November 2023 - Issue 218 - The Fishing Paper and Hunting News

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NEWS Snapper Stars pg 2 FISHING FREE November 2023 Issue 218 PAPER A Cruel Sea - Water Safety Kayak Fishing Whitebait Wrap Doggone IT HUNTING

Snapper ‘stars’ on light rods align

It’s great to have the opportunity to showcase the fishing in your backyard. You get to appreciate what you have access to, while enlightening visitors as to what is available outside of their home patch.

In March, I took my mate Richard—head of sales and marketing for Electronic Navigation Limited and Furuno—out for a fish while he was in Nelson on business. He was keen to get out on the water and experience some South Island fishing and see what the newly installed Furuno electronics on my boat would do for us in Tasman Bay.

I picked him up from his motel at 4.30am and headed to the Nelson boat ramp, anticipating what the dawn would bring. After an e ortless launch, and with a light land breeze coming out of Tasman Bay, we were soon heading out the ‘Cut’ in Nelson Haven, heading towards where I planned to fish, hoping for a few hours action before we both had to return to work.

To be honest, I was feeling a little bit of pressure; I had talked up the Tasman Bay fishery on previous catch ups with Richard so was hoping it would live up to its reputation!

Once in the chosen area, the Furuno quickly indicated likely looking fish, so I deployed the Minn Kota and we were soon facing into the land breeze. By the signal showing on the sounder, I called the fish as snapper—they were all very close to the bottom.

I quickly got the rods ready, baited and in the water, and started the berley going over the side, as that is important at this time of year to get plenty of attractant in the water.

It was still dark and I was happy, as I like to get set before the sun starts to show in the sky. After a little wait, Richard was first to bring up a spikey dog, certainly not target species and I felt a little bit more pressure creep over me. When the second spikey dog came up, I’m not sure Richard was quite believing what I had been saying. I reassured him that all would be ok as it was still early. After a barracouta made

Tasman Bay 8kg Bait Box

Bullet Tuna (Baby Bonito)

Barracouta Sides approx 2kg

Arrow Squid Premium Grade 100-200g

Arrow Squid Bait Ungraded

Trevally Skin on Fillets

Tuna & Squid Burley Bombs approx 2kg

its way to the boat next, I confidently said that was all the rubbish fish out of the way.

To take the attention o the rubbish fish, I put the Jet Boil on and brewed a co ee, which always tastes so good when out on the water. No sooner had we finished our co ee and the sun was just starting to show behind the eastern hills, we had a hit on one of the rods. I was certain this was target species by the weight and action on the rod and to say I was relieved was an understatement!

We were using the rods I build under the brand AquaZition Rods, and I don’t think Richard was used to using rods so light, but he soon realised the power they generate, whilst not transferring any weight from the fish to the angler. It didn’t take long before that beautiful orange glow appeared from the depths to confirm, yes, this was our target species!

I quickly netted the fish and lifted it onboard, re-baited the Black Magic flasher rig and promptly deployed it before dispatching the fish. When the fish come on the feed in Tasman Bay it can

often be a very short bite, so the idea is to keep as many baits as possible in the water over this time the fish are feeding.

A quick photo shoot, high fives all round and we soon had a fat 16lb snapper on ice. The next rod doubled over with what appeared to be another nice snapper. What followed next can only be described as mayhem; it was an amazing session on big snapper and we sure got a workout and taste of South Island fishing at its finest. After seven nice snapper were landed, we decided that was enough for the morning as they all ranged in size from 14–18lb and were in prime eating condition. It was still early too; only just after 8.00am and our job was done and time to head back to work.

I spent a bit of time getting the fish cleaned up: shinkei jimed, gutted, washed and packed in ice to start chilling down. The snapper were all packed with crabs, so they

$45

$11.50kg

$9.95each

$12.95kg

$9.95kg

$9.90kg

$8.90each

had been feeding hard on the bottom.

We were buzzing, Tasman Bay had turned it on and I got to showcase what great fishing we have in the South Island.

There is nothing like a bit of pressure to make you appreciate a good day out fishing. The good days certainly make you appreciate the tough ones, but to have all the stars align when you have mates visiting is special.

I’m now building Richard a rod just like he was using so hopefully he can put it to the same use up north!

2 THE FISHING PAPER & HUNTING NEWS - NOVEMBER 2023
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The new Jayco Silverline has arrived!

The wait for the new Jayco Silverline, New Zealand’s number one selling luxury caravan, is over. The 3rd incarnation of Jayco’s flagship model, is now available at Jayco Canterbury.

The Jayco Silverline has long been revered for it’s sleek lines and class leading features that are not found in any other Australian made caravan.

The previous version was the most advanced caravan on the planet and Jayco has upped their game again with world leading features and construction techniques. Jayco has poured a significant amount of cash into research and development for the new 2023 range and is sure to impress.

Layouts to suit all tastes

The Silverline is available in 4 di erent layouts from 21ft to 24ft and any layout can be an Outback variant if you need to get to more rugged camping spots. It has considerable upgrades from the previous versions in both style, construction and features. All models have the popular slide out areas to create ample space around the bed areas.

Standard features include twin 100 amp hour lithium batteries, twin 200 watt solar panels, twin rear cameras, twin 95 litre fresh water tanks and a 95 litre grey tank. A roof mounted air conditioner, washing machine and a 24” smart TV are all standard features that can be deleted by request if you feel you do not need them. A large front storage boot gives plenty of space for the BBQ and fishing gear. Additional factory options are available and Jayco Canterbury o er a range of upgrades including heaters and E bike mount to name a few.

The interior has been restyled with new cupboards and a fresh new colour palette to match the interior

design trends coming out of Europe. The majority of caravans built on this side of the world have stark white interiors. In contrast, the Silverline’s incorporation of a range of warmer tones and textured surfaces gives a more relaxing laid back mood with a modern and sophisticated feel.

The 2023 Jayco Silverline is one of the first lines in the range to feature a tough new single-piece PET floor manufactured from recycled

plastic. As a result, you get a warmer caravan and greater rigidity on the road. A new front end design includes more stone protection and a higher strength attachments to the roof and walls.

Unmatched experience

All of this coupled with the best service and warranty support in the southern hemisphere means peace of mind while on the road.

Jayco Canterbury have over 40 years experience

in the caravan industry and their large custom facility can accommodate a variety of custom upgrades and repairs.

Jayco Canterbury manager, Tony McWhirter, has said that he expects this generation of Silverlines to the most popular one to date. “ We have seen a huge increase in the number of caravans on the road since the lockdowns and the demand is still growing. People

have realised how great our country is and want to get out and explore every corner. Jayco o er amazing value retention compared to the lesser known brands that have entered the market during the boom. When people are spending their retirement savings on a caravan, they want the security of a quality brand and nationwide servicing. They need to know they are still going to get the support the caravan deserves in

the years to come and only Jayco o ers that.”

Jayco Canterbury has stock available for delivery this year but in limited numbers so get in touch with the team if you would like to find out more.

2023 production model prices start from $117,790 plus on road costs. You can find them at 545 Wairakei Road,Christchurch (airport end).

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3 Issue 218

New marine reserves for the South East region – what a biased process

The Ministers of Conservation and Oceans & Fisheries recently announced six new marine reserves in the southeast South Island between Oamaru and The Catlins.

The reserves are an outcome of the southeast Marine Protected Areas (SEMPA) forum that began in 2014 made up by members of the fishing industry, recreational fishers, conservation, customary and community representatives. Two networks were recommended as no consensus on proposed areas could be finalised.

The marine reserves are yet to be confirmed until an Order in Council has been notified after which latitudes and longitudes will be advised and this is not expected to be until early to mid-2024. The second layer, being the Type 2 protection measures are yet to be advised when that process may occur and what restrictions will be applied although they have been included in the initial maps.

The commercial fishing industry recognises that marine protection is paramount to the sustainability and resilience of oceanic ecosystems as they have closed numerous areas through voluntary and regulatory mechanisms. The quota management system and catch reporting systems required for commercial catch provide a high level of monitoring of access and utilisation of fisheries in New Zealand. Where things come unstuck is the skew that conservation and environmental groups try to put on the access to fisheries through misinformation and the progress of multi-sector meetings such as the South

East Marine Protection Area forum that was flawed from the start.

The commercial sector was proactive from the start of the forum process, not only from ensuring they were represented via the nomination process and eventuating with only having three seats at the table. It was always going to be a biased process with others from the conservation, environmental, community representation and chairpersonship having undue and weighted influence over the consensus process.

As a matter of interest, the commercial sector proposed from the outset a number of potential closures and restrictions on commercial fishing but proponents from the environmental sector preferred areas that were trawled. This then drew out the process by another three years of deliberation only to come to the stage where these areas were pretty much taken, revamped and recommended by the proponents of network one. The areas di ered by the proposal of additional restrictions on commercial fishing beyond the scope of the MPA Policy. What a cop out. This showed a total bias toward the MPA process and showed only that they preferred to continue their campaign by using the forum as their avenue to do so. The outcome for consensus was never going to be the case with this form of lobbying and it showed through to the end for the need to have two networks proposed to Ministers. No surprise there which one the Minister for Conservation and concurrence from a newly appointed Minister of Oceans and Fisheries

who had a greener view to ocean management. The suggestion that there were over 4,000 submissions is blatantly wrong given that the majority of those was a form submission with proponents ticking boxes and using the exact same text as provided by the NGO’s rather than making an informed submission. It should not be just a numbers game when it suits the agencies.

The suggestion of an extensive kelp closure and vast area around Otago will have huge economic impacts on commercial access. The proposal of the kelp closures in areas where kelp does not exist or cannot grow because of benthic type such as sandy bottom to get its roots into, is a total misuse of the MPA process and yet it was allowed to be considered by the majority and Chair of the forum. This proposal totally refuses to recognise the property rights of the commercial sector. Certain kelp species are managed under the quota management system which will provide for the protection needed and not through the over emotive closures as proposed by the forum member who with their science background and pet kelp projects has misused the MPA process.

Southern Inshore was a member of the forum along with two other commercial sector representatives. The forum process is demoralising and soul destroying especially when the odds will always be stacked and weighted against you in such forum processes. The commercial representatives provided real time information to the table from years and years of at sea experience only for

it to be disputed by those forum members who have spent their life in theory or head in a book. Many of these people came to the table with an agenda that would see the riddance of commercial fishing to meet their propaganda manifesto, the latest being a ban on bottom trawling through the misinformation process.

The commercial fishing sector have proposed numerous fishing closures and fishing gear restrictions throughout the South Island and New Zealand for fish and protected species over a number of years, but this

never gets recognition, as advocates from the greener element get a louder voice at forum and within media levels. This has been evident recently with trying to get our voice in media publications but yet they accept letters to editors from academics from Otago University with one marine science professor saying “To the unhappy fishing community, our message should be Watch this Space” and said they were dancing in the o ce. Not the most professional approach for someone influencing young scientists. She also ignores the science from

her international peers that dispute that marine reserves do not necessarily improve abundance for species that have a wide movement range.

We will continue to fight to preserve our fisheries and environments to maintain our access through appropriate protection measures and management, rather than emotive rhetoric and environmental bullying as New Zealand has already got over 30% marine protection closures that these people choose not to recognise.

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4 THE FISHING PAPER & HUNTING NEWS - NOVEMBER 2023
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Dunedin Lecture Break

The ice on the windscreen slowly faded away as the heaters began to work their magic. An early wake-up is hard at the best of times but the harsh Dunedin winter makes it even more unpleasant.

Yet again, the tradition of missing my Friday lecture to vanish into the backcountry was fulfilled.

On this overnighter, I was accompanied by my good friend Sammy, who, despite not being bitten by the hunting bug, was eager to see what it was all about.

The warm sun slowly crept over the hills and treated us to a spectacular sunrise and in no time the ground was warming up and the snowcapped mountains were in sight.

A steep climb followed by a long walk along the flats gave me plenty of time to illustrate the importance of gun safety, explain the game plan, and answer the plethora of questions every new hunter has.

I had never hunted this area before and behind each corner hid a section of undiscovered and untouched terrain full

of potential. The steep mountains descended into expansive river flats, carved through by crystal clear glacial water. Like pieces of a puzzle, patches of dense scrub and tall beach trees scattered the tussock faces, supplying an ideal hideout for any animals in the area.

During the walk I frequently stopped, glassing newly revelled faces and guts, extending the walkin by at least an hour and limited us to only an hour of shooting light left. To conserve our energy for the next day we climbed above the tent to a suitable vantage point, where we sat to watch the sunset and hopefully spot some animals.

Early into our glassing, a WARO helicopter raced passed, not far o the ground. They darted up several side creeks and gullies before quickly determining there were no animals and disappearing over the tops.

The excitement and anticipation from earlier vanished as quickly as the helicopter, I had little hope of seeing anything after all the commotion.

Thankfully, the pilot was kind enough to avoid one of the faces and while

scanning a snowy gut high on that side of the valley I noticed a break in the pattern. I quickly identified three chamois bucks unspotted and unfazed by the metal beast that had just flown over them. They were too far to go after but just seeing them boosted our confidence and gave us motivation to get up early the following morning, abandon the comforting sleeping bag, and put on frozen boots.

The next morning our sights were set on a rocky outcrop a fair way up the hill, we meticulously planned a route up but chose to ignore the contour lines on the map, instead opting for the ‘she’ll be right,’ approach… she was not alright.

Beads of sweat dripped onto my binoculars, my calves and quads strained as we trudged our way up the steeper than expected spur. I briefly checked to see how Sammy was coping when I saw his hand pointing above me. “Daniel, chamois!” He exclaimed.

Before he could finish speaking, I spun around and

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dropped to the ground. The steep terrain coupled with long tussock made it nearly impossible to get a rest. The two chamois pranced along the face across from me, laughing as they went.

The gap was rapidly growing, there was no time to assess the animals, I had already decided the first one that stopped was getting shot.

As the chamois neared the skyline, the trailing one slowed to a walk before stopping, staring back at us. That was my cue.

My shooting position was

sub-optimal but as soon as the animal stopped the scope seemed to steady itself.

I calmed my breathing, gently brought the crosshairs down onto its shoulder and squeezed.

Boom! The 30-06 echoed up the valley.

I looked up expecting to see the animal tumbling down the hill. Instead, it had run another 10 metres and stood, frozen.

My throat tightened. I could feel my heart skip a beat. I wasn’t sure how well I had hit it or if I had hit it at all.

There was complete silence as well held our breaths.

The chamois slowly rolled its head back, then explosively leapt in the air and collapsed.

Sammy and I erupted, jumping and yelling with joy.

The chamois was a beautiful four-year-old nanny with a magnificent winter coat, too spectacular to leave on the hill. With sore legs and heavy packs, we made our way home, smiles beaming ear to ear. Safe to say Sammy had gotten a taste of hunting and was now well and truly hooked.

Fishing the Tongariro Grant Henderson

Book Review Cameron Reid

Wow, not your traditional fishing book filled with stories and anecdotes, but a comprehensive, and very well researched book on the history of trout fishing on the Tongariro River, and surrounding Taupo fisheries. This very impressive book has literally been years in the making!

During Henderson’s meticulous research he contacted renowned Taupo based trout fisherman, photographer and author John Parsons (1926 –2014). This led to a sharing of ideas and trout fishing history, and with a number of Parsons photographs featuring in the book.

Henderson has been a trout fisherman for more than 60 years, and his passion for the sport, and the depth of his research shows within the text of the book. Covering the development of the fishery from

the early 20th century, when trout were still being established within Taupo waters, the trophy years prior to, and between both World Wars, the decline of the fishery, and restoration measures utilised to bring it back, the construction of the Tongariro hydro-electric power scheme, and the conservation issues this raised, to the scientific fisheries management practices that resulted, this

book has it all. While being based in Nelson, I have travelled north to fish the Tongariro and other Taupo tributaries multiple times. And after having read this book, it will enhance my enjoyment of future trips, with a better understanding of the characters who influenced and shaped the fishery, and the history of the river, and its place in the world as a premier rainbow trout fishing destination. To be honest, this type of book isn’t my preferred reading, I like to get my teeth into a good fishing tale, or series of stories, following a fellow trout anglers adventures. But all in all, this will be a valued addition to any New Zealand trout fishing library. Hardback, jacketed book with 324 pages from Bateman Books. RRP $59.99.

5 Issue 218
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Nelson kayak fishing on the rise

There has been rapid growth in the uptake of kayak fishing as a sport in Nelson and New Zealand due to an increasing awareness of environmental concerns and growing pressure upon household incomes. It’s relatively cheap to get started and there is a great network of kayak fishers in our region o ering support and guidance to newcomers. The region o ers excellent opportunities to target many species year-round, but the

summer months bring in those trophy fish without needing to get miles into the bay to target them. Each season, multiple kayak fisherfolk are joining that elusive 20lb snapper club with good size kingfish, trevally, john dory and kahawai also becoming a regular occurrence. Of course, on a slow day, there are always a few gurnard or blue cod to be found for the dinner plate.

Safety is of utmost importance when on the water and unfortunately, the

Doggone It!

Yesterday was a big day, an enduro of the hunting kind. Today has not long dawned but my fuel gauge is already empty, it’s sitting unwaveringly on E - E for all physical reserves already Expended.

The dogs have no regard for my physical or mental state, out here in the backcountry I have just walked them onto fresh pig sign, and they are both intent on locating a leading scent trail amongst the freshly gouged dirt and the scattered dew drops and crushed grass.

Neither Chop nor Nugget give a backwards glance as they lope over the nearest ridge and vanish from sight. They know I am as loyal to them as they are to me, we have an unspoken pact, which is rarely broken.

Soon I see Chop contouring across a distant face, he is tracking at speed. Moments later Nugget appears, following a separate trail. He sights

rapid rise in the number of kayakers out there has also come with a downside – a greater number of kayak related incidents reported by coastguard and boaties. Many of these incidents involve newcomers to the sport, who simply don’t know where to find the right support or advice. The Dawnbreakers’ Fishing Club, and the Top of the South Kayak Fishing Facebook group are very active and full of passionate members willing to support those looking to participate.

his sire, pauses momentarily to assess body language, then changes tack and finds another gear. Within seconds they become a pack of two. Within minutes hundreds of metres are accrued.

On one hand I am filled with pride and excitement –“that’s my boys, look at ‘em go.” On the other hand, I’m filled with dread – especially when the tracker is telling me that the pair are at 1200 metres and still going strong.

If the dog’s potential find was in easy country, and getting there a lolloping lark, I’d be full of hallelujahs and yeah boys. It’s not. It’s steep and ugly and it gets progressively steeper and uglier.

If they should find now, I’ll be full of fecks and yeah nahs. Way away, 1370 metres away, in the nightmare of blu s and sub-alpine toughscrub I hear Nugget issue two barks.

In an instant Chop follows up with a flurry of his deepest and most ferocious

Dawnbreakers will be hosting a one-day Kayak Fishing Competition on November 25, with the support of Nelson Harbourmaster, Maritime New Zealand, OK Fish, Railblaza, Kayak HQ, Hunting and Fishing Nelson/ Richmond and others!

The Dawnbreakers’ Fishing Club hosts a season long competition, open to all members across multiple divisions but it’s the kayak section, which continues to impress. Dawnbreakers’ kayak section members boast an expanding list of achievements in the club’s competition, with kayakers regularly featuring atop the monthly leaderboard, taking out top three placings at the end of the year and featuring in many species category prizes as well. We had two kayakers feature

in major prize categories at the 2023 Snapper Cup competition.

This success attests to the awesome fishing available to kayak fishers in Tasman Bay. Whether you’re competitive or not, there is ample opportunity to get out on a kayak, enjoy the environment, keep fit, clear the mind, and bring home some kai for the table –what’s not to love!

This year, the kayak section has already doubled in size! The growth of our

sport, and the success of some kayak fishing ambassadors in the region has caught the eye of a few sponsors, who have partnered with the club to support the kayak fishing community. In addition to monthly prizes donated by Kaveman Tackle. There’s never been a better time to get involved. Visit dawnbreakers.co.nz and the Facebook pages mentioned above for more information. See you out there!

dog versions of, “stop right there and put your hands up.”

Then it’s on. Both for the two dogs way the hell over there, and for their human now hurriedly on their way to way the hell over there.

Nugget, he of few words, is standing shoulder to shoulder with his Pa and singing his finest song. Chop, 10 years of active hill time under his belt, has done this hundreds of times before. Between them they

at first but as adrenalin glands dump their precious cargo and the bail settles to a steady and consistent far - distant echo, it scales mighty heights and I head into the steep and ugly with gas to burn.

A kilometre and half is a long way in steep and ugly but I make good time, incredulous Nugget is bailing so well. He has a very limited vocabulary and lately the quota of barks has been limited to five or less.

make the hills reverberate with their barks and a staunch old boar stand his ground, albeit reluctantly. My fuel gauge stutters

So today I get there, and Nuggets greets me with a, what took you so long, kind of welcome. Chop bails on, steadfast as always.

I’d expected to find their quarry backed in under a rock outcrop but it’s the other way about. The dogs have their backs to the wall and the boar is secreted in scrub and free to turn and run if he should dare to expose his wrinkled scrotum to his foe.

My rifle scope is full of debris and scattered dew drops and here in the tight confines the light is poor and the obstacles many. Time and again I try to identify the boar’s forehead amidst trees and leaves and to centre cross hairs there, but it’s not to be. Instead, I visually note a particularly bright green shoot immediately in front of the boar’s eye and send my bullet there. When the death throes dwindle and the dogs release their grip, when the boar’s life-blood flows into the leaf-litter and the panting of human and canine cease to labour, I take stock of my situation. Adrenalin has abandoned ship. Lactic acid has taken its place. The fuel tank is emptied, the reserve tank is too. I am done.

There is no way I can retrieve the old boar from his den here in the ‘Never Never.’ No way I can drag or carry him home with me. The dogs accept his heart as just reward and I endeavour to capture the moment with the camera. I take the boar’s jaw as a memento of the day Nugget found his voice and I slowly clamber from this place

The jaw is not huge, the tusks are not exceptional, but I will treasure them and the memory they represent. At home I leave my gory memento on the porch intending to boil it and make it presentable on the morrow.

Coming morning though, I discover the neighbouring farmer’s dog has paid us a visit overnight and made o with the jaw, taken it away to some secret place to gnaw it, clean then bury it. Gone forever are the tusks, which would have had pride of place on the mantle. My in-built fuel gauge rockets up to F within moments, but I can tell you now it’s not F for Full.

6 THE FISHING PAPER & HUNTING NEWS - NOVEMBER 2023

Finding Frank Louise Maich

Subtitled; The life of Frank Erceg—New Zealand hunter, deer hunter, mountaineer, photographer.

Many contemporary hunters may be excused for asking, “Who was Frank Erceg?” because, while his name belongs to an era that produced icons of hunting like the late Barry Crump, Jo Thomson and Mike Bennett, it remains obscured by the mists of time—until now. We look back on the ‘fifties and sixties’ with nostalgia as the pioneer days that saw the prosaic deer culling era morph into the roguish ‘meat hunter days of the fledging venison industry, before developing into sophisticated age of helicopter hunting, live capture and deer farming.

Frank Erceg, a stocky and powerful bloke of Dalmatian descent, stood tall amongst his peers and is fondly remembered as a gentleman, a wit, a character both solitary and gregarious, quiet yet often rambunctious, and an accomplished hunter, marksman, photographer and mountaineer—quite the list of accolades and by no means complete. He shone as a Government culler then professional meat hunter

through the 1950s and 60s but his star was diminished when his life was cut short tragically, just aged 27. Finding Frank is more than the subtitle suggests: as much a journey of exploration, discovery and enlightenment for author and niece Louise Maich as it is a biography of Frank Erceg. A pre-schooler when ‘Uncle Frank’ died in a horrific accident, Maich was fascinated by the tantalising spectre of this handsome, adventurous and seemingly heroic character, she felt compelled to flesh out her ‘one scant hazy memory’ of him.

Impeccably researched over 20 years, the result is an engaging and evocative narrative that spans epochs, peeling back layers of family history, exposing the rawness and frailty of the times and underscoring the trials of immigrants seeking their way in a new country. Set against the backdrop of our pioneering hunting era, Louise fleshes out Frank’s story with interviews of those who knew him, snippets gleaned from countless hours researching archives, articles and diaries, and many anecdotes that combine to create a fascinating yet poignant

read.

Louise also had access to both Frank’s photo archive and that of professional photographer Dave Osmers. Both used high-end gear that produced large format negatives, many of which are reproduced throughout this book—some previously unpublished. The result is a sophisticated hardcover book, beautifully illustrated but with an aura of authenticity.

Finding Frank certainly rates as a ‘must read’ and definitely a book you won’t put down in a hurry. Highly recommended.

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7 Issue 218
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Kaikoura—an angler’s Silverado

Any Kaikoura salmon angler welcomes the beginning of spring and the westerly winds.

The sea flattens o and town becomes infected with salmon fever. Whether it’s 20 minutes in a lunch break or first thing before work, the sounds of rods casting into the surf is sure sign the fish have arrived.

Because the fishery is so accessible, it appeals to a wide variety of anglers.

The deep-sea fisherman find their way back to the shore, the young new angler sets their sights on a piece of silver and the travelling angler finds time in their schedule for a ‘co ee and a cast’. Although, from afar it may seem easy to come to Kaikoura and catch a salmon, the reality is, it’s not a given. The successful anglers put in the time, watch the sea conditions intently, and always fish with sharp hooks. The right gear at the

right time makes all the di erence. Some local advice would be to use a 7-9ft spin set that can handle casting lures ranging from 20-45g. On the sunny calm days, use a lure with a lot of flash. Whereas on the dull overcast days, fish with bold solid colours.

The Kaikoura coastline is rocky and can have waves that dump on to the shore. Try to keep your lure from bouncing on the rocks to minimise the risk of line damage and hooks going blunt. There isn’t a set time of the tide where the salmon come on the bite; instead look for weather windows of light winds and small swell. This is what cleans the sea up and generally speaking, the clearer the water, the greater the chances.

Over the past few years, the salmon fishery has had its ups and downs. Last year didn’t provide many weather windows and so fishing for salmon was challenging. The year prior, there was a

big run of fish over a threeday period but slow fishing either side. So far, the 2023 season has been steadily fishing well nearly all of September. There is a lot of life around, big schools of baitfish, kahawai and sea bird work ups. Hopefully the signs of a good season ahead!

Reminder: North Canterbury Fish & Game are collecting Kaikoura salmon heads for research purposes. If you would like to donate any salmon heads caught this season, please drop them o to Kaikoura Hunting & Fishing during open hours.

9 Issue 218
Bryn Williams
2023 - DECEMBER 27-29, Cromwell 30, Kaikoura 31, Picton 2024 - JANUARY 1-9 Picton 10-16 Nelson 17-19 Abel Tasman 20-21 West Coast dean@imageboats.co.nz 0274 368 055 www.imageboats.co.nz BOOK your time at the helm NOW!
Shane Cross and Tom Murray (to side) showing o their catch

The headlines are stark— Boating Tragedy: Four people are dead and one remains missing after a boat ran into di culty o Te Hapua in the Far North.

Ten people were onboard the recreational charter fishing vessel when it activated an emergency beacon after it began sinking about 8pm on Sunday. Five of those onboard were rescued and were taken to Kaitaia Hospital.

Daryl Sykes outlines the rock lobster fishing industry commitment to maritime safety, in light of the fact that…

IT CAN BE A CRUEL SEA

Once again people have died in a boating tragedy. Those who have survived owe their lives to marine search and rescue personnel. And more often than not it will be a commercial fishing vessel that is first on the scene.

January 2019 and a kayak fisherman drifted about 16km o a remote Wairarapa coastal settlement, sparking a search and rescue e ort. He had been wearing a wetsuit and a lifejacket and had tied himself to his kayak with a light rope.

Commercial rock lobster fisherman Dugald Cameron and his crewmen searched for two hours in rough conditions before finding the kayaker and bringing him safely to shore. The search was coordinated on the local marine radio network.

April 2021 and a trawler style vessel reported distress o the Marlborough coastline. An Interislander and a Bluebridge ferry both responded to the distress call, as did two commercial fishing boats. Around 9:50pm the Interislander ferry located the vessel, approximately four nautical miles out to sea, and one of the fishing boats towed the stricken boat to safety.

June 2023 and a 15-metre sailing vessel was stationed just o the north island east coast at Flat Point when it su ered a rudder malfunction just after 9pm. Rough sea conditions meant the ground tackle was ripped from the deck when the crew tried to anchor against the storm. In dark and foggy conditions with a big sea running, the yacht was swept towards the shore.

Local media reported the Wairarapa Police Area Commander as saying that the severity of the weather conditions meant it “was too dangerous to launch a helicopter rescue in the dark. Due to the urgency of the situation, the closest vessel to help was a nearby local fishing asset, Tai Kahu.”

The Tai Kahu rescue crew

– professional rock lobster fishing skipper Johnny Burkhart, crew member Mark Anderson, and Luke McKay [a crew member from another commercial vessel]

the rescuers, no lives were lost. And similar scenarios are repeated around the coastline in every year –not all of them have happy endings.

based fishermen negotiated with DOC back in the 1980s to have a repeater station installed in the Fiordland National Park. Cape Palliser lobster fishermen

– made it to the yacht at about 11.45pm. “We just gassed it,” said Burkhart. “It was pitch black and foggy, in three-metre swells and

Commercial fishermen have a very personal stake in maritime safety which extends further than their mandatory obligations

established a marine radio network in the 1990s. Those stations each filled extensive gaps in the coastal radio coverage at the time.

rough sea.”

Once the two yachties were hauled aboard the rescue boat with a rope, they were wrapped in blankets and transported as quickly as possible to hospital. The yacht had to be abandoned to the mercy of the ocean, as the sea was becoming wilder. But due to the bravery and skill of

Fishing families have operated coastal radio schedules around the coastline of both the north and south islands for decades and the volunteer radio operators have been formally acknowledged for their services.

John McLellan, an Otago lobster fishermen and maritime safety advocate established Moeraki Marine Radio in 1953 and was the chair and marine search advisor for North Otago Search and Rescue for over 50 years. In 2009, Mr McLellan was given the gold award for the most significant contribution to search and rescue in New Zealand. He also received the Queen’s Service Medal for services to marine search and rescue in 2010.

Meri Leask, Maureen Jones and Carol Brown have been honoured for their contribution as marine radio operators. Collectively, the three women have amassed 116 years of service to Southland mariners. All three ladies have experienced the heartbreak of chatting to a fisherman

under Marine Operator Safety Systems (MOSS) requirements overseen by Maritime New Zealand. Rock lobster fishermen have initiated funded and maintained several marine radio networks which provide a safety net for all mariners and a vital link in the marine search and rescue operations. Te Anau

one day, and then never again. The emotional strain is an aspect that is not often talked about.

As the summer boating and fishing season draws near it is important that all marine users are properly prepared. Vessel and gear maintenance are not the only important tasks Before setting o vessel operators:

• Must check the forecast that the weather is going to be suitable for boating.

• Should trust their instinct and turn back if the wind and sea conditions deteriorate.

• Have no doubt that lifejackets save lives. And take communication devices to call for help if need be.

Ideally two forms of communication should be carried by boaties –such as a VHF radio and a distress beacon. VHF radios can be permanently attached to the vessel, or hand-held VHF radios can be carried on a person or in a grab-bag nearby. Every vessel with a VHF radio acts as a ‘station’ and can come to the rescue of others if they hear a distress alert on the emergency Channel 16, or a local channel.

Power and sailboat operators who get into di culty can get help quicker if they are able alert the crews of nearby vessels and make direct contact with the Maritime Operations Centre. The centre then puts out an alert to all vessels in the vicinity and to the 24/7 Rescue Coordination Centre of New Zealand (RCCNZ). Search and Rescue O cers (SAROs) raise the alarm with Police, Coastguard or other rescuers as required. RCCNZ also monitors signals from distress beacons, which has the benefit of transmitting an exact location.

SAROs then check with the emergency contacts for the registered beacon to learn what rescue services - such as the crews of a helicopters, or Police and Coastguard patrol boatscan expect when they arrive on the scene. This includes how many are in the party and the intended activity, such as fishing or sailing. Be watersafe – don’t be a statistic.

10 THE FISHING PAPER & HUNTING NEWS - NOVEMBER 2023

Death in silent places

The brindle gnu is a strange beast—pretty in an ugly way. It walks with a loping gait, its long black horse-like face crowned with horns that reach out from gnarly bosses to dip and hook back acutely.

Beautiful charcoal stripes accentuate its ash grey flanks—although it comes in many shades—and it talks as though it has a ’gazoo’ stuck up its nose: “Gnu, gnu, gnu!” The brindle gnu is also known as the blue wildebeest and even ‘The Poor Man’s Bu alo’. Why? Because, despite its gangling appearance, du the shot and it’s going to leave you with one hell of a memory.

“Now is a good time to hunt Africa,” PH Sean reflected. “Since COVID there are abundant animals in top nick and less hunting pressure.”

I played ‘tail-end-Charlie’ as the line snaked through the dense vegetation of the East Cape mountains. Ahead, my German clients Freddy von Gimbourn and his mate Nils Poss were

eyes agog as the reality of that first African Safari dawned on them. Freddy had missed the opportunity to take a bruiser of a

the terms and the smart hunters accept a gift when its o ered; it may not be on the wish list but the best animals come this way.

was a clearing under the trees. In that clearing was an old blue wildebeest. He was curled, asleep. Sean’s eyes popped and mine

warthog that morning— German precision got in the way of expeditious shooting—and was now looking for a kudu to salve the wound. However, The Dark Continent dances to its own rhythm.

Over many safaris I have learned that Africa dictates

Sean suddenly froze in the balmy African evening. A slight tilt of his head shifted our gaze to the left and down. Frugality of movement is a prerequisite skill when hunting game that is constantly alert for predators—us included. Within spitting distance

popped also. The Germans looked bored but slightly amused at our reaction. The PH signed that this was a good bull, spread the shooting sticks and nodded to Freddy. Diana, the goddess of hunting, looked on. Freddy shrugged and shook his head. His German

mind was locked on kudu. Sean shrugged, masking his disappointment. Diana winked at me.

The gift was not in the horns, which were large and etched in bovine braille of past battles, but in what was not so obvious. The bull was a loner, old, past his prime and cast out from the herd. There must be a reason for this but it was not immediately apparent.

I caught Sean’s eye and motioned pulling the trigger. Words were superfluous as we both read from the same page.

I stepped up, took the rifle,

chambered a round and settled the crosshairs on the base of the neck. The old bull died in its sleep. It happened that simply. And it was the perfect end. It transpired that the old campaigner had been ousted by a younger contender, gored in the loin and left with a festering wound—death was distant and in concert with su ering. I had circumvented that and the trophy was in the story.

To get more information on future safaris contact darylcrimp@gmail.com or phne +64 21 472 517

11 Issue 218

Softbait secrets

With the weather and water warming, so is the fishing. Spring through summer is the perfect for softbaiting, a super fun and deadly e ective method of targeting a variety of species.

Softbaiting has been around for many years but has never really caught on with Top of the South anglers. Over the past few seasons, we have fished softbaits frequently and extremely e ectively.

The first key element is gear

It’s all about sensitivity. Typically, the rods range from 7-8ft in length—longer if land based—with a line rating between 4-12kg, the most common being 6-10kg. You need a rod with fast action to help with casting and working the softbait e ectively, as well as a bit of backbone to help put the brakes on that monster. There is a wide selection of a ordable rods on the market, like the Okuma Tournament concepts and X factors. If I was to pick one rod, it would be the CD Rods Extrasense; the sensitivity is crazy—you can feel every little touch and tap on the bottom, everything.

Any reel round the 30004000 size with a smooth drag will do, spooled with 10-20lb braid—the lighter you can get away with the better. Mono mainline just doesn’t cut it because of stretch, thickness and lack of sensitivity. Lighter braid cuts through the wind for better casting distance and gives more direct connection to the softball; 16-20lb is perfect for Marlborough. It’s light enough for a good cast but strong enough to put the brakes on big fish. I run 1620lb on my 4000 sized reels on 6-10kg rods and 6-10lb on my super light setups with 3000s or smaller. Even on a super light setup you can still land some pretty solid fish.

Commonly, leaders are either mono or fluorocarbon in the 20-40lb range. If fishing around structure, a heavier leader (like 40lb) is preferred due to its superior abrasion resistance. We connect our braid to our leader using a super slim and strong FG knot—there is no beating it. The back-toback Uni and Blood knots also work fine but aren’t as slim or as strong as the FG.

There are a multitude of jighead options but here is a general guide to choosing

the right one. Hook size: we use 3/0 for 4-5 inch baits, 5/0 for larger profile 5-7 inch baits, and 7/0 for 7in+. Weight depends largely on depth and whether you are drifting or not: we use half ounce out to about 20m with a slow drift or anchored; increase weight for faster drift or deeper water.

What bait is best?

The two most popular types of softbaits are starched-based baits, like Berkley Gulp, and Zman, made from a super tough stretchy material called ElaZtech. The starch style of baits (Gulps) are kept in a solution and have superior scent dispersion but aren’t as durable. They are great when the fishing may be slower or when fishing over sand, as there aren’t as many pickers such as small cod. ElaZtech baits (Zmans) are tougher and super stretchy. These baits are commonly scented with a gel scent rather than a liquid solution.

To increase the appeal of softbaits, give them a smear of a gel scent every few casts. On a slow day, this can really make the di erence, often sealing

the deal for finicky fish. Our favourite scents are from Pro-Cure: bloody tuna, pilchard and anchovy. We find natural colours are best on snapper, while bright orange and red are awesome on gurnard. A couple of standouts over the past few seasons have been the Zman 4in Curly Tailz in Nuclear Chicken, Shiner

and New Penny, as well as the 4in Paddlerz in Nuked Pilchard. Along with the timeless classic the Berkely Gulp Jerkshads in Nuclear Chicken.

Techniques to tantalise

Our best success on spooky Sounds’ snapper and

gurnard has come fishing softbaits slowly through a berley trail, allowing them to sink all the way to the bottom then a slow retrieve with plenty of twitches and flicks to get that softbait working. The key is to mix up retrieves. Try a super slow straight wind or a fast twitch, as you never know what excites the fish. Drift fishing over reefs and drop o s can reward with a variety of species. When drifting, cast well ahead of you, drift and slowly retrieve it back towards the boat. If drifting fast, deploying a drift chute can help slow your drift to a fishable speed. Now is where you get the payo from using light, sensitive gear and braid. Every little bite, touch or grab you can feel. Once you get a decent bite, a quick lift of the rod to set the hook and you are on—then the fun of playing a decent fish on light gear begins. Remember to have the drag set so the fish can run if it needs to and keep the pressure on. Take your time, enjoy the fight and carefully net your fish when it’s ready. Give softbaiting a go—you will quickly see how fun and e ective it is.

12 THE FISHING PAPER & HUNTING NEWS - NOVEMBER 2023
A tank of a Trevally, epic fun on a superlight softbait setup. Gurnard are suckers for a well fished softbait. Paul with a solid Queen Charlotte panny on the softbait

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An after-e ect of the Labour Government is its last-minute (5 October) announcement of Ministerial decisions to establish marine protected areas (MPAs) along the Southeast coast of the South Island. The announcement was to establish six new no-take marine reserves and other types of MPAs.

The announcement followed on from a protracted MPA planning process that cost the former Government around $4 million.

The planning process included a 13-member Southeast MPA (SEMPA) forum comprising marine scientists, Ngāi Tahu, various local interests, including commercial fishers. The forum did not include anyone who represented recreational fishers.

Fish Mainland strongly objected to the SEMPA forum members having been muzzled, unable to publicly disclose proposed plans and points of contention and seek public input, except through consultation.

It should be noted the Southeast coastline is not under threat of fishing, and there are already protected areas, such as mātaitai reserves, that do not

There is a better way to ensure marine protection

meet the protection criteria, so they are not counted.

Fish Mainland is working with local interests to urge the new Government to consider broader protection criteria, along with an overhaul of the planning process.

Brett Bensemann, President of the Dunedin-based Tautuku Fishing Club, says ‘our understanding is that all local fishers are in it together. Where we go for recreational fishing with our families and friends are also the sources of livelihood for local commercial fishers. We must respect each other’s right to be there and work together to preserve it for the future.’

Ate Heinemann, who represented commercial fishers on the SEMPA Forum, says ‘some of the SEMPA forum members who promoted establishing MPAs over valuable fishing grounds showed little, if any, respect for fishers retaining access to those grounds. Some did not realise, or seem to care, that alternative fishing grounds are often cause for concerns about safety, loss of income and exacerbated conflicts between fishing sectors.’

Chanel Gardner, Executive

O cer for the Otago Rock Lobster Industry, says ‘the proponents of the no-take reserves say they will “reduce human interference” and protect “declining fish stocks.” However, the science around the reserves simply doesn’t exist, and where they are located not only prevents commercial fishing for the community but does nothing for our protected species.’

‘The fish stocks around Otago are so well managed that the no-take reserves o er absolutely nothing special to Otago and introduce a whole lot of headaches for our communities’ says Chanel.

Ex-All Black Kees Meeuws says ‘the Otago coastline is too important to many of us to have some vested interests attempt to lock it up and deny us our longstanding right to gather kai, especially when people are going through hard times.’

‘We can do better than that if we work together. We will emphasise to the new Government the need to ensure appropriate levels of protection are applied to the right areas. That way, those of us who fish will be able to continue accessing areas that are

Ate Heinemann – SEMPA Forum Member (commercial fishing)

Chanel Gardner – Executive O cer for the Otago Rock Lobster Industry

Kees Meeuws – Recreational fisher, ex-All Black, former Highlanders Coach

important to us,’ says Kees.

Finally, Fish Mainland considers that MPA planning processes must be respectful of Treaty-based rights to fisheries resources and areas set aside for Māori customary fishing. However, we are concerned the former Government apparently made behind-closed-door deals with Ngāi Tahu to secure their ongoing access and

‘co-management’ of the new MPAs.

Our objection is that all SEMPA forum members and the public should have been informed of any proposed new deals with Ngāi Tahu, and all concerned should have had opportunities to voice their views and have them considered before Ministerial decisions were made and announced.

“Media coverage of the 5 October media announcement stated the MPA decision could be scrapped by the incoming government postelection. This could mean we have a further opportunity to express our objections to the MPAs.”

14 THE FISHING PAPER & HUNTING NEWS - NOVEMBER 2023
From left to right: Brett Bensemann – President of the Tautuku Fishing Club Dunedin & Haast Inc

Successful Whitebait Festival 2023

They travelled from near and far and in all modes of transport to attend the Westport Whitebait Festival at Labour Weekend.

Local choppers took scenic flights over the coast with over fifty flights while stall numbers had doubled from the previous year with 70 .

The indexed rotating clamping system has 3 angle adjustments 12˚, 20˚, 25˚ always keeping your knife in the same place

We were there to celebrate Whitebait and they were used in many recipes to satisfy young and old appetites . Some snapshots of the day - Don't miss out on next years festival likely to be held Labour Weekend 2024 (TBC)

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A legend in the making

The McKenzie Country is home to a world class fishery—the canals and the behemoth browns and rainbows that haunt there. Salmon, escapees from farms, are also a popular bycatch.

I was fishing Twizel canals with the fatherin-law and his Dad, when I lucked onto this thumper 20lber on my third cast. I thought it was a snag at first but managed to coax a bit

of life into it. Not being greedy, I actually shared this fish with an Australian couple who were watching my antics in awe. Imagine the look on their faces when I handed the rod over and let them have a scrap before bringing in a fish of a lifetime. I think it made their holiday. So it was cool to do that.

Mind you, it was no skin o my fillet—I’d already caught a 16lb trout on my first cast!

15 Issue 218
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Mike the magpie

Mike the Magpie’s, collection of rods, reels and lures is always growing. Each season brings an array of new rods, reels and lures, launched with both print and social media marketing to support them. Like other fishing magpies, Mike is attracted to the shiny new gear, and swoops to pick up a bargain.

At the beginning of the year, I was at my local Hunting and Fishing shop, ‘just looking’, when I came across a Daiwa TD 21TD

Black Kohga 66HB-NZ rod in the new year’s sales.

I had an existing Daiwa bait caster reel and thought it

would go nicely with the rod, providing me with a great inner Marlborough Sounds’ light combo for snapper, gurnard and blue cod.

The ‘Daiwa Kohga 66HBNZ is a one-piece rod suitable for 40g to 120g jigs. It is made from a very light, low profile graphite blank, which means it is very responsive, sensitive and casts further. The high tech specs listed on the Diawa website had me hooked.

The magpie could not resist and swooped.

So, how did the rod perform after nearly a season of use?

The Daiwa Kohga 66HB

has performed extremely well. I have enjoyed using the rod and reel combo for some great all day fishing sessions. These next generation rods are noticeably light and thin. Set up with a small bait caster reel, it makes a great unit for fishing all day with light jigs.

Over the last nine months, I have predominantly been using jigs between 40gm and 80gm and have found the rod tip to be very sensitive and able to detect the smallest of bites.

I’m now getting used to the rods’ incredible flexibility, bending to previously

unknown, and frankly, alarming angles compared to my previous traditional boat rods—as I discovered when I hooked and landed a small one metre shark in

Improvement from dedication

Over the last few years, we have had some very keen new members join our club. They have not only stuck with the sport, but have made some impressive improvements in their shooting, getting better and better each time out. We are not a large club with under 30 members, but we do okay, and this has been helped by these new faces. Shooting was not new to a couple of them, as having firearms in both South

Africa and America is quite normal depending on the areas they came from, but shooting in competitions and IPSC matches is quite a di erent thing to what they had done previously. As this is the style we specialise in, that’s the path they joined. We always talk about some of the other styles clubs shoot in our area so new people can pick what suits them the best, but they don’t often leave after seeing what we do. We have

2×2 Electric Motorbikes

Ready

or

a good base of shooting skills and just as importantly very experienced and skilled range o cers, who freely give plenty of advice and coaching. Coaches Johan and Josh have both moved up the ranks and gained Master grade quicky, while also doing a NIOA range o cer training, which is competition referees in other sports. They have added to our club skill base, which also means the so-called friendly weekend shoots are hotly contested. I think we are a bit di erent, because as much as we support each other, taking the mickey out of each other helps keep everyone grounded and no one is safe or o limits to be laughed at and made fun of, including myself.

While these newbies have done well others are very close, Chris, Carl and Charles are doing very well but family commitments have meant a slightly slower rise in grades, but they are improving!

the late autumn. It showed just how much power in the mid-section these next generation of rods have and not to underestimate them. This small light rod

and reel

has become a favourite for all day jigging duties.

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Redcli s turns on the silver Joed Freschso

Whenever I have spare time, I love the challenge of fishing; apart from being relaxing, it requires e ort and you never know what you might catch.

Summer in Christchurch provides the perfect opportunity to sneak to a handy beach and flick a line in the water. Redcli s is a nice spot and an area I target, generally hoping to catch kahawai.

This has been great for my own shooting as I must work to keep ahead of them, which is getting harder to do. I also get a kick out of seeing how proficiently they compete, and the bling always collected at prize giving. IPSC is di erent as we must master the flexibility to adjust with whatever is thrown at us, because every stage is shot but once and they are new each time. So, smoking a stage or blowing one is always a strong possibility as we push our speeds, while still needing good hits.

That’s what keeps us going back. Look up Pistol NZ if you are up for a challenge.

On this occasion, I was using a medium-to heavyup: an 8’ rod, Shimano

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Corvalus bait cast reel, swinging a 40g billy lure with a single hook. It was a classic hot Canterbury day and I had my thoughts fixed on kahawai, so was initially quite delighted to hook up.

However, this beast didn’t

feel like a kahawai and I certainly wasn’t expecting it, but when the flash of silver turned into a magnificent barracouta, I was delighted. It is my first one and a surprise package to say the least.

16 THE FISHING PAPER & HUNTING NEWS - NOVEMBER 2023
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Tips on releasing unwanted sharks safely

Summer is almost here, which means better weather, longer days, and of course taking the opportunity to get out on the water for a spot of fishing.

It’s a good time to think about the part you can play to protect the fisheries that we all enjoy, and how you can help preserve your favourite fishing spots so they can be enjoyed by the next generation.

From time-to-time you may come across a shark that sees your bait as a tasty treat and ends up on your hook. Or you could be targeting certain shark species and accidentally catch another species that you didn’t want, such as a great white shark which is a protected species.

What’s important to remember is that every fish plays a role in ocean ecosystems. Sharks, despite how they have been portrayed in the movies, and rays are particularly important as they provide an indication of ecosystem health by maintaining balance of species below them in the food chain.

If you accidentally catch a shark or a ray, and you don’t want them, it is important that you try to safely release them back into the ocean.  Releasing sharks or other

unwanted species in a way that gives them the best chance of survival makes a real di erence to the health of fisheries, and everyone should try to give unwanted fish the best shot at swimming o as happy and healthy as possible.

Here’s a few tips for releasing sharks to give them the best chance of survival:

• Don’t remove the shark from the water, leave it in as much water as possible, and keep their gills covered with water.

• Carefully remove the hook if it’s possible to do so safely. If not, cut your line as close to the hook as you can. If the shark is in the shallows, guide them back to deeper water by pushing from their tail once the hook has been removed or line cut.

• And always keep yourself safe by keeping an eye on the shark as it swims o .

Check out a video on good shark fishing practice, and how to release sharks properly by scanning this QR code.

and returned to the sea.

For tips on releasing other fish safely scan this QR code.

There are recreational fishing catch limits for sharks, and while it’s not an o ence to discard them we encourage people to release any unwanted fish, including sharks, unharmed. New Zealand waters are home to at least 113 species of shark. Fisheries New Zealand manages the sustainability of sharks using the National Plan of Action (NPOA) Sharks, which was developed in conjunction with the Department of Conservation.  The plan

identifies goals in areas like biodiversity, research, and international engagement to maintain shark populations. Updates to the NPOA Sharks were consulted on at the end of 2022, and a new version of the plan is expected to be released by early 2024. A key focus of the updated NPOA is encouraging best-practice fishing techniques to avoid catching protected and unwanted sharks and to increase their chances of survival after being caught

Some species of sharks, such as great whites, are protected. Accidental catch of protected species is not illegal but deliberately targeting them is. If you accidentally catch a protected shark, you must report it he Department of Conservation – details can be found at www.doc.govt. nz.

For details on the rules head to www.fisheries. govt.nz/rules or download

17 Issue 218

Grilled Rib-eye

1 thick rib-eye steak per serve

1 large flat mushroom per serve.

Tomatoes

Basil or chives

Fetta or blue vein cheese

Salt and cracked pepper

Olive oil

Pre-heat the barbecue until hot and then turn back the heat to medium. Season steak with salt and pepper and a basting of olive oil.

Grill the steaks to the required degree.

Nb. When grilling steaks on the barbecue turn them only once to ensure even texture and cooking. Thicker steaks are easier to cook than thin cuts, because they a ord you more latitude with cooking times. To get a medium steak, cook until the blood just starts to bead on the top surface. Flip and cook for the same time.

Always allow the steak to rest for five minutes before tucking in, as this lets the meat relax and the juices to

re-distribute evenly through the muscle.

Stu ed Mushrooms.

Finely dice enough tomato to top each mushroom and mix in a bowl with chopped basil, a handful of crumbed fetta and a good dose of salt and cracked pepper. Spoon onto mushrooms and drizzle over with olive oil.

Place the mushrooms on a greased hotplate over a moderate heat and allow to cook slowly for half an hour.

Serve with steak, baked potato and crispy salad.

18 THE FISHING PAPER & HUNTING NEWS - NOVEMBER 2023
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Optically Speaking Ant Corke First Thoughts

My thoughts on Pulsar’s new Telos LRF XP50 and Merger LRF XL50

I’ve used the new Pulsar Telos LRF XP50 for a couple of months now and the Pulsar Merger LRF XL50 for a while longer. Both products represent flagships in Pulsar’s thermal imaging product range, the Telos is their best monocular, and the Merger XL50 is their best bi-ocular.

Both products deliver outstanding results, though o er quite di erent viewing experiences. The main di erence is that the Telos is viewed with one eye and the Merger with two. While this seems like an obvious comparison, the user experience is profoundly di erent.

Pulsar Telos LRF XP50

The Pulsar Telos thermal monocular replaces the highly popular and now discontinued Pulsar Helion XP50 Pro. Launched in 2017, the Pulsar Helion became an immediate success, with subsequent models each outdoing their predecessors, culminating finally with the Helion XP50 Pro. The Helion Pro model is a hard act to follow and an obvious benchmark for comparison with the Telos.  In terms of features, the

Telos has some very distinct advantages over the Helion and other thermal imagers generally. I list them as follows:

• The Telos is available with a laser rangefinder, a feature unavailable with the Helion.

• The Telos has a zoom ring on the lens barrel that is easy to zoom in and out. Initially, I confused the zoom ring with the focus ring, however, with practice this ceased to be a problem.

• The Telos is easy to swap from left-hand to right-hand use. I never found this a problem, but for left-handed users this would be a distinct advantage.

• The Telos is factory hardware upgradeable, though no upgrades are yet available.

• The Telos battery can be charged with a wireless cell phone charger and also has a USB-C charging port. These features are brilliant!

The Telos XP50 also has NETD sensitivity of less than 18mK, which is substantially better than the Helion XP50 Pro and all other uncooled thermal imagers. The detail rendered in the image is extremely good as is its performance in rain.

Another very interesting development is the use of

a cast Polymeric housing. Though it is essentially a plastic, Polymeric materials have nanotubes that e ciently conduct heat and are less costly to manufacture than magnesium allow housings. Polymeric polymers are cutting edge technology, kudos to Pulsar for seizing on this new development.

I do have a couple of gripes about the Telos. I’m a little disappointed that the objective lenses cannot be interchanged like with the Helion XP series. And secondly, the record button

is now situated towards the front of the button panel. I like to record often, and I miss the ease of pressing the rear-most button to start and stop recording.

The Pulsar Telos LRF XP50 is a very fine successor to the Helion XP50 Pro. Both models have a 50mm f1.0 lens, 640x480 Lynred sensor and AMOLED HD display. The Telos has a higher sensitivity, which may be a combination of improvements, such as the polymeric housing, improved image processing etc.

LRF XL50

Hapuka Hunt o a Kayak

To go deeper than those before me , that was the goal as Ashley and I set o for Bare Island on the Hawkes Bay East Coast.

We were hunting hapuka and were prepared to go deeper and further in our kayak than had been done before

Our fishing spot was some 8km o shore at a depth of 90m

The fishfinder showed good bait down low and so we set rods , mine with two large blue mackerel strips up on my rod along with a small hook near the sinker just in case there were some smaller mouthed fiish who were keen to bite in this depth.

The fish came fast – a mix of spiny dogfish and some really large Gurnard out of the deep water.

It was straight into bites after they settled down in 86 metres and I soon was bringing up the first fish: A surprise gurnard and a really good one a bit over 1 kg. That small hook was

worth it! Both Ashley and I continued dropping lures and baits down picking up a mixture of I knew in the back of my head I needed to push wider to find better structure, but having a safety conscious mind led me to stick it out in this area which the bait was sitting in. Hapuka have really been hammered o this coast so if I were to get one it’d likely be a juvenile. But in this depth, there was a chance amongst the bait so I kept fishing in hopes that one would find my hooks.

A huge pod of dolphins could be heard in the distance and soon an estimated 3 - 400 individuals were jumping past; we got a close up encounter with the edge of the pod and the many stragglers lagging behind. Very cool to see some many in one huge group!

I began to catch too many dogfish, so I pulled up the rods and headed south to a local wreck in 87 metres.

To my knowledge I doubt

anyone has paddled a kayak to this mark. I know for a fact pup hapuku are caught here so I sent down the baits along with another rod with some Tarakihi hooks.

I quickly pulled up three Tarakihi and was happy that the e ort to paddle out here was worth it. No larger fish came to the baits and after about 10 drifts across the mark it was getting towards 3pm.

With still not a breath of wind it was the perfect day to be out wide o the coast. These fish are going to be a di cult one, and some degree of luck is going to be needed to get a bait in front of one of the few that are left out here. In my mind paddling another 5km to 110m won’t likely make a huge di erence. The joys of paddle power!

It was 5pm as I touched land again, ending an 11hour day in literal perfect conditions. It was warm for this time of year and best of all I had a big bin of tasty fish.

The Pulsar Telos LRF XP50 retails for $7499 which is remarkably good considering it has a laser rangefinder and only costs $200 more than the Helion XP50 Pro.

Pulsar Merger LRF XP50

In a nutshell, I would marry this thermal and have its babies if I could! It is simply the best thermal viewing experience ever.

At $11,999 it certainly isn’t cheap, but neither is a Ferrari. The image quality is spectacular due to its whopping 1024x768 Lynred sensor, 50mm f1.0 lens, AMOLED HD display and its two eyepieces. Looking through it feels natural and the image looks really big compared to a monocular.

The field-of-view is very impressive for a 50mm objective lens, but its zoom magnification is its real strength. These are my findings:

• At base magnification of 2.5x, the image detail is breathtaking because the sensor and display have the same HD 1024x768 resolution, meaning no interpolation is required (artificially generated pixels) to fill-up the display area.

• At 2x zoom, the magnification is 5x and the detail is almost as fine

as a 640x480 thermal at base magnification. Very impressive.

• At 3x zoom, the magnification is 10x and still very good, with enough detail to render di erences in distant objects.

• At 4x zoom, the magnification is 20x. I don’t find this particularly useful because it is di cult to hold the device steady and the image is quite pixelated, though not as much as smaller sensors with a x4 zoom.

Because the Merger’s magnification can be finely adjusted throughout its zoom range, I will experiment with higher magnifications and write about this in a future article. It is hard to pick fault with the Merger, however, I would like to be able to remove 4x zoom from its quick zoom button. Like its popular stablemate the Merger LRF XP50, the XL model is very comfortable, easy to use and is used by Coastguard New Zealand and Police.

The Pulsar Merger LRF XL50 has become my go-to thermal imager. It will take something spectacular to knock it o its perch. Watch this space!

19 Issue 218
Blair Whiting
Merger
Telos LRF XP50
SEE THE UNSEEN Z8i 3,5-28x50 P APPROACHING DISTANCE SWAROVSKI INTERNATIONAL (NZ) LTD. 3/45 Queen Street, Auckland 1010, New Zealand Tel. 04-5954286, optik.sia@swarovski.com, www.swarovskioptik.com BY APPOINTMENT TO HER MAJESTY
SWAROVSKI
SUPPLIER
QUEEN ELIZABETH II
OPTIK
OF BINOCULARS

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