May 2021 - Issue 188 - The Fishing Paper and Hunting News

PISTOL SHOOTING

Brian Bishop

Our future as a sport is at risk due to urban sprawl, with houses creeping closer and closer to our ranges. Unfortunately, some townies think the country is all nice and quiet but upon learning the reality, then demand it becomes so. I have even heard of complaints about the noise the stock on farms make.

No thought a club has been there for 20-30 years, or in some cases a damn sight longer. Offended townies want them shut down and gone—period.

Our legal system is broken here too, because it is not about what or who is right but who has the most money simply don’t have the money needed.

Too many people think it is not their problem, not their club or sport. Many don’t even stop to think about what is fair until it is too late

Let’s ‘sanitise’ the crap out of life

and the club has lost its legal battle, been closed down or had time and/or sound restrictions imposed on operations.

Gutted, clubs become a shell of themselves, or are left looking desperately for alternative land. But now they have money problems rights and to retain assets. This problem is not the sole domain of pistol clubs but any ‘noisy’ club. Speedways face the same issues.

In Motueka, some complained about the planes at the airport—after buying a house in the flight path! Thankfully they never got anywhere.

Very good friends in Gisborne have had people move into an area where their range is and then complain about the noise.

Ironically, a key person who started the case was a

Builds a house close to the club, then moans about the shooting. Happy to make money from shooters but doesn’t like them nearby.

The club now has very tight sound restrictions for a year, then it gets reduced even further. The hunt for a new place to move is ongoing. I went with them to a meeting with the Gisborne mayor about a piece of land but no word yet. Still hoping for a positive outcome.

These clubs are a big community asset and important—they provide training and a safe environment to shoot. And community is about supporting each other and celebrating our diversity. If you hear of any type of club having problems, think how you could help: skills, time, or money? Help is always appreciated and can make the difference for a fair outcome.

Quiet Kian clips cod ticket

Poppa Mike

Grandson Kian was always

to see them in pain as they were dragged up on a hook.

and his Dad bought a boat, he started to change his attitude. One day a catch of three pan sized snapper were hauled aboard and

had the desire to catch and the urge to eat.

His next bold move was to set his sights on catching a good sized cod.

Luckily his Uncle Mark had a good sized boat and plenty of experience on the water, and in particular catching good cod. A trip was organised from Havelock and within the hour we were anchored up on a favourite spot well out in Pelorus Sound.

rods were pinging. Working away in the left rear corner, Kian went about his business quietly then pulled in the

statements—just a big warm smile of achievement and satisfaction.

For Poppa and Uncle Mark, the highlight was the smile on Kian’s face, as well as

discovering that the cod turned out to be better than there together 30 years earlier.

Unlike his Poppa, Kian fishes quietly

Wrangling ‘rocks’ down south

Rowan Hook

March is cray time for us in the Deep South, an epic time of year resulting in big crays, in good numbers and in shallow depths. I best utilise this time of year

plentiful— a bonus for those who have not yet managed to perfect the wrangle!

Our day started off with a smooth, glassy trip across the strait heading to one of our more special spots. With the outlook of great visibility, it was going to be a perfect day

With Southland sizes ranging from 3-4kg, these are truly the dive site with a gentle swell rolling in and visibility of around 14 metres— extraordinary.

A quick scout around found shallows for the lads to grab, with a few good-sized ones thrown in the mix.

I took the opportunity of good viz to scout new locations for good-sized crays. It’s not necessary or common to dive past Southland, but we found a new ledge sitting in 14 metres, so Wesley and I started to scout around.

First drop revealed a barren area with great-sized blue cod cruising in to watch. Third drop revealed two nice boulders and a third rock sitting in between—but—it was moving slowly towards a hole. A moving rock. That can’t be right? Holy smokes, it was a cray!

I quickly grabbed it on its back and, as is often the case with big aggressive bucks,

he grabbed ME. I’ve never had my mask ripped off at 14 metres before, but this cray was going to make it

claw turning on me and ripping the mask off. I will

body as I became instantly disorientated. I took a few seconds to try and gain my bearings and started

swimming to the surface.

Tim stated I looked like a nuclear attack submarine emergency surfacing!

After a quick wrangle into accomplished!

I had not fully realised his size until I got back to the boat and we compared him to the other bucks. At 3.8kgs, it was very close to my goal of snagging a 4kg

me driven to get back out there and explore new and deeper terrain.

Rowan runs Wettie Southland, stocking a wide Invercargill and Southland, and servicing the Deep South.

Follow him on facebook or instagram at Wettie Southland.

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Better than crabs

New Zealanders have been well served by the rights-based fisheries management regime—the Quota Management System (QMS)—implemented in 1986. From a fish stock management point of view, the key component of the QMS is not quota but e ective output controls to sustain and rebuild stock abundance. Output controls are absolute limits on what can be caught and landed, whereas quota is essentially the currency of trade and exchange of commercial harvesting rights.

The most important aspect of quota is the underlying custodial attitude imparted to quota share owners. When you invest to own harvesting rights—and the value of those rights is so dependent on the health and sustainable use of the fish stocks—then your attention to proper management of those stocks becomes a major factor of your day-to-day business.

In theory, the wider community of New Zealand can never lose in an outputcontrolled fishery built on a secure rights-based framework—the incentives are always with the rightsowners (and users) to protect and enhance the quantum and value of their rights. The fishery first, from that all benefits flow.

Cooperation and Collaboration

There are numerous examples of commercial rights holders making positive and meaningful contributions to fisheries management. Industry-

Media reports of commercial and recreational fishing o ences are now routine, and courts are increasingly taking a hard line against the worst of the o enders. But fish thieving persists; MPI Compliance teams seem engaged in an endless battle to curtail the excesses of fish thieves and black-market seafood operators.

Daryl Sykes contends that all legitimate fishers have a personal responsibility to assist MPI in their e orts to bring o enders to prosecution. He argues its time for…

An assault on fish thieving

generated data programmes, voluntary retirement of commercial harvest rights, industryfunded elective research projects, and initiatives such as Whale Safe (the rock lobster industry cetacean risk management programme) acknowledge the responsibility that comes with the allocation of rights.

In the circumstances where utilisation whilst ensuring sustainability is expressed by a Total Allowable Catch (TAC), within which recreational, customary and commercial have either an explicit allocation or allowance, the integrity of the actual (TACC) or implied shares (aggregate bag limits) of the TAC are important to all users.

Subsidising theft

There is a case for a separation of enforcement and compliance of fisheries rules, with the emphasis being on compliance.

Limited resources should be prioritised by distinguishing between administrative compliance and criminal compliance. In the latter, the focus can be drawn on the erosion of both the quality of the agreed harvest strategies and of the legitimate fishing experiences.

But the real kicker is that Government still purposefully ‘allows for’ poaching of rock lobsters when a Minister endorses TAC recommendations and before he/she sets the TACC.

So poaching is not a

sustainability issue as such—it is factored in as a catch component after allowances are made for customary and recreational users—and before the allocation is made to commercial interests. In other words, thieves are given an allowance by the government!

That is an evil subsidy that commercial users are obliged to make to fish thieves and one which does not place any incentives on recreational and customary to report fish thieving and/ or the availability of black-

market product, routinely and consistently. After all, their share of the TAC seems not to be directly impacted by this subsidy.

However, in reality it is a direct a ront to all legitimate fishers and an erosion of the quality of their fishing experiences; but the subsidy for fish thieves is e ectively sanctioned by Ministers every year. It might well be viewed as an admission of failure on the part of Government and their management agency, but that allowance for thieves really should force concerned fishery participants to think di erently about what matters in an enforcement and compliance context.

Sticking to the rules and limits critical

Within the umbrella of all TACs, if the Total Allowable Commercial Catch (TACC) is overfished, then recreational and customary fishers are deprived of some measure of fishing success. Likewise, if the non-commercial allowances are exceeded, intended management outcomes, including rebuild timeframes, are compromised. Compliance with fishing rules and adherence to catch limits

are particularly important to all extractive users—and to the wider community. If all rock lobster catches can be reliably accounted for, then the management regime is secure and the system is generally working as intended.

Criminal enforcement mode

But if individuals or groups are deliberately exceeding quotas or bag limits and failing to report and account for landings, then the system must revert to criminal enforcement mode. Both the quality and security of legitimate commercial and non-commercial fishing rights can be compromised by such behaviour, so too can a plan of management for the fishery. Such is the case across the range of all shared inshore fisheries.

We are fortunate in New Zealand to now have a dedicated and professional fisheries compliance agency in preference to a single-minded enforcement agency for which any breach of every rule is just as heinous as any breach of any other rule.

There is now greater evaluation and prioritisation of available resources linked to strategic compliance planning, which itself is linked to agreed harvest strategies for rock lobster stocks.

Fish thieving is corrosive to the quality and quantity of all legitimate fishing experiences. It is the responsibility of commercial and non-commercial fisherfolk to insist that thieves are not tolerated or subsidised. With rights come responsibilities— and cooperation with MPI Compliance is but one of those—albeit one of the most important if you

Lobster Bust MPI

Paua Bust MPI

Baby’s Breath dry gold

The tiny bead head nymph plinked into the glassy current ahead of a size 14

presentation had to equal perfection as the drift was short in this log jammed skiff of a pool.

The dry landed with a softness the name suggests and the big brown drifted sideways in slow motion and engulfed the nymph.

And now, in a moment in time, the wee pool came alive with a frenetic nervous energy at both ends of the line, a give and take on a long tenuous tippet.

afternoon. Big backcountry brown trout… all spooky and selective, in clear glass topped pools exposed in bright sunshine, where the merest ripple or shadow

An

Rod Bent

was a hair trigger to alert

attempt and offering. Tough

let alone a newbie, and yet here we were.

bring anguish and despair. won in the very toughest of conditions.

the net, only then did we let out an exuberant holler

memories made in a moment of magic. None will come

come.

released back to the pool the

odd taste

Sometimes when the I like to have some fun

can stop catching spiny dogs in the cold winter months and get some awesome pictures of the very colourful reef residents. I was using a Reef just off Napier, when

late afternoon was beginning to stretch shadows across the riverbed and it was time to pick up the track back downriver to the hut, before darkness overtook us.

Blair Whiting

isn’t surprising since their body structure looks just like a hapuka but miniature.

length maxes out at around 20 centimetres. I will likely never catch one of these again as they typically live in caves. My bait would have dropped right into the hole and very luckily one was waiting for a meal.

small piece of squid on my hook. I netted a small, clue what I was looking at. After a few photos for a later ID search, he was returned. On later investigation this turned out to be a redbanded perch, a small groper of New Zealand’s reefs. This

Fishing with small hooks in deep water is something that has always fascinated me. There are so many small never get to see. So, when I happened to be anchored in 95 metres off Hawke’s Bay, you can bet I am putting

down some small baits to see what was down there. I baited up with squid and got

thinking, ‘’Well that’s a blue cod but yellow.’’ I couldn’t have been more correct. The yellow cod or weaver is a close relative of the blue cod. Living in depths between 60 and 250 metres means they aren’t typically seen, especially when they only grow to around 35 centimetres. The small hook method is the only way to catch one. Surprisingly, he was in good health after a 95 metre vertical trip and swam back to the bottom with no issues.

It had been over 30

Montgomerie. It was a trip to rekindle some great memories and create some new. There is no doubt,

I don’t hook many species from the ray family but from time to time I do. Typically, these are the common shorttailed rays, which grow very in 30 metres, I had an odd heavy and not beating its tail when it ripped line from the reel. ‘’I wonder what this could be?’’ A large brown triangular shape swam into view. After some confusion it was decided this was a rough skate based on its white spots and thorny tail. Rough skates live over sand and mud in shallow water, right out to water over

backcountry rivers are a

days. But with a lot of patience and perseverance the rewards are there.

Our mood had been buoyed somewhat, but we were under no illusions now. Tomorrow would be another very challenging day on this

500m. Their acutely pointed snouts are used for digging up crustaceans in the sand.

After a quick photo, the skate was returned and he swam away strongly.

Fishing will forever be fascinating to me because you never do know what you will catch. Hopefully, I will catch many more odd species rarely seen.

Rob Slotemaker mining West Coast gold

Rough skate

The yellow cod or weaver, cousin to blue cod

Redbanded perch

Navico® New—Sustainable Packaging

Navico®, parent company to the Lowrance®, Simrad Yachting, B&G® and C-MAP® brands, has renewed focus on becoming a more sustainable company, dedicated to preserving the joy of being on the water for current and future generations.

The first step was a transition to feature 100% recyclable and sustainable packaging in new product o erings. Additionally, last month the company announced its first-ever appointment of a Chief Sustainability O cer, Tara Norton.

“Sustainability is one of Navico’s core pillars and a key part of the company’s global strategy,” said Knut Frostad, CEO, Navico. “We are pleased to have made some initial strides with our sustainable packaging initiative over the past year, and we know there is a lot of work ahead of us as well.”

In 2019, Navico created a global team to design and produce new packaging that featured a premium finish, o ered a great customer experience and, most importantly, was fully sustainable while remaining

cost e ective.

The team initially focused on high-volume accessories such as display cables and sun covers, transitioning those products from plastic clamshell systems to 100% recyclable packaging such as cardboard and paper. Other changes include Styrofoam™ being replaced by Mushroomâ Packaging, which is a completely home compostable custommolded material created by combining hemp and mycelium. Plastic bags will be eliminated by using Aquapak’s Hydropol™ bags made from polymers that are specially engineered to be non-toxic, marine-safe and totally soluble in warm or hot water.

Cou a’s Cut:

For flakes sakes…

liberals

get too concerned over my point in my life where I get invited to way more funerals

bit proud of it. Being a ‘Boomer’ means, in a lot of cases, our fathers and grandfathers fought and sometimes died in generations would get to live in a relatively safe and secure world. Having said that, if my old man was alive today and looked round liberals and other general up our society—and our government—he would be wondering why the hell he bothered. I’m sure some of your dads would be feeling very much the same way.

Where am I going with this? Well, I could go one

After more than a year of research, planning and development, sustainable packaging was featured with the company’s recent navigation and fishfinder releases—including B&G’s Nemesis and Lowrance’s Elite FS™ displays, as well as ActiveTarget™ Live Sonar.

Elite FS includes a Hydropol bag that replaced a plastic bag to protect the display screen. Estimates indicate that Elite FS alone will save more than 3,300 pounds of plastic every year, as nearly 300,000 plastic bags have been replaced already. In addition, 45,000 Styrofoam inserts will be replaced with Mushroom nests and Instapak® replaced with molded pulp.

Coutta

would be to get myself wound up and go on to describe why I have such an intense dislike for the aforementioned liberals great society is littered with. Second, take a deep breath and remind myself paper. Not commentating for a radical right-wing publication recently driven underground due to my personal views that could get me arrested, or at the very least in the top 10 surveillance projects for the SIS.

I’ll go the other way. A while ago I read where an angler, without doubt one earlier, referred to those of us who use bait as the ‘boomers wonder if these new age anglers have even thought of having a look at the bigger picture.

In a drawer in my garage is an old Penn 66 reel my father bought for my 12th birthday. If I wanted to, I could still use it along

came with. I used it in the Northern Territory to mackerel, cobia—I tied sixinch Nils Masters onto it to troll for barramundi. What is not new and apart from reinventing the wheel, these new age anglers are simply getting sucked in to buying new rods and reels that are an ‘absolute must’ if they

Now I should say, just because someone doesn’t want bait on their boat or to get smelly hands, I’m not for a moment suggesting

to their own. Thirty years ago, I went deformed fowls that lived bait was one we cast out gently and soft baits were the ones re-frozen too many snapper between 17-19lb. on the boat. There wasn’t a either.

Successful surfcasting on the West Coast

Part Two:

From the remote beaches north of Karamea to the seashores south of Ross, reports continue to come in of successful surfcasting on the West Coast. Youngster Sophie Thomas got her start to surfcasting with a big rig caught on Ruatapu Beach,

Ross. Father, Sam Thomas, reports Sophie has caught

always keen to accompany him on surfcasting trips.

One of the most successful surfcasters in the northern

Thin. As well as being a noted pighunter and

3 1 2 4 5

plenty of snapper and rig from the Gentle Annie Beach and some harder to access spots between Mokihinui and Little Wanganui.

Stewart and his friends have

Ngabro keeps on hauling in Stuart had great snapper success at Serpentine Beach,

landed rig 10 mins from Hokitika, showcasing what surfcasters nowadays.

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Photo One: Sophie Thomas is hooked on fishing now

Photo Two: Snapper success for Thomas Stuart

Photo Three: Navare Jacobs with a typical West Coast rig

Photo Four: Great advocate of West Coast fishing, Sam Ngabro, often targets elephant fish

Photo Five: Another snapper for Craig Thin from Gentle Annie Beach

Morning tea stag

Elliot Hendry

Falling asleep in the truck listening to the distant sound of roars echoing through the hills, I was up well before action. Under headlight, I left the truck behind and began boulder-hopping up the creek towards a ridge taking me to the tussock tops.

As the sky began to lighten enough to walk without a headlight, I noticed a young hind, head down feeding on a shingle slip just out of the creek. I was totally unprepared but I’m not one to turn down a bit of venison handy to the truck. I rummaged through my pack for my bolt, mag and suppressor, then shot it. Hanging it in a tree for my return, I carried on.

I had been climbing through the bush for a couple of hours, when I heard a roar on the ridge above me. Not long later

I heard another one that sounded closer. Deciding this would be a good time for morning tea break I muesli bar I heard a branch break. The dog heard it too and began to put her nose in the air. Quietly turning around to face uphill, my heart began to race as I heard more noises steadily heading our way.

Peering intently through the bush I caught a glimpse of antler. Time seemed to stand still as I followed it through my scope until it stepped into the open where I could undoubtedly identify it as a stag. I clicked the safety off and dropped it on the spot. Making my way over, 12 pointer, which is a nice trophy for this area. I now had more venison than I knew what to do with but I didn’t want to end the hunt early. I cooled the meat

down, stashed it in meat bags under a tree along with the head and broke above the bush line. As the evening began to cool down, stags were roaring in all directions and I picked up quite a few deer in the binoculars but nothing matched what I already had.

Next morning I awoke to a stunning sunrise above the cloud and noticed a young stag a stone’s throw from camp. I crept within 30 metres before it busted me but it only ran 100 metres before stopping and continuing to roar its head off. The fog was beginning to cover the hillside now as it often does in this area and visibility was soon down to 10 metres. The forecast wasn’t meant to improve, so I packed up camp and walked back out, collecting the two deer along the way bringing an end to a very rewarding hunt.

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The islands of Tawhitinui, Awaiti and Tarakaipa lie within the scenic Tennyson Inlet in the Marlborough Sounds and some of our are funding a project to eradicate rats and restore the dawn chorus.

Talley’s, Sanford, New Zealand King Salmon and Kono are among a number of sponsors helping the Tennyson Inlet Island Trust (TIIT) to eradicate rats on the islands and adjacent mainland headlands.

chief executive, sometime resident and trust member, head of Pelorus Sound was still mostly native bush with only a very small pocket of farming, no major rivers so very little sedimentation, a very small area of pines, and no mussel farms. However, bird life has plummeted.

“There used to be noisy morning choruses. But because of a rampant rat drop on 4000 acres about 10 years ago and they did it again two years later. That made a hell of a difference, but we really need to be

These are Department islands, gazetted as scenic reserves in 1914. The nearest settlements are the holiday locations of Elaine Bay, Penzance Bay and Duncan Bay.

despite it being a huge effort really lethal but as soon as it traps a rat the trap no longer functions until someone goes and empties it and resets

“Late last summer we were not doing the job as we had put chew cards out and within two weeks the cards had all but been eaten so we knew we had a massive

That’s where Wellington company Goodnature came in.

“They have a trap called an cylinder just like the old soda siphons and it will reset the trap 24 times. That was a breakthrough. And they also developed a bait dispenser that releases bait for six months. So, you don’t touch

However, they are not cheap. The trap, with bait out to about $200.

“We are such a tiny little

others for funding, so we decided to tackle some especially the mussel companies that are operating

“Our budget was for 40 traps per year until we could smother a 50 by 50 square metre grid radius to get the

industry has paid for 33 of this year’s 40 traps budget, for which we are very grateful.

“The fishing companies are users of the environment and have an interest in keeping it pristine. Sanford have been particularly good as they have also given us money for wasp control.”

with dead rats lying about February and March when the wasps swarm, you couldn’t get in to reset the traps. Sanford funded Vespex

poison, which the wasps take back to their nests.

“Sanford also offered boating help to get anyone who needed to get out to the islands, supplied handsaws to deal with wilding pines and organised beach clean-

in April last year and two months later their digital counters indicated there had been 166 strikes.

SIGN

knew how many rats had been killed you never saw a dead rat because they immediately fell out of the trap.

“The wekas come along and think, ‘woohoo, meals on wheels’ and drag them

The islands were only the start, he said.

“Because there is only 350 metres between the mainland and the islands at low tide we need to trap on the adjoining headlands as well. The rats swim in rafts and can swim a kilometre. We are never going to get all of them, but we are giving

The alternative is entire species becoming extinct in

The biggest island, Tarakaipa, is 36 hectares, rises to 122 metres and has history with local iwi, Ngati Kuia and Ngati Apa.

“Te Ruaparaha came through and annihilated those living on Tarakaipa in 1828 and no one has lived there since. There is an urupa, or burial ground,

“As part of their treaty Ngati Kuia 1.8 hectares at the very top of the Island. We have nine traps around the perimeter and wanted to trap it more extensively but need to wait until Ngati Kuia have completed their internal management plan for the island. Once that is complete we will sit down with them best way forward. “

a long game. Trapping would continue into the future, but already the bird song was returning.

“We are building weka houses and gecko boxes and opening up the creeks where they have been blocked to

“Any other donations to the cause would be warmly

The Tennyson Inlet Islands Trust is a registered charitable trust and any donations can be offset for tax purposes. You can read more at www.tiit.co.nz

First published in Seafood New Zealand magazine and reprinted with permission

Paua Industry Council chief executive Jeremy Cooper. with an A23 rat trap.

Lesley Hamilton

Tennyson Inlet Island Trust are placing A24 traps around Elaine Bay.

Hanwag Alaska Wide

After finally getting myself a pair of tramping boots it was time to get out and about and test them. I had a couple of “walks” arranged around Easter so had plans of wearing them in but as per usual time got away on me and here we were on the morning we were heading up into the hills and I had only worn my new boots for an hour or so inside the house.

I have them now so I thought I may as well wear them and hope for the best!

Generally my ankles are pretty shot and will roll in the smallest dip in the ground so it was great to have the support of the Hanwags to stop this from happening. They were extremely comfortable from the getgo and considering I have never even worn tramping boots before I got used to them pretty quickly.

They had plenty of grip, supported my ankles perfectly and to my surprise

my feet were as good as gold after a day of walking the hills in them. The only small issue I had was since I had not worn them in the leather of the tongue squeaked as it rubbed against the front part so if you are wearing them out on a hunting trip you may want to wear them in or put

something in between to stop the squeaking.

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Delaware petition passes a grand

Delaware Bay Access Group

The petition to reinstate the Delaware Bay launch ramp has gained over a thousand signatures in a short time but petition organiser Peter Ruffell is calling for more Kiwis to sign before it closes at the end of this month.

“Anyone, of any age and says Peter, “and not just

He said this is really about Kiwis losing their rights to access our great outdoors— rights we’ve always taken for granted.

“Freedom of access to our public land and coastal Peter says.

The designated launch site at Delaware (Wakapuaka)

Estuary north of Nelson, the only safe all weather site in the area, was removed from

staff member, without consultation or involvement

The unlawful removal went unnoticed by the public and was signed off in a

Plan, with bylaws banning access to launch and retrieve vessels from ‘non designated’ ramps.

to enforce these bylaws, claiming the launch site is no longer designated, and has refused repeated requests by The Delaware Bay Access Group and National MP Nick Smith to rectify its mistake and reinstate the ramp’s designated status.

Bay is putting lives at risk because of its exposure to prevailing weather.

The Delaware Bay access

Parliament requesting that the House of Representatives investigate the error made

Plan, without due process or consultation, the Bishops Peninsula boat launch site at Delaware Bay Estuary.

“This is not just a local issue—access issues are arising nationwide. We need your help to draw a continued access to public

The Delaware Bay launch site has been used by the public for over a century. Please click on direct link below and sign the petition—people of any age are eligible to sign. Forward to as many people as possible: https://bit.ly/2P9kGcF

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Trout aren’t real

Sam Boothroyd

my bucket list for a long time. I spent the last two heat of summer and the chilly waters of winter with not even a single hookup. I had all but given up hope on my dreams of landing the seemingly non-existent trout.

It wasn’t like I wasn’t seeing them; more they didn’t want to have anything to do with me or the spinner I would cast in front of their nose— time and time again.

However, after witnessing my good friend Dan catch a trout it became apparent it was at least possible, which sparked a glimmer of hope. I decided to put in one last ditch effort to tick trout off my list. I started off the morning with a trip to Hunting & Fishing. Kitted myself out properly to give me the best chance and set off to the beautiful Pelorus for a day on the river, by myself and hopefully some trout.

and, with the wind picking up, I was starting to lose hope. This time I couldn’t go back empty-handed, so I moved spots and started exploring a new section of the river; with high hopes and low expectations I began casting.

On one cast, I was winding in and my lure got caught on a snag, only it seemed to be pulling back. I had

After an acrobatic but swift

smallest trout I have ever laid eyes on and yet the most

I’ve ever caught in my life.

After hundreds of hours stalking riverbanks, countless disappointing expeditions I landed an absolute trophy in my eyes. I’m not ashamed to say my screams of joy would have been heard echoing down the riverbed many miles away

. After a few photos I released it to grow bigger

and carried on until I found a perfect rapid leading into a pool. After several casts I soon found myself hooked into a much more substantial rainbow trout of about 1.5lbs, which put up a huge onto the pebbles. Words could not even describe my joy and it was then I realised trout were real!

Before I headed home, I convinced myself to quickly scout out another promising section of river, where I found the honey hole. In only a few casts I hooked

and landed another stunning rainbow trout of almost identical size. After a quick call with dad, I realised it was probably time to head knows, you must have one last cast.

On that last cast a big rainbow trout smashed my spinner and had me running along the riverbank to land it. After so much time, effort and persistence this had been a huge victory for me and I couldn’t of asked for a better day on the water!

Become a member

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.

Photo Credit

Alisa Mcgilvary-Howard

Three widdle pigs

Someone, somewhere, has a voodoo doll with my name on it. It has so many pins in it, it resembles a cactus. For several months it has also been choked and stomped on. Either that or the outdoors misdemeanor and

Whatever curse is upon me,

Whining has not solved my woes. Nor has sulking. Perhaps I do both so often my partner has become desensitised to my plight, not that he can alter fate.

google ya right back—the hyperventilating, the tic and yeah, I’ve got it goin’ on!

I’ve yet to mention the roaring stag, which also had it goin’ on. Despite his proximity, I hadn’t paid him any heed. I’d seen him several times in recent weeks, he was a young eight pointer and held no appeal.

prevent a clean head shot. I need a head shot, as my against the boar’s heavy gristle shield. Besides, I’m

a wounded-tusker into dense cover does not squeal my wheels.

Kim Swan

‘Hunting God,’ mumbled curses at Mother Nature into the great outdoors with never-ending attempts at enthusiasm. Thus far nothing has improved my luck and I admit to growing weary of my continued failures and misfortunes.

So, I’m stalking, totally focused on placing every step quietly between the noisy fallen poplar leaves and the noisy dry sticks and the trailing blackberry vines and the boar, he’s cunning as can be. He fossicked right in the edge of cover, always moving, always testing the breeze and listening with his

big, fringed ears.

I had been freed of the curse when I glimpsed a distant black shape on the edge of cover. I quickly recognised the shape as sus scrofa and bigger than average. A second glimpse revealed said sus scrofa was a male and very, very big. I then exhibited all the typical symptoms that come with recognising an especially special target species. The ‘Marty Feldman eyes’—google him, he’ll

The stag? He’s roaring and grunting and smashing stuff as he gets closer and closer to me. His girly is most likely coming here to hoover up the poplar leaves around my feet.

Finally I’ve done an exceptional stalk and I’m leaning against a poplar trunk with .223 scope cross-hairs on the boar.

He’s massive and wears his creased shield from nape to hips like an armadillo. He has tusks poking out of his jaw far enough to impede his vision. Not quite, but nearly.

The screen of brush and the constant movement

My adrenalin-meter is redlining. My heart gallops at Grand National Steeplechase pace. To top it off, the unseen stag is almost upon me; he reeks and he’s doing his best angry lion imitation. His girlfriend sees me and bounds off. He follows. He is not an eight pointer. He’s swings his way and I try, in mere seconds, to assess whether he’s really, really impressive. He is.

Now my brain is having a little ‘paper-scissors-rock’ moment, trying to decide if the impressive stag hurriedly dashing away after his girly is worth missing out on the boar of a lifetime. I think he’s crooked up top, too many tines to count and he’s going, going, gone. Never mind, back to big, bad Boris. Boris who? Boris has vanished.

I leave soon after. No boar of a lifetime. No very, very impressive stag. I come back with the dogs the following day. Perhaps the ‘Hunting God’ wanted this all along. Two dogs and bailed in heavy cover, me scared witless and shitless as keep us all at bay.

The dogs and I track pig spoor from the poplar grove to an immature radiata stand. Of Boris there is no fresh sign. Instead, the dogs catch a wee pig. I know it’s wee

as the dogs discuss business with it. To prove they’re doing their best, the dogs go on to catch another pig. It is also wee and ‘wheeees.’

If old Boris was anywhere within earshot, he’d be

vacating premises at a great rate of knots, so me and my dragging lower lip skulk our way from the place too. Eventually I have to pick my lip up and chuck it over my shoulder, as there is so much pig pooh all about—pooh everywhere. That’s when the dogs really excel themselves and catch one last pig, not even a ‘wheee’ one, just a tiny ‘widdle’ one. Yesterday the big ones got away. Today it’s all poohs and wheees. Perhaps tomorrow the ‘Hunting Gods’ will give me a break, time will tell.

Poohs and poohs and poohs This

Treasure Island Chatham-style

Andrew Dyer

As we descended toward Chatham Island is and how much gorse covers this area. First impressions aside, parts of the island are very clean open farming country and the coastline is a treasure in itself.

Home for the week was Admiral Gardens, situated 20kms from the Big Smoke—

Waitangi boasts one hotel, two grocery shops, one garage, a hardware shop and a takeaway. There is a bottle store but it’s complicated: ask directions to a shed with a button to be pressed and ‘someone’ will open up for you. It’s a closely guarded secret!

Wharekauri, to the to explore and we were

stunned by the pig rooting— it was massive. You could throw seed over it and roll it back down and say job done.

From there we travelled to

village with a school and a very nice harbour, then out to Point Munning, stopping off to see the remains of the

remote farm at Kaiwhata. This speaks to the history of this unique archipelago, which is colourful in the extreme.

base was established at Waikato Bay on Te Whanga Lagoon in 1941, with the lake bottom cleared of rocks and a jetty installed. A passenger service was established by the RNZAF in 1946, later being taken

kept operational for two decades. It was a key lifeline to mainland New Zealand, with the Sunderland ferrying passengers and goods back and forth.

In November 1959

• The perfect all round New Zealand calibre, the 30-06 is a proven cartridge and ideal for all New Zealand big game.

• This lightweight tack driver is the perfect alpine rifle-ideal for those big bull tahr.

• Picatinny rail

• Two free packets of ammo

Sunderland NZ4111 struck a hidden rock on take off, but the pilot managed to force land in the shallows where the passengers were evacuated. Salvage was uneconomic so the

consigned to the shelves of history and later restored. It now provides an interesting aside and intriguing slice of history for visitors to the island.

Then on to the seal colony, which is a private reserve with an amazing landscape of schist rock. This colony is teaming with seals and the scenery is well worth this trip. Most destinations are over private land, all require permission and some have a

fee to pay, so check prior to going.

Time to head back and this was when we realised how large this island is; in size it is a wee bit smaller than Stewart Island but fully roaded—and I might add the roads are in reasonably good condition—so an hour later we arrived back to our digs. We had expressed an interest to spend a couple of days on nearby Pitt Island— some would argue the jewel were told this could be weather permitted. After our at the hotel told us to be at the airport tomorrow at 9.00 am. Hopefully it will be a

RAwE are a group of passionate beach goers pushing back at attempts by some stakeholders to limit recreational access to the Beach Area Awatere River South to the Waima Ure River. WIN WIN SOLUTIONS!

RAwE promotes sustainable, low impact recreational access and enjoyment of Marlborough’s East Coast Beaches & Coastline.

RAwE proactively created a VOLUNTARY CODE OF CONDUCT and ERECTED SIGNS that have already been adopted by the majority of beach goers

Meanwhile the Marlborough District Council drafts a BYLAW that threatens to ban even quadbike access to the most prime seafood gathering locations on this long stretch of coastline.

YOUR FAVOURITE SPOT COULD BE NEXT! Recreational beach access is under threat all over NZ, including continued boat access in some areas.

YOU CAN HELP! Only everyone’s sustained action will get results!

• Find resources & information on our website, share & share!

• Join our group, join our mailing list - we promise no spam.

• Print our downloadable poster then put them everywhere.

• Print sheets of bumperstickers and share about.

• Download draft submissions to get you started, tell your mates!

• Get informed on the issues and our proposed win win solutions.

Commercial fishing a key Chatham Island industry

Jayco’s CrossHaul—where versatility meets utility

Pack the most into work and weekend with the compact and versatile CrossHaul, designed for those craving BIG adventure and priced at under $29,990. With a spacious rear living/cargo garage, catering for those on the tools during the week and toys on the weekend, there’s no need to compromise on comfort and capability.

From work to weekend without missing a beat

Jayco’s Crosshaul is a lightweight van that, while simple in its layout, o ers multiple options for owners.

Great for tradies, there’s plenty of space to store tools on one side and still have room to utilise one of the two beds available on the other. This makes it easy to leave the van set-up and the vehicle free to get to work in.

Space and design is maximised throughout. It sleeps up to two people with two-fold down single beds, removable storage tubs, 100 AMP battery, large front toolbox , tie down points for mountain bikes, sur oards

and all your tools. It also features a rack on the roof for a boat or other gear, providing ample storage to cater for your favourite outdoor hobbies.

For o -road fishers, hunters and adventurers who want a lightweight cargo carrying trailer during the week that they can then pack up with the toys and take camping on the week-end, this is perfect. You can utilise the big area inside the van for ‘toys’, such as bikes or an ATV, and gear as well as use it for basic accommodation.

For families, there’s plenty of room for bikes and all those camping essentials to keep kids entertained, with the

beds available for either kids or parents and plenty of room to carry swags or a tent or two for everyone else.

Other features include 15inch alloys with all terrain tyres, electric brakes, rooftop solar panel, battery charger, roll-out awning and external fridge slide and tray for a BBQ or portable cooker. Featuring rugged construction and thoughtful design, the CrossHaul comes standard with Jayco’s insulated Tough Frame wall construction, while the one-piece roof is fibreglass sandwich construction for durability. The body is mounted on a hotdipped galvanised chassis

engineered to handle o -road work and incorporates plenty of protective checkerplate. The ability to get o road is handled further thanks to the JTECH 2.0 independent coil suspension, taking you from work trailer to ultimate weekend machine without missing a beat.

On the inside

The inside of the Crosshaul is set up for ease of use. On each wall is a bed that drops down when needed. These beds are 1.95m long and

650mm wide – just wide enough to be comfortable as a single bed and great for a bench seat or lounging.

Ventilation and natural light are provided by a window in each wall above the bed and a hatch in the roof. An LED light between the beds near the front of the van o ers a white or blue light at the flick of a switch.

The rubber material used for the floor is durable, and multiple tie-down tracks run from front to back to ensure all the toys can be secured properly while travelling.

On the front wall is a raised shelf where multiple storage boxes are fitted. These are ideal for foodstu s, clothes and other camping gear. For longer items, Jayco has provided a storage section underneath that will easily handle tent poles and fishing and hunting gear.

The interior height is 1.52m—a tall person may

struggle a bit; however, it’s worth remembering that this van is about the outdoor lifestyle, rather than hanging about inside.

Customise how you want

A range of options is available to customise it to your taste: a tyre pressure monitoring system; a lithium battery; stereo and speakers; continuous gas hot water; a 12V water pump; an external shower with pop-up tent; dual 80L water tanks; a picnic table with LED lighting; and a rear annexe.

Some of these items, especially the water tanks, will no doubt need to be factored in as additional costs at the time of purchase; however, Jayco is o ering a base package for a good price that customers can add to as needed

The new 11ft Jayco CrossHaul hard-wall camper trailer is available to view at Jayco Canterbury now.

The Adventure Continues

CROSSHAUL

Independent coil suspension Room for two

Ant Corke

Once upon a time, hunting after dark with night vision and thermal imaging optics was the preserve of an elite few hunters who were ‘inafford the equipment.

This all changed in 2011 when Archetype Precision Systems Limited, then trading as Yukon Optics New Zealand, began supplying Yukon and Pulsar night vision and thermal imaging optics for recreational hunting and boating, professional pest controllers, farmers, government agencies and rescue organisations throughout New Zealand.

Many hunters are now familiar with the Yukon and

A decade of advanced hunting optics

Pulsar brands, some of whom own or have used the equipment themselves, or know of friends and relatives

became commercially available for hunting in the 1950’s, many hunters thought that these devices were cheating. This sentiment was extended to our electronic optics in the beginning, but have since become part of many hunters using this equipment.

New for 2021

Pulsar thermal and night vision optics undergo constant development. 2021 has already seen the

release of new thermal with higher performance and functionality, with more models expected to be released later in the year including a new fusion optic that has both night vision and thermal capability.

We are soon to receive Pulsar Trionyx Fusion optic, that has a thermal sensor and a night vision sensor that opens up new levels of performance. Anyone who is familiar with using a thermal imager will know that in certain conditions, positive

a cat and a possum can look very similar. A night vision so can identify targets with this with a thermal sensor for detecting, and you have a device that is the best of both worlds. The image can be set to be 100% night vision, or 100% thermal, or a user adjustable fusion image that uses both sensors, simultaneously and at the same time!

Visit the Advanced Optics website or for news about new and existing products: www.advancedoptics.nz

The soon to be released Pulsar Trionyx represents the latest in a new era of state-of-the-art electronic optics.

It all started in 2011 with our Yukon Spartan 3x42 night vision monocular, great for the time and a platform for growth.

Opportunity knocked

Malcolm Halstead Top Catch Charters

on Top Catch Charters, Kaikoura, I do so with enough tackle on board to cover most situations that may arise.

This paid off recently when a customer remarked there was a workup off to one side of the boat in some rather choppy conditions. A quick look arrived for the year. I swung the boat toward the workup, then grabbed my pre-rigged soft bait rod, lobbing a 28 gram ticer at the school.

My cast went astray and the ticer landed behind the intended target, resulting in no hook-up. After repositioning the boat I managed a perfect cast, which got the desired result. I quickly handed the and the battle was on.

reel. Everyone on board offered support, which but each time it got close to the boat, it decided another smoking run was in order. All the time how energy sapping the battle was. Finally it got close enough for me to net our

yourself in Kaikōura at this time of the year, then I recommend you get out there and have a crack at them.

After our prize was stowed, we went about securing a good lot of perch and blue cod, which

Thanks guys.

Four minutes to fish

in Westport with the family enjoying the new bike tracks and local swimming spots.

My sister Deborah, with husband Jeremy and son Angus, travelled ‘over the to enjoy the local activities. and spends many hours using many techniques. to show off the local opportunities and species available.

Talk around town was that the Kontiki batteries went on

charge and the hooks were baited by the kids using half squid and half raw prawns; a combination that has worked well for the last couple of years.

The truck was soon loaded up with the usual boogie boards, sandpit toys, seats and supplies and off to Spot X behind the speedway.

The teenage boys soon enough had the line laid out in the beach with traces attached. This takes a lot of the stress out when launching, with kids all helping.

Once we are set to launch, all kids get behind the gear

Gareth Allen

and the timer is set for ten minutes on the incoming tide. By now, we had lost all

just having fun.

Perfect time to bring out the snacks and a couple of beers to enjoy the day and company.

After an hour, the winch was started and anticipation began building to see what

dozen cousins and friends out in the breakers taking the traces off the main line and our bins. The catch that day

saw one small rig that was kahawai that Angus caught off the beach.

A lovely afternoon spent with friends and whanau, with tea as a result.

We put the stopwatch on from when we drove off and the clock stopped at four minutes when we arrived home in the centre

makes you appreciate the advantages of living in small towns and your local environment.

as to why they love this type

on rods, hanging out at the beach, boogie boarding,

tide lines), providing tea, not holding a rod all the time, learning how to gut

and the overall excitement of watching the hooks coming in together, catching sharks to release or sometimes keep.

and providing to the next generation.

Travis Allen, Ben Duncan, Angus Rose, Toby Allen, Natalie Allen, Brooke Allen & Abby Duncan

FORTunately fishing is not all about fishing for Natalie, Toby, Archie & Gordan

Toby Allen (background) with Archie & Gordon Penman enjoying an adventure on North Beach

Slender tuna for keen-eyed Josh Penman

Two minute stags

Something caught my eye. The bright orange fur of a red hind, ducking between trees only 20 metres downhill from me. The deer cautiously checked its surroundings before advancing into the clearing. The wind was gently drifting towards me, meaning I was safe from her scenting me. I watched her through my Swarovski scope as she nibbled on bits of grass and young ferns and debated whether to take her for meat or wait for a stag. Before I could make a call, something alerted her. She lifted her nose to sniff the air then quickly trotted over the ridge.

I thought nothing of it and

began to head back, when Dad’s advice came to mind,

It was enough to spark my curiosity, so I grabbed the .308 and quickly followed her tracks.

Ambitiously, I peered over the ridge, spotting her right in front of me, feeding. The only cover was a matagouri bush so I positioned myself behind it and let out a fawn call,

get her to raise her head so I could take a photo but my call received a very different response... “UGH,

could hear branches being

A close encounter with a bellicose brute ended well for the hunter

Daniel Crimp

smashed to pieces. The tall standing pines shook violently.

Then, out of the mist, a stag emerged 30 metres away, broadside on. Spikes dug into my arm as I leant over the matagouri but the adrenaline from seeing a roaring stag up close overrode any pain. As soon as the crosshairs settled on the shoulder, I gently squeezed the kicked up his front legs and collapsed, rolling a few metres before coming to a halt, dead as a dodo.

I took a second to breathe and enjoy the moment before making the gun safe and clambering across the hill to see my trophy. A young six-pointer, barely

rutting, meaning he would be perfect for the pan. With endorphins pumping, I sat and admired my stag; not a monster head but one hell of a hunt. All that was left was to gut him and carry him back home, or so I thought... Out of the blue, a deafening roar exploded, shooting straight through me, shaking my bones. It was bloody close. I spun around. Then froze. A huge brown beast loomed over me, staring me down. He was close enough that I could see the steam shooting out of his nose, no more

got a glimpse of his antlers but I knew that if I could get

would be my biggest stag to date—he was a monster.

Then, just as he had appeared, he was off, bounding downhill and only a metre away from running me over. I had a split second to do something, or I was going to lose this stag.

let out two grunts while stag skidded half a metre on the damp grass and

turned broadside to look at me. I’ve never loaded through the violently shaking scope and panicked. I couldn’t hold it steady. The stag raised its head and roared, and in that moment, I knew what to do. I lifted the crosshairs a few feet above his back. Took a deep breath in. As I exhaled, I up with the shoulder. With

The stag dropped—stone dead. Two stags, two minutes.

He wasn’t the 18 pointer that I thought he was when I saw him, but it was one hell of a seven with awesome size, shape and character. And it came with an amazing story.

Daniel overjoyed with his first Roar success - Meh

STICK YOUR OAR IN

HAVE YOUR SAY…

email all your letters to

Story behind a story

After reading the article by David Miller in the March issue of The Fishing Paper and Hunting News, it reminded me that I have a photo I would love to know more about.

I understand that my father, second from the left, came over on a British navy ship called the Temple Inn in Tilbury Docks. It arrived in Auckland on 26 August 1948. I am wondering if he met someone on that boat who befriended him and offered him a way to earn his keep by hunting in New Zealand. He was also a good boxer. His name was Ronald David. I do not know the names of any of the others on the photograph but feel sure

that someone can give me more information, such as names of the others, where they were etc. The only town he mentioned was Rotorua but unfortunately he never talked much about this part of his life, how I wish I had asked more! He then went back to the UK in October the following year. I am hoping someone else in New Zealand has the same photograph.

I came here with my husband in 2006 and believe I am living out some of his dreams!

I would be most grateful if you could consider publishing a small article to see if we can get any responses. There must be a story behind it.

Aileen Swain - 021 104 8701

aileen.swain@gmail.com

CRIMPTOON

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.

Channels are monitored 0700 hrs to 2200 hrs all year round

Fish in DoC graveyard

Anyone recall a tune from primary school days— Summer is a cumen in, loud now sing cuckoo?

of summer was a stunner but day two was looking quite dubious. These two cuckoos

because we’d arranged it and conditions downtown often don’t match those up at the lake. Boat was out and ready when Matey turned up but I wasn’t, hadn’t even combed me teeth. Got rapidly ready, took off and after getting a permit written out at the local shop to park the car and trailer, had boat on water at 9.40am.

it is summer and we all need the vandalised parking machine at the ramp back up and operating.

again and we headed across to a spot we’d not been to for yonks, where we began to see trout. The lake was quite still, the rain had gone someplace else and we had a delightful morning presented to us.

On goes a Hamils for Matey and I kept with a

lure, swirled and stealthed off, apart from one brief touch. I was rowing while he arrangement, where we swap

We moved around the corner to the mouth of a backwater, where we again saw risers, so I suggested he try my rod with its nymph and soon he had a take, a

battle and quick club and release into the bag.

My turn, so grabbing back my Fulling Mill, 9ft 6 weight, 4 piece, kindly gifted to me

vicinity of the risers. Swirl –

Matey much to his surprise. asked.

“Yeah well you have to keep in touch with the hunter-gatherer ethos replied.

Matey nabbed another one, so it was swap back time again, with me doing much the same shortly afterwards and there we were with the limit each.

He told me to carry on as it would be good to release one so I did and I did. The sun came out, it got hot so jerseys went west and trout were going everywhere. he said.

drink in a stubby green bottle asked.

So Heineken 0% and lunch were both enjoyed. Matey said he’d had a very good day and maybe we should quit while we were ahead of the weather. Agreement from my side.

The place still had a grip on us however and with a sudden ill-wind blowing cemetery, we became wedged between sunken logs. Some observations about government agencies and a bit of work saw us free at half-mast we chugged out onto the lake, dropped the post fully and opened the throttle.

I looked at my watch and laughed – a limit bag each and it was only 1.05pm.

Dad, second from left, hunting in New Zealand

Ivan the hunter

Cob Fi et with Watercre Mayo aise.

Red stingrays off the rocks

Sam Boothroyd

With winter's cold touch not far away, I was

The snapper would soon be leaving Tasman Bay for what will seem like an eternity but in reality, only a handful of months. Looking through the tide times halfway through my biology lesson, I spotted the perfect time

assemble a couple of mates to head down to the rocks and attempt to pull in a couple of autumn snapper.

Arriving at the rocks after school, we were greeted with perfect conditions; relatively clear water, calm seas and moody skies, which

my mates and told them going to get a big snapper. Their response consisted of hopeful laughter. As I hoped, we soon started to pull in some snapper with a few pannies for a feed amongst them. The tide had changed and was beginning to creep up the rocks threatening to push us off to my dismay, as I wasn’t ready to give up yet. As I stood there willing my rod to bend over and my reel to scream, it suddenly did! After a good amount of line ripping off my reel, I realised I was hooked into something decent.

a while, with solid runs and good head shakes but the excitement had begun to turn to disappointment amongst my mates, who had all decided, with complete certainty, this was nothing more than a big old stingray. I was not so sure.

beginning to tire and I could now guide it in through the maze of weedy boulders. As we all stood expectantly staring into the water, we suddenly glimpsed what I had been making, “such a red.

Knowing this really was a snapper, I nervously dragged the monster up onto the rock. With it safely on land, we all went mental. At 11lbs, this is by far my personal best snapper off the shore and I couldn’t be more stoked. An off what has been a great snapper season here in Tasman Bay. It made some great eating and will keep me motivated through the snapperless winter.

COOKING with CRIMPY

This is not a very good way to store your knives, not only will you dull your blades but you will also cut you fingers

When setting up for home butchery, knives are a small yet critical component. A dull knife in the wrong hands is a dangerous—and ine cient—tool, but a sharp knife on its own will not necessarily cut the mustard either. A number of factors must come together to create harmony in the processing department.

For home kill, meat processing or butchering wild animals, it is useful to select knives appropriate to the

as opposed to trying to get away with one all-purpose knife.

For a basic set up, I recommend a happy trio: a skinning knife, a boning knife and a larger butcher knife. You might also wish to consider a trimming knife, cleaver and a hacksaw.

Secondly, choose a recognised brand with a quality grade of steel that

holds a good edge. Styles of knife, boning for example, come in many size and shape variants. It then

and suits you. Knives are as individual to people as handwriting.

One butcher one knife rule

Simple golden rule: never let anyone else use your knives and only use them for the purpose intended.

For example, don’t treat your meat knives as all purpose kitchen utensils. That way they will remain sharp and damage free longer.

Regardless of how others might treat your knives, individuals have a unique way of handling and using the instrument, so switching operators can result in a dull blade coming back.

Sharpening and honing

Sharpening is grinding to put a cutting edge on the knife and is done with

sharpening unit like Scary Sharp.

Honing is just maintaining that edge and is achieved by using a honing steel that pushes the edge of the blade back into alignment— sometimes called folding back the burr.

Honing needs to be done frequently whereas, with quality steel, the edge will last a long time—through multiple animals.

Storage and accessories

Looking after your knife will prolong its useful life and keep it sharp longer.

useful to use a knife pouch

on a belt; being safer and resulting in less wear and tear.

Alternatively, or for permanent storage, a magnetic knife holder in the process area is a great investment. If you move around with your knives, I’d recommend a knife roll bag. At the end of the day, you are only as good as your knives.

A good quality range of knives makes your homekill so much easier.

Hook, line and good thinkers!

and picture goggle-eyed, three-second memories, swimming aimlessly around they think of a small outdoor overgrown with lily pads and the occasional croak of a small frog. I imagine very few people would think of 20ft deep, nutrient-rich lakes established with wild be easily mistaken for koi carp!

As a child, I accidentally stumbled across a lake around 10 acres in size with an abundance of daphnia, larvae and infested with eels to a very large size. Biking around this lake, I would occasionally glimpse an orange glow from within the thriving raupo. Having little angling experience leave them be and chose to

larger than I had ever seen. Many moons later, I had became obsessed with skills. I had become familiar ground baits, tiny hooks and Perch, rudd, tench and the occasional eel was my typical quarry.

It wasn’t until I was approached by a dog walker, while float fishing one evening, who told me of ‘carp’ in the lake. This planted the seed in my mind to want to target these very large goldfish.

Walking around the lake many years later brought back many good memories, however, the lake had changed. The invertebrates remained in abundance but the weed beds and raupo

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had died back in several margins without a glimpse of an orange shape, I wondered Finally, I found what I was looking for.

A small group of enormous their bodies supported on submerged reed fronds so they don’t have to move. I quietly moved to a small clearing nearby and placed a few very small balls of dampened breadcrumb a couple of feet from the bank.

I then freelined a small piece of bread on a size 14 hook and carefully lowered it on top of the mound of feed in the water. I sat patiently for over an hour or so until several 3lb+

tempt with bait. Often they would nudge the mound of breadcrumb but only to investigate, instead of feed.

session but returned the same spot. To my delight, they were in the same reed bed and the breadcrumb I had fed, had been eaten. I used the same tactics as the day before. They were more active but their behaviour was particular, they were much fussier than tench, as inquisitive as large rudd and not skittish at all, which seemed unusual to me considering they were completely wild.

The day was getting on and eventually, one or two started feeding on the ground-bait. They would

Tyler McBeth

slurp in a mouthful of bait, chew it up, then spit it back out, before moving off for 10 minutes, then returning. When I noticed them coming back, I started lifting and dropping my bait in front of them so it would catch its eye. After a few attempts, this area. It swam eagerly to my hook-bait and sucked it in. I was on!

Oddly, once hooked, the obese move a muscle and was soon netted! After a few photos and a weigh, my 4lb capture swam off and didn’t return! It certainly undoes the threesecond memory myth, the fact it didn’t continue on its route it had been doing for the last hour.

The next few sessions were would be in the reeds or they wouldn’t be there at all. The times my quarry was there, I would not catch more than one and often wouldn’t catch caught however, weighed a colossal 4lb 3oz, which was the largest I had seen in the lake.

This lake is now private permitted. I was told the removed, “because they I don’t agree with this for a landlocked, man-made gravel pit that has no native respect the rules in place. I hope one day I can return to

Mining for gold has its challenges

Tyler strikes gold

Tyler with a beautiful 3lb 3oz peach coloured goldfish

lalandi) are important recreational, customary throughout New Zealand. Whilst normally more prevalent in the North Island, the abundance of appears to be increasing, especially in the Taranaki and East Coast and Southland area of the South Island.

The commercial catch in various areas has been monitored for a number of years either by annual catch monitoring or regular assessments. More recently, in 2019 and 2020, the Southern Inshore Fisheries

Deepwater Group and Fisheries Inshore New Zealand collaborated on funding the development of a standardised catch per found in Northland, East regions. These are areas that have either higher abundance or showing increasing trends in catch

The science was reviewed by the Fisheries New Zealand working group. A group that has representation from a number of sectors with

Everyman’s

mainly swim in open coastal water, although they do enter shallow bays, harbours, and estuaries looking for food.

because of their relative abundance, aggressive ability and food qualities. They are recognised as Zealand Big Game Fishing Game Fish Association, importance because it makes wide cross section of the rec

opportunistically tagged Tagging Programme. This programme is a cooperative project between Fisheries New Zealand, the NZ Sport clubs, and anglers. The was initiated in 1975 following requests from Tagging programmes provide information on the distribution and growth through the tag and recapture process. The numbered tag is inserted in and weight are recorded. is caught the same details are recorded and can be loaded directly into the tagging programme via the

website. The information is then analysed regularly to assess the migration path and

Random gypsy kingies

Tagging results suggest that move outside local areas, with many recreational tag returns close to the release site. However, some recreationally tagged move very long distances;

there are validated reports of being caught in Australian waters and Australian tagged New Zealand waters.

Commercial tag team recs

In light of the importance of knowing more about

to purchase 2000 of the same tags to participate in Programme and distributed them to the vessels operating

which is 24 nautical miles off the Taranaki coast. This

been tagged so far. The expectation is to have a number of vessels operating

winter period. Other are being discussed for further opportunistic tagging.

If you catch a kingfish with a tag make sure you record the position, fish length and weight (if possible) and either enter it on the www.fishtagnz.co.nz site or hand it into your local sport fishing club or post to Gamefish Tagging, Fisheries NZ, PO Box 53030, Auckland 2150.

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Carol Scott

THE DIRECTORY

Mackerel mania

many times before; they are

of success using these guys as fresh bait for all sorts

snapper and plenty more. Jack mackerel is all round my bait of choice—but it was only until recently that I found out they are much

week-long road trip, with the end destination being Milford Sound where I was to work for the summer. The mackerel madness began

mission while visiting a friend on my road trip. I

and spotted a school of big mackerel loitering around

under the light at the end

a drift bait and managed to land six, all around the 55cm mark. They were the biggest I’d ever seen and caught so I thought I’d give them a try, as I am not that fussy.

Unfortunately for me, the next day I was traveling to Wanaka and didn’t have anything to keep them cool in, so I ended up giving all getting to the place I was staying till late that evening.

I had been In Milford for about one week and I caught wind of a rumour about a few large jack mackerels being caught, so I thought I’d give them a crack down here. It was a classic evening In Milford Sound, all air and boat

the birds were singing, the sun setting and that one beer couple mates and I headed down to Freshwater Basin armed with two rods rigged up with a spinner and soft

we instantly spotted a large school cruising along the breakwater—then boom! First casts... double hook up! Instantly our surroundings were disturbed by screaming reels and laughter, as we I was in shock at the size

kept them and a few more for dinner then continued on catching and releasing. After that evening we were hooked on mackerel

conversation on our walk home walk was about mackerel. You could say we

were mackerel mad! When we arrived home we measured them out and the smallest was 63cm. I them and then it was time to cook and eat them—just crumbed in a secret coating then shallow fried. My mates and I gave each other the nod of approval after the munching until the plate was bare. From that day, the rest of my weeks in Milford were with mates in the evenings and living on a diet pretty similar to the chunky seal grounds.

My personal best jack mackerel was 68cm and I have future plans to try and get a new personal best next summer.

Traversing the roof of Fiordland

I was never sure quite what the quintessential Fiordland experience was. Was it thrashing through a sodden forest all day, negotiating at a saddle shrouded in mist, dark valleys brooding semi-dry footprint for the tent? Or was it walking along the roof of Fiordland, traversing a ridge-line in brilliant sunshine, half

the world in shadow, half picture-postcards of hanging lakes and craggy peaks and a million hues of green?

this traversing Fiordland was overwhelming in scale, daunting in the physical commitment and logistical complexity required, and unnerving in its potential for humiliation. Pre-journey doubts and anxieties

were fed by an overactive imagination but there was nothing I could do about them, except prepare for the unknown as best I could.

There’s a risk when one has dreamed of doing something for decades that it won’t live up to the mind’s hype. Fiordland exceeded all my expectations. The journey itself was a gripping adventure and intriguing

beyond my imaginings. Weather holdups and terrain that was tough work to negotiate were frustrating but, as often as not, the travel was absorbing and pleasant. Every day was distinctly different, rich in encounters

I had wondered if I would needing a new hip... I’m so melodramatic! It was the other way round completely. At the end I felt strong and more youthful than when I left (youthful being a relative term here). I shudder when I think of the little voice I almost listened to, so persuasive six months prior, telling me I should give it up.

Sal’s advice after a particularly demoralising training walk, was the turning point.

just going to have to harden up. Take drugs and deal with the consequences when you

So that became the plan. Fully commit, mask pain with drugs, and get it done.

However, by the time I reached the start at Te Waewae Bay I was in a different space. I felt strong and never dipped, even once, into the sheets of pills in my pack.

The fact this was a solo journey was both a source of constant frustration and one I was glad of.

edged. It would have been so rewarding to have shared the moments with someone else, and to have had a subject to photograph other than myself, and a burden shared would’ve lessened some of those moments of doubt I felt. But I was also grateful I wasn’t making decisions on behalf of someone else, nor they me. I didn’t have to worry about the psychological traps involved when two people make risky decisions. If it was a borderline call, it was just me I was making the decision for.

“No, I’m not going to do required.

Having the ability to 2way text [InReach mini, from TrackMe NZ, paired to my iPhone], which I exploited almost daily, changed the trip dramatically. It wasn’t a true solo trip in that regard. What that capability enabled, I enjoyed more often than not. Sometimes I just wanted to crawl into bed, instead of trying to distill the complexity of 8 hrs of intense interaction into a handful of sentences. But the ability to share my days via TrackMe NZ more than made up for those moments. I’m still yet to read all of the comments on Facebook, but it’s obvious adventuring vicariously is also quite rewarding. My greatest hope though, would be that many of those who followed along are inspired enough to push their boat out again and plan a sojourn of their own design in this beautiful country of ours.

Best wishes for that and thanks for the wonderful support.

Mark Jones recently completed a long-held ambition of traversing Fiordland from Te Waewae Bay to the Eglington River North of Lake Te Anau. It took 40 days and 39 nights (almost biblical…) TrackMe NZ and InReach Mini, on Facebook/oneInTheWilderness.

Mark Jones

Retired builder and Honorary Fishery O cer

Alan Benson reckons the key to a good life is to stay busy and play a part in your community.

Alan, who is 72, was a builder and building inspector for much of his working life. These days though, Alan who lives in the Whanganui region is heavily involved in community work.

Alan is one of MPI’s about 200 Honorary Fishery O cers and is also a Fire and Emergency New Zealand controller for his local Volunteer Fire Brigade and both roles keep him busy.

“The reason I’m involved in a lot of community work is that I firmly believe you get out of life what you put in,” he says.

He says being an HFO is a natural fit for him, born through his love for putting fresh fish on the dinner table.

Alan became an HFO in 2006 and was on the fisheries beat in the Whitianga area until 2011. At the time he also worked as a building control o cer for the Thames – Coromandel District Council.

“It was a concern for the future of fishing resources

that led me to getting involved. I’ve enjoyed fishing for as long as I can remember. When my wife and I lived in Whitianga I’d net flounder in the estuary. While doing this, I noticed rogue nets strung right across the channels and out of concern, I contacted the Fisheries o ce and told them about my observations. They suggested that I train and become an HFO, so I did.

“I considered it a great opportunity to be an HFO and pursue my passion for protecting a really important resource, which if left unchecked could mean my grandchildren would not be able to enjoy the freedom of fishing that I had as a kid,” he says.

Alan enjoyed the HFO work which involved being on patrol at boat ramps for catch checks, shellfish bed checks and net checks throughout the Coromandel Peninsula where he was supported by other HFOs, employed Fishery O cers and sometimes the New Zealand Police.

He took a break from HFO voluntary work when he and his wife moved to Ashburton in the South Island where he was doing building control work with the Ashburton

District Council.

Alan retired in 2014, and the couple moved back to the North Island and these days, he and his wife Merle live in a small seaside village of Koitiata at Turakina Beach, about 21 kilometres south of Whanganui.

It was there that Alan rebooted his HFO work last year and he’s now regularly involved with HFO teams from the New Plymouth O ce along with HFOs from the Wellington region.

He says it’s great to be able to give something back that makes a di erence.

“In my seaside community, a lot of people used to use set nets but since I’ve been out there educating people about the rule changes that banned set nets in the area last year to protect Hector and Maui dolphins – people have changed their ways and only use their nets in the rivers, so it’s a win, win situation. If I had my time again, I’d have chosen to be a Fishery O cer as a career day one because of its environmental importance,” he says.

A lot of Alan’s outside interests involve water. Over the years, they’ve ranged from boating, sailing, diving, and motor homing. When he is not involved in volunteer

work, you’ll often find Alan fishing from his local beach using an electric set line fishing unit launched from the shore.

What are HFOs and how can I get involved?

The Ministry for Primary Industries’ Honorary Fishery O cers are volunteers that

play an important part in patrolling New Zealand’s coastline and helping preserve our fisheries.

They are warranted o cers who patrol New Zealand’s coastline to help preserve our fisheries.

If you are interested in finding out more about HFOs or how to become part of the team you can find information on MPI’s website at https://www.mpi.govt.nz/about-mpi/careers/ working-mpi/roles-at-mpi/honorary-fisheryo cers/

Download the free NZ Fishing Rules app

And protect our kaimoana for generations to come

The app will tell you everything about the size and bag limits, and fishing restrictions in your area.

Alan Benson enjoying being part of his community