell— your bait.
And when it comes to the rig, stick with something reliable. Snatchers. That’s 25 years and counting. pan.
• We’ve hand rigged them right here in New Zealand for over 25 years, ensuring we maintain the highest quality standards
• Snatchers® are our original design with knots that are unique to Black Magic
• We utilise the best components like our famous Tough Trace and Japanese manufactured Black Magic hooks
• The flash and soft beads are chosen for maximum visibility and attraction
• We test every batch we make at Black Magic’s testing facility
A huge range to choose from – multiple colours, sizes 1/0 to 8/0, circle or octopus hooks
After a hell of a year, and run in Wanganui over still good. We even had compete but had missed slots.
The main match started a bit later in the day, which gave us all a chance to catch up and share stories; some even (a little truth extended somewhat). Like most sports, the people are half the reason you compete,
so a chance to catch up was welcomed
Looking at some of the stages, I got the impression had set them up; there was a lot of ground to be covered. This old man wasn’t that keen on running that far but, as I tell others, running and speed is up to the shooter. The start is audible and you walking or stopping for air is up to you. Because I have trouble doing too many things at once, I go as fast as I can and breathe when I’m
So with lots of running and gunning some very impressive times were set. Targets varied from close up and out to 35m. Some move in and out of view, so timing of what to engage in and in what order is vitally important, as the clock
kept ticking—speed is as important as hits on a target in this game.
In Open, which is the style placings for 1st and 2nd was very close. Ramel took the win over Ryan by just over .6% (Ramel is now also shooting in senior, over 50, but he probably didn’t want me to say that, ha ha ha). For me: a 4th overall and a 2nd in both Master grade
This sport gives everyone, old or young, a chance and is very safe due to the excellent training and work
keep a very careful watch while we compete. So even with shooting getting a lot of bad press, things are still going well for some shooting sports and long may it remain so.
As a member of Henderson’s staff, I get to see all the gear coming on
I recently went to Lake Arygle in Marlborough with my family to target a PB trout—personal best. Clearly you want good gear if you are aiming for big trout, so I had a selection of tempting morsels in my kit. The
Josh PonderSavage Gear Pro-grub in ‘Black & Gold’ and ‘Motor Oil’ proved most effective on the day, with a total of seven
Casting out and letting the lure sink before jigging it along the bottom attracted
head proving the best weight on the day. Using a heavy jighead meant keeping the bait in the strike zone longer.
was 10.5lb, caught on 6 lb
line, and leader. My best advice is to use softbaits rather than metal
the bottom with lots of jerks and twitches. The best spots to try are around the head of weed beds and drop offs.
For a great freshwater range, and excellent advice, see the team at Henderson’s in Blenheim.
since starting, I have come proud of getting a good
doing the same at 50m. When starting, I did a lot
a beginner, I thought I
hopefully help some people in.
You won’t get better if you don’t regularly practice. The more often you practice, the easier it will be to draw back as you strengthen your shoulder, and the steadier your sight pin will be on target. I have my bow on 60lb, and it took a good couple of months to not have a tired shoulder after a good round of letting
My next point is that shooting at a target and an animal is quite different. I tend to get very excited and a little nervous, resulting in slight buck fever when hunting any animal with a bow. There is no easy solution other than to get out there and hunt for animals. When you see an animal
shot, take it. If not or it is out of range, draw back
Max Barclay
for starting and shooting small game but no good for accuracy or strength. Sometimes I could see them wobble in the air. As soon as I moved to Easton
$15 each, I got a lot better groupings, and they didn’t
and not shooting straight. A decent arrow is worth the money.
There are some very
broadheads will do a better job.
To gain more
bow hunting, I practice shooting at a target, twice the distance, I would like to shoot an animal. Generally, I practice at 50-60m, which gives the option to shoot out a bit further but it also means I’m going to be dead on at 20, 30, and 40m.
Lastly, it is best to
If you enjoy the crime/ detective genre and haven’t
made her police enemy number one.
Blair Harbour, a once respected Los Angeles surgeon is now an ex-con busting arse in a service station after doing time for murder. On probation she is not allowed to associate with crims, but when her former cellmate Sneak Lawlor
missing daughter, she risks her newfound freedom and a chance to win back custody of her son for more jail time.
style, she is fresh and vibrant.
In Gathering Dark the protagonists make a disparate mix; a killer, a thief, a crime lord, and a cop. The combination almost seems implausible, but it doesn’t stop there.
Detective Jessica Sanchez has struggled to be accepted in the LAPD due to racial discrimination and misogyny, and her inheritance of a $7 million mansion as a reward for catching a killer has just
Season the plot with the underworld’s evil
Ada Maverick, some heavies, a dodgy cop or two, a death row serial killer, and buried loot, and it sounds like the premise for a penny dreadful thriller.
But Fox romps away from the start, busting stereotypes and cliches left and right as she spins a delicious yarn
around this motley crew. Everything about her style, complex plot development, characterisation, narrative, and perspective is fresh and invigorating. Entwined in the plot is a delightful subplot that confronts the racism and misogynistic attitudes ingrained in the LAPD—it is not without dark humour.
In Gathering Dark, Fox pulls together many threads to deliver a very compelling read indeed. She is a master of the genre.
A must read.
For Quinton and Bronwyn Gately, as soon as they made eye contact, it was love at first ‘site’!
“I knew immediately,” Bronwyn reflected, “THIS IS IT!”
Quinton is more unrestrained with his praise.
“For a start, she was not too big—not too ‘boxy’ like earlier ones—and she didn’t have sides that moved in and out.”
He also liked her style, accessibility, and resilience:
“She’s an Aussie so has been well and truly tried and tested in the Outback.”
The Nelson couple are caravan, over a coffee as mist feathers off nearby conversation as seemingly as endless as the adventure
neatly arrayed on the table— he’s an avid ‘troutie’—while a single piece of Bronwyn’s craft work adds to the homely ambience; as does
become quite the drawcard.
“I hand them out to anglers down on their luck and it gives them a buzz to suddenly strike success.”
He has also a shortterm contract in nearby Greymouth, running Grey High’s Chef School, and referees local rugby.
Daryl CrimpThe picture says it all!
the smell of baking. It’s a minimalistic setting—a requisite of caravan living but also symbolic of the Gately’s stripping clutter from their lives.
Quinton, a trained chef and schoolteacher, took early retirement after Bronwyn sold her business of 22 years—Global Soap, a producer of natural soaps and shampoo bars. They wanted to travel, and experience other communities while still young enough, so rented their house and adopted a nomadic lifestyle—planning to be on the road for two years.
I caught up with them at Moana Campground where the same trout along the shores of Brunner or in the Arnold River, catching and releasing over sixty in the previous few weeks.
“He’s started naming them now,” Bronwyn laughs.
He catches most on Bully
Bronwyn sells her crafts at the local market, has joined the tennis club, and both make a point of attending Happy Hour at the local watering hole.
“The joy in caravanning is not moving all the time but anchoring long enough to become part of the community,” Bronwyn says.
It is a simple Gypsy lifestyle but made so by thorough preparation, attention to detail—and the choice of caravan.
The Gately’s had previously but too restrictive for this type of adventure.
“Unless you tow a small car, you have to lug your ‘home’ with you— everywhere,” says Quinton. “We wanted to set up a base so we could freely come and go.”
But it took 14 months of looking before the two each instantly knew. When choosing to spend time in a small space, certain criteria need to be met, which ultimately led Quinton and Bronwyn to Tony at Jayco in
Christchurch, “who provides excellent service and follow up”.
Quentin outlines the appeal of the Jayco Journey Outback:
• Australian designed for Outback
• strong chassis with 4WD wheels; good off-road capabilities
• good road clearance and height above ground gives better views
• aesthetic and functional layout; everything thought through and carefully designed
• size; not too big, easy to tow, manoeuvre, and set up
• accessibility; everything well-appointed and easy to access
• easy clean surfaces
• holds resale value
accessorised it to meet their
• extra solar panel
• additional battery
• bike rack
• Webasto diesel heating system (excellent)
• baby Weber for outside cooking and smoking trout: hooks into caravan gas system
• internal computer system for management of lighting, batteries, and water. All lights are wireless and a master switch by bed turns everything off
• Red Arc computerised
braking system that syncs car with trailer (awesome)
Jayco Journey Outback has been well-tested since purchase and surpasses expectations—Quinton has sold at least four ‘vans by referral to Tony!
Features to impress include all weather capability: prior to lockdown, the couple spent a month in Twizel ‘off the grid’, surviving comfortably on solar, diesel heating, and rainwater. The Jayco Outback Journey has an electric awning for quick, hassle free set up. Cooking is via a gas stove and oven, or using the baby Weber outside. And everything has
for example, the Webasto diesel heating system keeps the couple warm through the cooler nights.
is even room for a proper coffee maker.
“That’s something he won’t good coffee!”
The couple never feel Jayco Outback’.
“We’ve proved we can be together in a small space and that maybe helped by Jayco illusion of big space,” says Bronwyn.
Cleverly appointed mirrors create an amazing sense of space and light, giving a relaxed, uncluttered ambience.
The shower is at one end and the bedroom at the other, connected by a comfortable galley kitchen, with lounge and dining table opposite. There is absolutely no sense of randomness about the design of the Jayco Journey Outback.
the layout; everything is ergonomic design, practical, storage.
Quinton remarks that there
It’s easy to see the couple of their investment, and
for obvious reasons. Their conversation is peppered
“Thanks to Tony at Jayco Christchurch, “who provides excellent service and follow up.”
Examples of Jayco's commitment to ensuring we get the ultimate experience include a three hour introduction to all the features and operating aspects,valuable advice like staying close to home on familiarise ourselves.
There's also an economical peace of mind full service check at 12 months "to iron out any kinks, wear or tiny teething issues.
into the sense of community. Then Twizel. During Lockdown they enjoyed a bubble with family at
And there was winter at Moana enjoying the moods of Lake Brunner before heading… somewhere else.
“Part of the joy of caravanning is not having a plan,” says Bronwyn.
“So when the journey ends,” I asked, “what then?”
A little glint catches Bronwyn’s eye and Quentin seemingly drifts into a daydream. A pause.
“I don’t know that it will end,” they say in unison.
The mist of Brunner feathers, like a wisp of steam from a good coffee.
be a disappointment for the general consensus seems decision to protect this still many opportunities to during the colder months.
be had around the salmon farms, not only for escapee salmon but beautifully silver trout too.
canals for food as well as sport, the upper canals have never interested me and I focus my efforts around the farms, particularly Tekapo this winter. Being adaptive in your approach can pay dividends as I found out one particular day when
as a consequence, I walked 30kms up and down the canal drifting everything I had in the tackle box for
not even a bite. Feeling a bit dejected, I moved down out a shrimp bait while I had a drink and bite to eat. To my surprise, I was soon hooked up to a very well-conditioned six pound salmon.
Within an hour another bigger specimen had joined the first on the frozen ground under my truck. I also landed a nice trout, which I released.
Some anglers are precious about what techniques they will deploy but I’m use any method within the regulations. While it’s illegal to use two rods simultaneously, it’s legal and good practice to have a second rod rigged ready to go in the car. Just make sure it’s broken down and inside your vehicle—rangers
rightly take a dim view of anglers having a second rod ready to go leaning against their vehicle. I see people spending a lot of time tying up new rigs or stopping for breaks. Try to be as organised as you can be— your line in the water!
The next morning was all quiet again in the bowl so I moved upstream into the canal itself again and after persisting for a couple of hours I was rewarded with a solid hook up, which had my little 1000 size reel screaming. I had to jog downstream before releasing a stunning 11-pound rainbow.
the bite and I had a great afternoon landing another class. With a couple of good salmon already secured for the smoker, I had the pleasure of watching these
true monsters of the canals— ones that anglers from all around the world dream of catching.
Having stayed with the Crimpys in the past as an international student. Freddie eagerly returned to improve his hunting, but not so much his English. Under the tuition of the best and most famous guide in the world, he experienced some…
It was an ordinary day. I came into the living room.
“ Morning Crimpy.”
“Morning Freddy, how are you?”
“Good thanks.”
“Rabbit hunting tonight?”
“You bet!”
“You think you can stalk alone?”
“Hell yeah!”
“Alright… we will see!”
try it alone!
On the way to the farm
I had to listen to Crimpy a thousand times: “You won’t shoot anything today because without me you will be too loud, too fast, and too careless!”
Okay if you think. We shall see!
Another short talk with Crimpy to make sure everything is safe. So started.
“Good luck Freddy!”
Didn’t sound serious. So stalked off and quickly made a plan for myself how and where exactly I stalked. was completely
today I just had to prove it to Crimpy. Every step was very deliberate. I thought to myself: “Who does he think he is? It’ll be easy.”
I stalked the first top spots but not a rabbit in sight. My first thought was, “Is this because of me or am I just unlucky?”
Then I came to a meadow where some rabbits must be 100%. Even before I saw anything, I lay down on the slowly and quietly, knowing that if I came back today without a rabbit, Crimpy would tease me for a long rabbit. I’ve never moved so quietly in my life. Even the thorns in my hands did
not stop me from remaining position but that was no problem. About 30 metres, that should do it.
Charged and ready with one last thought, “ Hahaha Crimpy, now you’ll see.” I knew I had to take a head shot or would have had to listen to some ‘stupid’ Crimpy things again. Everything went according to plan and I was able to shoot a perfect shot. Weapon locked and to the rabbit. Now all I gotta do is get on the road and I’ll have you Crimpy!
But it could not have turned out better than it did. Just before the rabbit, another one jumped 10 metres in front of me out and looked at me. Quickly loaded and shot freehand. Perfect shot. Yesssss! We can go on like this. On and on. Also at the next spot I could shoot a rabbit again. Crimpy, I told you, no problem for me.
But as easy as it was, it
stalked on and on but no rabbit in sight. After an hour without having seen anything, lost motivation and started to run normally and not carefully anymore. Every corner I walked very slowly but never a rabbit! Blast it! Then when I ran too loudly what must of course happen happened. Every 10 metres suddenly there are rabbits again but they all ran away because of me.
It got darker and darker as I came to the last good spot. I already saw rabbits so I was very careful. But then nothing played along anymore. had perfect conditions but started to miss the shots. Hey, this can’t be now, thought. But then it went better again and could shoot another one.
On the way to Crimpy there was exactly one rabbit in sight but of course Crimpy called me on the radio, “Where are you Freddy?“ ...and that one was gone too.
Well, it was a very good evening and a very good experience anyway. And it was clear I could do it without Crimpy. But he needed the proof that gave him.
“How was it Freddy?”
“Got four rabbits! I told you I don’t need you!”
“I knew you could do it!”
“What?!”
“Hell yeah!”
Nevertheless, I have to say that hunting with Crimpy is admittedly, also a bit more of the best and greatest experience ever did!
Winter now at an end, wild spring is upon us. Unfortunately for the south we have had some insane weather. With visibility having ruined anywhere close to the mainland, we made the early call to take the weather window offered
and head to legendary Stewart Island. Home of monster blue cod and amazing visibility, it was going to be a trip to make up for the crappy conditions we had for the past two months.
With 10 metre visibility we made the right call
It’s an hour steam each way, so it was a 7.30am start with a boat full of fuel and loaded up with gear. It was a the strait but luckily, in the new Stabicraft, it seemed to take no time at all.
In true Jurassic Park fashion, the island was surrounded in cloud and fog, with some light drizzle. We pulled up cheers went out. With 10 metre visibility and seeing blue cod from the surface, we knew we had made the right call.
I have never seen people trying to get their dive gear on so quickly. We have good quantities of fish down in Southland but Stewart Island is on another level.
Within 10 minutes of being in the water, we had blue cod, some tarakihi and monster blue moki. Stewart we even encountered a huge school of juvenile trumpeter that swum around us without a care in the world.
come back to Stewart island heightened, we decided to punch back home, with ingrained forever. Stewart Island is a must do on anyone’s bucket list to visit and a greater bonus to dive it.
(Rowan owns Wettie Southland based in Invercargill. The local lower South Island.)
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Freddy went solo on rabbits in NZ
Around 4 am I rose to a loud thud; a clumsy possum
the temperature in the hut had dropped dramatically. Despite the comfort of the sleeping bag trying to drag
out of bed to turn the jet boil on and get some food in me.
There was a rough plan in my head to go bush stalking for the day and try to get a deer, after already bagging a chamois the day before. However, as I sat on the deck brushing my teeth, I spotted a perfect looking basin that was sure to hold some deer, on the other side of the valley.
the binoculars and got comfortable. I noticed over a dozen animal tracks carved into the gravel slope across from me and a large stream that formed a small pool and carried on down to a waterfall. There wasn’t a breath of wind on me but the trees way down valley were waving back in forth. Shelter, food, water, and fresh sign; it seemed like this place was perfect for not only a deer but maybe even a big winter stag.
Unfortunately, after sitting and waiting for a while, nothing had walked out so I moved along the ridge a bit to get a fresh look at the land. A nice boulder 80m away looked like the perfect spot to look out from, so I positioned myself just behind it and, as I sat down, felt my phone vibrate—I had just
Within minutes I had the K-2 detachable day pack on was walking out the door. The route to the basin was easier than I expected, consisting of one river crossing and a few hundred metres of uphill bush bashing, so I managed to get out in the open tops in just under an hour.
I planned to just sit and watch for a bit, so grabbed
got reception. I used this opportunity to give dad a call and brag to him about the monster chamois I had shot but, as the phone was ringing, I felt the tiniest puff of wind creeping its way up the gully. Regrettably, I thought nothing of it and continued the call. It went down as one of the shortest calls I have had, as just Dad answering, I almost shouted “DEER, I’ll call you back.”
Three massive stags
had just walked out around 200m away, so I quickly leant over my day pack and lined them up. They must have smelled me but were not spooked—just walking off at a fast pace. I had no time to assess the heads and lined up on walking. The stag slowed to a stop and lifted its front leg to stomp but, before it could get its foot down, BOOM! The stag collapsed into a pile and I let out a sigh of relief. A 177m shot—not bad for the Browning X-Bolt .223.
got to have a look at the other two. They looked mature, with one being a huge 10 point and the other being a slightly smaller 8 point. Unfortunately, I had
shot the smallest—it being a small 5 point—but, for me, it was a perfect trophy: good character and a good story with it.
After a quick phone call to father to boast, I went ahead with a hillside butcher and began the hike back to camp.
Further along my journey to the hut I bumped into a group of friendly trampers, who were interested in my hunting. We spun a few yarns and then parted ways, but I made sure to leave them with a smile and a fresh venison back steak.
That afternoon was spent cutting up meat, cleaning the hut, and after feeling the weight of my pack, dreading the walk out tomorrow. The trip passed by quicker than I wanted, and after
three days of stunning weather, the battering of heavy rain arrived. I knew it was going nowhere so threw on my raincoat, heaved my pack on and headed off, immediately battered by rain. All I could do was put my head down and keep walking.
One hour and 45 minutes of heavy rain later I reached the halfway point, with soaked clothes and an aching back, and made
before having a break for lunch. Thank God I did, as only 10 minutes after crossing I noticed a change in water colour and a rapid rise of the water level to the point where I would not have been able to cross. Bit of a scare.
I carried on and, after 3.45 hours, stumbled out onto the
gravel road and spotted my car. I was so happy I could have cried and my back was in so much pain I felt like my dad.
Along this trip I became very thankful of the gear I used, especially my quality Browning X-Bolt with Swarovski scope and my K-2 pack. The K-2’s comfort and durability are the only reasons I was able to carry both animals and gear out—it weighed a whopping 49.6kgs. The waterproof material ensured everything inside stayed bone dry, even in the torrential rain. I have put this pack through hell and back and it’s stood up to every challenge, so I would recommend it to any hunter or tramper looking for a durable highquality tramping or hunting pack.
often forget that there are novices out there, starting
bit of advice. One such novice is Mandy Hulena
the NZ Surfcasting and
“Okay experts, what kind of tackle box do I need when starting up surfcasting, please? I have a rod and baitrunner reel. What do I need for my tackle box?”
I checked my tackle box and found the following, distilled from over sixty years of surfcasting. Starting from the left rear of the photograph and progressing logically through the contents here is what I had in my box.
• Rubber bands. For strengthening the grip on breakout sinkers
when conditions deem it necessary.
• Important if you break your mainline and have to set up again.
• Insect repellent.
• rig. For emergencies.
• Knife. Really a spare one.
• Insulation tape. Used for making sure reel stays on is a bit suspect. Handy for taping rods together during transit.
• For securing fragile baits such as prawns.
• Sharpening stone. Hooks and knives sometimes need a touch-up.
• . To casting. Made from old leather glove. Always carry a spare. Easy to lose!
• On neck string.
• 5oz and 6oz breakout sinkers. With built-in clip.
• Used mainly for
removing hooks from
• Scissors. Braid scissors work well.
• Rigs. One hook clipped down rigs and pulley rigs. In tandem with the tackle box is the chilly bin. Big enough to sit on. The chilly bin keeps bait in prime condition. In the chilly bin
board and hand towel.
into a top-quality K2 frame pack along with wet weather gear, plastic bags, food and drink plus at least two rod holders and a small gaff.
aerial’, a device for setting up rods in and support during repairs or baiting up. Keeps reels out of the sand. A worthwhile extra if you can manage it is a folding chair so you can sit and wait in comfort. I usually
already made up if possible.
taking is a camera to record that special moment. Good luck out there Mandy and any other surfcasting novices.
Being midway through spring and with the weather warming up, many divers will be digging out their gear getting ready to head to the coast for a feed of kaimoana. Often, that will involve pāua. The change in season is a timely reminder to refresh our memories about ways to enjoy the experience more, all the while helping ensure your fishery stays healthy.
Before heading out
Professional pāua divers emphasise safety above all else and recreational divers should do the same. Every year, free divers in New Zealand die unnecessarily while out diving for a feed. A little preparation and better practice might save a whole lot of tragedy.
First, check your gear. Make sure it is in good condition and fit for purpose.
Ensure your mask fits comfortably and does not leak. A simple test is to press the mask against your face and let it go. A good fitting mask should maintain a seal and stay put. If it doesn’t, get a new one.
Check your snorkel isn’t damaged or leaking water from seams or around the mouthpiece. Leaky masks and snorkels are a risk factor and dangerous in the wrong circumstances.
Are your fins comfortable and of good quality?
They need to fit your feet comfortably, not too tight that they could break and not so loose that you could lose them in strong surf or currents.
Check your weights match the wetsuit you wear and your body. Weight belts should really only be worn to cancel out the buoyancy of a wetsuit. If you get into trouble when diving, don’t hesitate to drop your weight belt.
Too many a Coroner’s report note the death of a diver with a belt still on
And finally, do not attach your pāua tool to your wrist with a piece of cord. Doing so puts you at risk of jamming the tool in a crevice, with you attached.
A pro’s approach is to cut out a section of old wetsuit, bootie or glove to make a flexible wrist band. Use a short cord to tie the tool to the band – this also reduces the chance of losing it (refer to image).
On the day
Always check the weather and tides and plan your dive day around this, with the safety of you (and any mates) in mind. Ideally, dive with a friend, or three. There is safety in numbers.
If your dive spot is too rough or murky, go elsewhere if you can. If not, take the day o . Pushing your luck at the risk of not returning home, all for a feed of pāua you could catch another day, is crazy.
Remember to tell someone where you are going and when you expect to return.
Catching the wily abalone
Wily they are not, but pāua can be di cult to find.
Take your time looking, check patches of seaweed and around boulders and crevices.
Pāua are not speedy, so slow down and relax.
Your breath goes further if you are not in a hurry and you will find it easier to remove pāua from its rock if you take a more careful approach. Thrashing the water to a foam with your big leg muscles will use up oxygen quicker, and reduce how long you can hold your breathe for, than adopting a slower motion approach.
Once you’ve spotted a few, rest on the surface, keeping an eye on your paua spot. Take a few slow, deep breaths and drift down to a good position. Take your time slipping the tool beneath the pāua and gently ease it o .
Then measure it carefully. If it’s too small, place it back on the rock the way you found it. That way it will not only survive but continue to grow and breed.
Storm Stanley - Chairman
Aggregations of adults, vulnerable but the key to successful paua spawning- take care of these patches
Do your bit for the fishery
Pāua fisheries are very vulnerable to overfishing. To avoid wrecking this wonderful resource: Take only what you need on the day. The legal limit is a maximum, not a target. Considerate divers find it a source of pride in choosing not to catch the total bag limit even though they could if they wanted to.
Use a rounded, reasonably blunt tool. Never a sharp metal tool like a screwdriver, which can be very damaging. Pāua bleed to death if cut. The Ministry for Primary Industries’ free high density plastic tool is ideal and has measurement markers on it and is brightly coloured making it easy to find if dropped.
Only take legal sized or larger fish. Some divers file an extra couple of millimetres out of the slot on the pāua tool so there is no worry that they have a fitter. Few people know
that in the 60s, the size limit was 5 inches (127mm), but with metrication that was rounded down to 125mm. The size has probably been a few mm too small across the country since then Don’t take all the pāua from a group. Take one or two and move on. If a pāua population is fished down to a point where it removes aggregations (groups) of adults, a biological phenomenon called the Allee e ect (positive density dependence) occurs, in that adults become too
distant from each other for successful egg fertilisation. It’s important we make a conscious e ort to leave groupings of pāua reasonably intact Report illegal activity. Pāua poachers are everybody’s enemy. Never miss a chance to dob them in on MPIs free phone line. call 0800 4 POACHER (0800 47 62 24) or email poacher@mpi.govt.nz Best of luck and happy diving this summer.
Rockpool babies- leave them be, they are next few years catch when they move to deeper water
Series 2 thermal imager range, that includes the
these Series 2 devices are sensor that can differentiate slight temperature variations of less than forty thousandths of a degree especially in challenging conditions.
While image performance is highly important, there are other considerations that need to be addressed when choosing a thermal imager. I have chosen three items that seem relatively unimportant to the overall product experience:
Replaceable battery.
All Pulsar products have easily replaceable batteries. Spares can be carried for longer trips and rapidly changed when necessary. The market is awash with Chinese made copies of the ageing Flir hand-held thermal imager design that has an internal rechargeable battery. When the device is new, battery life is usually
trips. However, as the battery ages, its capacity decreases until the device is virtually useless. This then becomes a costly and time-consuming repair because it is not user replaceable. This will never be a problem with Pulsar.
Ingress resistance. Water resistance is important for any product that is used outdoors and especially important when used at night in conditions of high humidity and with the ever present danger of being dropped into water. All Pulsar products are individually tested to the internationally recognised IEC standard during manufacture using internal air pressure via an attachment to the battery port.
I was sceptical about the value of Firmware updates incorporated into the Pulsar product range, however, it has since proved itself to be invaluable for adding to the device new features, improving image quality and ironing out glitches. Other manufacturer’s devices that remain as is with no ongoing upgrades and any
undesirable glitches remain for the life of the unit. Pulsar models that have
user to control the device via an Android or IOS phone or tablet. This is useful when the device is static, and especially for monitoring, recording and using the motion detection function. It is also a feature that lets other persons view the devices imagery which is great for kids of all ages!
used to stream content over the internet for remote viewing.
Pulsar have always developed cutting edge technologies, pushing the boundaries of possibility and keeping ahead of the competition in terms of features, performance and reliability. For more information about the amazing Pulsar electrooptical range, visit your local dealer or advancedoptics.nz
All Pulsar thermal and night vision optics have quick-change batteries that can be used as spares for longer viewing times, as well as for the long term usefulness of the product..
hair, the bottom of his baggy
bauble of body hair. We prepare themselves for the
There’s been a bunch
the gravel pit as Poss and I enter the forest for work. Sometimes we see them, sometimes we don’t. Several times they’ve escaped our evil intent – partially due to the fact they reside near a populated zone. If the background for a shot is not safe, we don’t shoot and partially because they have a tendency to pop up like jackin-the-box and then lift their big tails and bop off – boing, boing, boing – gone.
Today Poss will not be denied. He clambers onto the back of the ute and leans
in-hand and feet splayed for balance as I drive on. There’s something about his stance, the furrowed brow, the wind blowing through his blonde
sails. We’re no Tuke and Burling but there’s no doubt there is a helmsman and a captain aboard this ship.
Poss clambers out of the rigging and into the cabin,
A few kilometres in we espy a pig feeding in the distance. Not a delicious venison snack pack but grass-fed pork is not to be sneezed at. I ease the ute to a halt, while Poss clambers out the door and readies his
that awkward bent-over tiptoe stealth thing.
Ever seen a big fella in big gumboots, baggy shorts and sneak?
Closer and closer. Edging along the trees. Peeking out the side now and then. Hi viz glaringly bright against the dark green radiata forest. Then he’s in easy shooting range, raising the .223 to his shoulder, getting his target he pauses. I see the pig stop feeding, it walks to the centre of the track and halts, broadside, presenting the perfect shot. Yeah boy!
From my vantage point I
Kim Swansee Poss’ body soften and drops from Poss’ shoulder but he remains motionless. In the following seconds I see just why he has opted out. With a quiet grunt the pig calls her brand new family to heel. Three tiny silken suckers emerge from the long grass and follow their mama into cover.
Two hundred metres down the road my beloved may look hard-case in his unconventional hunting attire, clomping along in his size 13 gumboots and eye-catching polar fleece but his actions just rea rmed his place in my heart.
Later, as if to prove a higher being also approves his actions, we drive around a corner and there ahead of us, surprised but still, is a trio of fat reds.
Once again the ute eases to a halt and the passenger door gives birth to an armed man. Nervously the young
deer watch the vehicle stop, the door open, the human being emerge. Their slides back, then forward. As a cartridge slides from magazine to chamber they position. Yet they hold their ground, hypnotized by the scene before them.
As Poss leans forward to brace for the forthcoming shot the spell is broken and the deer begin to wheel and panic. Who is leader? They can’t decide. Should they dive left and over the verge or should they dive right and scarper up the bank? They can’t decide. Paper, scissors, rock?
Poss shoots, then reloads and shoots again. Two deer crumple then kick in the dust.
With no friends to distract him, the remaining youngster realises he is solely responsible for his own actions. He runs right and up the bank to the shelter of the trees. Never again will he listen to a vehicle approach and hold his ground on the track. He’s learnt the most important lesson of his life observe from the security of cover.
All over Kiwi-land a similar scenario will occur this spring. It’s not hunting in its pure form but only a fool would forgo the opportunity to secure a prime young deer
handy to the track. I doubt Mother Nature designed this seasonal bounty to coincide with barbeque season but we’ll take it and enjoy.
Zealand author Eileen Merriman’s second adult
and so on. Set in Nelson, intriguing because of its the fascination lies deeper.
Ostensibly a hospital drama cum love story, the reader is quickly drawn into the reality of medical life on the other side of the scrubs; long shifts, tedium, surgical procedures, more ailments than you can shake a stick at, and equally enough beeping syringes and stethoscopes to deal with them. It’s refreshing and interesting to be exposed to the ‘medical culture’ that is generally hidden from the public by a veneer of professionalism: the dark humour, binge undercurrents’, uncertainty and genuine humanity. There is a certain predictability that the central characters will fall in love but the happy ever after cliché is tested in this compelling novel. Scottish anaesthetist Rory McBride is haunted by a potential medical misadventure, which is still under investigation, and starts to self-medicate to assuage his demons.
First-year Doctor Jodi Waterstone is the offspring of a local respectable medical family and trying to manage the insane workload of nightshifts in ER, while dealing with her own demon, one dimensional
The narrative switches seamlessly between the two key characters, while Merriman skilfully manages the pace of the story with shifting plot lines. Halfway through the story, she cleverly uses a Heaphy Track tramp with the group of doctor friends to contrast the peace and orderliness of nature with the chaos and ugliness of the emergency ward. From here the dynamics shift and we are challenged with the publicly taboo topics of ‘professional self-medication’, post traumatic stress disorder, doctor vulnerability, and patient risk versus blind trust.
Contrasting with this, the side story of cancer patient Emma Hardy tugs at the heart string but adds authenticity to the story, while cleverly questioning people’s perception of tragedy at the end.
A fascinating read with a surprise ending.
Carbon Fibre Mountain Hunter Stock Weatherby action
Ultra light 30-06 Rifle
• The perfect all round New Zealand calibre, the 30-06 is a proven cartridge and ideal for all New Zealand big game.
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• Picatinny rail
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How many teeth do pāua have? Two? That is the obvious answer considering two very distinct teeth-like appendages protrude from under the front of the pāua. However, what you see is the beak of the pāua, which is used for grasping drift seaweed.
Pāua actually have 70 tiny teeth or radula, which lie along to a zip-like tongue that is attached internally behind the beak.
Underwater, pāua may appear to be standing with their frills extended—waiting in ambush. As drift seaweed touches the frills, it triggers
the pāua to pivot and clamp at the foot on the seaweed. The food is then grasped by the beak and drawn inside where the 70 teeth tear tiny particles o the seaweed as it is drawn along the ‘conveyer belt’ of radula.
The New Zealand pāua is a unique and very old species of abalone, found only in our waters. It is an edible sea snail that feeds only on seaweed, which gives it a delicate sweet earthy flavour. A delicacy, the pāua is also a fascinating creature that is only recently revealing its many secrets and beneficial health properties.
The indexed rotating clamping system 3 angle adjustments 12˚, 20˚, 25˚
Your knife is always in the same place.
as I have hunted hard for months I have shot my three
I was supposed to hunt with Gerald during the Roar but that did not happen. At the start of the Roar a big 14pt red stag jumped the fence from the National park into the station that Gerald hunts. No one had seen it before and, as there were a few hinds about, it stayed. Over the roar period, Gerald saw it three times and managed to get some photos
with a telescopic lens, which he sent me—as he is a professional, they were really good photos. Post Roar the stag disappeared only to return with a younger stag three weeks later, so Gerald gave me a ring and the trip was on. We put in a lot of effort hunting that stag, but got him just on dark as he stepped out of the bush. We gutted it by torchlight and returned next morning to and carried 14pts, which were so large and even and scored 320 Douglas Score. It was one of the biggest stags I have ever shot and what a true trophy.
A week later I was hunting by myself in the King Country in an area that I have hunted for 11 years. I was overlooking a gully with a long strip of grass feeding the bush edge and with about 40mins of daylight left, I was on full alert.
On cue, at the far end of grass, out of the bush raced seven hinds and disappeared into the bush on the other side— followed by a stag.
He hesitated just before entering the bush and that gave me time for a shot. He was a long way out, so I raised my aim by 100mm and he dropped on the spot. It happened so fast I just acted on instinct. I got shot was 338m. One for the grey-power.
The light was fading by the time I crossed the creek and climbed up to the stag but when I got there, I was totally gobsmacked. What a huge beast! Heavy timber
and 28 points. I had never seen anything like it before. So the second time in a row, I gutted the stag by torchlight and walked the one hour trip back to camp in the dark. Not much sleep that night as I had trouble getting my head around the size of the
antlers and it was also very cold indeed. My water container in camp froze solid overnight.
Next day was spent retrieving the head and meat—what a mission.
So now I am all hunted out.
The 14 points head was six years old and the 28 pointer was eight. Both had been with a group of hinds so a it’s safe bet that their genes will stay in the pool. In each case, the locals did not know about the stags and I did not see them until just about dark, so they got to maturity by being smart.
Over the years I’ve had many handbuilt made to measure leather boots.
designs that signalled you out from the masses…here
the artisan…a person that appreciated creations that valued the functional design aspects.
More recently my choice of boots has been dictated by the hills I live,work and play in.
thick grainy buffalo hide by a guy in Papanui Rd in Christchurch…they were in fact you didn’t really feel connected to the ground you crossed.
Those boots came to a purchase of a big brand leather boot.Within 3 years I’d shot through two pairs
but wasn’t keen on spending $400 plus for something that may have lasted a bit longer.
Then Earthwalk boots enters my life. Thick bu alo hide (warning bells), NZ design for our conditions, upper stitched to sole for permanence and watertightness…the list of attributes went on
So I phoned Earthwalk and got to talk to the man himself, Micky Turner, founder who has been in the game for yonks.
After I’d given him a 15 minute grilling and with Micky more than answering all my probing questions I placed my order.The boots arrived within a couple of days and when my foot sank into the right hand boot it was like they were made for each other..the left was the same.
Spending a lot of time in the hills is as a good a test as any for boot comfort… you want your foot held to avoid toe/nail/blister injuries and you want your boot anchored to the ground… the gutsy tread with deep multi-directional lugs can be trusted in any terrain…wet or dry!
The Earthwalk’s broke in quickly and are so light they probably don’t register on the bathroom scales.
With rustproof D-rings and hooks and double riveting,dual stitched seams, super strong threads, NZ Safety Standard steel toe cap option and Earthwalk’s guarantee you can see that Micky Turner is here to give you gear that’ll serve you well…and they do…two years on they’re still going strong despite a “get up and wear…no care” regime!
Summer 1980 and I
position as principal of a I had to return ‘home’ to attend a neighbourhood reunion from an earlier
remote life.
“I know it well,” he responded.
often, we go up the coast then veer inland to follow up your river valley into the Urewera’s.
“Next time we do, I’ll
swoop down to give the kids a thrill.”
Back at school after the long weekend, I wised up the kids to be on the alert,
wave out. We didn’t have to wait long, as about a week later we heard a noisy jet
saw the jet disappearing up into the clouds and veering to the right. As we waited, hoping, there was suddenly an almighty roar from behind us as this huge aircraft came swooping in at ‘treetop level.’
We dropped to the ground and covered our heads with our arms. I peeped up and swear the Skyhawk was
only about 10 feet, probably 20 however, above us as it waggled its wings. As it pulled steeply upwards the noise gradually eased off, only to be replaced by the excited, yet silent ‘babble’ of the children. The last we saw of Johnny was a Skyhawk dot heading for the Urewera’s.
As it so happened I never saw Johnny again as a couple of weeks later he crashed his Skyhawk in the Ruahine Ranges and was killed on impact. The impact caused his ejector seat to activate but his body and parachute were only a few yards down the hill from the crash site, with the engine not far away. Pilot John Dick was buried in Lower Hutt with full military service, not far from where he grew up.
I have worked extensively in the sewing industry for over 30 years and, as you can imagine, have handled a tremendous array of material and fabrics. Since joining Nalder in 2012, I have learned so much about the to best utilise them in the design of the safety gear we make.
It’s not just about quality of design and function, but creating a long-lasting utility environment it is required for. I am very proud of the quality products we produce for our local market and enjoy working with the ladies at Nalder—they are a fun loving team.
I have worked in administration positions for 10 years and joined Nalder 18 months ago, service, quoting, pricing and deliveries around Nelson.
When the ladies need help in the factory I also jump on a machine and lend a hand—but it’s an experienced hand. With over 30 years sewing experience—10 of those in Lane Walker factories—I am
position because it includes both my favourite jobs: admin and sewing. I enjoy being able to work with customers and provide top quality service.
Working in industrial sewing is challenging but rewarding. Sewing is something I have loved for years, so being part of a process that creates high quality garments that play a vital role in industry, is extremely satisfying; I really enjoy my part in the process.
I have worked at Nalder for many years now and did take a little break in-between, but my love of sewing and a great company culture lured me back again.
I joined Nalder only knowing how to sew on a little home machine, so it was a bit daunting and scary mastered the big industrial machines and also learned to use fabric welders and fabric cutters.
My key role is to cut the garments ready for the next team member to do their job on them, but my versatility is useful when required; I jump on a sewing machine, overlocker or welder too.
I enjoy working with Kevin and the team of ladies. We have a few laughs along the way.
I have been part of the Nalder team for 14 years now.
I started at Nalder as a cleaner and now I am a fabric welder—and love it. I have been welding for almost a year, but also do a
little sewing when needed. It is an amazing process, starting with a roll of material and seeing it transform into something useful. I love seeing a garment put together and the I have been part of the process.
I work with an awesome bunch of ladies and love being part of the team.
Having spent a successful career owning and managing large companies, both national and internationally, tasks to do at home but kept putting them off until ‘tomorrow’. Then I realised the days were merging into one and I was losing contact with people. I missed the people contact so said to my wife, “I need a small business that could buy me a beer and top up the petrol tank at the end of the week!”
Soon after purchasing Kiwi Protective Clothing Ltd, trading as Nalder, I
realised that ‘a beer and a squirt of petrol a week’ was setting my sights a bit low. This business clearly has huge potential; it already had a great reputation for manufacturing quality safety garments produced locally by a loyal and dedicated team—the girls can actually run the company without me, and often do!
manufacturing country and proud of it. Small towns and communities commonly were supported by manufacturers such as Lane Walker Rudkins, Canterbury Apparel and the like. I think it is now timely to support each other and bring back that community model, where our people proudly produce quality garments for the local market.
Undeniably, it has impacted our economy and way of life but there are opportunities to be had.
how much New Zealand relies on manufacturing overseas whereas in the seventies and eighties we were very much a
Of course, we’d still buy materials and goods off shore, but let’s focus on our real resources—our people and our communities. I believe in partnerships— business partnerships— partnerships with suppliers, customers and staff. They are all equally important and Kiwis. path ahead, which ultimately focuses on keeping us Kiwis safe—Kiwi Safety is important to us and so are you.
We’d like to invite you to be part of our journey.
WE SPECIALISE IN HOSTING FISHING TOURS FOR GROUPS
Call Dave Gordon 027 223 4570, 03 76 27335
Specializing In Head Mounts Of New Zealand Game Animals. Based in Nelson with 26 years experience. Professional service, 4 month turn around on your trophy and a competitive price. Contact Warren Plum at plumstone@xtra.co.nz or phone (03) 547 9143 for a quote, chance to discuss options and see examples of work.
Longer days and brighter weather at this time of the year provide more opportunities to get out on the water and go fishing
If you’re heading out to catch a feed of one of NZ’s favourites, the iconic blue cod, make sure you know the new rules before you go. In July, changes were made to the fishing rules for blue cod to improve the sustainability of this very important fishery.
Here’s an outline of the new rules:
the minimum legal size (MLS) for recreationally caught blue cod is now 33cm, with the exception of BCO 1 (upper North Island) where it is 30cm;
the daily bag limit for recreationally caught blue cod now follows a ‘tra c light’ system; all recreationally caught blue cod must be landed in a measurable state, unless immediately eaten on the fishing vessel from which it was taken;
the minimum pot mesh size for blue cod is 54mm for all fishers;
the recreational
accumulation limit for blue cod is now set at two days (ie two daily bag limits per person, per multi-day trip) except for the Fiordland Marine Area where the accumulation limit is one day.
The tra c light system applies to the South Island and Chatham Islands and provides adaptive settings for daily bag limits in di erent areas, which can be changed when information suggests stock health is improving or declining.
This system reduces the recreational daily blue cod limits to 2 blue cod per person in ‘red’ areas, which are the areas at most risk of localised depletion, and higher limits of 10 and 15 in ‘orange’ and ‘green’ areas respectively, which hold healthier stocks of blue cod.
Fisheries New Zealand has also developed responsible fishing guidelines for blue cod, which outline how you can help ensure undersize blue cod survive when they are returned to the water.
The best way to protect small fish is to avoid catching them in the first place.
To help with this, Fishery
O cers will be handing out hooks over the summer to fishers who may not have the right size hooks in their tool kit.
You can find out more about blue cod handling and view the guidelines on the Fisheries New Zealand website: https:// www.fisheries.govt.nz/ dmsdocument/39242/direct, or pick up a brochure from any South Island fisheries o ce.
During December and January Fisheries New Zealand will be surveying fishers at key South Island boat ramps about blue cod. We’ll also be posting an online survey so keep an eye out for it on our website https://www.fisheries.govt. nz/bluecod – we’re keen to hear about your on water experiences since the implementation of the new rules.
To keep up-to-date with the fishing rules for your area, download the free NZ Fishing Rules Mobile App from Google Play or the Apple Store, or visit the Fisheries New Zealand website: fisheries.govt.nz/ nzfishing-app
Kōura, rock lobster, crayfish. No matter what you call them, many Kiwis love to catch and consume this delicious seafood, especially over the summer season when the weather is warmer, and the water is more inviting for a quick dive to catch a feed.
If you are out fishing for crays there are a few changes to the rules that came into e ect on 1 July that you’ll need to know about.
In the Hauraki Gulf and Bay of Plenty regions, known as the CRA 2 fishery, the recreational daily bag limit reduced to 3 lobsters per person per day. A
new requirement to telson clip your recreationally caught crays has also been introduced. This helps identify how the crays have been caught and deters poaching activity.
In the CRA 5 fishery in Canterbury and Marlborough, three measures that already apply to the Kaikōura marine area have been extended to the whole CRA 5 area from Farewell Spit to the Waitaki River south of Timaru. These are telson clipping, an accumulation limit of 18 lobsters (or 3 daily bag limits), and bag and tag conditions for recreational catch. These changes are to assist with addressing illegal
take in this fishery. What is telson clipping and how is it done?
The telson is the central part of a lobster’s tail fan. Telson clipping refers to cutting o the last third of the telson, so that it is noticeably shorter than the other segments of the tail fan. Recreational fishers will be required to cut o the last third of the telson of every legal lobster they have caught and will keep. Telson clipping can be done with a knife or scissors, and is like clipping your fingernails. Clipping the telson of a lobster marks it as recreationally caught which means it is unable to be bought, sold or bartered.
To keep up-to-date with the fishing rules for your area, download the free NZ Fishing Rules Mobile App from Google Play or the Apple Store, or visit the Fisheries New Zealand website: fisheries.govt.nz/ nzfishing-app
Pictured: MPI Fishery O cer, Gary McAneny demonstrates how to perform a telson clipping in MPI’s instructional video on YouTube.
The instructional video on telson clipping is available on the MPI channel on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=4DiMcyGRT8Q&t=3s
Longstanding Canterbury angler and home brewer, Phreddy the Phisherman (Salmo Trutta Homo Sapiens) avidly scans the Fishing Paper for hints on how to better utilize Black Gnats. He constantly wears his green Clearwater Fly Danglers hat—green because that’s how he drinks his home brew, and it’s the colour some of the chaps turned after trying it.
Behind him, one of his trophies nestles against the ubiquitous dartboard. Having found what he was looking for, he always moved on to the pages giving useful guidance on high country fishing and ads for yet another gizmo for the bach. It sat near the shores of both Lake Clearwater and Lake Camp, featuring a coal range that was perfect for doing whitebait patties, gigantic roasts, a full English breakfast to set one up for the day of fishing ahead, and baking a rabbit to a crisp, crumbling, blackened finish, after enjoying a few
Ivan Wilsonhome brews and falling asleep.
It was a place of gathering, conversation and camaraderie and drew devotees year after year. Some to utilise the bunks after a long and emotional day testing themselves against the wily high country browns, others to just drop in for a fishing chat and a beer.
The accoutrements of the outbuildings were renowned and required caution when being approached, particularly the gentlemen’s stand alone feature, which was reminiscent of the old BBC programme “Hancocks Half Hour.”
Those drawn to this feature had to be wary of both black gnats and the odd mosquito, to say nothing of large fire crackers that would test one's focus if you happened to be out there at the
moment of ignition.
In between bouts of fishing, Phred tends his patches of matagouri, which he says are great places to store Black Gnats. Phreddy also has another sideline, Black Panther tours during which he takes visitors out to spot the elusive beast. More often it is seen after quantities of his home brew.
In later years Phred developed a penchant for building ‘tents on wheels.’
The various camper wagons he devised and fabricated were wonderful modes of transport that enabled camping, if not at the glamping end of the spectrum, certainly comfortable, practical, accommodation for fishos in place of the original, ‘anchored to terra firma’ bach. Whenever he completed a Tent of Wheels he’d ensure there was a good collection of Fishing Papers in the magazine rack, to make sure others were informed of the opportunities fishing brings.
Radio, can you report my signal please? Over.”
We’re ready to welcome you for safe summer boating here at Marlborough-Nelson Marine Radio and we look forward to your company. Despite challenging times the service hasn’t missed a beat – in fact, our coverage is set to extend. Plans are taking shape to cover the area from Cape Campbell, eastern tip of Marlborough, to Clarence. Brian Davis, Radio Engineer and MNMRA committee member has been instrumental in this project.
We now have the capability to simultaneously link all the association’s channels, on demand. This means important broadcasts, particularly, the weather broadcast can be made across the whole region at one time. Operators now only read the weather once per broadcast. The airwaves are freed up and the likelihood of missing a call while reading the weather on another channel is reduced.
Your weather broadcasts are now four each day. 8.35am, 11.35am, 13.35pm and 17.35pm. That’s the weather forecast, direct from
MetService to our operators, to help you make good decisions for your trip.
Our radio operators welcome a test call on your
make sure your equipment works and you have the right channel. Two forms of communication are recommended, so keep a cell phone in a waterproof bag too. On that note, we’re looking to recruit a radio operator to join the team. If you live in Picton, or Blenheim and would like to know more, call Stephanie on Have a fantastic summer!
Channel 01 – Mt. Stokes
Coverage from Cape Farewell in the south to Cape Egmont in the north, and the east from Cape Palliser to Cape Campbell. Most of the Marlborough Sounds, Golden Bay, Tasman Bay , Wellington and Cook Strait. At times. This channel may be workable outside these perimeters.
Channel 04 – Drumduan.
Covers Tasman Bay and the western d’Urville area.
Permanently linked to both channels 60 and 65. This means that any transmission made on channel 04 is heard simultaneously on both channels 60 and 65 and vice versa.
Channel 60 – Mt. Burnett
Covers Kahurangi Point in the west, all of Golden Bay and the western side of d’Urville Island.
Channel 60 is permanently linked to channel 04 (and subsequently to channel 65) so any transmission made on channel 04 is heard on channel 04, 60, and 65 as well.
Channel 63 – Mt. Kahikatea.
Covers Queen Charlotte Sound, Port Underwood, Cook Strait, south to Cape Campbell, Kapiti and Mana and also parts of Kenepuru and Pelorus Sounds. This channel is good for Wellington approaches but not good within Wellington Harbour. (Mariners are advised to cancel Trip Reports at Barrets Reef buoy).
Channel 65 – Paradise Reserve
Covers Kenepuru and Pelorus Sounds, Havelock, d’Urville, western Cook Strait, parts of Tasman Bay, Golden Bay and large sections of Queen Charlotte Sound.
Channel 66 – Mt. Stokes
Coverage area is similar to Channel 01. This repeater is for commercial users only and is not operator monitored.
Channels 01 and 63 are linked for the marine forecasts only and one operator monitors both channels.
