May 2022 - Issue 200 - The Fishing Paper and Hunting News

Rockin’ rainbow

As I stumbled through the house in darkness, preparing to make my exit without waking the whole household and sort a stiff coffee for my drive to the river, my mind was willing an accurate forecast of light winds and were good so I was pretty to the net.

As I crested the hill to drive down into the valley in the distance, I could see a thick woollen blanket of thick fog descending along the river banks but noted the sun shining bright above, trying its best to burn through.

I arrived at my starting point half an hour later, perfect timing as the fog had now cleared, which had me double timing it downstream

I started searching for any shape, smudge or movement as I neared the top of the pool—nothing—so onto the next run. This was a faster moving section of water with spotting very limited, so I pulled my nymph from the rod's keeper to put through some exploratory casts. After are likely to sit in this type of run.

Mark Hubbard

As I studied the currents, would likely hold station, the indicator sitting high on the surface drifts down, then dips at the hot spot to which I strike. That familiar nod

FRONT COVER PICTURE

through the rod tells me this tears line from my reel, then dances across the surface on its tail. That’s when my heart beat a little faster as I see the telltale red stripe from the rainbow trout. However this is not the usual 3lb rainbow I would normally encounter

10.5 kg snapper caught by Samuel Wooster age 11 near Mana Island, great job Samuel

a’s Cut: Coutta

My earth-shattering news this month? I’m probably the shortest serving councillor in the history of the Eastern Region Fish & Game Council.

I am not really a political animal but, if I’m involved with something, I like to have a say in how it’s done. But, clearly, me having a say tends to cause a bit of strife.

I served three terms in the ‘80s and stood down when I gave up guiding and got a real job. The two clashed and Lynne the Ruthless strongly suggested Fish & Game had to go as we actually needed the money the other job brought in.

Twenty years later, being retired, I thought it was time again to give a bit back, so I put my name forward for the elections. Due to typical apathy from license holders, elections were not required and I again found myself at the council table.

went alright, even with me challenging the newly elected chair concerning

an email he had sent out criticising another councillor. Probably not a good start. A few weeks later the

meeting were distributed. It was then my turn to send an email politely informing the chair of a glaring inaccuracy and several important points I considered should have been included in the minutes but were omitted.

His reaction was not what I expected from a chair, causing me to, rather pointedly, question his ability, which triggered a bit of e-argy bargy.

The exchange of emails indicated my future on the council would not do Fish & Game any good so I resigned. Fish & Game is way more important than a personality clash. Pity—I had the time, the passion and the experience to help.

My other real beef this month, apart from the continued inept decisions by the government, which would take up far more

A bit of e-argy bargy

than my allotted 500 words, should concern

government are making things tough enough without a few idiots driving around at night poaching (read stealing) deer and anything else they can shoot at.

I keep an eye on a site called Poacher Watch and the reports and photos of deer on private land with just the heads removed are sickening. Even more so was the report on Facebook of someone’s horse being shot through the leg with

These scum bags wounded the animal and left it to suffer until it was found and destroyed. No bloody wonder access is getting harder and the police are possible for us to get a

I won’t go into my 24 hour ban from Facebook. That’s another story.

I’ll have another go next month.

here—this guy was BIG. The nerves crept in with every direction change, leap, avoid my net.

“Don’t muck this one up Mark,” I say to myself. Finally, I manage with considerable side strain to

slide it into the shallows, then to my net. Lifting it clear for a quick weigh, it topped the scales at 8lb, a personal best rainbow for me. Overjoyed to have had the pleasure of seeing such

return it to the river in hopes of it maybe producing future monsters. The rest of the day’s catches were an added bonus to an already magic day spent on the river. Next time a different section of river will be explored in hopes Rockin’ Rainbow.

Woke Foot & Mouth a worry

T. P. McPhee

A renowned North Island trophy hunter who wishes to remain anonymous, Iva Biggun, sent in this picture of a trophy goat he shot earlier this year in the hills behind Wellington City. Iva was stunned to see the goat sporting a face mask along with a record set of horns and told The Fishing Paper & Hunting News that it was

brought the animal down.

“It was very cagey and appeared to not want to mingle with its ilk, so, consequently, I couldn’t get within two-metres of the damn thing.”

It took Iva two weeks of cautious stalking and sleeping under gorse bushes before he was able to get close enough to make a humane shot.

“I put it down to the fact that, by this stage, I must have smelt like a rutting old billy so it didn’t notice me.”

He said the goat wasn’t in good shape:

“It clearly hadn’t eaten in sometime, probably because the damn mask got in the way—they clearly aren’t good for the health!”

Iva was at a loss as to why the goat was wearing a

The goat was part of a secret vaccine experiment

mask so The Fishing Paper & Hunting News did some investigating.

Ultimately, we were directed to the head of New Zealand’s agency

Control of Kinesics and Symbiotically Attributable Killer Epidemiology, Professor Mike Hendrickson, who told us the goat was part an experimental vaccine programme to thwart a potential outbreak of a novel

virus strain emerging from our capital city.

“It appears Woke Foot & Mouth Disease is becoming prevalent and the scary thing is, it is suspected to be able to leap species.”

He told The Fishing Paper & Hunting News that Woke Foot & Mouth Disease was thought to originate in a Beehive and has since spread to goats across the country.

He’s not kidding.

This tail-walking teaser tested Mark to the limit

Black Magic Tackle NQ Soft Eggs

When chasing trout and salmon in rivers, streams and canals, it’s important to deliver a natural looking bait that imitates their main food source, fish roe (or eggs) which are very high in protein.

Black Magic Tackle’s new range of NQ Soft Eggs from the USA are designed to mimic live or dead fish roe, which regularly flow in waterways like rivers, streams and canals.

Poured with ultra-high quality and clear plastisol,

the range comes in 2 sizes (5mm and 6.5mm) and 8 high UV and pearlescent colours.

5mm soft eggs are best rigged on Black Magic Series A, G or M Fly Hooks in size # 12 or 14, while the 6.5mm soft eggs are best rigged on Black Magic Series A, G or M Fly Hooks in size # 10 or 12.

Available from your local tackle store, or find out more at www.blackmagictackle. com/product/soft-egg/

Real Estate to Reeling them in!

Hannah Burns

One well known Marlborough Real Estate Agent has a secret - she not only loves Real Estate, but loves to Reel in some

With weekends usually chocka with open homes, Hannah who works for Harcourts in Blenheim - takes advantage of the amazing weather windows that the mid week usually provides.

“We are really blessed down here in Marlborough, with the Sounds. If weather is looking a bit questionable in one area, there is often a more sheltered spot in the Port Underwood area or vice versa,” Hannah says.

a few years ago and she now

play on her previous career in the wine industry, with a @noviceofwine social media page

On a recent trip out of the Pelorus Sound, to a well known rock, the snapper were biting hard - but not for all of those on board!

Seemed only the girls were bringing in the big guns - and the boys pulling in pannies!

Nag bag wife double bagged

School holidays were looming and, after another lockdown, we were keen to get away.

“Let’s go to Queenstown,” my husband pitched; I shuddered at the thought of being anywhere near an airport, let alone stuck in a plane! We had a great boat—why not use it?

So we looked at options around the Sounds for

something different and settled on d’Urville Wilderness Resort. With a safe mooring, a comfy bed and dinner options, it ticked all the boxes for holiday criteria.

We launched out of Okiwi bright and early, cruised up the western side of the

of different species was

impressive: cod, gurnard, kahawai and, of course, ‘couta and shark. When we pulled into a glassy bay to tidy up, the kids caught piper

never seen and required assistance to ID.

It was late when we arrived at the lodge and no-one to be found anywhere. Eventually, we roused the

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• Forklifts, Trucks class 2 – 5, Dangerous Goods, Rollers/Tracks/ Wheels and V (tow trucks)

The advantage of onsite training is less down time for you and small course numbers

While based in Nelson happy and willing to travel

Contact me now for a booking

keeper and settled in for the night.

We were off again early the next morning and, being mid-week, we virtually had the place to ourselves! There were dolphins and before the weather closed less favourable conditions, but still had the best time. That night we roasted supped drinks and relaxed while the kids ran around trying to catch a weka. By morning the rain had set in—good thing we were cruising home. Following a leisurely breakfast, we slipped through the mighty French Pass and headed for Okiwi, where a grumpy local scowled at me, “You shouldn’t go out in these conditions.”

I couldn’t tell him of the fun we’d had because I was concentrating on getting the boat back on the trailer.

Heartened by the fresh sea air and wonderful experience of d’Urville Island, we were in a happy mood heading back to the shed for clean up. The wash down and tidy up went smoothly—the truck loaded and the big gear bag hoisted onto the dog box… is that tied on? Decided not to be the nag-bag wife for a change but, in hindsight…

The last leg home—around the roundabout —the truck picked up speed heading into the 100km zone and Phil said, ”Oh! Did that just….”

Too late, the bag had rolled off the dogbox! We were

committed on the motorway, there was no option to turn around, the mood was tense. It was a quick trip to the Nayland Rd off ramp to retrace our route. All eyes peeled, where was the bag? Nowhere! Vanished in

then my mind wandered to the terrible contents: dirty

the laundry. Uh oh, imagine the smell to greet the person opening the bag!

catalogued everything that was missing and I kept searching the roundabout every time we passed. Things were hard to track down, all those little useful things in the toilet bag were annoyingly missing. No luck with the police report, so we lodged an insurance claim—

best to get Lucas’ glasses sorted for school.

Six months passed and the phone rang—it was the police, they had a bag matching our description in their lost property shed, could I please identify it?

My heart raced—after all this time. Yes, it was our bag but we couldn’t take it due to the insurance claim. After a bit of to & fro, it was approved that we could claim the bag, it was only minor incidentals and spectacles.

So the end result is we have plenty of outdoor clothing for the next few years! We also have duplicates of our favorite games which can now stay on the boat. Lucas has a spare pair of glasses which will come in handy and of course, we also have an additional gear bag—to tie down!

Ruth Bell

Lucas in snapper camo got the jump on this beast

Muscle to muscle, the kingi was no match for Dylan

Dawn raid for old man—snapper

It’s not often my dad comes to town, so it posed a bit of a dilemma when he organised a family barbecue at my house for the one day of the week with almost primo conditions. What to do? I gave my eldest daughter a call and asked her to show up a couple of hours early to cover me, ‘just in case’ I was still on the water. Of course, everyone assumed I would turn up a couple of hours after the fun had started… I thought it quite likely myself.

So off I crept at 3.30 am to be at Cable Bay before 4.00am, to load up and launch with that all too familiar view of predawn launches. It was lovely and calm for a minute or ten—and then, yep, the wind came up as we paddled up out of the bay. I had a look around and could see the lights of those who had tucked in beside Pepin Island for shelter, so decided to stay

Beastie Boy

out on my own.

For a while there I second guessed myself with not so much as a nibble. Probably quite awhile actually; on the water time doesn’t mean much to me, just ask anyone who has been out there when I say, “Five more minutes and we’ll call it!”

Eventually I felt a familiar nudge. I say felt because it still wasn’t light yet. I turned the light to my rod to see a massive bend and the tell-tale jerks of a snapper’s nod, so proceeded to wrestle the rod out of its holder. Of course, it had to be my wee Shimano Genpu, which hadn’t been pressure tested since I hooked up on a bronzie that had dragged me out wide so, best I play this one out a bit carefully.

After a fair while of losing line and gaining it back, and the odd occasion of thumbing the spool, I got it off the bottom and was able to bring it up. I could see it was a good size but really

couldn’t see the size of it.

It wasn’t about to give in however. I had just about got it to the surface and it got it right up, it decided it would at least make sure I got plenty wet. We don’t mention the part where I underestimated its size and nearly pulled myself into the water instead of pulling my bled, not bad.

No mucking around; it was bled and into the back of the up and it was a cracker. We mulled around for a couple of hours after that to give my to land a good one himself— he landed three nice gurnard and a kahawai and I added a gurnard to my bag for Dad, but there was no more snapper to be had.

So, home in plenty of time to unload my catch, or as Dad called it , my “Man’s shower before playing host.

What’s your name?

It was the place that bowed strong men. The place where a planting spade was essential. Without the spade providing a third point of contact you could lose your footing, tumble base over apex and cartwheel into the gulch It had been logged in the recent past and the topsoil had been swept away by hauled trees. The new ground cover of creeping blackberry vines had then been sprayed. Now the dry, thorny vines were nature’s snare, set to trap the weary planters as they contoured back and forward. One hundred thousand pine cones lay in wait like and sun-cured logging trash accumulated in the guts and gullies. Tree stumps, knee-high, queued in rows, marching to nowhere.

If you should be the unlucky one, the one who’s ‘base’ touched-down with a thump and a cuss, you’d pucker your anus and grab for one of those sedentary stumps as desperately as a drowning sailor.

If you missed the handhold you’d slide in a shower of dust, blackberry thorns tearing your skin, loose rocks battering and bruising both your sharp bits and your rounded bits. Worse,

was the very real threat of inheriting a new anus, very close to the original model.

Of all those pointy-ended, sun-cured sticks strewn across the face, more than one was aiming uphill at your downhill descending posterior.

A summer evening two years on and I’m back.

shoulder, a knife belt around my waist and a pair of binoculars in my hand.

A nor’west wind blows strong and cold as I stalk my way ever upwards. As the sun dips on its journey towards Australia, the light weakens and my senses heighten. It’s time. Time for game to emerge from cover.

I’m ready.

Bum parked on the road edge, I scan the boundary of the block expecting a pig or a deer to slip from mature trees into the regrowth. The young trees are two metres high now, as are the woody weeds and rank grasses amongst them. Cleavers and blackberry climb the greyed slash piles. It’s still an unfriendly place.

After a prolonged wait, with the wind whipping the vegetation and me with equal ferocity, my subconscious notes a new sound. Somewhere below

YOU WANNA TOTALLY ESCAPE STRESS? GET A BOW & ARROW

Kim Swan

me is a ‘thing.’ It is a cautious thing, moving slow and quiet, perhaps feeding amidst the weeds and trash. It is isolated far from the big trees so I’m presuming it is one of two options. Either a couple of weaners without a sow’s guidance or a crafty boar hiding out where hunter and pig dog are unlikely to seek him.

Which is it? I wish I knew.

I stealth back and forward doing my best to ascertain its position. The strong wind distorts sound. Trees and weeds bend and shimmy every which way so spying movement is unlikely. The tiniest crackle, the pop of a breaking vine. Little hints to taunt my imagination. What are you? Where are you?

Time becomes irrelevant. Ears and eyes tuned. And mind, goddamit, playing The Zombies’ Time of the Season on auto-repeat. “What’s your name? Who’s your daddy? Is he rich like me?”

metres below me. Then 50, maybe. Or maybe not. Then it is closer, I’m sure of it and then it’s so close I can hear it brushing through the rank grass. I can hear it scenting despite the wind. It knows I’m here and it is trying as hard to pinpoint me, as I am it.

The golden seed heads of the grass sway tellingly. A dried blue bugloss stem crackles. Finally I know where the thing is but I cannot see it. What is it, potbellied orphan weaner or eater?

I hear the thing suck in a draught of human-tainted air. I hear it blow out that air as only an alerted animal will do. I remain motionless, It takes another tentative step, then two more. Four metres away and still

Pre-stretched for zero peep rotation,

invisible.

I sense the thing is going to make a dash. It’s going to burst from beneath my feet and in two or three bounds be across the road and gone. My heart rate changes from fourth gear to overdrive, the scope is to my eye, my body braced.

Here it comes – black, adult, edible. Shoot quick, shoot well.

The boar is pumped with adrenaline too. He kicks violently and accurately,

dislodging my hand as I attempt to stick and bleed him, this despite his creamy brain being splattered in globules all about. As one we slide back down the steep face, rolling rocks and crushing vegetation. Stilled at last, his heart stopped and mine slowed. I don’t know his name, nor his daddy but, till this moment, he had been rich like me. Free to roam and rove and rich beyond monetary value.

A look in the mirror

Johnny Tightlines

A quick trip out the back of Mana Island to target hapuka turned up an unexpected catch.

I was jigging at 140-250 metres with a 400 gram Zest Lumo blue knife jig. I’ve been enjoying this technique of late as it gives you the ability to get to the bottom quickly and cover more ground easily. Great for prospecting.

A few good bites and I thought I was on the puka! But this time it felt lighter. Maybe a sea perch?

Can’t be! It was giving a

What could it be, kahawai, trevally? Surely not at 180 metres!

A few minutes later some super silver colour appeared, Wow!

with mirror like skin was on the deck, absolutely mesmerising

We couldn’t stop looking bream (also known as the Atlantic pomfret). They grow up to 3.5kg and are found down to 1000m.

I continued to target them over sea mounts in mid to bottom water column with great success. They are very

Time to get travelling again

Ant Corke

The ultra-compact Pulsar Axion XM30F thermal monocular is one of thirteen new products launched by Yukon Advanced Optics at the beginning of 2022. It is Pulsar’s entry level hand-held thermal spotter, which is unique in that it is a high quality European made thermal, priced to compete with the multitude of Chinese thermals.

The new Axion XM30F shares the same price as Pulsar’s previous budget thermal, the popular Axion Key XM30 that was discontinued in 2021. So, how do these thermals compare to each other?

are identical in appearance,

First impressions of the new Pulsar Axion XM30F thermal monocular

though the new model has and the trademark blue onoff button. On the inside, they share the same optics and sensor size, though the new Axion has the latest Lynred 320x240 12µ 50Hz sensor. Both models share the same magnesium alloy body, control buttons and quick-change APS3 battery. The biggest difference between the two models is optical performance and features. Here is a breakdown of the new Axion XM30F advantages:

New AMOLED display

The older Axion Key had a LCoS display, which was useable and kept the price

down, but produced a noticeably poorer image than other Pulsar thermals. The new Axion XM30F is

screen that produces a substantially more detailed image with excellent brightness and contrast

Video and still recording This feature was unavailable in the Axion Key but is now featured in pleasing because one of the joys of thermal imaging is being able to record.

Stream Vision 2

The ability to stream to and control from a smartphone

All Pulsar optics feature high capacity, quick-change batteries.

April Fools and cabbage butterflies

It was the day after April Fools. We thought we’d be in the clear. Old Murphy, he of the Murphy’s Law, would probably leave us alone and Allan, he of the brother-inlaw and I could get on with

The lake was the lowest I can remember, even allowing for age-related amnesia. Could we even

the ramp? However, a successful launch was

straight away and I gave an audible, “Thanks Dave.”

Dave is the expert marine technician who services my

Out we went and, naturally, spots we used to glide quietly over were now beds of drying waterweed.

water, spending a pleasant

had become a rarity.

So there we were, around the back of Mount Te Kinga, a very long way from any cabbages, when a white

wondered aloud what it was doing in this environment.

After checking out a series of likely looking spots, we sighted… absolutely nothing.

turned up again and Allan said it might be a bad omen, suggesting a change of across to Lake Brunner’s only islands, Takataka or Refuge Islands. These feature in lake history with Pah Point immediately beyond them. It also features in my history as it was there I once took a 6lb brown on a three and a half pound leader.

frustrating, however we persevered around the islands but again saw nothing, oh apart from that suggestion was to go across to the next shoreline for a prospect and Allan saw a the thing looked and moved on.

Further on we checked a place that had been kind to us before and, again, it was devoid of trout, so we did the sensible thing, nosing the boat into a sunny cove to break out lunch. This is the moment, when diverted by

is a welcome addition to the new Axion. Other features include live streaming to the internet, a ballistic calculator, motion detection new stream Vision 2 also has 16gb of free cloud storage for your videos and photographs. One of the most important features of Stream Vision 2 is the availability of features and performance enhancements to your Axion

is a three stage preset image control function, that is similar to the previous with the following settings:

Normal has lower contrast and is less bright, which provides good detail and is easier on the eye, especially in darkness;

High is more contrasty and brighter, providing better viewing later at night when there is less contrast because ambient temperatures have equalised;

Ultra is the brightest and most contrasty, ideal for poor viewing conditions with very little contrast, such as rain and fog.

The Sensitivity

replaces the previous model’s and Rock presets.

In my opinion, the new settings make more sense and are complemented with full brightness and contrast settings.

Image Smoothing

This is a very interesting function that reduces noise in areas of low contrast while adding sharpness around objects and detailed areas. It is particularly effective at enhancing detail in low contrast scenes, and can be used in conjunction with the Sensitivity alone function.

Conclusion I made a side-by-side comparison between the Pulsar Axion Key XM30 and the new Pulsar Axion XM30F, optimising the brightness and contrast settings to obtain the best image from both. If I were to consider image quality alone, the new model leaves

the old model in its wake. The new features further separate the two models making the new Pulsar Axion XM30F extremely good value. The two models are like chalk and cheese, so, kudos to Pulsar for providing such an excellent entry level thermal monocular.

Here is a quick run-down

new Axion XM30F:w

suddenly appear. However, on this occasion, that theory was debunked.

Lunch done, it was my turn to be the ‘caster’. Allan spotted a trout moving around in the shallows, so ignored it—twice, then it sped out to the deep water. Oh dear, only the second

Another move into a likely looking area where Allan saw a rise. I didn’t see it but

as Murphy wasn’t looking, I got a nymph into its path. It gobbed it. The line tightened and the game was on.

It was a catch and release

mouth it took a bit to get the trout to swim away.

“Well we’ve not been totally skunked today,” said Allan.

In spite of only seeing four

we both agreed it had been a very nice day out on the lake.

Time to quit while we were behind – we went home.

Ive's no fool when it comes to trout misadventures

Books in brief

Reviewed by Daryl Crimp

Sticky

The secret science of surfaces

Laurie Winkless

Bloomsbury

RRP $33

Apparently we are surrounded by stickiness— welcome to the world of surface science and how it has shaped the manufactured and natural worlds. This book falls into the category of one of those reads you don’t know you are interested in until you pick it up.

Physicist and author, Irish born and New Zealand

Breathless

Amy McCulloch

Penguin Random House

RRP $37

An Agatha Christiestyle murder whodunnit set against the unlikely backdrop of one of the world’s tallest mountains— Manaslu—one of the family of eight thousand plus metre peaks that capture the mind, aspirations, psyches and bodies of many alpine adventurists—the domain of the elite and ‘the death zone’.

The plot revolves around alpine celebrity and mountaineering legend Charles McVeigh’s attempt

based Laurie Winkless delivers a fascinating narrative on a plethora of things from car tyres, ice, the dimples on golf balls, paint, post it notes and lizard feet and their interrelationships with surface tension. Ever wondered why paint sticks to the wall without falling off once dry? Me either but it’s a fascinating concept and there are many more in this book that will surprise and interest you.

A very intriguing and satisfying read, which will broaden your horizons in a pleasant way.

to ‘free-climb the 14 eight grand plus mountains in a year—no oxygen and no ropes. But there is a murderer on the mountain and it could be anyone of an eclectic cast of characters, hidden agendas, and time is running out for journalist hopefully, stay alive.

As much as anything, the setting and the mountaineering backstory makes this work; just being transported to the Everestlike and hostile environment is intriguing but I worried the murder plot might be a stretch in this setting. While the pace is moderate, the

The Forager’s Treasury

Johanna Knox

Allen & Unwin

RRP $45

While foraging for food is atavistic, it has undergone a renaissance in recent years and become quite a movement—even in New Zealand. It has always interested me but I assumed New Zealand was a limited domain for foraging and certainly worried about what plants were edible and what were poisonous.

The Forager’s Treasury—the title is apt— helps dispel any

book contains the requisite red herrings and twists that makes it an enjoyable and satisfying crime thriller.

fears or reservations about foraging and is packed with advice and information on how to identify, locate and process edible plants from around New Zealand. It’s a comprehensive reference book and covers a wide array of foodie topics: plants, herbs, infused oils, infused honeys, freezing vegetables, pickling, making weed soups and even how to make your own condensed milk.

Whether you are an accomplished forager, new to the movement or casually curious as to what you can pick up to supplement the

The Ministry for Primary Industries has launched a new fisheries patrol vessel in Napier, capable of patrolling from Mahia to Wairarapa.

The 6.5-metre-long hard top Osprey, is an aluminium hulled pontoon style vessel, made in Nelson and powered by twin Mercury 115 HP outboard motors.

A karakia and blessing ceremony for the new Mātai was held at the Napier Sailing Club in April led by mana whenua hapū o Ahuriri, represented by Mōrehu Te Tomo, Chad Tareha and Te Kaha Hawaikirangi.

MPI Regional Fisheries Compliance Manager, Tyrone Robinson says the name of the new vessel is fitting.

“In English, Mātai means “to observe, investigate and examine”. It’s a direct connection to our mahi of protecting our fisheries resources.

Our shared fisheries are important to many communities and this new vessel means we’ll be even more visible. Everyone’s got a part to play in protecting our resources and we encourage people who

larder, this is a wonderful resource to have on hand.

Highly recommended.

witness suspicious fishing behaviour to contact us.”

The new vessel will be able to reach waters stretching from Mahia to Palliser Bay in Wairarapa.

“Mātai is a versatile vessel and we’ll be able to patrol and quickly respond to a range of situations at sea. Being able to launch the vessel from the beach means we can be flexible with where we put Mātai in the water."

Meanwhile, MPI’s long serving vessel Kāhutara, which is around 20 years old is being repurposed by the Customary Fisheries Forum, Mai Paritu tae atu ki Turākirae, to support Tangata Kaitiaki fisheries management e orts.

“We’re really pleased that the Kāhutara which has

served us well, will continue to be used for important work by the tangata kaitiaki for sustainable fisheries Management," Mr Robinson says.

Mai Paritu tae atu ki Turākirae Chairman, Paul Ratapu was at the karakia and says: “MPI’s commitment to ongoing support of Tangata Kaitiaki e orts along our coastline through the Kāhutara vessel is an exemplar for a respectful and productive Crown and tangata whenua relationship.”

MPI reminds all fishers to download the NZ Fishing Rules App for the fishing rules in their area.

If you become aware of any suspicious fishing activity, call us on 0800 4 POACHER (0800 47 62 24) or email ncc@mpi.govt.nz.

For the Mustang, hunter, fisher, tractor, car enthusiast, man-cave and more, there is a sign here on display at our show room to suit everyone. New stock arriving daily now for Christmas so visit us at Ellis

Making sure there are enough fish in the water for future generations is at the heart of fisheries management. The new rules that put a daily limit on previously unconstrained finfish species will further support sustainability of our fisheries resources.

The Minister for Oceans and Fisheries, David Parker, recently announced his decision to change the settings following public consultation.

Reports last year of large quantities of fish being caught that were previously considered less desirable as eating fish, signalled a change in the type of fish people like to catch and eat. This prompted a review of the daily limits to ensure they remain appropriate.

There are over 1,000 finfish species found in New Zealand waters and of those only 43 species were previously subject to a daily recreational fishing limit leaving the rest open to overfishing.

The changes mean that previously unconstrained

finfish such as pink maomao are now part of the combined daily bag limit, allowing for reasonable recreational take while reducing the risk of overfishing that could a ect sustainability. The new rules are also more consistent across the country making them easier to follow.

So, what is it that’s

changing and when?

All finfish, excluding specified bait fish and freshwater eels, will now be part of the recreational combined daily limit.

The new rules come into effect on 5 May 2022.

There are some species that have individual daily limits, such as kingfish which has a daily limit of three per person, per day. These individual limits will be retained but included within the combined daily bag limit and must also not be exceeded. For example, a fisher in the Auckland, Kermadec, and the Central and Challenger Fisheries Management Areas can take three kingfish and up to 17 other finfish to make up their

daily limit of 20. The southern bluefin tuna daily bag limit of one per person, per day, has been brought under the Fisheries (Amateur Fishing) Regulations 2013. Previously, anyone taking excess southern bluefin tuna was issued with a warning or faced prosecution, but now Fisheries O cers will be able to issue infringements as they would for excess take of other finfish species.

limit

For the North Island and west coast of the South Island (Auckland, Kermadec, and the Central and Challenger Fisheries Management Areas) all finfish species, including those with individual species limit, are now part of a combined daily bag limit of 20 finfish per person, per day.

For the east and south of the South Island (South east Southland and sub–Antarctic Fisheries Management Areas) all finfish species, including those with individual species

limit, are now part of the combined daily bag limit of 30 finfish per person, per day.

In addition to the combined daily bag limit for finfish, fishers may take:

Six freshwater eels per person, per day, and A combined daily bag limit of 50 specified baitfish per person, per day.

Fishers can take a maximum of 50 baitfish combined, per person, per day. Only the following species are considered baitfish:

• Anchovy Jack/Horse/Chilean mackerel

• Koheru/Scad Pilchard

• Piper/Garfish Slender/Stout sprat

• Yellow-eyed mullet

More information and keeping up with the rules

Updates and information about these changes can be found on MPI’s website

at: https://www.mpi.govt.nz/ recfishing-consultation.

To keep up to date with the recreational fishing

mpi.govt.nz/rules. Auckland/ Kermadec

Dysfunctional and undemocratic council must go!

The Nelson Citizens Alliance was formed in April 2021 by a group of concerned Nelson ratepayers, sick and tired of the Nelson City Council making decisions without taking enough time to gain the views of ratepayers affected by those decisions. In many instances minimal advertising and short time frames for making submissions on very important issues became the standard way that council consulted.

These decisions, to name a few, included the introduction of a Maori Ward for Nelson, supporting the Ardern government's 3 Waters reforms being mandated, selling 120 to Kaianga Ora for a $2M pittance, proceeding with a $40M new library development on a site adjacent to the Maitai River, and agreeing to social housing being erected in the heart of Nelson's business and commercial area. There are others I could comment about!

When the current council was elected three years ago, the mayor made the bold statement that the newly elected council would get had occurred in the period in future, represent the interests and concerns of all of the people of Nelson in a competent and professional manner.

Of course, we know that is absolutely the opposite of what has occurred over the past three years and we now have a council that is

not only totally dysfunctional but is dominated by

government politics. Three current councillors have and one councillor is the chairperson of the Nelson Labour Party Electorate. This has caused huge problems at the council table in getting decisions made harmoniously and council is now divided into seperate and opposing camps, which cannot be allowed to continue. Change must be made at the Local Body Elections on 8 October 2022. We have strategic plan for action over the next operational.

To achieve that change we need good people to now put their hands up and come forward to be considered as candidates that the Nelson Citizens Alliance will support. I make the point STRONGLY here that we are NOT a group representing any political party; in fact, we do not support the idea of party politics playing any part at local government level.

If you believe that the future of Nelson must be managed by democratic minded people and you would be interested in hearing more about being a candidate, we want to hear from you.

If selected, we will manage your election campaign, including all publicity, arranging of public meetings and help train you for the role. Age is not a factor—we are more interested in people who want to represent ratepayers and believe in the importance of making

decisions democratically.

you is the Alliance's email addressnca9940@gmail.com to which you should send your name and contact details. Following which I will be in touch. Please do that before 31 May 2022. As our motto suggests “Working Together Gets Better Results” and it is the only way forward for a better Nelson. Hope you agree!

WE ARE LOOKING FOR CANDIDATES WHO WE CAN SUPPORT LEADING UP TO THE NELSON CITY COUNCIL ELECTION ON 8 OCTOBER 2022

ARE YOU A PERSON WHO BELIEVES THAT ITS NOW TIME WE ELECTED A DEMOCRATIC COUNCIL WHICH HAS NO POLITICAL AFFILIATIONS AND LISTENS TO RATEPAYERS CONCERNS?

IF SO WE WILL .....

-provide training and support -help with promotion and advertising costs -arrange election meeting venues -enlist volunteers to help deliver promotion pamphlets

-give you the best platform to be elected

WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE CONSIDERED?

PLEASE EMAIL YOUR CONTACT DETAILS AND A BRIEF (100 WORD) RESUME BY NO LATER THAN MAY 2022 TO The Secretary Nelson Citizens Alliance email: nca9940@gmail.com

Pāua predators aplenty

Dr. Tom McCowan – Scientist, Paua Industry Council Ltd.

Those who are familiar with pāua from diving for them will know them as a robust, hard shelled creature, with an incredible ability to clamp down to the bottom when disturbed. This may make it hard to believe that other small marine species manage to predate on pāua.

The pāua life cycle has evolved as a survival strategy to avoid predation as much as possible, especially during the juvenile phase (when pāua are 10-80mm long). At this size pāua inhabit ‘cryptic’ habitats, meaning they are hidden under small boulders and in crevices where they can generally not be seen. The primary advantage of this is to avoid predators during this vulnerable phase. Despite this, there are still a number of predators that have devised strategies of their own to predate on pāua.

Starfish

Probably the most common and well-known pāua predator is the seven-arm starfish (Astrostole scabra). These starfish capture pāua by attaching their arms to the shell, then small tentacles release a toxin through the holes of the pāua shell to incapacitate it. After this, the starfish will sit on top

is a starfish close by. Pāua can detect the presence of starfish by chemical signals passed through the water column, which usually gives them a head start to escape. If a starfish does get one of its arms on a pāua, it will purposefully pivot back and forwards to try and dislodge the starfish. Pāua also respond to starfish attacks

of the pāua for a day or so completely devouring it, leaving only the shell.

Paua can be quite e ective at escaping capture from starfish. The fastest you will ever see a pāua move is when a starfish is on the hunt in the area. If you see a pāua, while diving, that is elevated from the rock by its foot and on the move, chances are there

by releasing small amounts of fluid (immature eggs, sperm and waste) through their respiratory pores. This has the appearance of a spawning response, however it is most likely to be an evasion response to confuse the starfish by releasing scent through the water column—similar to an octopus releasing ink to confuse predators.

Octopus

Another well documented pāua predator are the many species of octopus found in NZ waters. Octopus rely on a faster attack than the starfish to dislodge pāua before they are able to clamp down. If the first fast attack fails, octopus simply squat on the pāua and smother them by sealing respiratory pores. There is an interesting di erence in the aversion response between starfish and octopus—for an octopus they will clamp down hard to the bottom, while for a starfish they lift o the rock and move away, presumably because they know they can out-run a starfish but not an octopus. If you see a group of pāua clamped down hard to the rock with rigid black skirt flared out and highly visible around the shell, there will be an octopus close by.

Fish

Some species of fish are also able to e ectively predate on pāua, in particular blue cod (Parapercis colias) and banded wrasse (Pseudolabrus fucicola). In some areas it is not unusual to find small pāua shells in the guts of blue cod, which can be the bane of your sharp filleting knife! Divers will know that blue cod and wrasse will often follow them when pāua diving, hoping for an easy feed. Fish can dislodge smaller pāua from the rock surprisingly e ectively by giving them a short sharp bunt with the

end of their nose, after which they quickly pick away at the pāua flesh.

Crayfish and Crabs

Crayfish (Jasus edwardsii) and rock crabs (Guinusia chabrus) are also known to predate on pāua, particularly juveniles. Large crayfish can e ectively dislodge pāua from the rocks using their powerful front fighter claw. It is quite common to find nests of crayfish close to patches of pāua, presumably because it means there is a potential feed for them close by.

Next time you are out diving, keep an eye out for some of these predator species and the interesting interactions that they can have with pāua. This will help you create a greater awareness of all the ecosystem interactions that support your target

species, and can make it much more interesting than just filling your catch bag. For example, if you see an aggregation of pāua that are obviously in a new area away from their normal home scar, its likely they just escaped a marauding sevenarmed starfish.

It is also important to be aware of these predator interactions when releasing undersized pāua back to the reef. It is easy enough to think that if you drop a pāua

from the surface back onto the rock that it will right itself head for safety, however, pāua generally land foot side up and take a while to right themselves, making them very vulnerable to predation for a time. Banded wrasse will often take few bites so that, even if the pāua rights itself, it will bleed to death later, and be finished o . Always take the extra minute to carefully place your undersized pāua back on the reef foot side down.

Rock lobster often congregate near

Blue cod on the stalk for a paua

Sinker to Smoker

Ron Prestage

The Fishing Paper: What

Sam:

off the rocks in Cornwall, England, when I was very small in the hopes of catching pollock, mackerel or bass.

Enthusiasm and perseverence are attributes

TFP: What stages have you passed through on your

Sam: every stage of obsession; for several years I was never particularly fond of it and but since moving to New has quickly blossomed into an addiction!

TFP: What has been

Sam: My most successful catching an 11 pound

PISTOL SHOOTING

Brian

Bishop

Pistol New Zealand (PNZ) has been helping to set up and run pistol shooting clubs in New Zealand for over 50 years. There are three or four that are not under the PNZ umbrella, but I’m not sure just what they do and how many members they have. To be a member club there are a few hoops to jump through. These are put in place in order the New Zealand Police recognise a club and sign off the range, because we are only allowed pistol ranges’.

This works very well; shooting styles have changed

snapper off the rocks in Nelson, proof that I now knew at least partially what I was doing. I had chosen the appropriate spot for the stage of tide, used the right rig and tackle and presented my bait in the correct way to land an absolute beauty of a snapper in the top of the South Island!

TFP:

Sam: My favourite rig that works for almost all situations is a ledger rig. I prefer to make my own using 50 lb leader with two lines branching off the mainline with around 4/0 hooks in either circle or J hook fashion depending on the conditions and bait I'm using.

TFP:

Sam: I don’t have much preference for brand but most of my gear is Shimano, my favourite piece of gear has to be my Baitrunner, which is highly versatile. Other than that, I’m not particularly fussy.

TFP: What baits do you

Sam: For surfcasting I use whatever baits I have readily available to me but this also depends on what species I’m targeting; for snapper, kahawai, gurnard or cod I tend to just use petrol station bait such as squid or anchovies. However, if I’m targeting rig, moki or in certain locations where spiny dogs can be a plague, I’ll

such as mussels

TFP: What is your top tip

Sam: Fish lots! For the most part it’s quite likely you won’t catch much until testing new spots or even the same spots at different stages of the tide is vital to be a successful surfcaster! Don’t

over again, you won’t learn anything.

TFP: Do you have

Sam: I have several favourite surfcasting spots, one of which is an estuary mouth that requires some tricky tide navigating and often a bit of an adventure to reach. This particular spot has a steep drop off at the end of a vast plateau usually being beaten by swell. So I will wade out along the plateau through the surf until I can cast my baits out into drop off was just a case of reading the surf. Spotting the lulls in waves can tell you a lot about the depth and seabed.

I like to use a mix of oily produces gurnard and the occasional rig, as well as frequent kahawai! Each

slightly different techniques, which I’ve learnt from and that’s the best advice I can offer!

Shooting has gun to its head Successful Surfcaster: Sam Boothroyd

and grown, much the same as the rest of the country has evolved. Safety training is given to all members, as well as training so that every member has a Range referees ensure safety on the range at all times. All shooting is done under the matter how long you have been shooting. I am at over 26 years pistol shooting and in my preferred style (IPSC), but still must comply with protocol.

Very strict safety standards are maintained and any safety violation incurs a event—not a stage or day. on day one and you are out. It sounds harsh but second chances are a risk we will not take, hence you are stopped so more training can be obtained.

PNZ also have a holster badge that has to be

obtained before you can draw and shoot from a holster, as this is a potentially dangerous manoeuvre for an untrained person. Different training is given for semi-autos to revolvers and different again for the single action ones our Cowboys use. Age has never been an issue, young or old you get the same training and are expected to do the same as anyone else. The simple reason for this is that the pistol does not care who you are or what your age is, and we do not either.

But times could be a changing. The latest set of regulations the police have proposed will change all shooting in New Zealand. Pistol ranges along with every other range has what feels like targets on our backs, even after all the good work that has been done for so long. There is a serious risk that a large number of clubs will close down. There

TFP:

Sam: I pursue essentially all

behaviour and techniques I can apply to surfcasting!

TFP:

Sam: I’m a keen skier, hunter when I get the chance, tramper, mountain biker and climber.

TFP:

Sam: The Tasman bay

to me. Fishing the bay frequently has taught me it is highly changeable, one day lots of them whilst the next can result in disappointment. Because of this, it can be hard to judge the state of

I’ve heard and read, it seems to be getting better and, with that in mind, I hope it continues to get healthier!

have been very few problems of any kind on New Zealand shooting ranges, (hell, the main incidents have been from the police and army— their words not mine.) So why the attacks? When a new shooter goes to a club, they get lots of good advice and skills from experienced shooters, which can only be good thing, but force the club to close and who helps them then?

should be about making the sport or discipline safer, otherwise they make no sense and the end results can have dangerous consequences.

that work well for Sam

rig is a favourite of Sam's

Join

Fish Mainland—South Island fishers’ collective voice

Randall Bess—Fish Mainland

Fish Mainland Inc works on behalf of South Island

by relaying their collective voice on issues that could adversely impact on them. In so doing, we strongly believe that cooperation and sharing of ideas is the way forward; Fish Mainland works respectfully and collaboratively with government and all

However, it takes time and effort to change entrenched patterns of engagement and processes that have the effect of marginalising the recreational voice, particularly those that strongly rely on public consultation. For example, earlier this year government

to daily bag limits on several

any input into the way the alleged problem and Input was restricted solely to making submissions.

The Hon David Parker’s recent decisions on this issue were disappointing. They appear to favour changes that reduce the administrative burden on lawfully take.

The National Blue Cod Strategy also eroded the quantum of recreational take. In addition, the strategy introduced a specifying the data needed to legitimise colour changes across management areas (e.g., differences in daily bag limits).

Fortunately, Fish Mainland was able to work closely

reporting system to aid in providing evidence for possible future changes (increases or decreases) in daily limits of blue cod.

of MPI’s Sustainable Food and Fibre Futures (SFF Futures), the self-reporting system is now in the early stages of implementation. It comprises an app, appropriately named Mainland Catch, to be used report their catch and effort and keep their data secure. In addition, Fish Mainland has received further funding from SFF Futures to expand the self-reporting system to

include other species that are important to recreational two videos will be made available to the public that explain the overall system and the easy-to-use app.

Another challenge has been the government’s imposition of a recreational set net ban in Golden and Tasman Bays that eliminated longstanding

Mainland contends there is no evidential base to support the ban, especially in the Bay’s estuaries, rivers, lagoons and inlets where locals have set netted for generations without ever sighting a dolphin. Fish Mainland fully supported applying the ban where netting posed a risk to dolphins. But the government should not have banned netting where there was no risk.

After pursuing all options, Fish Mainland had no recourse other than to lodge a complaint with the Parliamentary Regulations Review Committee regarding the Fisheries (Hector’s and Maui) Amendment Regulations 2020. The complaint was tabled with the committee late March, and it was uploaded to the

we have highlighted that

to receive an update from the committee in the very near future.

Finally, Fish Mainland supports new ways of management. For starters,

required to pay hundreds of millions of dollars in petrol excise duty that fund roading projects. We contend that it would be equitable and fair to use a portion of these funds for recreational activities.

This would require an amendment to the purposes of the Land Transport Management Act 2003. Despite the Hon Michael Wood disagreeing, we continue to promote the fairness of this potential funding stream.

parliament website. It can also be found on the Fish Mainland website www.

Floundering - a thing of the past

NZDA rifle ranges—the home of safe firearms practices in New Zealand

The New Zealand Deerstalker’s Association (NZDA) is a national body representing and advocating for recreational hunters and has its foundation in 49 local branches spanning the country.

A primary attraction for many of NZDA’s 10,000 ranges that are available through 22 of these branches. This is especially so for members from our large urban centres such as Wellington and Auckland where there are obvious restrictions on available areas for safe shooting.

important pre-requisite to becoming a safe and ethical hunter, which is a core part ranges enable safe and and education. They are a place for hunters to regularly practice shooting and sight-

designed and constructed in

accordance with the NZDA Manual of Range Design, Construction and Inspection

They operate with a strict set of Range Rules that are

Range activities are overseen by certified NZDA range o cers, of whom there are more than 400 around New Zealand.

Range o cer training involves a full day course on range theory and overseeing shooting activity, with emphasis on safety and emergency response procedures followed by a practical assignment to ensure competency.

The management of NZDA ranges is overseen by local branch committees made up of hardworking

volunteers who give up their time to ensure the ongoing safe operation of these community range facilities. The core of NZDAs

the Hunter National Training Scheme (HUNTS) program. The HUNTS Programme is a hunter education programme developed and delivered by NZDA. Its purpose is to provide training to new hunters on the knowledge and skills required to be a safe, responsible and ethical hunter. More than 100 trainees per year participate in HUNTS courses, and many of these will have their an NZDA range.

NZDA also has a family membership structure that and range shooting for younger family members in a supervised and controlled environment. NZDA is actively engaged with other community groups such as scouts, allowing safe other community members

at range facilities. NZDA ranges are also routinely used for competitive shooting, and by shooters who represent New Zealand in various shooting disciplines.

NZDA ranges have an outstanding safety record, with no reported incidents incident reports began.

The New Zealand Police have recently proposed regulations that will serve to over-regulate the operation through onerous fees for access and overbearing operating conditions that will cut across the purpose of these community-based clubs and facilities. This will include restricting young people from shooting under immediate supervision, which is permitted under existing law. In many instances, these requirements will be prohibitive, meaning ranges will no longer be able to legally operate.

The consequence may be that range shooting will be diverted away from these safe and controlled environments where there is

education and training, and into the backcountry or unmonitored makeshift ranges.

This means NZ Police’s attempts to improve national

with safe ranges, delivering

New Zealand’s historical and cultural heritage and are used by 240,000 New Zealanders for work, sport, and food gathering. It’s also worth noting that NZ Police themselves access and use many of our

Tom McCowan - NZDA Wellington Branch Vice President, NZDA HUNTS Assistant National Coordinator and Iwi liaison.

Seafood Curry

5-800g firm white fillets cut into cubes

1 medium red onion roughly chopped

1 red capsicum diced

1tsp cumin powder

2tbsp chopped fresh coriander

1tsp Dijon mustard

1tbsp green curry paste

1 tin coconut milk

Cracked pepper

Olive oil

Heat a good dollop of cooking oil in a large saucepan and cook onion and capsicum until soft. Stir in cumin, herbs, mustard and curry paste until well blended. Add coconut milk and a liberal seasoning of cracked pepper and bring to a simmer. Allow to simmer until the sauce reduces to a thick creamy consistency. Add fish and cook for 2-3 minutes.

Serve with large chunks of French bread to mop up the juices.

Lawrie’s rainbow cooked

Grandad. I’ll be here tomorrow around midday,’’ I said over the phone.

Lawrie Cooke, or Grandad as I know him, is the main inspiration for all of my hadn’t been out to catch a trout for some time so I thought it would be good to take him on a trip up to a lake to see if we could get onto a fat rainbow.

After we had packed all the gear into the truck, we set off on the winding road up to Lake Hawkston. This small little farm lake is stocked with around 50 rainbow grow to impressive sizes and is an ideal place to go for a nice, relaxed day to to the lake, Lawrie’s stories his childhood fascinated me with what the trout were like in Hawkes Bay all that time ago. Just thinking about the fact that trout have been here all of that time and thriving to this day was exciting.

After passing over the upper reaches of the Mangatutu Stream, a great we turned onto the farm track that would take us down to the scenic lake.

The stunning piece of water greeted us, along with a few very friendly ducks that decided to lead us down to the shoreline.

We both had a bite to eat before setting up the rods with green Woolly Buggers and commenced casting. The lake has some excellent be inconsistent at times. This happened to be one of those days. After a few moves around the lake and no bites, we sat down to enjoy the sun and warm summer breeze. I was keen to make something happen, so I suggested having a look at the bridge we crossed just up the road.

When we arrived to the Mangatutu Stream and, as if it was asked to, a trout was sitting 10 metres upstream. I who had a good vantage

Blair Whiting

point from the bridge. A small nymph was tied on

It took just two drifts for the hen to rise up and grab the small nymph. I struck and

TIDES OF CHANGE

A casual once over glance at the many shelves in a bookshop could cause you to miss this book but I strongly urge that, if you are powerful human life stories, of adventure, of twists ’n turns, of dramatic incidents, surprises and an interest in the human psyche and the about sincere love, then this book is a must for you. Look closely at the cover,

consider the light white sky, feel the dark Fiordland eyes drawn to the bottom right corner where a bright light surrounds Ruth’s black shadow—the gold and the gloom. Further clues inside the cover featuring tea and coffee cups mixed with a mix of books give further meaning to the contents ahead.

Once I got settled in my comfy place, I found I could not put this book down. Ruth had me tightly in her grip. I consumed every single page and there she was smiling as I reached the end. I smiled too—with

Poppa Mike

empathy, compassion and admiration.

At peace now in Manapouri surrounded by native bush, with Lance and her books, or should that read as her books and Lance? Ruth’s life story offers up a full range of life’s trauma, crime, adventure, romance, success, failure, wealth, poverty, despair and

locations in Australia, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea and sailing the world’s oceans.

Cleverly inserted between each ‘life chapter’ is a ‘character chapter’ where the reader gets to meet the

the pool. I turned around to see Lawrie with a huge grin on his face.

“How about that

tore off on another run.

net shot completed, I held up you reckon? We better take her home for the smoker.”

Lawrie nodded and the the truck for its ride home. out during the trip home, with many more stories expeditions told.

varied characters that visit her Wee Bookshops. Each is a joy to behold and provides a moment of light relief from the drama of the main chapters. It also gives power for the reader to understand her later years as her love of books and for Lance become her salvation.

A book to be highly recommended as a gift for any sincere friend or adventurous spirit contemplating the world ahead, or as a special gift for someone needing a ‘pick in our muddled world. A real treasure to be added to anyone’s collection.

The grins speak volumes

Lawrie has eyes on a tasty treat

A scenic little farm lake

Unwin

Le er to a son

Dear Son,

It was fantastic seeing semester at Otago Uni and congratulations on the effort you have put in and the well I are so proud. It was great having you home… for those brief interludes around dinner time and before bed when you weren’t catching up with

hunting with Sam, visiting Sam and… partying with Sam and the lads. Yes I did

Yes I do understand that Uni is not like school, you have to work really hard and it does cut into your it’s called the real world and a very warm welcome to it. And yes, petrol is ‘bloody expensive’ when you have to

pay for it yourself… And yes of course you can leave your van at home and take the Toyota Starlet back to Uni— of stags in the hatchback.

I do appreciate that you were desperate to get into the hills and have a hunt while you were home and I did enjoy ferrying you all over the South Island and cooking for you. No I am not disappointed you

couldn’t get out of the sleeping bag at four o’clock in the morning to help me with pest control because I understand Uni life must be exhausting and you needed your catch up sleep.

Yes I was very impressed with your hunting efforts: three stags, four goats, one boar and 50 wallaby in seven days IS a pretty mean effort—BACKBONE… MASSIVELY SO! It makes me proud to think I must have taught you well.

I’m pleased you enjoyed your mid term break, even though you feel it wasn’t long enough AND yes, I know you are now back to the grind.

Mum and I are well, thanks. She’s busy mopping

up after the mini cyclone wreaked havoc in every room of our very large house. Me? I’m still processing meat… I only have two stags to skin and break down, then I’ll cut, bag, mince and make sausages. I think we will get close to 1200 sausages out of the trimmings. Thanks for going out of your way to supply Mum and me with meat and yes, we do appreciate not having to buy it. Yes I have ordered more ammo for you and another carton of Radix meals are on their way.

I am so pleased the week at home recharged your batteries… mine are now completely drained.

We look forward having you home when, once again, you can keep us supplied with meat. We should be ready for some more by late 2023… see you then!

Love

Dad.

The chiller

Daniel bags his biggest boar

Stag party

Black Magic Tackle’s Hyperglide

13x Braid

Black Magic’s new Hyperglide® 13x is the latest addition to their range of highperformance braids. With an impressive suite of features, Hyperglide is designed to deliver the smoothest and longest cast you’ll ever experience.

In both freshwater and saltwater applications, this 13 carrier braid glides silently through the guides, and with no extra e ort, you’ll find your distance is greater than what you’d experience with a standard braid. There’s good reason for this. Most braids are slightly flat in profile whereas Hyperglide has a round profile. This is because Hyperglide® is constructed from 12 Japanese PE fibres which are woven around a strong central core, creating a very smooth line that retains its roundness. This means less friction, less drag as it sinks through the

water column and a better shaped line o the spool, and therefore more distance in each cast.

The round shape also means less drag as it sinks down through the water column giving improved lure presentation and a higher level of sensitivity.

And if that wasn’t enough, the central core dramatically reduces salt build up in the fibres ensuring less internal friction and a longer life on the spool.

All these features make

Hyperglide® the ultimate casting braid. The range starts at an ultra-fine PE 0.4 (8lb) and tops out at a sturdy PE 8.0 (80lb). Whether your chasing trout in the Tekapo canals, squid fishing, soft baiting, casting micro-jigs, or hurling topwater lures at fast moving schools of fish, Hyperglide® 13x will give you an edge. It allows you to hit targets that are further away and to simply cover more ground with each cast.

Colour: Tekapo Blue

Available at selected tackle stores around New Zealand.

What does PE rating refer to?

PE is an abbreviation for Poly Ethylene, which is made from. The PE rating is a uniform measuring system developed by the Japanese that refers to the diameter of the line, not the breaking strain.

The PE rating is a constant measurement, so while two lines advertised as being rated to 50lb may actually test at different breaking strains, two lines with the same PE rating will always be the same diameter. For example, a PE5 line may break anywhere between 30 - 80lb, which can be due amount of strands (4, 8, 12 and 16 strand), or quality of the braiding process.

To make it easier for the consumer, most brands recognised brands market their lines with a breaking strain that’s 10 times the PE rating, so you can estimate the breaking strain of a PE line by following this general rule: Multiply the PE Number x 10 = breaking strain. So, PE6 x 10 = 60lb, and it will rarely break below this mark. In fact, in most cases these lines will break well above the advertised breaking strain.

Daryl Crimp

Not all braid is created equal

Advances in technology and manufacturing has seen huge improvements in braid, so some leading brands can advertising breaking strain. The Shimano Ocea EX8 brand for example is an 8 strand braided line that is incredibly smooth and thin for its strength, allowing and experience more

Become a valued volunteer

Hospice nurses and volunteers working together can help patients remain in their own homes.

Nelson Tasman Hospice is seeking “Hunting Shooting Fishing” volunteers to join our patient support volunteer team .

sensitivity when jigging at depth. Moreover, Shimano gives more exacting breaking strains e.g. Ocean EX8 Premium PE 6 has a breaking strain of 86.3lb. These top braids also give you extra spool capacity. The Japanese also rate rods and reels according to a PE number so you can match your gear, attain better balance, and get the right action into your lures.

Usually 2-4 hours during