December 2023 - Issue 219 - The Fishing Paper and Hunting News

The one that didn’t get away

Over the years during my fishing career, I have tangled with hundreds of di erent Gurnard all slightly unique in their own way. but none even came close to what was about to unfold on this perfect day out on the water.

While the fishing had been slow and the bin was looking fairly empty the conditions were nothing short of spectacular, there wasn’t a breath of wind and it seemed like everyone else were also taking advantage of the brilliant day.

We had moved around spots and eventually settled onto an old favourite producer in about 75 metres depth, with Tarakihi firmly the target in mind. For a while it was very quiet, eerily so. It was only a matter of time before something had to

Ubco

change.

Slowly the 4 boats who were fishing in the area motored o one by one leaving us alone on the mark.

Despite the huge amount of fish showing beneath us, nothing was interested in feeding.

Like many times before, the tide turned around and

the current slowed to a crawl and the lethargic fish began to spring into life.

Tarakihi began to come over the side at a constant pace and dinner was soon sorted in a short amount of time.

The next bite loaded up properly, bending my rod right over into the water and I scrambled to grab it

out of the holder. The fish kicked away on the bottom for a while before I began to gain some line. From there it was a slow kick all the way to the surface, so it had me wondering what kind of fish this could be.

When a long red fish popped out from under the boat it had me in disbelief,

it was a gurnard but like nothing I had ever seen.

It had a comically large head and was thick right through to its tail and its gigantic wings were the size of dinner plates. I slid the net under and lifted the behemoth into the boat and only then did I start to

realise how special this fish was.

2x2 Electric Motorbikes

Isaac Russell Stihl Shop Nelson

This year, we added the Ubco 2x2 battery-powered bike to our transport options and have found it to be amazing in all sorts of ways.

The Ubco Electric Motorbike is;

• All Electric

• All-wheel drive

150kg carry weight

• 50kph max speed

• 120km max range

We have used the Ubco bike for a number of applications: running the pig dogs during the week, cutting down walking time

to and from hunt locations, stalking in on game where a normal vehicle would simply alert the game to your presence, and of course, just having fun on a bike of this kind.

Recently, I was hunting a local farm with the dogs and opted to take the Ubco with us. As we worked our way up the hill, it was apparent that none of the stock was aware of our presence until we were literally 10 meters away. The near silence that the Ubco generates undoubtedly has its benefits, particularly today. As I rounded the corner, I was

greeted by a small mob of pigs. I immediately stopped as they lifted their heads and looked in my direction, I made no eye contact, and waited for my dogs to round the corner. 20 seconds later, the dogs arrived, and the usual proceeded, 4 dogs on the two bigger pigs while the smaller of the mob scarpered under the fence. In previous hunts, we have driven this track in the vehicle and never seen any pigs in this location, possibly because they would have heard us well o in the distance as we approached. With a 150kg carry weight

max load, I had to be creative getting o the hill. With one pig on the back carrier, the other on the front, and myself at 85kg, we were well over the recommended carry weight, but with it all downhill, we cruised our way down without too much trouble.

If you think the Ubco might be a good fit for your business, lifestyle, or outdoor adventures, please contact Stihl Shop Nelson for a free demo.

https://ubco.co.nz or https://www.nelsonstihlshop. co.nz

I held it up on the ruler and it reached 52 centimetres which tied my personal best, but I knew this fish was in a di erent league weight wise. I got some pictures of the special fish before bleeding and icing it down.

Not thinking of it being a possible record.

Back on the shore, I found some certified scales through the local marine club and got it documented in the books. It weighed 1.75kg, slightly less than its live weight of 1.9kg. This gurnard is now one of the largest ever weighed at the club. What a fish!

Although it would have been a great fish to get mounted, this process is very hard for the average fisher like me to organise, so I got the camera out and documented as much as I could before prepping the giant fillets for the table. Not often the gurnard fillets are more like steaks!

2×2 Electric

Motorbikes

Ready for a hard days work or a weekend of adventure. Our electric motorbikes are built for the task.

Living the Dream –

We were up bright and early hoping to time it right at the boat ramp. Loads of boat trailers were already parked but only one boat in front of us in the queue. Perfect timing, a great start to the day.

We cruised out and chose a spot. but not much was happening to start. Then we started to lose gear left , right and centre. We caught a couple of small fish, then noticed a tonne of barracouta chasing them up, some even surfacing out of the water like dolphins do, so I decided it was time to move.

We had family come from Ashburton that hadn’t caught snapper before so we were hoping we could change that. The pressure was on so we shifted to a di erent spot.

Riley’s line started going o , after a solid fight and a lot of excitement he bought in a 64-centimetre snapper, his first and he was stoked. Then Dave caught his first snapper, not as big as Riley’s but a great first snapper. It was slow fishing but catching great fish when we did hook up.

I was chatting away and felt a massive tug on my line.

“Fish on!” I shouted to the others.

Line was peeling and I knew it was something sizable, the snapper nods started, and the excitement grew. After losing quite a bit of line, I turned the tension up a bit, it didn’t help! Line was still peeling, tension up a little more, but line was still running o . I managed to get a bit back, a few more solid runs and my rod bending like you wouldn’t believe.

Lisa Lam

I could feel something flicking the line, which made me nervous, I didn’t want to lose this fish. Everyone went to my side of the boat, finally we had colour! As it came closer and closer to the surface, it was getting bigger and bigger, and we could all see what a stonker it was. Got it in the net then it popped out due to its size, a second grab and it was safely in the boat – phew!

Lots of excited words, woo-hooing, high fives and a smile that eventually made my cheeks hurt. It was my PB snapper and quite possibly a one in a lifetime fish. Weighing in at 20lb 12oz with a length of 82 centimetres, I couldn’t believe it.

Diving - my new hobby

We are so fortunate to live in Nelson with an amazing fishery right on our doorstep, we feel like we are living the dream.

Blair Whiting

I recently decided to pursue something di erent this summer, so I went out and got some basic diving gear and sent out the word for a dive buddy.

Gav Herewini was nice enough to o er his experience to help me through the basics.

We got a weather gap and shot out to the island to begin my first trip out with the new wetsuit and mask. We began shallow and quickly got into some crayfish in under 2 metres

of water. I somehow pulled a crayfish out on my first attempt, so that goal was ticked o very quickly. Next was diving with some big Red Moki and Marblefish in a gutter. I’ve never been up close with many of these species, so it was cool to be down there with them and experience what they were up to day to day.

After this, it was time to collect some Kina, and we found a good patch out a little deeper. I wasn’t looking to push my depth too hard. Still, since I had a

swimming background when I was younger, 4 metres was a piece of cake after the warmup, and soon I was heading up and down, grabbing three kinas at a time. I even looked in a few holes and pulled a few more crayfish out, all small so they were let go.

It was now time to try and tick the next box, which was securing my first fish on a speargun.

It was hard to tell for someone new like me, but eventually, I was diving to a decent depth around the

6 to 8-metre mark. Slowly, I was getting used to the gun, taking a few shots at fish and missing all of them! I lined up on a leatherjacket later and pulled the trigger only for the safety to be on, something I would do a lot throughout the afternoon. Throughout the next few dives, nothing really stood out to me apart from a nice Blue Cod, but I didn’t take a shot since judging the fish’s actual length was di cult. The final few dives my breath hold was getting longer as I relaxed into the

diving. After settling on the bottom and turning 180 degrees, a nice Butterfish was swimming behind me. I swam forward and took the shot, hitting the fish in the middle of the body.

Job done! It was a nice one for my first, and I filmed some spectacular videos, too.

I spent plenty of time taking in the di erent species and learning as I went how tough it is reloading a speargun. I started to be more selective about which shots I took.

Eventually, I swam up on two big Butterfish as I came over some kelp, and I lined up the bigger of the two. My shot missed and went low, somehow fluking the other Butter that had swum behind him, getting me back on the board with some luck. This was just the surface of a great day out under the water, and I’m sure I’ll see some more spectacular things in the future.

Young Fish – networking for young people in the seafood industry

The seafood industry is diverse and includes several opportunities for employment across the seafood supply chain. From fishing and marine farming to seafood processing, marketing and science.

In 2002, a group of likeminded young individuals from the aquaculture sector saw an opportunity to support talented young people making their mark and finding their pathway in the seafood sector.

When Josh Wyber, Ben Pierce and Maegen Blom got together to chat and catch up on industry news, it was obvious to them other young people (under 35) could also benefit from the opportunity to network with others in the industry and

Book Review

have an avenue for support.

The networking group, Young Fish, was formed and has now been operating for just over a year from their first event. Co-founder Ben Pierce has been instrumental in promoting

words, on how Young Fish is going.

“The work started with the creation of the Young Fish branding, our website and our social media. This provided a recognisable platform to

the group more widely by attending and presenting at several events this past year.

Ben recently updated Seafood New Zealand with the following, in his own

grow the network and gain some traction. This sleek new branding made our vision feel so much more real. It felt there was truly something there to

be excited about and the reaction from within the industry spoke for itself.

Since then, it’s been a blur! We’ve hosted eight networking events across the country, from Twizel to Auckland, attended careers days and spoken to Marlborough Boys College. Along the way, we’ve amassed a network of more than 140 people and counting, with a diverse mix of fishers, marine farmers, foodies, scientists, lawyers and students. It’s this diversity of connections where I believe the true value of our work is found. I’d like to express my sincere gratitude to those who’ve helped make this happen. FirstMate, the NZ Federation of Commercial Fishermen, Aquaculture New Zealand, Seafood New Zealand, Moananui and the countless companies that have contributed to date, thank you.

So, what is on the horizon for Young Fish?

We’re working towards three core objectives:

• Attracting young people to the sector

• Building social and professional relationships

• Developing our young people to help them progress their careers.

To do this we’ll be attending public events, universities and schools and we’ll be further developing our social media presence, to share our stories and raise awareness of the opportunities in our sector.

We’ll continue to organise regional Young Fish events, with a goal to reach more new fishing ports in the coming months. Finally, we’ll aim to provide development opportunities such as maritime training, leadership training, and skills development, and there’s certainly more to come.

I love books. I love reading books. And I love aeroplanes—old ones from bygone era that rattle and smell of avgas and dope stretched canvas. I’ve never been a fan of co ee table books—now called large format books—but I have been known to eat my words before.

From the stable of Nelson publisher Potton & Burton and New Zealand’s leading aviation photographer Gavin Conroy, comes Vintage Aviators—a remarkable historical account of the magnificent flying machines that flew in World War I. Packed with stunning air-to-air photography and illuminating text, the book showcases Sir Peter Jackson’s extraordinary collection of vintage aircraft. Jackson’s company The Vintage Aviator Limited (TVAL) specialises in restoring or reproducing vintage or antique aircraft and Conroy has dedicated 20 years to photographing them, amassing over 80 flights and 40 hours flying time. The photos are stories in themselves; worth lingering over and revisiting time and again.

Conroy’s art is supported by historical text by David McDonald and vignettes from modern day pilots of these beautiful planes.

We will be pulling together a small committee to help deliver these outcomes, so stay tuned as this could be a great opportunity for the young people in your organisation.

"The most rewarding part of the Young Fish journey so far is when my peers reach out to share just how much Young Fish has helped them and to watch them grow in their own careers. These people are my reason why I am onvolved and these people are the future of our industry".

Find us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn or via our website (www.youngfish. co.nz) to stay up to date. Look forward to seeing you soon.

The combination makes for very engaging and insightful reading; not daunting but smooth ‘cup of co ee’ sized reads. While this is going to be a ‘must have’ for aviation bu s, it has a far wider reach. Vintage Aviators is a reflection of of the old ‘Kiwi can do’, an example of how New Zealand can lead the world in yet another arena, thanks to the interest and wealth of Sir Peter Jackson. Fascinating and worth the read purely from an interest point of view. Highly recommended.

Potton & Burton

RRP $80

With our insulated constructions panels we can design, supply & construct freezers, coolstores, portable chillers, wineries, residential buildings (baches and homes), modular buildings (eg. site o ces, admin rooms, smoko rooms, store rooms), toilets/ablutions and more. Visit our website & look at our projects

Photo credit: Young Fish website

Emma Taylor, Fisheries New Zealand’s Director Fisheries Management

If you’re fishing from a boat, you’re likely to grab the attention of a hungry seabird or two. As nature’s fish finders they’re a good indicator of what’s below the surface, so they can be your best friend. But if they get too close and end up on your line, do you know what to do?

With around 145 seabird species, including many albatrosses and petrels, calling New Zealand’s waters home we have one of the most diverse seabird communities in the world, and we want to make sure it stays that way.

While there are many threats to seabirds, the key threats are being accidentally caught in fisheries, invasive predators, disease, pollution, and an ever-changing climate.

As a fisher, you have an important role in keeping seabirds safe when you’re out fishing. The best way is to take every step possible to avoid them. But if you do accidentally catch a seabird what you do next can make a huge di erence.

It’s important that you keep

an eye on any seabirds that are hanging around your boat. Our feathered friends have excellent eyesight and sense of smell so they’ll certainly figure out where you are and will be keen to swoop in for an e ortless feed o your line. Unfortunately, this puts them at risk and could ruin a perfectly good fishing trip. So, what should you do if you accidentally catch a seabird?

The most important thing is to handle them very carefully. It’s much like handling an undersized fish – the way you treat a hooked seabird will make a big di erence to its survival.

• Gently capture the bird in a landing net and get it onto your boat,

• Wrap it in a towel and hold its feet firmly,

• Hold its beak but take care not to cover the nostrils,

• Cut the line from the hook, and use small pliers to flatten the hook or cut it with bolt cutters, then pull the hook out,

• If the hook is swallowed, cut the

line so there’s nothing left to get tangled on things, and

• Release the bird at water level.

At Fisheries New Zealand, we’re proud supporters of the Southern Seabirds Trust’s important work to raise awareness of protecting seabirds – you can find out more about this on their website: www. catchfishnotbirds.nz

How can you avoid seabirds altogether?

We know that fishers don’t go out to catch seabirds, so here’s a few pointers below , with pictures to help you actively avoid them.

So, when you’re out fishing, remember to take steps to e ectively avoid catching seabirds and keep track of all your fishing gear to ensure nothing is left behind. Anything you leave could harm seabirds or other marine life.

Most New Zealand seabirds are protected by law and it’s an o ence to deliberately harm them. It’s not illegal to accidentally capture a protected seabird, but if you do you must report it to the Department of Conservation (0800 DOC HOT – 0800 362 468).

and shearwaters follow boats and attack baits above and under the water. Sink bait

Diving birds like gannets and terns work boil ups (a school of fish).Fishing around the sides and rear of the boil up minimises the chance of entangling them.

are attracted to small fish and live bait. Using larger live baits will deter them. You may want to move on if you’re catching small fish anyway.

are attracted to used or fresh bait. Cover your bait, and don't leave unattended baited rods in the rod holders.

Petrels

Shags

Seagulls

THE ROCK LOBSTER KITCHEN

Live or Frozen?

The Animal Welfare Act 1999 applies to everyone handling crustaceans, including recreational fishers and home cooks. Killing a crayfish, crab, rock lobster or kōura in a manner which causes unreasonable or unnecessary pain or distress is an o ence under the Animal Welfare Act 1999.

Crustaceans are coldblooded animals. When their temperature is reduced (4°C or less) their activity slows and eventually they become insensible. Live crustaceans reduced in temperature until no movement occurs on handling can then be further processed.

If you cannot pot or dive for your own lobsters, you can buy them direct from commercial fishermen or from reputable seafood dealers.

Ideally, lobsters should be obtained live and eaten the same day. Storage and handling are vital and can a ect the flavor as the meat deteriorates quickly. Healthy lobsters have long antennae and act lively when handled. Live lobsters move their legs. The ‘tail’ of a live lobster curls under the body and does not hang down when you pick it up.

Whether you have caught it yourself or purchased seafood fresh or frozen, always keep it cold. Never leave perishable items in a hot car unless packed in ice or in a cooler; all seafood products must be kept cold to ensure peak quality. Keep your refrigerator temperature between 2 and 4°C, and your freezer at 0°C or colder. Plan to use your seafood purchases within one to two days or freeze them.

Under ideal cool, damp storage conditions, lobster can live out of water for up to 36 hours. If you do have a live lobster, be sure to put it in the refrigerator covered with a damp cloth as soon as possible and cook within 12 to 18 hours. Do not let it sit out at room temperature for more than half an hour and never put a live lobster in fresh water for storage purposes.

Do not let frozen seafood defrost and then return it to the freezer. To prevent frozen seafood from defrosting on the journey from the shop to the kitchen keep it wrapped in several

layers of paper or use an insulated picnic bag.

Boiling

Cooking live lobsters is inhumane and will also cause mess, leg loss, and leakage of internal organs and produce a generally inferior product. Best practice is to stun the lobster by submerging in saltwater ice slurry or placing in a deepfreeze for at least 20 minutes, until limp and unreactive.

Place a freshly dispatched lobster in a pan of boiling salted water to cover and return water to boil. Be sure the pot is large enough, so the lobster is completely submerged. Boil a 600800g lobster for 10 minutes. When boiling lobsters, be sure to save the water from the pot. It will be richly flavoured and make a good stock. After boiling whole lobsters, remove from the pot and pierce the head to let the boiling water drain out.

Putting a clean towel over the whole lobster before cracking and or de-shelling will trap messy splatters.

Steaming

Use seawater or salted water. In a large pot, bring about two inches of water to a rolling boil over high heat. Drop in the lobsters, one at a time. Cover and return to a boil as quickly as possible. When water returns to a boil, cook approximately 15 minutes for a 600– 800g lobster.

When cooking is complete, the lobsters should be removed from the pot and left to drain and cool before shelling or wrapping.

Grilling

Par-boil lobsters in boiling salted water for five minutes. Remove the lobsters and immediately put into a large pot/bowl of cold water to stop the cooking. You can drain the lobsters and store in the refrigerator if you do not plan to grill them right away.

Using a sharp knife, slice the lobster down the middle, easiest to cut legs side up. Remove the black vein from the tail and the internal organs. Baste the lobster meat with some oil or melted butter. Grill the lobsters belly side down for five to six minutes, or until the flesh is just beginning to look opaque. Turn the lobsters over, baste again and continue to cook for four to five minutes longer, or until the lobsters are cooked through.

How to Store Lobster Live lobster can be stored in a damp cloth at 4°C in

the refrigerator. Live lobster needs to breathe and should never be placed in a sealed plastic bag or in a container of water. To freeze lobster, it should first be cooked and drained. It can be frozen as is or with shell removed. Allow the meat to cool before putting into freezer containers. Cover the meat with brine made of 10ml of salt per 250ml of water, two tablespoons of salt per cup of water. The meat can also be stored in air-tight freezer bags and kept in the freezer for one month.

Cooked lobster in the shell can be stored in the refrigerator for up to two days if placed in a tightly covered container. With or without its shell, cooked lobster will keep for one or two days in the refrigerator. Lobster should never be left at room temperature for any length of time. To avoid unpleasant odours, lobster should not be refrigerated while still hot.

Whole cooked lobster can be frozen in individual heavy plastic bags. Place the lobster in the bag, being careful that the sharp shell does not puncture the bag, cover with a brine solution, seal tightly and freeze immediately.

Whole cooked lobster can also be frozen in plastic containers with tightly fitting covers. Pack the lobster in the container, cover with a brine solution, leaving a 25mm headspace to allow for the ice expansion, cover tightly and freeze.

To thaw lobster, place it in the refrigerator and allow 15 to 18 hours defrosting time per 500g. To speed up the defrosting time, place the package under cold running water for half to one hour per 500g.

When preparing dishes using frozen cooked lobsters, do not defrost them first. They will retain more flavour. Add the frozen meat last to hot dishes and sauces and heat until just warmed through so it doesn’t toughen. Keep raw and cooked seafood separate to prevent bacterial crosscontamination.

After handling raw seafood thoroughly wash knives, cutting surfaces, sponges and your hands with hot soapy water.

Fish safe, food safe, and eat well and compliments of the season to you and your dinner guests.

Cooked lobster should be refrigerated and consumed within two days.

NUTRITION

Not only is lobster meat lower in fat, calories and cholesterol than beef, pork and even the leanest chicken, but it is also rich in Omega-3 fatty acids,

2 shallots, finely chopped 10 peppercorns

1 bay leaf

300ml vermouth

500ml fish Stock

which are helpful in the prevention of heart disease and hardening of the arteries.

Lobster meat also contains high levels of certain vitamins, such as vitamin A, B2, B3, B6 and B12, and is also a good source of potassium, calcium, zinc, phosphorous, iron, magnesium and amino acids.

BAR MERCATO - Nick Bergin’s Roasted Southern Rock Lobster with Vermouth Cream Serves 2

1 Southern Rock Lobster, spilt in half and cleaned

300ml cream ½ bunch finely chopped chives

30gm cold butter

Extra virgin olive oil

Sea salt

In a small pan combine the shallots, peppercorns, bay leaf and vermouth. Reduce by half until you achieve a syrupy consistency. Now add the fish stock and reduce by half again. Now add the cream and reduce until thickened and set aside, make sure it isn’t reduced too much at this point; you don’t want the sauce to split.

For the lobster, preheat an oven to 220C. Place the lobster on a tray and give a good drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and a sprinkle of sea salt. Place the lobster in the preheated oven and cook until the lobster is still slightly opaque in the middle – approximately five to 10 minutes depending on the size. Remove from the oven and allow to rest. Meanwhile, place the sauce back over the heat and bring to the boil. Remove from the heat and whisk in the cold butter. Now add the chopped chives to the sauce.

Place the lobster on the plate and top with the vermouth cream. Finish with another sprinkle of sea salt a good drizzle of olive oil.

Catch preparation - Tenderising the Taonga

Storm Stanley Chair - Pāua Industry Council

For this article we thought it timely to share some tips for that most critical part of seafood preparation, how to tenderise pāua.

Pāua have been a treasured food source in this country since humans arrived. You can bet that the first feeds that the brave souls who first arrived here by waka had included fresh pāua.

While pāua are a top food source, tasty, high in protein and essential vitamins and minerals, they are notoriously tough textured.

Elsdon Best records that Maori had a very e ective tenderising technique;

“ The paua is a shell-fish of marvellous toughness, hence natives often buried them in the earth until that quality became modified. When using as food they would present the appearance of a compact mass that might be cut as cheese is.”

This approach is not uncommon around the world, in Iceland and on the Faroes for example it’s still best practice to bury shark meat in sand for a while to render it more palatable. There it is referred to as “fermented”.

You could try that approach. But there are quicker other ways to make your catch more palatable for eating

Firstly, always treat your

shellfish carefully when catching and taking home. Try not to stress them, the more relaxed they are the better the result. Once caught don’t leave them in the sun or wind - keep them cool and moist by covering with a wet hessian sack or seaweed.

Most recipes benefit if the pāua is tenderised. Even if mincing the meat, you get a more palatable and popular result if tenderised first.

Try these ideas;

1) The natural bash method - As soon as you are out the water shuck out the meat with your paua tool or thumb and clean sand and grit o with a scrubbing brush. Then pick a suitably shaped heavy rock. Put the pāua into a clean cloth/ sack or catch bag and rest on a flat boulder. Use your chosen rock as a hammer and bash the pāua hard a couple of times in the middle of the foot. Then softer blows around the outside. You should feel the meat relax and it will become soft to the touch. Wash in salt water. Job done.– do not throw shell and o al back to shellfish beds, it will attract pāua predators to your diving spot. Ideally you would leave them in the fridge for 24 hours to let them relax further. You can then cook or freeze them. If freezing they will be tender when you thaw them. Importantly, be aware that fisheries rules require pāua to be landed in a measurable state, which

means being in the shell (unshucked) above the high water mark. To avoid issues it pays to keep the shucked shells so they can be checked if you are processing immediately after your dive

2) Parboil – At the beach, or at home have a big pot of salty water heated to around 65-70O, just too hot to put your hand in. A good version is to use water you just cooked the crays in. Then simply drop the whole pāua in and leave for about 2 minutes, a few at a time. Alternatively place 2 or three in a bowl at a time and simply pour boiling water from the jug directly to submerge them. Then remove from water and when cool enough shuck out with your thumb. After parboiling pāua are far easier to shuck. The fish will be tender, and the roe and skirt firm enough to tear away whole.

3) Brute force in the kitchen – Get the pāua home and shuck and clean. Then wrap in a clean cloth that is not a valued heirloom tea towel (though according to Crimpy high thread count Egyptian cotton is best!) and lay on a firm hard base. Like the chopping block. Then using a rubber or steel hammer thump it on the underside fairly hard in the middle, then around the outer edge. Flip it adductor muscle up and repeat, but a little more softly. When done properly the muscle relaxes and it feels soft to the touch. Don’t worry

if the meat splits, it might not look great but it will taste fine and if you are slicing or mincing it won’t be seen.

4) Freeze and bash – Shuck, clean and then vacuum pack in a single layer and stick in freezer till needed. When you need a feed thaw out and, leaving the meat inside the plastic vacuum pack, hammer with your trusty pāua tenderising device. This method, while not as good as points 1 ,2 & 3 above, has the advantage of being mess free as you simply remove the meat and bin the bag.

On vacuum packing. Buying a small domestic vacuum packer would be one of the best investments you ever make. Simply essential to maintain quality of fish or game, but especially shellfish, when freezing.

5) Finally for this article another customary practice to try. Elsdon Best also records that ;

“Paua were placed in fresh water and allowed to remain therein for several days before being eaten, and that the place used for the purpose was referred to as “wai paua”.”

This is probably a low stress way as the paua simply “close down “ in cold fresh water, it is after all one of the ways suggested to humanely kill rock lobster. But do make sure the creek you pick is a clean one.

With your catch now suitably tender don’t

overcook. That will toughen meat. Treat it as you would a medium rare steak just sear it whole for a couple of minutes each side, then if you want slice it thinly once cooked. In these times of looking for new ways to use the whole fish, rescue the skirt part of the paua , this makes really good minced patties, sausages or creamed paua . And try the hua/roe. Simply fry in butter with seasonings. It can taste bit like asparagus, rich but

tasty and is an under rated treat.

Editors note - If you have any favourite tried and true methods for tenderising pāua catch please send them in to the editor, Fishing Paper and Hunting News and we can share them with our readers. Bon Appetite !

The key ingredients for tenderising. Catch tool and shucker, cleaned pāua and a blunt instrument

Coastlines

I had a bit of a hiatus at the start of this season.

Normally, just like the rest of you I’m set to go at ‘sparrows’ on the glorious first, but this year, tardy doesn’t even come close.

Oh, and talking of sparrows, they were the reason I didn’t get away to a fine start. See, I’ve always wanted to do a children’s story and as the season edged closer, I was in the thick of editing and then selling my wee book about, yes, sparrows. Called ‘Spadge,’ it follows the escapades of a flock of sparrows and how their choices a ect their wellbeing. Illustrations by a friend of mine are superb. Now before this drifts into a full blown commercial, here comes the full stop.

This year I finally got to wet a line in November! First stop was our local fishing shop to buy the obligatory license and replace yet another hat that had blown o into the lake or been lost somewhere. Think my last one was left in the campground at Mount Somers during the High Country opening last year.

Ivan Wilson

I’d bought it in Calgary around 2016, wore it all over British Columbia and to think I lost it so close to home.

Matey, behind the counter asked me if I was after a Loyal Senior’s license and I said yes, then he told me it was $130! Loyalty is getting expensive. Decided to take the Canadian, Temple Forks Outfitters two piece I’ve always kept for ‘best’ rather than have it sitting doing nothing.

The forecast storm had blown through, so the lake would be high enough to quietly float into the shallows amongst the trees and bring a fish or two to the fly, or the fly into a tree. But hey, wait a moment, life caught up with me again and I had to ignore the adage about early birds and worms, so the vehicle and boat were NOT nosed out the gate at an indecent hour and pointed toward Lake Brunner. Nope! I grabbed an hour and went walkies across the boulders of the very lumpy Grey riverbed to a nice hole, where there’d been past success when whitebait were around. Given the fact the little blighters frequently run AFTER the season ends, I tied on a pattern that loosely represents this migratory

galaxiid and was mildly surprised I didn’t need my glasses to complete that task.

A light wind was hitting my left cheek so casting across this, the line went out nicely and swung around to bring the fly down through the hole in the approved fashion and a hit was expected any moment. The moment turned into minutes and by the time the water had been worked through, no takes or touches were felt, nowt, nil, nada, zilch. You get the idea, but I was out there doing it, wetting a line and whetting my appetite for more piscatorial endeavours.

Staggering back across the boulder field towards the car I picked up a hand shovel in good condition, which might be useful for any of my future columns! At home a vehicle parked outside told me visitors had arrived while I was away, and my wife was most surprised to see me back so soon.

“We’ve got the strippers arriving shortly,” quoth she! Her mother said to me on our wedding day, “it won’t be dull.”

Think she was right.

The Deacon of maritime art

The ozone ambience of an old Devon crab fisherman’s shed is as pervasive as turps; it ‘gets into your eyes, ears and nose’, says Paul Deacon. The shadowy confines, cluttered with maritime detritus— willow crab pots, cork floats, barnacle encrusted rope and the like—also made a great playground for Deacon as a youngster, which kindled a deep interest in the ocean that, under the tutelage of his artist mother, morphed into a long career as a maritime artist.

Now retired in Nelson

New Zealand, 70 year old Paul Deacon remains as tethered to the nostalgia of his father’s crabber’s roots as he does his beloved oil paintings. Retired some years from his real job, I asked why he had not hung up the palette and brushes too, and the answer was somewhat like a nervous tick; he can’t get through a day without doing something creative. Wife

Jillie echoes the sentiment:

“In the 52 years we’ve been together, he’s never taken a day o —I often wear turps instead of perfume, just to get his attention!”

Inspired in his formative years by the English coastline, harbour villages, shipping activity and days fossicking the tidelines, the seed to become a maritime artist was germinated during a stint in the merchant navy. Paul’s artistic flair was

noted and he became in hot demand painting nautical scenes for the crew ‘for beer money’.

Now arguably New Zealand’s foremost maritime artist, Paul describes his career as a relentless journey, always striving and continually developing, both technically and artistically. He buys top quality paints—Old Holland—and has amassed a library of reference books so his art reflects historical accuracy while capturing the more intangible moods of the time. As an exseafarer and established artist, Paul has an astute understanding of the sea, of ships, atmosphere, light, movement and space.

“I aim to create, in colour , on canvas, the drama that wasn’t captured on camera!”

His passion lies with the sailing era, with a special interest in Captain Cook’s ships the Endeavour, Resolution and Discovery, and the role they played in establishing the fledgling New Zealand.

“In some sense, I am generating and bringing to life a visual maritime history of New Zealand—I am hoping my paintings will resonate and connect

Daryl Crimp

with people on an emotional level while being underpinned by historical accuracy.”

Whilst Paul sees himself painting for at least another ten years—“As long as the hands and eyes permit”—his immediate future is more prescribed.

The Artspace Gallery in Petone is hosting a special exhibition of Paul’s maritime paintings over summer, commencing 20 January. The exhibition focuses on the arrival of the first immigrant ships to Wellington (Port Nicholson) in 1840—the first being the Aurora on 22 January. Petone was the initial landing place, while the Bolton and later ships disembarked their passengers at Thorndon.

Paul says the exhibition, suggested by gallery owner and maritime artist Alfred Memelink, was a huge challenge.

“While I do a lot of commissioned paintings, I had never attempted a cluster around a specific theme, so it involved a lot of research and painting over a condensed timeframe.”

The ten month odyssey produced 12 works, which portray a mix of realism and artistic license to recreate

the spectacle and vibrancy of these consequential arrivals. The works are classic Deacon: the capturing of history in the making.

Visit: https://www. pauldeaconnauticalart.co.nz/ or for more information on the Artspace Gallery exhibition www.memelink. nz

Canterbury A&P round -

www.nz.ooni.com

www.petermunro.nz

www.wigrambrewing.co.nz

Introductory offer

Suppressor range 222 through to 30-06 41mm diameter 9” Hybrid “Cleanable”

We have two multi calibre suppressors available in the hybrid model and this is possible because the hybrid ba e system has tight tolerances allowing the small ranges of calibre. The hybrid ba e system also lowers the risk of stray bullets and bullet strike

• The first is suitable for 22 Hornet through to 243 including, 222, 223, 22-250, 243.

• The second suppressor is suitable for 6.5 through to 30-06 including 6.5 prc, 270, 7mm-08, 284, 280, 308, 7.62 x 39 etc (not including 300 PRC or belted magnums).

• 9” in length (230mm), sits 4” forward & 5” back over the barrel (this is a “fixed” length and cannot be changed or added to)

• Weight 360 – 370grams (alu internal muzzlebrake 5-6,000 rnds)

• Colour - Black

The 41mm 9” suppressor is most suited for those who like to clean their suppressor.

www.glicaravans.co.nz

www.kiwiwaders.co.nz

www.imageboats.co.nz

www.mtngear.nz

www.smokeandspice.co.nz

www.coopertires.co.nz

Old Harley Red & shanks pony

My feet hurt. We had been walking all day—15 to 20 kilometres—but the distance didn’t even register as a nervous tick on the vast semi arid landscape that is the Greater Karoo. I’d returned to this beautiful East Cape region in August 2023 to enjoy another solo safari with good mate and PH Pete Wenham, who owns a huge property where the only evidence of Man is the occasional windmill and water reservoir.

Nature owns this domain: an expansive vista of plains, gulches, and plateaus stretching half a step beyond the limit of one’s vision and necklaced with a rim of chiselled mountains, alien-like rock formations and pillars… monuments to a forgotten time. And animals too. Plains game. A dozen or so species, scattered in herds; some interspersed and some keeping their own

company.

It was these animals now that were the cause of my aches and frustration: springbok, blesbok, zebra and gemsbok. None were what I was after but they were the eyes of the plains and, in concert with the shifting wind, were alerting my quarry of our every move. Snorts, flicking tails,

sane individual would find the ugly horse-faced critters with ‘Harley Davidson’ horns and ungainly gait appealing, but linger long enough and Africa will tip you on your head.

My penchant was to hunt old animals past their prime; they’d contributed to the gene pool and outwitted many hunters over time

Africa, that wily old animal led us one hell of a merry dance—K after bloody K under the hot African sun.

Over a sundowner in front of the stone mountain lodge, Pete suggested a change of tactics. My feet ached and now my backside puckered at the thought of what was to come.

“You alright?” Pete asked

sudden flight and drumming hoo eats all kept the wily old red hartebeest apprised of our attempts at subterfuge.

When I’d first hunted Africa nearly a decade ago, I had no desire to hunt a hartebeest. In fact, I couldn’t have imagined why any

so proved a challenging adversary. There were a few to chose from.

“Let’s put my initials on one I like and not stop until we get him,” I said to Pete. “Make it a proper challenge.” He was good for the task.

Well, thanks to the eyes of

as the sun crested the horizon.

I’d never ridden a horse before so NO I was not alright! But my nag was accommodating and I quickly eased into this style of hunting. Apart from the ‘di erent’ view the high roost a orded,

Daryl Crimp

Pete explained that skittish animals were less wary of other animals than sticklike men. Even so, it took a good half day to locate old ‘Harley Red’ and he was nervous at the sight of us.

He pranced about, kicking up dust and tossing his horse-like head then, as we closed to 300m, bolted out of sight.

We left the horses with the tracker under the crest of a rise and mounted shanks’ pony. A vast plateau stretched ahead. No sign of Red. Fortunately, Pete had sent another tracker to a distant knoll as lookout and he now radioed a SITREP—old ‘Harley Red’

had encountered some companions while making his escape and they’d turned him back toward us. The only cover on this stretch of savannah was a lone bush and here we set up our ambush. Fortuitously, the hartebeest wandered past in single file 200m out. Pete identified old ‘Harley Red’ and I picked him up in my Swarovski scope. The .300 REM MAG reached out and put a full stop to the perfect hunt—one that was not without uncertainty, e ort and challenge. And the old hartebeest died cleanly without knowing we were there.

Crimpy surveys the savannah from horseback

Old Harley Red

Keeping kiwis who collect and eat shellfish safe

Haumaru Kai Aotearoa, New Zealand Food Safety

Locally gathered shellfish are currently o the menu in some parts of Aotearoa due to marine biotoxins being above safe levels.

“It’s really important that people check for any warnings to make sure that shellfish are safe to eat before they collect and consume – shellfish biotoxins can make people very sick and can potentially be deadly,” says deputy director-general New Zealand Food Safety Vincent Arbuckle.

Information about how to stay aware of current alerts, including how to receive automatic email alerts, is on our website here: www.mpi. govt.nz/shellfish

What are marine biotoxins?

Right at the bottom of the food chain in the ocean, we have microscopic algae called phytoplankton. Phytoplankton are photosynthetic; like plants, they use the sunshine to grow. And, like plants, they also need nutrients to

from the surface. Some phytoplankton species can naturally produce these highly toxic chemicals we call marine biotoxins.

Shellfish with two shells (bivalve shellfish), such as mussels or oysters, can filter 2- 10 litres of seawater an hour. That’s more than 200 litres a day for each shellfish. These shellfish filter out the phytoplankton and other particles as a food source. If these algae are toxic, then the toxins can build up to harmful levels in the shellfish.

“These toxins can cause serious illness if you eat a ected shellfish, especially in children, the elderly, immune-compromised, and pregnant people. Importantly, cooking does not remove the poison,” says Mr. Arbuckle.

Algal blooms will die o once the phytoplankton runs out of nutrients or conditions change, such as a water temperature drop or if a storm disturbs the water column. The phytoplankton will usually all sink to the bottom of the ocean as the bloom collapses, which can mean any bottom-dwelling

themselves of the toxin. This may take a few weeks or months, depending on the type of shellfish. Tuatua and pipi have been known to hold on to the toxins for months in their siphon (the tube that sticks out of the sand).

What is included?

Public health warnings for shellfish apply to bivalve shellfish such as mussels, oysters, tuatua, pipi, toheroa, cockles, and scallops, as well as pūpū (cat’s eyes), Cook’s turban and kina (sea urchin).

The warning doesn’t apply to finfish, pāua, crab, and crayfish, which may still be eaten if the gut has been completely removed before cooking, as toxins may accumulate in the gut. If the gut is not removed, its contents could contaminate the meat during the cooking process.

Types of shellfish poisoning

Di erent types of shellfish poisoning have di erent symptoms. There are four main types of shellfish poisoning in NZ with varying safe limits – you can

shellfish poisoning and most concerning of all for New Zealand, Paralytic shellfish poisoning.

Monitoring shellfish for marine biotoxins

New Zealand Food Safety (NZFS) has monitoring in place for the main recreational shellfish harvesting areas around the country, especially in areas where biotoxins have been a problem in the past. The programme involves regularly testing shellfish for toxins and sea water for toxic algae.

There are more than 40 regular monitoring sites around the country, with weekly water samples taken to analyse for toxic algae and fortnightly shellfish

sampling to analyse for toxins. These samples are sent to a laboratory in Nelson for testing, who then report the results to NZFS.

The commercial shellfish industry also contributes its own invaluable biotoxin monitoring data from more than 30 sites around the country, giving us great nationwide coverage.

Extra monitoring is undertaken during a toxic algal bloom to track the progress and spread of the bloom and show how it impacts di erent kinds of shellfish.

“If the shellfish are not safe to eat, NZFS will issue public health warnings and post signs at a ected beaches. Generally, signs

aren’t placed at beaches where there is little or no shellfish, so it’s important to check the shellfish biotoxin alerts on the NZFS website or in the NZ Fishing Rules app,” says Mr Arbuckle. Why do you need to know?

“Public health warnings are an important mechanism in our food safety system here in Aotearoa – it’s how we spread the word about foodborne illness to help people prevent getting sick.

“You’ll see signs up at a ected beaches, there’ll be information on our website, the New Zealand Fishing Rules App, and in local media. You can have these warnings automatically emailed to you by subscribing to our alerts page.

“The warnings stay in place until re-testing confirms that the shellfish is safe to eat. This can sometimes take months. We usually need two clear samples taken over two weeks to remove a warning.”

There have been no outbreaks of toxic shellfish poisoning in the previous

DRONEFISH.CO.NZ

Services

• Rippon Shark x Drone

• Aeroo Drone

• Demos

• Drone Tutorials

• Surfcasting Tutorials

• Guided Fishing Trips

• Prices on application

• South Island Contact us on 022 540 8187 waynegillard66@gmail.com Wayne and Tash

kid fishing Ladies trips - Game fishing for Sharks CALL AND BOOK A TRIP TODAY Mobile: +64 21 843 908 Email: info@topcatchcharters.co.nz

SHOES

The November issue of The Fishing Paper & Hunting News ran some insightful articles about the outgoing Labour Government’s, with Green Party cooperation agreement, last-minute Ministerial decisions on marine protected areas (MPAs) along the southeast coast of the South Island.

Fish Mainland Inc considers South Island recreational fishers should be aware of the governmentsanctioned processes for MPA planning, as they adversely impact marine fishing.

Our concerns stem from the Department of Conservation (DoC) controlling MPA policy and planning processes, while Fisheries New Zealand (MPI) does little to uphold recreational and commercial fishers’ interests.

Our longstanding concerns have been highlighted by the O ce of the Controller and Auditor-General (OAG)

Marine protection processes - in need of reform

whose role, amongst other things, is to be the public’s watchdog by independently reviewing how public organisations operate.

In 2019, the OAG reviewed perceived inadequacies in the 2005 Policy basis for MPA planning https://www. oag.parliament.nz/2019/ marine-environment

The OAG review included the Southeast MPA planning process. Highlights of the review are summarised as follows:

Policy guidelines for MPAs are too restrictive, thus limiting the available protection.

Fish Mainland has consistently raised similar concerns based on DoC’s influence in designing the 2005 MPA Policy to constrain fishing, wherever possible and to resist alternative proposals to the Policy’s approach.

For example, the 2005 MPA Policy narrowly defines MPAs as no take (Type 1) and restricted take (Type 2), which precludes benthic (bottom) impacting methods. This narrow definition is used to substantiate DoC’s ongoing assertions New Zealand has inadequate marine protection. The Policy was designed

to avoid counting the protection available within customary fishing areas, for example mātaitai reserves and other forms of protection under fisheries legislation.

The 2005 MPA Policy is also out of step with increasing interest worldwide in alternatives to establishing no-take MPAs in perpetuity and instead use a range of biodiversity protection and management measures, such as the protected area categories developed by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature https://www.iucn.org/theme/ protected-areas/about/ protected-area-categories If the IUCN categories were used, New Zealand would be a world leader in marine protection.

The MPA Policy does not allow a MPA planning forum ‘to be diverted by RMA, aquaculture, or fisheries management matters.’ The OAG states:

“However, these matters are important to many New Zealanders. In practice, some of the South-East Forum members didn’t feel recommendations to the Ministers could adequately address the concerns of the

Randall Bess

people they represented. Consequently, some members’ participation and confidence in the South-East Forum was undermined, contributing to the creation of factions in the SouthEast Forum that appeared, at times, to operate in an adversarial way.”

Ironically, while the southeast MPA planning forum was not diverted for relevant local issues, DoC attempted to divert our attention towards strong support for the MPAs through the consultation process.

We beg to di er, since the voices of the fishers most impacted were ignored along with their alternative MPA proposals.

Besides, consultation processes are stacked in favour of DoC and others that fully utilise media channels to pad the number of submissions in support of MPAs, despite most not having any understanding of the local situation.

In summary, New Zealand’s MPA planning processes remain overly restrictive and inadequate in addressing local issues. Fish Mainland agrees with the OAG review concluding:

‘I encourage the Department of Conservation and the Ministry for Primary Industries, as the stewards of an important natural resource, to consider how any reform to marine biodiversity protection legislation, policy, or planning could support greater collaboration between parties, and ultimately protect New Zealand’s unique marine biodiversity in a more e ective way.’

Have you downloaded the Mainland Catch App?

SCAN HERE TO DOWNLOAD OR TO LEARN MORE

Wolf In Sheep’s Clothing

The message on Facebook went like this.

“Gidday. What are you up to? There is a pig killing sheep out the back. Killing the ewe while lambing.

Keen for a walk?”

Now that’s an invite a girl finds di cult to resist, but resist I do. It’s noon on a hot day - ground scent will have dissipated; temperatures have soared into the midtwenties and the pig dogs have already had their daily meal. Going now would be a recipe for disaster.

“Keen-as but can’t come up sorry,” I reply.

“One of us will be there early Friday.”

In between times the farmer forwards photos of dead sheep with insides outed and outsides inverted. Neither he nor I have seen patterns of damage like this before. Only specific parts have been consumed too, the liver and kidneys and the unborn lamb have been targeted, while the stomach is neatly cast aside.

The death toll suggests this is not a scavenger taking advantage of natural mortality but something killing its dinner as and when required.

Friday morning and the pressure to achieve a positive outcome is weighing heavy. I have chosen my ‘Girl Power’ dog team. Pearl is old and nearing the end of her working life. Mint is young and still learning her trade. Between us we are a balance of experience and enthusiasm.

It’s already warm and the katabatic has been counteracted by a nor’ west breeze – after an arm-wrestle for superiority they’ve both come to a stalemate and called it quits. It’s raining lightly, just enough to freshen the grass and dampen the rocks. Just enough to dilute scent. This quest is going to be di cult, if not impossible.

A long fast walk. Quiet. No stock or wildlife disturbed, just us three getting where we need to be. Where exactly I don’t know yet, the dogs’ body language will tell me when to change modes. There - got it. The change from ‘hurry’ to ‘hunt’ is on. The signs so minimal they’d be easy to miss.

Pearl takes the lead, slow and steady, carefully tracking up a gutter between blackberry thickets and large rocks. Mint follows suit and together they

progress ever upwards. It’s not easy, it takes a lot of detective work and intuition, but the old dog sticks to her task. They zig and they zag and gain altitude. Then, way up in a patch of dead

Kim Swan

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

matagouri I hear the find. The descent is rapid. A young boar streaks past me, old dog and young dog each giving a yip and a squeak as they strive to close the distance. One or other does so, jaws on hock, brakes applied and then all three tumble headlong into a blackberry thicket down near the gutter. No pig squeal, no dog bark, just

a battle to gain the upper hand till the human joins in and the knife is wielded. The wee stream in the gutter runs red as heart blood flows. The dogs relinquish their grip and quench their thirst. It’s easy to see how their quarry has gone undetected by the farmer. He is the same size as a merino. He is the same colour as the ewes shorn a month ago. He is not a typical high-shouldered feral boar but leggy and lengthy. On a hillside scattered with cover and dotted with sheep he would not catch your eye or draw attention to himself

even in broad daylight. So now it’s time to turn to the ‘Guts-out & Nutsout page of the Pig Hunt Procedure Manual’ but there is a problem. A sticky problem.

Imagine a tot having had his first taste of kiwifruit – and then the resulting aftermath into a leaky nappy. Imagine the nappy has been left on for a long time. So long the tot has laid down, and stood up, and wriggled and kicked and now there is excrement, soft and stinky, from the small of their back down to their ankles. Most mothers and many fathers can relate!

Pearl and Mint - The Girls

This boar has poohed his nappy too. More than once. From the base of his tail to the tops of his hocks, all is smeared in soft and stinky tan-coloured excrement – his tail even has shitebaubles adhering to it. Yep, he has ‘Sheepy-Style’ right down to having dags to rattle.

Well, I’m not going to leave him here. He is young and fat and will feed a family. The solution, of course, is the wee stream. Here, I wash the boar’s rear end. You want to feel really embarrassed? Hold a boar’s back feet up and wash his bum and ball bag!

I am carefully cutting the dags o the boar’s skinny tail with my knife when it dawns on me, I can simply cut the tail o . He’s not going to feel it. He doesn’t need it any longer.

Tail o , nuts out, anal canal cleared and bum cheeks sparkling white, young Boris is soon strapped up and on my back for the carry-out. I can’t know for certain, but I suspect the killer has been captured and the ewes are now safe to lay down and lamb in peace. The nanas, both human and canine, have done good.

Pulsarnewzealand Pulsarnewzealand

The main 10-day competition kicks o on Boxing Day and runs until 4

Mokihinui Fishing Competition

second half century , still going strong

January, with the very popular “TAKE A KID FISHING” competition then following on 17 and 18 January.

30 minutes north of Westport is Mokihinui, one of The Coast’s most popular camping and fishing spots. From the Mokihinui River to the beach drop-o at Gentle Annie on the north side, fishers have much to think about if they aim to scoop prizes at the ‘23/24 competition.

You can fish from Granity

10 Day Competition

26 Dec 2023 - 4 Jan 24

Total Prize Value over $4250

Entry Fees:

Open $20 Junior $2

Electric Kontiki $20

Tickets @ Knudsen Sports & Toyworld, Seddonville Hotel , Mokihinui Pub'n Grub

Ticket prize draws $100 for Juniors, $400 for Open and Kontiki Sections

Competition Area:

Old Man Rock to Granity School

Thanks to our Sponsors and Supporters who include:

• Knudsen Sports & Toyworld

• LION Breweries

• Mokihinui Pub N Grub

• Seddonville Hotel & Motel Units

• The Fishing Paper & Hunting News

School to Old Man Rock and need long rods and gutsy gear for surfcasting,rodholders, wire grip sand sinkers, and the best attractive bait you can manage!

There are prizes for all the lucky fishers, young and old, with daily weigh-ins at the Pub ‘n’ Grub Hotel, who also put on a BBQ, fresh fish, and

salads on the last day of the competitions. This year there's a new prize a bait cannon for some lucky fisher.

All the locals are pulling together as always to make the MOKIHINUI FISHING COMPETITION a fun time for everyone.

Heaviest Daily Fish Weighed Each Day $50

Heaviest Daily Snapper Weighed Each Day ................... $50

Heaviest Fish

$300 Runner-up $100

Heaviest Snapper ..................$300

Runner Up

$100

Lucky Fish $300 Rod & Reel

Longest Fish $50 Cash & $100 Reel

Heaviest Trout

Runner-up

Heaviest Kahawai

Ladies Heaviest Fish

Book Review BOOKSHOP DOGS by

$100

$50

$100

$100

PLUS Junior and Electric Kontiki sections!

PLUS heaps more prizes

17 & 18 Jan 2024

Following the great success of her first book, ‘Bookseller at the End of the World,’ Ruth was encouraged to o er us more about her life in Manapouri and the ’wee’ bookshops she operates with husband Lance.

The times I have called in have seen me greeted by a dog. Strange though, neither Ruth nor Lance owns a dog. They look after friend’s dogs, they welcome drop in local dogs and the seemingly endless visiting dogs and their owners from all over New Zealand.

In this book Ruth introduces us to many of these dogs, ones she has chosen for their standout contributions to her life and her memories.

Although there are 42 chapters at least one outstanding dog, Hunza, features several times.

Through Hunza the treasured slivers of Ruth’s past come to the surface, revealing her loving, caring and passionate nature for needy human

beings, as well as her canine mates. She loves them all, even those from long ago. So too the humans in each chapter

One chapter ‘Anne, Spelt with AN E,’ stood out for me. Here was an elderly woman who feared dogs, wanting to look at Ruth’s books but afraid to do so because of a dog that might bite her. In her understanding, gentle caring way Ruth took Anne and introduced her to a visiting black lab and then to the resident Cove, who sensed Anne needed a cuddle which he duly provided. Ruth has changed so many people’s lives, many in the company of Hunza, her large German shepherd therapy dog. Clearly one of her big favourites.

Starting with the piercing front page dogs’ eyes, this book is a very powerful tome on a lot of levels, about Ruth and the varied contributions she and her dogs bring to our lives.

CALL IN AND SEE US FOR

Through life you pick up skills—opportunities come and go and, from those moments, your passion grows. What once was hard work , becomes second nature; a glance at the water, weather, time of day, and the gear you brought (way tot much but best be prepared) and your brain has processed what will and what wont work. Fly rod, spin rod, dry fly or lure: nymph ,veltec, celtic , toby, rapala? Your first thought is the correct guess 95% of the time. It’s not a guess, it’s based on what works—experience.

I grew up around Christchurch and cut my teeth on Canterbury rivers, beaches and lakes. As a chef I travelled New Zealand, Australia and Norfolk Island—if there was no fishing, I didn’t go. Working on charter boats on the Great Barrier Reef, in remote resorts throughout Australia and New Zealand gave me opportunities to fish unique places. As time rolls on, passions and outlook changes; Spot X appeal dies o , replaced by the thrill of sharing and teaching others keen to improve. On 9

October I start a new job at Angler’s Warehouse in Christchurch. As I settle in, I intend adding a salt and freshwater custom lure making service, run fishing school evenings, organise fishing days on charter boats, lakes, the canals, surf casting and river excursions. If you are starting out fishing Canterbury, come over and say hello—I can get you sorted out on gear and pass on valuable local knowledge: locations, times, tides, gear, drone fishing, tips and techniques. My goal

is simple; set you up with fishing gear you actually need, not necessarily want. If required, I am happy to set aside some one-on-one time to teach you how to set up your tackle, tie the knots and select baits—all those fishy things to get you started on the right path. No area is o limits: trout, salmon, flounder, surf casting, kingfish, tuna, game fishing and deep sea.

If you have an interest in drone or kite fishing, come and have a chat.

We headed out for our normal day diving; I was the safety boatman for the guys below. We went to one of my favourite spots out the back of Mana Island. As we set the drift and dropped the electric reels, I informed the guys there was some good sign showing. I dropped the slow-pitch jig down and struck a fish straight away, so I fought the fish. I got the first one up and could tell it was a nice one by the way it floated up; two more drops as we waited for the divers to go down again, and, to my

I picked up two nice snappers from 120m. www.glio road.co.nz

Optically Speaking Ant Corke

Pulsar Merger LRF XQ35, when art meets science.

The new Merger LRF XQ35 is simply the best viewing experience available in a compact thermal binocular in its price range. It is also made in Europe.

Though its higher-end stablemates, the Merger XP50 and XL50 o er a significantly higher image resolution and zooming capability, the Merger LRF XQ35 is lighter, more compact and o ers an attractive alternative to a thermal monocular.

It is fitted with the same 35mm f1.0 lens, Lynred 384x288 <25mK NETD sensor and 1024x768 HD AMOLED display as the excellent Pulsar Axion 2 LRF XQ35, but what really sets the Merger LRF XQ35 apart is its more natural, immersive viewing experience and better image rendition, due to its binocular arrangement. Let me explain.

It is natural to view the world with both eyes open, in fact our brain expects this. The Merger’s bi-ocular eyepiece system enables our brain to analyse the image from two sources, or both eyes, which provides more information than can be achieved with only one eye. Not only does the overall image look bigger, it is also more comfortable, especially during extended observation times. This is achieved by the Merger’s precision, fully multicoated optical prism system, with two eyepieces that are width adjustable and have independent ocular correction adjustment to suit

each eye exactly.

To enhance detail rendition and viewing comfort, like all

presence. This feature can be overridden when used on a tripod while viewing and recording with a smartphone or tablet.

The Merger LRF has both a removable battery and an internal battery that allows seamless battery swapping without powering down the device and extends viewing time up to 11 hours on a single charge, though this depends on temperature, display brightness, laser rangefinder use and battery age.

Pulsar thermals, the Merger LRF XQ35 has a wide range of image contrast and brightness settings, as well as multiple colour palettes

to aid object detection and viewing comfort. For instance, my favourite settings for prolonged observation at night is either Red Monochrome or Sepia, which when the brightness is reduced, prevents eye fatigue and ‘night blindness’.

Once an object of interest is spotted, it is easy to change the colour setting to White or Black Hot to take a more detailed look.

Another unique Merger feature is the Proximity Sensor that automatically

puts the device into power save mode when moved away from the eyes, and automatically turns the display back on when viewing. This not only saves battery life but prevents light spill from the eyepieces alerting animals of your

Daytime viewing is optimised by increasing display brightness, especially in bright conditions. A highperformance HD AMOLED display produces a bright image without loss of contrast and detail. Its <25mK NETD sensor can see deep into rain, mist and foliage due to its exceptional sensitivity. Again, viewing with both eyes helps to pick out the smallest details in challenging conditions.

Price wise, at $6999 the Pulsar Merger LRF XQ35 is the same price as the old bestselling Pulsar Accolade LRF XQ38. However, the Merger beats the Accolade hands-down in every department as well as o ering a host of new features unavailable in the Accolade. Comparing both models side-by-side is like chalk and cheese, with the Merger standing head and shoulders over its predecessor. The Merger is also gifted with a sleek, classical appearance and better ergonomics. I guess that is just progress.

BY APPOINTMENT TO HER MAJESTY QUEEN ELIZABETH II SWAROVSKI OPTIK SUPPLIER OF BINOCULARS