December 2016 - The Fishing Paper & Hunting News by The Fishing Paper

THE

FISHING FREE

December 2016 Issue 135

PAPER

HUNTING NEWS

WHOPPER Christmas

Dav

cDon

ald ma

tches poses w

Fishing

Story page 23

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THE FISHING PAPER - DECEMBER 2016

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MARINE ELECTRONICS With Sean Ryan sean@fluidelectronics.co.nz

Keep that spark in your life Snapper are back in the Top of the South and an armada of boats continually graces the horizon as we all chase the elusive big reds. Thanks Dan for covering me last month. I want to discuss something that is often out of sight out of mind, the power behind our boats and our electronics - the humble battery. They are the lifeblood of a boat, starting engines, running navigation electronics, VHF and charging mobile phones. When setting up your boat’s electrical circuit, make sure you do it correctly, ensuring if you have more than one battery, they are the same rating and the same type. Gels, lead acid, and calcium simply don’t mix. Whilst they all look the same from the outside, their charging characteristics are very different. When mixed, they will charge one type very well while the other battery will either be over or under charged, which will ultimately be fatal. If this happens, batteries that have been constantly undercharged can look good on start up but drop voltage very quickly when under load. Its like being ambushed; one minute they are good - next minute your electronics have died. Finish off your circuit with tinned cable to and from the terminals; while more expensive than copper it lasts the test of time. At the end of the day’s voyage, make sure your isolator switches are off, just in case something is accidentally left on. Increasingly, DVSR’s are being used to monitor the charging of your batteries. We have seen cases, where these are installed between the isolator and the dash, where they can leak

voltage. This set up needs a switch on the dash to isolate the DVSR. Boats can leak voltage even when everything is turned off. Substandard and dodgy wiring are classics causes of current leakage and possibly a fire. Over time, even when wiring is done properly, they can leak due to corrosion in the harsh marine environment. Whilst most modern batteries are maintenance free, it still pays to look after them. Little things count: the battery case lids are designed to be on the battery boxes and not in your shed, regularly check your terminals to make sure they are clean and free from corrosion (the best, easiest and cheapest way to clean the terminals is to good old baking soda mixed with water), ensure terminals are fastened correctly and not just hand tight, and once fastened and cleaned, invest in some spray on terminal protector, or cover in a generous coating of Vaseline. Batteries are so often in difficult places to reach so be proactive. A few minutes on land can stop you getting caught out on the water. Trickle charge them if you are parking the boat up for long periods without use. Leave nothing to chance, as healthy batteries means happy boating. Most modern multifunction displays can show the house battery voltage. Find out where it can be displayed and edit the page so that is constantly in front of you. It might mean reading a manual but we all seem to be getting better at these things.

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THE FISHING PAPER - DECEMBER 2016

Feather fishing magic for monsters

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STORY

Graeme and Moby acquaint themselves.

Graeme Johns

I rang Preston to have a bitch about the snapper. “Hey ‘Presto’, how the hell do you catch these big Marlborough Sounds monsters?” I asked. ‘Presto’ or Mark Preston used to work for Hamills in Christchurch in the day and was a useful dispenser of worldly information. “You just keep chipping away, Graeme,” he replied. I’d moved to Nelson five-years-ago and had seen big 20lbplus snapper taken on set lines and drooled over pictures in this paper of monsters dug deep from d’Urville, but I’ll be buggered if I could fathom the recipe for getting a monster to the rod. With ‘Presto’s’ sage words whistling in my ears like the westerly that had suddenly just hit Tasman Bay, I nosed the little 4.6m McLay into Delaware Bay and marvelled at the isolation of the place. All sane men were home. The wind was stirring up the waves and then decapitating them before they could go anywhere, so I anchored in the lee of Pepin Island, in 15m of cloudy water. My mate, Dave Page, helped me set up the salmon berley trail and then we set about the business of ‘chipping away’, as ‘Presto’ calls it. I’d brought my wife, Grace, to this spot two weeks prior and she’d caught a nice 13lb snapper, so the area had potential. Dave proved it to be so by getting his rod to bend within an hour of us arriving and, after a brief battle, boated a nice plump 8lb snapper. We were fishing stray lines with whole pilchards, big ones too, and I’d gone real light: a Shimano Backbone 4 - 8kg rod and a 4000D Shimano Baitrunner spooled with 20lb braid. I run a two-hook rig on fluorocarbon trace and use a quarterounce sinker to get down; it’s feather fishing. You can never predict how a snapper is going to attack your bait; sometimes the bull charges and other times a ghost comes knocking. This time it was morse code. The baitrunner tapped out S.N.A.P.P.E.R! “Zzz… zz… zzz… zzzz… z… zzzZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ!”

B.I.G. S.N.A.P.P.E.R! That sound is music to the ears of a stray line fisher and when I loaded the rod with the strike, I knew there was something special connected. The sheer weight of the fish and

Dave was first to mine the potential of the area.

its belligerent attitude was telegraphed through the line. Big powering runs arced the rod and I gripped tighter. Adrenaline pumped but I played it calm and carefully. The fish gave a bloody good account of itself - a tremendous fight. It just kept burrowing. I’d lift its head, make some ground, get it up off the bottom, and then it would burrow again. After about twenty-minutes, I’d won the fight but had yet to sight my adversary. Dave grabbed the net and leaned over the side, bracing himself in the sloppy conditions. “Holy f*#k,” he exploded, “you’ve just caught Moby and his dick!” Broached on the surface was the mother of all snapper, but the fat lady was yet to sing. “I can’t do it,” Dave shouted, “It’s too big for the net!” I yelled for him to just get its head in and the rest would follow, and by some miracle it worked. I couldn’t believe my eyes; lying at my feet was the holy grail - thirty-two pounds of snapper. Just like magic. “Hey Presto…” And it was there!

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THE FISHING PAPER - DECEMBER 2016

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Slip out for SUNSET RIG

While trialling the new Black Magic DX Point® 5/0 hooks off Whakatane, Chris Firkin landed this outstanding 11.9kg snapper! He says, “The sharpness and more importantly longevity of the point on these hooks is outstanding. The best just got better!”.

Andrew Claridge

Fishing close to home makes an after work trip so much easier when you don't have to travel far. In Nelson we have some great easy access to good fishing at our doorstep. I often target rig in the shallows during sunset and have great success by keeping things simple. Fresh bait is a great help and in this case when targeting rig, fresh paddle crab is tops. It forms their main diet in Tasman Bay. A quick outing before fishing to gather some fresh bait really helps to make sure you are going to have some success. A crab pot or trap is a great way to catch crabs and can be done easily from shore. I use a one hook ledger trace made from 80lb nylon with a 6/0 octopus hook, this makes it easy to handle the fish on the shore. Rig are a great fighting fish from shore and make great eating.

Black Magic DX Point hook From time-to-time you hear about a fishing tackle product that’s supposed to be a real ‘game changer’. Some live up to the billing, some don’t, but Black Magic’s new DX Point hook is all that and more. And why not? They’ve been developing high quality hooks in their Japanese factories for over 25 years, so the introduction of what they call their ‘super’ hook is no real surprise. Like all the hooks in their range, it is still crafted from high carbon steel for extra strength and it goes through the chemical sharpening process. What really stands it apart though is the point and the coating. The DX Point is engineered with four micro cutting edges. Apart from strengthening the point, these edges allow it to cut through the toughest jawbones with ease. It is offset but it also

has a slight curve back towards the shaft and, although it’s not a circle hook, it was amazing how many fish were caught in the corner of the mouth during testing. It’s extremely sharp. You hook more and you catch more. The coat is what’s known as PTFE technology – think nonstick fry pans and utensils. You can feel the slippery surface. It not only allows easier penetration, but it also greatly reduces rust and prolongs the life of the hook. Again, during field testing, it was evident that hooks could be fished a lot longer before they had to be changed… very economical. The hooks range from 1/0 through to 6/0 and are available in either Black Magic’s small or economy packs. Try them. You will be impressed with their performance.

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THE FISHING PAPER - DECEMBER 2016

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And then he was perched for a comeback!

Lawn dodger has late run of luck Ian Hadland

Bernard was under strict instructions from home. If he was going to selfishly take Saturday off, leaving a young family and overgrown lawns behind, he’d have to bring some fish back for the table. Permission granted, Bernard joined Jack and I on a dinghy trip to the lower Clutha. The river was high with a bit of colour so I opted for the fluoro-yellow soft bait and Jack, the smelt pattern. Bernard stuck with a darker coloured lure - I couldn’t talk him out of. Within the first few minutes Jack was calling for the net. The fit 1kg trout had come out of nowhere and hit the soft bait near the surface in a splashy take, which surprised us all. Safely netted and in the boat, the usual tradition of high fives and a quick photo were completed. Father-son rivalry in the Hadland boat is fierce and Bernard watched in amusement. Regular requests for the score are made and answered, all with supporting advice of an unhelpful kind. If the invitee is down on their luck, a natural gang forms and the invitee is given a double dose ribbing. A while later, after Jack landed his fourth trout, a nice 2kg sea-runner, the scoreless Bernard was no longer seeing the funny side if it, especially as it joined two other nice trout in the Hadland chilly bin. “Four landed each now Bern, how are you

doing?” I said, giving the grinning Jack a sideways glance. “Lawns might have been a better option eh?” Jack cruelly added before Bern could answer. “Huh. Watching you two harvesters is a piss poor spectator sport, that’s for sure. I need a fish to take home or I’ll be dog tucker,” he grumbled. “You want a yellow soft bait yet?” “Nope, I’m good,” and in disgust he heaved a cast dangerously close to the willows. A second later Bernard was on his feet playing a fish. He had dropped the lure near a perch, which had obviously taken pity on him. At the same moment, almost in an act of defiance, Jack hooked another trout midstream. I did the net work and two fish were safely landed. Most importantly, Bernard was finally on the board with a 1kg perch. We caught one more trout each before moving to a shallow lake nearby, which is heaving with perch. Bernard set to work with the enthusiasm of a weka in a compost heap. He soon had several more tidy perch in his end of the dinghy and just as he was about to break double figures, and threaten the leader board, I announced it was time to pack it in. “You can’t stay all day Bern, you’ve got lawns to do”.

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THE FISHING PAPER - DECEMBER 2016

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Method amidst Minnie’s mutterings Stephen McCarthy

Reading about the decline in whitebait numbers and loss of habitat lead me to recall the whitebaiting of my youth, on the Waikanae River, some sixty kilometres north of Wellington on the Kapiti Coast. In the 1960s whitebait were much more plentiful than now, and our daily catches ranged from a kilo to twenty kilos. I have seen an unbroken dense stream of whitebait ascending the Waikanae river, which we watched while swimming, and the shoal had still not stopped after an hour. Unfortunately, it was the first week in the Christmas school holidays and long after the whitebait season. Daily catches of 50 kilos were not that uncommon on the better spots on the river, which were taken by the local whitebaiting enthusiasts. One of these was Minnie Kemsley who fished the river, rain, hail and shine. If she wasn’t on her spot then she was probably laid up with the flu or some other complaint. Minnie always kept a record of her daily catches for many decades and these diaries were used by the Department of Conservation to show that there was a steady gradual decline in her catches over time. Many of the local swamps and springfed streams where the adult whitebait lived were later either drained or piped, which probably aided this reduction in numbers. Minnie had a good spot where the mudflats turned into a proper riverbed with a good current. There, her husband had constructed an ingenious system of ropes and pulleys whereby she could raise and lower her set net in the water, and move it in or out from the bank. This, aided by a barrage of white spotters, meant her catches

were often pretty phenomenal. As a young lad I often stopped to talk to Minnie and listened to some of her whitebaiting yarns, of which she had quite a few. One of the best, I thought, and one Minnie thought hilarious, was the catching of her largest shoal of 90 lb of whitebait (approx 40 kg). Early one morning she was walking up the mudflats towards her possie, when she saw an enormous shoal of bait coming slowly up the river about two hundred metres downstream from her stand. In those days there was a strict etiquette that you never fished on anyone else’s spot and people had been known to have been thrown in the river for this offence. Anyway, Minnie kept an eye on the progress of this enormous shoal and eventually there was only one other stand between the shoal and her spot. This belonged to Vic Swanson, a regular whitebaiter who used to arrive on the river bank at Otaihanga on the other side of the river, unload his dinghy, and row over. Much to Minnie’s consternation, Vic arrived in his car when the shoal was about fifty metres downstream from his stand. “I didn’t know what to do”, she told me. “So to distract him, I started talking to him across the river about this and that, and we had quite a conversation. When he started unloading his dinghy, I quickly started on another topic of interest until eventually the shoal swam past his stand. I continued up the river to my spot where I caught the shoal. It was so big it started coming back out my net, so I had to have two goes at it”. Minnie thought this a huge joke but she didn’t say if she ever told Vic!

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THE FISHING PAPER - DECEMBER 2016

Travel with the Energy Concept Bruce Barnes

The Energy Concept stood up well to the powerful fighting abilities of trevally.

I spent most of September kayak fishing the inside of the reef systems of Rarotonga and Aitutaki, and wading the lagoons in knee to waist deep water for bonefish and smaller trevally. No fly rods this time - just five different spin set-ups ranging from 2-5 kg to 15kg. In Rarotonga we stayed right on the beach at Tikikaveka, which has some of the deepest water inside the reef and a truly amazing array of fish species. Large schools of goatfish, assorted trevally, and many smaller species frequent this area, particularly near the top of the tide. A great place to snorkel, but also a great place to kayak fish. Marine Reserves (Ra’ui), coupled with Ciguatera poisoning (A toxin from ingested dinoflagellates that accumulate in fish without harming the host), have had a profound effect on marine life, so life inside the reef is the best I have seen in 30 years. Every morning as we had breakfast, a 4kg bone fish patrolled the shallows. Not common to Raro, I saw more than a dozen out on the sand flats but, although I hooked one, I didn't manage to catch any. Bluefin trevally, silvers, golden and smaller GT's were the most prolific. A small popper swept across the top of the coral bommies produced beautiful small spotted grouper and coral trout in an array of sizes. On one occasion, I finished retrieving a popper and was moving off with my rod across my kayak, the lure tail hook hanging in the water, when I was ‘monstered' by a coral trout of around 7kg. As I frantically grabbed at the rod, it took my lure into the

coral. The rod bent in half and my 37kg fluorocarbon leader snapped. This was the first major test for the Shimano Energy Concept three - piece 5-10kg, 2.4m rod - and what a rod this turned out to be. I have been running Shimano Revo Travel Rods for some years and have always been impressed with these portable, powerful and responsive blanks. The Energy Concept takes this up a considerable notch, with an amazing power arc and an ability to cast, superbly, a diverse range of lures. This rod, coupled with a Shimano Stella SW5000 with the ‘Big Knob’ handle and the new PE braid, became my favourite of the trip. In Aitutaki, this combo handled everything I threw at it. Some of the biggest bluefin and some hefty GTs, along with barracuda (the reals ones,) towed me all over the lagoon. The PE Braid that I thought was around 7-9kg, going by diameter, turned out to be 20kg,( which would explain why it was so hard to break). It cast so well that I even amazed myself. Hook-ups were positive on the in-line singles that I was running. I lost count of the number of fish that I caught and, although I knew the fishing in Aitutaki would be great, I was pleasantly surprised how good Raro was. Take the opportunity and get out there for some fantastic experiences and if you take only one rod, make it the new Shimano Energy Concept Travel. It packs into three pieces and fits in most suitcases, so no excess or oversize baggage to contend with.

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THE FISHING PAPER - DECEMBER 2016

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By Sunday 13 November, commercial rock lobster fishermen were gearing up for the last run on their ACE (annual catch entitlement), many with pots already in the water. Lobster shell was hardening after the male moult so it was business as usual for the Kaikoura region, which has much of its commerce inextricably entwined in the marine resource and coastal landscape: commercial and recreational fishing, ancillary services, support industry, main trunk transport, tourism, and the wider intrinsic beauty. But, as Larnce Wichman explains, the ruggedness that gave rise to this wealth was about to deliver a seismic event that would produce…

Aftershocks after the shock

ust after midnight, the magnitude 7.8 earthquake impacted along the east coast and, with daylight, the devastation revealed: the landscape split asunder, massive sections of coast risen out of the seabed, and images of dry, rock laden paua indelibly imprinted into memory. It was, without question, a catastrophic event. After public safety, an immediate priority was to reduce impact on marine life, with media coverage and social networking keeping public up to date in real time. CRAMAC5 was initially extremely concerned lobster may have suffered the same fate as paua but, without visual reference, had to act fast. MPI responded quickly but were reduced to two compliance officers as first response and Minister Guy mooted a three-month closure in order to assess paua and lobster. CRAMAC5 felt three-months was unwarranted and would also unnecessarily impact lobster fisherman because the remaining ACE would be unable to be harvested. Commercial lobstermen knew if they got out and baited up quickly, they’d know within three days what action would be required to address any damage to the lobster resource. CRAMAC5 held a conference call to determine what actions and outcomes would be approved if worst fears were realised: lobstermen were prepared to voluntarily reduce remaining ACE and close the fishery for longer, if required, to alleviate pressure on the resource. Kaikoura suffered a catastrophic event.

Survey - a scientific imperative CRAMAC 5 and NZ RLIC negotiated with MPI to send lobster vessels out to assess the fishery, at no cost. To obtain measurable data, the vessels would need to undertake several days of normal fishing, with all data then passed to MPI for comparison to previous years’ catch efforts so accurate assessment could be made. However,

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A lobster waiting for the survey team.

we were told that was unacceptable; as a backlash from media hype surrounding the Simmons report, the public would not accept commercial being the entity to survey the fishery. CRAMAC5 was gutted. No respect was given to our record of responsible resource management. Instead, we were tarred with the same brush as those bad apples exposed by Dr Simmons. Minister Guy announced the huge effort and funding provided to assess the coastal resource and CRAMAC5 was asked to assist in designing a survey. We offered vessels (with independent observers), gear, expertise and local knowledge to cover the entire affected area, with one large survey. It was imperative the survey be undertaken quickly, efficiently, and in its entirety, without becoming a bureaucratic quagmire. The lobster industry assisted at every possible level to get a full programme up and running, while appeasing the needs of the agencies. Our key aim was to reopen the fishery quickly to avert risk of localised pressure on more sensitive areas, provided it had suffered little effect from the earthquake. If closed over the summer holiday period, effort would be transferred to Motunau Beach and Banks Peninsula, which are less productive than Kaikoura, creating a regional problem to address.

Bureaucracy - a seismic shift To keep commercial at arms length, MPI engaged NIWA to manage the research. Now the commercial offer was off the table, we worked alongside to establish ‘the survey’. MPI and NIWA now agreed to use commercial vessels, accepting lobstermen have the best knowledge across the closed area. Then came the list of requirements and information necessary for ‘them’ to assess and make an informed decision - bureaucracy had entered the equation. Instead of rolling up our sleeves and getting on with the job, we now had many other things to take into account and put in place.Patience was necessary: all had to have Health and Safety plans in place, accommodation sorted for the observers that would be on every boat for the duration of the survey, agreements on data management, requests to gather other data, mammal and bird sightings to be recorded, and travel plans - including organising aircraft. Like a seismic aftershock, the focus had shifted from the survey to the process. As I write, we finally have the go ahead to gear up for the survey: 50 pots in the water across each lobsterman’s harvesting grounds; in 10 pots, all lobster to be recorded for size, sex, damage, location, and health, and identify any reef changes on sounder; the remaining 40 pots, all lobster

to be counted under and over MSL - all lobster to be returned to the sea. After each lift, pots are to be taken to other reefs. Given the enormity of this task, two Kaikoura fishing charter operators offered to assist with the survey, which was gratefully acknowledged, but NIWA turned them down.

A good easterly storm The lobstermen who already had pots in the water say, from what they have seen, very little has changed, suggesting the impact of the earthquake on the lobster fishery is similar to that of ‘a good easterly storm’. This is encouraging news and not the catastrophe feared. However, until the survey is completed, we remain optimistic but still willing to make the hard call if all is not well. CRA 5 public fishers also need to consider, if the resource is not good, what effort the remaining fishery can withstand. CRAMAC 5 would hope we can hold discussions with as many groups as possible to make good management decisions to get the fishery back to what it was on 13 November. It will take a collaborative role to achieve that. Footnote: CRAMAC 5 acknowledges the great effort MPI have put in to make sure our fishery is fit for ‘business as usual’ and the difficult position they were put in through the power of social media. Wall to wall paua left high and dry.

THE FISHING PAPER - DECEMBER 2016

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10 THE FISHING PAPER - DECEMBER 2016

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Captain’s Log: Beam me up spotty From Whopper to whopper

Renowned Kiwi author, Brett Avison, launched his seventh children’s book recently, in Havelock. The Crimpy Clan was in full attendance and for very good reason - Brett had dedicated the book to ‘Crimpy and son, for showing how it is done!’ Having written and dedicated a few books over the years, it never occurred to me that someone might, one day, dedicate one to me, so it was quite the honour. Daniel seemed to think that, actually, he was ‘the only one who showed how it was done,’ which is a smacking offence and he has since been punished. Brett had fished with us last summer and was taken aback when Daniel caught a groper in the Inner Sounds: “When he was asked to hold it up for a photo, he automatically thrust it forward - it look like a… whopper!” Brett came to authorship late in life but not by happenstance. Husband

of publisher and author, Lorain Day, he had been ‘around’ authors for years, including icons such as the late Margaret Mahy. One day an idea just popped into his head, and he approached Lorain with the concept of ‘I Need a Bigger Digger’. From a publisher’s perspective, a book idea from ‘the husband’ fits into ‘the worst nightmare’ category, but she genuinely felt he was onto something and guided him through the process. I Need a Bigger Digger went on to achieve international sales, becoming a bedtime favourite with children from all walks. The Whopper will strike a chord with kids, adult and child alike. The universal themes of fishing and telling porkies are entwined in a delightful tale that draws its essence from Hemingway's The Old Man and the Sea and Maurice Sendak’s Where the Wild Things Are, which subliminally bridges the age gap between generations. Brett’s strength is his ability to spin rich and wonderful narrative yet tell a

story in so few words. The illustrations of Scott Tulloch complete the perfect marriage between author and artist, creating a story book that is set to resonate on a similar level to I Need a Bigger Digger. In dedicating the book to me (and son), Brett unwittingly achieved the ultimate literary irony and, in honour, at the launch I presented him with a gift of my own - 16 years old it was. A book titled, Daryl Crimp’s WHOPPER!

BOOK REVIEW

Comparing Whoppers!

BOOK REVIEW The Dragon Behind The Glass

Emily Voigt Simon & Schuster RRP $38 Reviewed by Daryl Crimp If ever there is a case for stepping out your comfort zone and pushing the boundaries of what you normally read, this it. Subtitled, A true story of power, obsession, and the world’s most coveted fish, every nuance of the book, from the paperback production to the stylish mysterious cover design, suggest this fits the genre of fictional thriller, however, the subject matter could not seem further from that realm - ‘goldfish’! More specifically, the plot revolves around the world of the pet fish, fish companion, or aquarium fish market - call it what you will. Internationally it is worth billions a year and is subject to more intrigue than you would imagine: smuggling, murder, environmental exploitation, corruption, duplicitous dealings, con jobs, fraud, deception, jealousy, greed, and subterfuge. It is paradoxical that a seemingly innocuous hobby is the subject of thriller material, but more unbelievable that it is nonfiction. Emily Voigt has masterfully married genres and writing styles

to create a real life thriller that is actually a page turner, and it is about a fish! The Asian arowana, or dragon fish, has become the world’s most expensive aquarium fish - an Asian tycoon spending US $150,000 on one fish - and, in becoming so popular it, has become prolific yet almost extinct in the same sentence! Hardly beautiful, almost ugly but fascinating, and tending towards the prehistoric, it is difficult to see what lends this fish such currency, yet its story stands as a 'canary in the mine', for the greater travesty of monumental global destruction and exploitation. Emily Voigt is the central character in her own narrative, becoming herself obsessed with the obsession of arowana, travelling to remote places in search of the fish, the myth, and the truth. Along the way she engages with real characters with fictional auras - the Indiana Jones’s of ichthyology - and weaves a fascinating tale using a mix of reporting, science, and history, to discover an undercover world with more layers than an onion. In doing so she exposes one of the greatest paradoxes: our compulsion to conquer nature while desiring most to hold on to what is wild. There in lies the dilemma - how do we protect the world’s rarest species? Engaging, enlightening, inspiring, and captivating: The Dragon Behind the Glass shatters shatters many illusions and brings raw issues into focus.

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Crimpy and Brett share an author's bond.

NO PLACE TO HIDE, CLIMATE CHANGE, A short introduction for New Zealanders By Jim Flynn Potton & Burton, $30 Reviewed by Lynnaire Johnston

This book came about because author Jim Flynn (an emeritus professor in politics at the University of Otago) realised he’d let the climate change argument pass him by. He wanted to determine fact from fiction and set about researching the available science. This short book is the result. I was part way through reading it when the bombshell hit that Donald Trump had been elected president. Given he believes that climate change is a hoax perpetrated by the Chinese, there seemed no hope. He had already declared his intention to pull America out of the Paris Accord which, at present, is the only bright light on the international climate change horizon. And, without the US’ active attempts to reduce carbon emissions as required by the accord, there is little incentive for developing countries to continue to try to save the planet. Unless carbon emissions are drastically reduced, here’s what Flynn (based on science) predicts: We are already at or past the tipping point after which temperatures will rise by at least 2-degrees no matter what we do and that will take 12,000 years to reverse by even 1-degree. This will cause the world’s three major polar glaciers to melt, raising sea levels by eight metres. Most of our coastal cities will be underwater. Worldwide, this will cause immense loss of arable land, followed by food shortages for many of the world’s 11 billion people. Australia could lose up to 97% of its food production. People will frantically try to find a new home, travelling to countries with a shrinking land area that will be unable to support its current citizens, let alone an invasion of refugees. The picture is equally bleak for deforestation, ocean acidification, biodiversity, and just about everything else that relies on a stable climate. This book dispenses with scientific jargon, academic gobbledegook, and convoluted ‘for’ and ‘against’ arguments. Instead, it lays out the facts clearly and simply, but alarmingly. Flynn’s solution to the climate change conundrum is, to put it mildly, somewhat unorthodox. In itself, it may underscore your Trump-like feelings that it’s all a hoax, but you may wish to reconsider your viewpoint after reading this. Before the tide begins lapping at your front door.

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Mail your letters to Stick Your Oar In The Fishing Paper, PO Box 9001 - Annesbrook, 7044, NELSON email: editor@thefishingpaper.co.nz

Ban grip ’n’ grin

Gong for Ron

Dear Ed, On page 16 of the last month's edition there is the story of Meadow catching a brown trout. A great effort from a young angler and the expression on her face said it all. Reading the last paragraph of the article it would appear the fish took some time to recover. This does not surprise me as the photo suggests she has taken the fish some way up the shore and it was out of the water for some time. Isn’t it time we taught the younger generation about responsible catch and release practices? This fish should have been kept in the net until release. To my mind there is no need for the angler to pick up the fish to be in the photo. And this applies to other photos in your magazine as well. Is it time for publications such as yours to review the type of photos you publish in the interests of looking after the resource we all say we treasure?

Your correspondents on 1080, like Ron Eddy, need complimenting. Good on Ron. We need many more like him instead of the dozey apathetic majority. The disturbing aspect of the 1080 issue is the poison users in DoC are public servants, paid by Kiwis' taxes but they do not want to listen yet still take the money. They have blinkers on as to the truth. Recently the Department of Conservation declined to do an autopsy on a parakeet found near the Dart River after a 1080 drop, because they had no funds. What bollocks! They should have written expenses for autopsies into the budget. But they don’t because they do not want to truth known. The 1080 drop at Wakatipu undoubtedly resulted in bird deaths. DoC Wakatipu operations manager, Geoff Owen, fobbed the request for an autopsy off with ‘blah’ by saying 1080 control operations minimised by-kill of native wildlife and its research showed few native birds were poisoned. The

Regards John Olds Lower Hutt (Ed replies: Thanks for the valid points, John. With regard to The Fishing Paper & Hunting News reviewing the type of photos we publish, we are not the ‘fish police’, but rather reflect what is happening out there. We do not encourage or endorse poor practice but promote healthy participation. I am also not in a position to sit in judgement of others through a photograph because one never gets the full ‘picture’ of what has happened. I find the best way to raise awareness to a wider audience is to encourage healthy debate and discussion by publishing reality and allowing readers the forum of the paper to take it from there - as you have rightly done. For me to censor ‘honest’ pics based on a particular set of values would leave you with a short, dry read. What do others think? More letters please.)

benefits for native birds of using 1080 for pest control far outweighed the costs he said. I have yet to see any scientific evidence to say 1080 poison is of benefit to bird populations. What we do know is 70% of monitored kea were poisoned in an Okorito poison operation. DoC is arrogant and disrespectful to their employers, i.e. the public, and disrespectful to native life. It is no coincidence after DoC began in 1987, 1080 has been increasingly sprayed over public lands with devastating ecological damage and loss of birds. It’s not pests but DoC killing birds. Here near Oamaru, I monitored bird deaths after a 1080 drop. I asked a senior Landcare Research scientist, based on the area and number I found, how many birds could have been killed by 1080. His estimate was ten thousand.

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Contributors

Graeme Johns

Howie

Andrew Claridge

Margie Matthews

Ron Prestage

Stephen McCarthy

Cole Ryan

Bruce Barnes

Malcolm Halstead

Lynnaire Johnston

Bryce Helms

John Olds

Karl Barlow

Lewis Hore

Daniel Crimp

Fizz Fissenden

Jayden Rich

Michael Ford

Kiwi Brucie

Tyler McBeth

Dave Dixon

Jay Lynch

Greg Gilbert

Daryl Crimp Sean Ryan

Poppa Mike Ant Corke Mark Roden Frank Cartwright

Ron Prestage rgprestage@xtra.co.nz

Ian Hadland

Printer

Marty Bowers

Marion Day

Luke Grogan

Ron Eddy

Dr. Haseeb Randhawa

Tony Hamer

Kim Swan

Grant Holmes

Graham Gurr

Inkwise

Chris West Brian Fensom

The Fishing Paper & Hunting News is published by Coastal Media Ltd. All editorial copy and photographs are subject to copyright and may not be reproduced without prior written permission of the publisher. Opinions or comments expressed within this publication are not necessarily those of the staff, management or directors of Coastal Media Ltd. Unsolicited editorial, letters, photographs will only be returned if you include a stamped self addressed envelope.

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‘Fizz’ fishes fourth dimension Gary (Fizz) Fissenden

For Kellie and me, long weekends have become a tradition centering around the good old Kiwi bach and fishing. We join friends at their bach in Okiwi Bay and, while the objective is always to get out on the water and catch a feed, it is more a social event. Food, fun, and friendship are central to the theme. Unlike a typical blokes’ fishing trip, the emphasis is getting the girls out so we can extend the time spent with friends and this reflects the style of fishing we do: a mix of rod fishing and using the set line. While some ‘purist’ fishers are against the old ‘longline’ because it is deemed unsporting or unskilful, we find it a fun group activity that gets everyone in the boat involved. It is also a good insurance policy or back up for those days when the fish simply aren’t going for the rods; many is the time the set line has changed an empty plate to a satisfying feed. Early in the season, dropping a set line is a good way of prospecting; finding where those

highly mobile snapper are currently feeding. Prior to spawning they can be quite erratic, flitting about putting on condition after winter and schooling toward breeding time, so nailing their location can make all the difference between success and blank sessions with the rods. But snapper are not the only target. Some have been unhappy with the introduction of the new blue cod rules, but it has proved a blessing to us. Like many, we always targeted blue cod because they were relatively abundant and so easy to catch, but we’ve had to rethink our strategy and expand our fishing scope to target different species. Gurnard has become a favourite, both on the rod and with the set line. Typically we’ll set the longline on sandy banks in around 15m if targeting gurnard or school snapper, and in 30m if chasing snapper or greyboy. Fresh squid, half pilchards, and salted mackerel would be my top baits, with Fizz and friend discuss dinner.

Kellie Fissenden and Louisa Smith are a couple of 'set line chicks'.

mackerel most successful on the gurnard. The anticipation that comes with picking up the set line certainly adds spice to the activity - with everyone guessing and hoping as to what the catch will be. Then the heart rate goes up a flutter when you take up the slack and feel the ‘voltage down the line’ as fish kick and buck against the strain. After a time, you can ‘read’ the fish nods much the same as you can on the rod, and can ‘feel’ what fish lay below. Everyone can be involved in the process, from reeling in the line, removing fish, and tidying ropes, to de-baiting the hooks, but that doesn’t stop the rush to the side whenever

the cry of ‘colour’ goes up. The flash of bronze-red that signals ‘snapper’ broaching from the depths elicits shouts and whoops of excitement, and suddenly consigns a great time with friends to the memory album. While catching fish on the rod is a challenge and a thrill, there is nothing sinister about using a set line. It doesn’t turn you in to ‘Darth Vader’ - it just adds another dimension to your fishing! P.S. Set lines can also induce ‘early onset divorce’ - just ask Crimpy!

Fizz's fourth dimension SETLINE TIPS Scan here

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Rig are powerful fish that put up a dogged fight in the surf.

From the team at SPECIALS from 5 Dec to 19 Dec 2016

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Tight lines top table fish Michael Ford

On Saturday afternoon I took my daughter Layla, who has just turned four, and my good mate, Gavin Hussey, for a fishing mission down to our usual spot for rig and ele's. As we arrived, I could see the conditions were perfect with little swell, light winds, and the ocean looking a picture. We baited up our hooks with banana prawns and sent our first cast flying. Within five minutes Gavin had a fight on his hands with a decent size rig. We were hopeful from then on that the day was going to be successful. Not long after our first catch, my 14" Okuma rod bent in half and it was my turn to feel the power of a big rig on the

line. It is always exciting when you connect and the battle is telegraphed through the rod - gets the adrenaline pumping. With these strong battlers, even in calm conditions, you need to focus and play the fish properly. Nothing beats the feeling when you turn the tables and reel in a good sized rig. Over the next two hours we managed three more large rig, which meant family and friends could all dine at the top table and enjoy some beautiful deep fried rig for time to come. I never really had a chance to sit down the whole time but I’m definitely not complaining - I’d prefer to have tight lines any day.

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Beyond the pub with no beer Ron Prestage

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Lindsay and Jane Stuart’s recent trip to Townsville to visit daughter Emma and her partner Sam Bradley included a diving and fishing trip to the Barrier Reef. Beyond Slim Dusty’s ‘pub with no beer’ lies the seaport town of Lucinda. This was the launching point for Sam and his free diving friends, with Lindsay landing the job as boat boy, twenty nautical miles off shore on the reef. Whilst on deck Lindsay kept a popper busy and landed a variety of fish including Spanish mackerel, coral trout, school mackerel and tea leaf trevally. These fish provided hot action on the popper and plenty for the table. Lucinda’s six kilometre jetty out into the Coral Sea is used for bulk sugar handling and provides a guide for vessels moving in and out of the launching area. Lindsay Stuart with an impressive coral trout taken off Australia's Great Barrier Reef.

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Perching on a raft of weed Tyler McBeth

f I could only fish for one species in spring, I would choose perch. As water temperature warms, the fish begin to put weight on for spawning and become ultra-aggressive, so it’s a lot easier to catch the large ones. The extra spawn in the females makes breaking a personal best a lot easier. A couple of friends invited me to fish in a waterway I didn’t know perch inhabited. When they told me stories of large perch shoaling up, I didn’t need any more convincing to tag along. Driving down by the bank, I couldn’t help but notice all the bits of water irresistible for perch to occupy. We stopped next to an inlet with a steady flow of crystal clear water running into the main body of water. I had all my gear ready, with a natural coloured Rapala attached, and made the first cast in the murky, weedy, water. On my second cast, my line went taut and my fingers slipped off the handle of my reel. Like an electric shock, I struck and instantly could feel the head-shakes of a fish holding deep in the water. It took just a few seconds before I saw the flash of its light golden brown flank, as the perch ran towards the weed beds. “I’ve got a fish on,” I shouted. “Can

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you get the net please Greg!”. Greg threw me the net as the perch drew nearer and a very broad 2lb 12oz came to the scales. After a couple of pictures, the feisty fish, flaring its gills and showing off its flawless dorsal fin, was put back to live another day. After that, nothing else felt the need to bite our hooks, so we moved and tried many spots without much success. Then James caught his first perch for the trip. I was too far along the bank, fishing between willows, to see he had hooked up. He said it was only a ‘small 2lber’ anyway. As the day wore on, we arrived back at our start point. I had a dozen casts and hooked up again. By the head-shakes, I could tell it was another perch. This fish kited towards me and after a couple of small runs, was in the net; smaller than the first but it still tipped the scales at 2lb 2oz. After releasing the perch, James and I fished further up and it wasn’t long before I had another perch on the end of my line, which weighed 2lb on the nose. James then yelled for the net. I released my fish and rushed over. He had a much larger fish than I had caught. As he

Bristles up - perch are stroppy fighters.

netted it and brought it to the bank, the fish revealed itself to be much darker than the other fish. It weighed in at 3lb 6oz, which was the catch of the day. Greg hooked up too - another low 2lber - then the shoal of perch moved off and the fishing slowed again. I wandered off by myself to a raft of weed wrapped around a reed stem - a prime location for perch. I cast my Rapala past it and retrieved slowly. WHACK!

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As I struck, what I had hooked didn’t seem to want to move, so I assumed I was snagged on the reed stem. Then I noticed my rod tip bouncing, confirming it was a fish, which soon buried itself in a weed bed under my rod tip. With some effort, I coaxed it out and slipped the net under it. It was a dark perch like James’s and weighed 3lb 2oz, which is a new PB for me and a season goal for me. I was over the moon.

Crazy to think that all big perch start off like this one here.

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15 THE FISHING PAPER - DECEMBER 2016

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16 THE FISHING PAPER - DECEMBER 2016

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Kayaking

All hell and under a yak

with Chris West

TRAILER VS ROOF RACK

Jay Lynch

Dwayne and I often head out into Lyttelton Harbour at night in the kayaks to target rig. Dwayne is more experienced, having been kayak fishing for nearly two years. He was instantly hooked and pestered me to get a kayak, which I finally did about nine months ago; it was the best fishing decision! Fishing from a kayak at night is a great deal of fun but not without it’s scary moments. One night, in choppy seas, I fell out of my kayak. It was the first time I’d tipped out of a ‘yak and it happened so quickly. The wind blew me around and a big wave smashed me from the side. I'm a good swimmer and have a high quality life jacket, but it was still petrifying to be in that position. This particular night was calm and quiet to start with, but then the rig came on the bite after around an hour of fishing. It is truly the most fun you can have without taking your clothes off. All hell breaks loose when you hook one; it charges underneath the ‘yak, peels line, and goes in for aerial acrobatics, jumping clear of

the water. It makes me giggle like a little girl every time! Definitely my favourite type of fishing. We released a few of the smaller rig but kept the good ones for a feed. I caught my PB this night, so was stoked. Dwayne's biggest would be a mid 20 that he got last year. High tide is definitely best. In fact, I don't bother at low tide. There’s no need to fish anything deeper than a couple of metres, as there is plenty of action in the shallows. We cast well away from the kayaks so the fish aren't spooked with us sitting above them. We just use a single dropper rig, although there are a few other rigs that I'd like to try, baited with prawn or crab; just like you would when surfcasting. The rig love it and it lowers the chance of catching a giller or ray; big rig tow me around enough - a giller or ray would probably tow me to Fiji! If anyone reading this in Christchurch has a kayak and wants to come out with two laid back fishos, feel free to flick me a message on Facebook.

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Something we get asked regularly is, “Should I get a roof rack to transport my kayak(s) or use a trailer?” The short answer is they both work. Each method has advantages and disadvantages. After considering the good and bad points of each, most people can usually decide on what will work best for them. The main advantage of a trailer is the lower loading height. If you have difficulty lifting your kayak, or have a heavy kayak, loading onto a trailer will certainly be the preferred method. Another benefit is that you may be able to fit two kayaks onto a trailer, but there may only be enough room on a roof rack for one kayak (without adding on kayak carriers). The biggest plus for using a trailer is if you already own one. Very little modification is required to set up a standard trailer to be able to carry a kayak or two. Trailers have some disadvantages that are worth considering. Parking with a trailer can be impossible in certain locations. If you like to park and launch in areas with limited parking, then you

may find using roof rack is the only way to go. Choose a roof rack and parking is less of a problem. A roof rack will also let you carry other items on the roof, which is handy if you ski, ride a bike, or want to add a roof box. Roof rack manufacturers also have a wide range of accessories that may be useful for loading or carrying your kayak. Accessories like kayak cradles will fit easily onto a roof rack bar, but it may take a bit of fabrication to allow them to work with your trailer. Adding a roof rack to your car is easy and relatively inexpensive. If you do not have a trailer, buying one is much more expensive than simply adding a roof rack. And, if your car does not have a towbar, the whole setup becomes even more expensive. For most people, a roof rack is the best way to go. But, if you already have a trailer, you may prefer this option. And, if minimising the amount of lifting you need to do is important, then the trailer is also the best choice. If you have any questions about transporting your kayak, feel free to contact us.

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17 HUNTING NEWS - DECEMBER 2016

Scent on a velvet super-moon

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HUNTING

STORY

NEWS

Marion Day

I am not a true hunter in the real sense of the word. I have never stuck a pig or shot a deer. Rather, I just tag along to (1) absorb the scenery and natural beauty of the Marlborough Sounds; (2) feel alive; and (3) take photographs. In helicopter terms, I’d be called a skid biter. Three years ago we bought a Rotti puppy after our last one died of old age. Steve Podjursky, my partner, called her Scent. Unknown to us at the time, this rather unusual name would indicate her future. Two years later, Steve said, “I’m going to train Scent to be my deer dog.” I laughed. “Ridiculous!” Everyone else laughed too, and when I asked Uncle Google what breeds were considered the best, Rottweilers were not in the line up – in fact they weren’t even mentioned. “She’s smart,” he replied, ignoring me when I pointed this out. I have to take back every word. To his credit, Steve has turned that Rotti into an exceptional deer dog. And what follows is a cupof-coffee escapade of a hunt with Steve and Scent. Steve had been hunting early morning this day. Using his Browning 7 mm magnum X-Bolt rifle he’d dropped a hind, but wounded a second. He released Scent from a 1.5 metre lead that he ties to his waist so he can keep his hands free and to rein her in. She raced in the direction of the animal, however soon returned. “What’s wrong?” he muttered. She ran forward and back, forward and back – something she always does when she wants him to follow – and led him through the undergrowth. Aha, a fence. He let her through. It happened again. A second fence, but then away she went. Minutes later, and three quarters of a kilometre from the first shot, Steve heard profound barking. When he reached her she had the yearling bailed in the river. Number two!

Yeah boss, I may not look like a deer dog, but the proof is not in the poodle!

(We won’t mention how Steve slipped in the water, drowned his expensive Browning, and came home soaked and sporting a black bruise the size of a football on his butt from a submerged boulder.) The evening hunt, however, was one I would join Steve on. We headed to the tops as the sun sunk into the horizon with a blaze of colour, promising calm and peace while we peered over the picturesque Sounds. Only minutes into the walk, Scent lifted her nose in the air, picking up the scent of deer on the wind. Knowing we were close, Steve turned to me and tapped his finger to his lips. Under our breaths, we wormed our way through the reverting farmland until Scent stopped. Standing in Rotti profile, ears cocked high and forward, one back leg stretched (no tail to point!) she

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listened again, winding, indicating. A quiver ran through her body. Steve and I passed a silent glance. We inched forward until we popped out of the growth and looked over a small gut and onto a rise one hundred and fifty metres in front of us. Here lay a stag in velvet. As I filmed, I heard the click of the bolt closing. Scent immediately sat dead still like she’d been trained to. The shot shattered the serenity. Scent was released. She beat us to the stag, sitting down to guard it. As the hazy super-moon rose into the dusk, no one would get near this stag except us. It was hers.

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18 HUNTING NEWS - DECEMBER 2016

K-2 forty years strong

HUNTER PILOT PROFILE: WILLIE SAGE

Kiwi Brucie

K-2 packs are New Zealand made and said to be constructed to withstand the toughest conditions. I can certainly vouch for that and have no problem endorsing the brand because my K-2 Antarctic Special packed a lot into forty years, traveling with me to every continent in the world, bar South America and Antartica! I bought it in 1975 and still use it regularly, it's a fantastic pack! My K-2 external frame pack has been on safari in Tanzania, trekking in the Simian mountains in Ethiopia. It’s backpacked through India and crossed the Jordanian Desert, followed the route of JC around the Sea of Galilee, and backpacked through Syria and Turkey. It has trekked with me through Central America and has done every great walk in New Zealand, bar Lake Waikaremoana and the Wanganui River. It’s completed The Hillary Trail three times and many other New Zealand and International Trails, and backpacking adventures besides. The only major trek I didn’t take it on was the Appalachian Trail last year, I wanted to, but it was just that little bit too heavy. It’s still in remarkable condition seeing how it’s over 40-years-old; I think it’ll probably outlive me and go on forever! K-2 with more miles on it than a Michelin!

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AGE: 54 STATUS: Unavailable - he’s managed to hang on to his wife, Jane, and has a son, Jesse. HOURS: 13,000 fixed wing/ helicopter CURRENT MACHINES: Tasman Helicopter - Robinson R-44 Raven II, EC 120 Eurocopter. Flies STOL Maul for recreation.

HISTORY:

leaver’ progressed to Australia where he became Chief Pilot for Vincent Aviation. During that career phase, Willie and his crew flew Kiwi combat troops into war torn Timor, which was a conflict that presented the pilots with plenty of ‘hairraising’ moments. “In fact,” Willie reflects, “ we became the only civilians awarded full military honours!” He has both the NZ Service Medal and the East Timor Medal.

THE OPERATION:

Willie grew up out back of Taihape on the Rangitikei River, left school at fourteen and employed himself on the land: shearing, mustering, possuming, and hunting in his spare time and for the odd ‘quid’. Like many young Kiwis, hunting got in his blood and it’s an affliction he’s never been able to shake. His family operated a whitewater rafting operation, which utilised a helicopter to ferry rafters to remote locations but, while the machine always fascinated Willie, he never imagined he’d fly one. “I fancied myself flying a chopper but never thought I’d become a pilot,” he says, “because I didn’t think I was bright enough!” Ultimately, it got the better of him and he started learning to fly helicopters, until another pilot suggested he’d be better learning on fixed wings first. It proved a good career choice, with Willie starting out with small rural commuter operators before graduating to mainstream airlines. The once ‘uneducated early school

Upon returning to New Zealand, Willie and his wife bought a property up the Wairau River and he turned to his first two loves: hunting and helicopters. Learning to fly rotary wings proved easy for Willie and he quickly developed ‘good hands’. However, it is ‘the process’ of flying that differentiates a good practitioner from a safe and accomplished pilot. The awareness of where you are in relation to time, distance, terrain, space and weather, coupled with the ability to process information ahead of time, and always have an ‘out’, are hallmarks of top pilots. Similar thinking processes can be attributed to hunters and Willie soon identified the potential of his ‘backyard’, setting up a helicopter base near the Branch River, with the aim of putting keen hunters into the game-rich Marlborough back country. Regular flights combined with his inquisitive nature has given him a keen understanding of the area, which he passes on to hunters. “I’ve really studied the animals’ habits,

Willie Sage - hunter pilot.

seasonal migrations, and reactions to weather, so I now have good grasp of established patterns.” This is reflected in the consistent success rate of proficient hunter clients. “While hunting is never guaranteed and I feel pressure to deliver every time I put the skids down, I’m learning more every season - every flight.”

CURRENT ANIMAL STATUS: Willie says now is the perfect time for a spring meat hunt in the back country. Green grass is coming away and animals are on the move and in the open. Many of the hinds have kicked off their yearlings, so there are plenty of easy animals in the river beds and clearings. Velvet stags are everywhere, poking out on slips, open faces, and low in the river valleys. The pigs have dispersed and moved lower but there’s still opportunity to catch the odd mobile porker on the hoof. For a quick, affordable, and productive meat hunt - call Willie now.

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19 HUNTING NEWS - DECEMBER 2016

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Nuts.

southerly. I checked my tracking gear. Gin didn’t show up at all. Bolt wasn’t on my map but according to the compass he was back towards the truck. I turned-about, bottom lip dragging. It seemed out of character for both dogs to go Kim Swan then give up. Perhaps they’d backtracked. was taking the horse for a recreational As luck would have it, I sauntered down an ride as the dogs were bruised and lame old farm track instead of pushing back through after they’d battled a boar days earlier. the shite. The track veered off my destination Eeyore was content to cruise, while I kept a but it was good going so I continued on. That’s sharp eye on every game-crossing, clearing when I heard Bolt’s bark. and patch of bracken fern. Soon enough There was no point in sneaking. The shite I saw a boar across the creek. He was up was thick and noisy. We each knew we were to his eyeballs in black dirt digging for all ‘amongst it’. The difference was Boris knew earthworms. I had no dogs and no rifle so exactly where I was but I couldn’t see him. I Eeyore and I continued on our way. could see both dog’s bodies, so I knew where Several days later I was back on foot. It they were looking, I knew he was just a metre was late afternoon and the wind was in my or two in front of them but he stood still and favour. With the 7mm-08 over my shoulder quiet in dense cover. Well, he did, ‘till I put too and binoculars in hand, I was hoping to espy much pressure on him and he bolted for places a large stag whose prints had caught my less hazardous. attention on the horse ride. Instead I spied the Haha! Now I see we have been in close black boar again. proximity to my porcine acquaintance from He was just a glimpse as he moved through across the creek. I recognise him as he boosts heavy scrub. I took a trackside seat, pressed through a gap below me, or perhaps I should binoculars to brow, waited and watched. Yup, say I recognise his big shiny nuts! definitely the same boar. Young, broad, big Gin is on his tail, trail-barking shiny nuts. He kept on moving, mooching enthusiastically. She’s too slow to do more than through gaps, offering no killing shot. encourage him. Bolt is coming up the rear. I gathered my gear and wits, crossed the He’ll bring Boris to a halt, just as soon as he creek then quietly stalked up through broom, can lay teeth on skin. All three pass my parked gorse and young pines. I doubted I would truck, cross the road then cross the creek. Then see Boris again, the cover too thick, his route there’s a howdy-do, then there’s a hoe-down. unknown to me. When I did see him he’d When I arrive on the scene the team befriended two other are in the creek, pigs and all three fighting hard to hold were on the run. on as Boris drags "Sometimes it’s knee-deep, They’d scented me and them downstream. skedaddled before I They submerge in sometimes crutch-deep, could render them deep holes, they sometimes I lose my footing dead. get bulldozed into A couple of days banks and tangled in and then it’s armpit-deep" later, with a southerly blackberry - but they blast strafing the hills hold on tight. Go the with snow and sleet, bailers! I returned with two dogs and a rifle. After Once again we're ‘amongst it’ but this time leaving the truck and walking into the chill ‘it’ is ice-cold creek water. Sometimes it’s kneewind Bolt veered right and worked uphill. deep, sometimes crutch-deep, sometimes I lose I followed him, Gin followed me. A fat wee my footing and then it’s armpit-deep. There’s a eating pig was ‘catched and despatched’ and I period of splashing about and bubble-blowing was happy with that. as we all try to get a hold of one another. We were almost back at the truck, just 200 With a hock and then a foreleg in-hand, metres away, when Bolt tracked across the Boris and I come to a short-term arrangement creek, he angled higher and higher through the where he will stop towing my dogs for a bit. patches of scrub ‘till he was directly opposite They can now clamber out of the creek and where we’d caught the eater. Then he came wobble off for a well-earned breather, while he back. and I discuss bragging rights. I’m heavier than Now, just a 100 metres before the truck, Bolt him, so I have the advantage but he doesn’t put his nose in the air once again. I caught want to die so he’s rather energetic. glimpses of him as he ascended before cresting With one hand I attempt to control Boris’ the ridge. When Gin appeared on the skyline thrashing hind and foreleg and his mouthful following Bolt’s route, I knew I’d better shake of sharp teeth he’s intent on maiming me with. a tail feather. Gin doesn’t do ascents without Then, all elbows and ungainly, I attempt to get good reason! my knife from the sheath with the other hand. I did the uphill scurry too and on cresting It isn’t pretty, nor co-ordinated. Then, just the ridge was disappointed not to hear a peep. after a brief brisket-stick, Boris kicks my knife Before me was a perfect pig haven - a basin out of my hand and into the swirling current. of scrub and grass all sheltered from the icy Gone!

That quick-stick was spot-on though and as we struggle in the cold, cold water it becomes bright red. With a squeal of defeat young shiny-nuts kicks his last. Now, all elbows and ungainly again, I have to feel around in the creek for the knife which has been dropped and drop-kicked. I sure as

hell don’t want to grab the blade but I can’t see a thing in the mud and blood and weeds and water. After a few minutes of patting-down the creek-bed I tentatively touch the haft and come up with my prize. With this in-hand Boris will be bereft of his guts and his shiny nuts, in no time.

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20 HUNTING NEWS - DECEMBER 2016

Shooting twice to do it once Jayden Rich

I’d just purchased a new rifle and was keen to blood it so, with the gleaming Mossburg .308 nicely balanced over my shoulder, I followed Grandad’s footfalls up the Rakaia. Some way up the valley a movement caught our attention and a mob of seven deer suddenly came into focus. They were tracking toward the ridge and pretty soon they had gone over the top and dropped into the next valley. Grandad grabbed me and we charged up the hill, angling for a knob that would give us a vantage point. No luck. The deer appeared to have vanished. Then another movement caught my eye:

we could see a shrub moving on the far side of the valley, so we anchored down and watched. Soon a feeding hind appeared. Then another. Setting my backpack up as a bench rest, I squirmed into position, steadied, and fired. Boom - a clean miss! The deer bolted so I had to act quickly. Swinging onto the second deer, which was now careening downhill, I touched off another shot. This time the projectile connected and the deer eventually tumbled to a stop. I’d shared a magic hunt with Grandad Michael, who has hunted all his life, and I’d bagged some meat for the freezer, but most of all - I’d blooded the new Mossburg. You only get to do that once.

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Optically Speaking - with Ant Corke NIGHT HUNTING WITH A YUKON PHOTON Christmas is coming, and the goose is The Yukon Photon is very easy to use. The getting fat… well actually, everything is controls consist of an objective lens focussing getting fat, thanks to rapid spring grass ring, an on-off button that also controls the growth. What a great time to hunt! IR illuminator, and a dial that controls the Rabbits are a major problem, young rabbits brightness, and selects the user menu. The born in late winter will be having their user menu is responsible for altering pointown young by mid summer, whilst pigs are of-impact, selecting a reticle (choice of six rooting-up paddocks, and deer are greedily reticles), and selecting the reticle colour feasting to gain weight. Night shooting is (red, white, green). The ocular (eyepiece) highly productive and rather pleasant at this is adjustable for dioptre as per any daylight time of year. scope. I would like to discuss one of our best selling The 30mm body of the riflescope is made products, the Yukon Photon XT 4.6x42s from high quality aluminium, and all the DNV (Digital Night Vision) riflescope. This is a great general optics are precision purpose night ground, multivision scope, coated optical suitable for fitting glass. The Photon to a smallbore uses two AA rifle for shooting batteries and the rabbits at 50m, or unit has a battery to a fullbore rifle power indicator for shooting deer in the viewfinder. and pigs at 150m. The IPx4 body will Unlike Shooting at night with the Yukon Photon brings a withstand heavy new dimension to hunting. traditional rain, and is suitable tubed night for powerful centrefire rifles such as 7mm vision devices, the Yukon Photon cannot be damaged by exposure to bright light, and RemMag, and .300WM. A video out-socket can be used during the daytime. Its twilight is fitted to record or transmit the image, great performance will easily beat any expensive for recording pest control operations, or for daylight riflescope regardless of cost, or brand, skiting! and when completely dark, an in-built IR Visit www.yukonoptics.co.nz for more illuminator will enable shooting all night. information, or visit your local Yukon Optics Adding a laser IR illuminator will extend stockist for a demonstration. its detection range out to 350 metres, which is more than sufficient for most shooting situations.

Jayden pulled off a difficult shot to bag this deer.

Have a safe and peaceful Christmas, and a great New Year!

21 HUNTING NEWS - DECEMBER 2016

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First pig last Daniel Crimp (13)

Daniel gets his first taste of the hard work.

The raging river echoing in the background was all we could hear as we sat outside the trucks waiting… we weren't waiting for long, as within five minutes of letting the dogs out, the silence was ruptured by a loud squealing, followed by barking. They were onto one. We shot off, crashing through the blackberry bushes and racing towards the river. As the bushes scraped against our legs, the swollen river grew closer and closer. We stumbled at the river bank, only then realising it was too deep for me to cross alone, so we formed a row of three; a strong buff intelligent man to the left of me, and Dad to the right! (Editor’s note: that’s a smacking offence!) We hastily waded across and began sprinting down the bank only to realise the pig was back on the other side. We decided to send Karl as the sacrifice, while dad watched from a safe distance up at the top of a tree. We shot downstream to a clearing were we could watch Karl slip into the tangle of blackberry to wrestle the pig. The dogs let it go and it charged Karl, forcing him back into the creek. After much barking, grunting, squealing, and commotion, the pig was stuck and gutted. I had to help carry the pig out - first blood ritual. It was an awesome first pig hunt but i wanted more. Moving up the valley to see if any more pigs were around, it took longer for the dogs to get onto one but when they did, they were off. We caught up easy enough, except for Dad who was puffing like an

old train. The dogs had nailed a nice sow scampered away. I scurried over to but we let that one go because it was still examine my kill. A small pig big enough in good condition. to eat, but I wasn't complaining; a first pig is a first pig! We stopped there for a moment wondering why there was only one dog present. Our thoughts were interrupted by a faint barking coming from higher up in the pines. Karl took off uphill, me close behind with the camera. We scrambled up the slope, slipping on pine needles, the squealing getting closer. Before we reached the top, a sandy black torpedo came rocketing down, slamming up against a pine tree, half dead. Karl said the sow was too far gone to revive so a quick throat cut finished her off. Daniel thrilled with I was ecstatic with the three his first pig. pigs but I was still left behind without my own one. With time running out, Dad Up close pig and I started to make our way back to the house. We decided to go the same route as hunting the day before where we had seen a couple DANIEL'S of pigs. Just going around the last corner FIRST PIG we saw it, a little bush shaking in the wind Scan here - only, there was no wind. I immediately thought ‘pig’ and, without hesitation, stalked up to a rock to get a better view. There they were, three pigs; not huge but big enough. I gazed through the scope and as soon as the crosshairs drifted onto the beast, I gently squeezed the trigger. BANG! It dropped to the floor, the others

22 HUNTING NEWS - DECEMBER 2016

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Billy’s first billy Karl Barlow

get the wind in our favour. We crawl to the bush edge and peer into the clearings. At first we see nothing, then I bring out the trusty Swarovski binos and start to look a little further out - and notice part of a head in the gorse. “I can see one, Billy,” I whisper, pointing in the direction of the goat. “We’ll just hang back here bud; where there’s one there is bound to be more.” After 15 minutes we see seven more and there are a couple of billy goats with this mob. Billy was pretty keen to make his first kill a billy, so we crawl through the gorse to try and cut some distance to our quarry. We got within 50 metres of the goats but they are feeding on the tender gorse tips and moving all the time. The gorse here is scattered and as soon as we get a rest, they move out of our shooting lane.We shuffle over and reset, only to have the same thing happen. This went on for nearly half an hour and by this stage Billy is getting a little frustrated. Suddenly the goats feed into a wee clearing in the gorse and the billy we are after is in position for a shot. Billy is lying prone over my day bag, with my suppressed 22-250, and I coach him through the shot cycle. Breathe, find your target

Billy's happy but billy's not!

in the scope, track up the front leg until you get about half way up the body, wait until he turns more broadside and gently squeeze the trigger. Instead of turning broadside, he turns and faces us, and starts to snort. “Ok Billy, hit him in the -“ CRACK. “ - throat!” Thump. Dead goat. “AWESOME mate,” I say to Billy, thumping him on the back. “Great shot, where did you aim for?” “In the throat just under the goatee,” Billy said. “Sweet shot bud. Now make the gun safe and let’s check out your goat.” It’s a solid billy with narrow horns, sweeping up and over his head a bit like a tahr. We position him and get a few more pics then I give my boy a big hug and tell him how proud I am. He looks up at me and says, “Thanks Dad.” Then like warriors of old we get out the mobile phone and text mum the good news, a stinking billy goat head is going up in the skull tree.

The time had finally arrived: my oldest boy “Sweet as Dad. Can we go now?” Billy asked if he could shoot his first big game “Mate it’s bedtime on a school night, let’s wait till animal. the weekend.” Billy has followed me in many hunts over the The weekend turns up in glacial time for Billy, last four years, whingeing in the early years about who has just turned nine, and the incessant “Can being too tired, too cold, too hot, too warm, too we go now” gets too much. Mum’s list of BORING hungry, too thirsty, blah blah blah. To the point THINGS FOR DAD TO DO gets put on hold, now where he can more than keep up with Dad, as Billy I embark on a journey thatand has been Join me on myand next African safari experience a true fair chase wilderness hunting experience. even in some good lung burning country. going on since time began. Let you mecan, share magic Africa asproperty, we hunt the mighty Bushveld of Botswana and the great Savannah of “Yes mate, of course ” I told with him. you thePulling up atof a local farmer’s we step “A deer will be fine Dad,” young Billy says. forth to lessen the numbers of marauding goat herds. “REALLY, a deer first up. Well bud, I think the local goat population may have to take the first hit We start up a creek and head towards the back Billy sets up for the shot. eh?” I replied. of the farm and cut through some native bush to

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Bryce has uncovered the secret to success on the canals.

Ripper rainbows in the rain Bryce Helms

A recent trip to the Mackenzie Country canals was memorable for two reasons; the awesome fishing and the awful weather! The trip was very nearly over before it started but I decided to have a crack anyway, and the results were outstanding! Saturday afternoon saw me arriving at Ohau A in the pouring rain and howling wind, without a single other fisherman in sight (they must have all taken the sensible option and stayed home!). High flows coupled with the strong wind made things extremely difficult, especially with light jigheads. A change of tack was required so I tied on the heaviest jighead in my box, a 1/6oz, in order to gain a bit of control. The results were immediate, the Savage Gear Soft 4Play in Rainbow Smolt was inhaled second cast by a feisty 8lb brown. Things just got better and better from there, with several double-digit fish coming to the bank. Just as the light was starting to fade, the lure was wolfed by a fish of serious weight, and the battle was on! The initial run was blisteringly quick and had me clambering over the wet, greasy bank, desperately trying to stay attached. The fight eventually settled into stalemate: the fish holding in the current and giving some huge head shakes to try and shake the hook. I increased the drag slightly and put as much pressure on the fish as I dared with 8lb leader, and eventually began to make some progress. A couple of visiting Aussie fisherman pulled

up just in time to lend a hand with the net, and an impressive rainbow in the 20 - 25lb range was on the bank! A few photos later, the big rainbow gave a couple of kicks and swum off to grow into a proper monster. Once darkness fell, I persisted with the Rainbow Smolt 4Play and the move paid off. I came tight on another seriously heavy fish and the fight played out similar to the first, with the stalemate lasting a bit longer. I slipped the net under a monster rainbow of around 30lb! It was now pitch black. A change to a brightly coloured softbait was in order, so I selected a favourite night-time lure, the Savage Gear 4Play Shad in Fluoro Yellow. A few minutes later I came up tight on another monster rainbow! This fish gave me some serious issues during the fight, with the little Okuma Inspira 30 absolutely singing as it peeled off braid towards the cages. A bit of ducking and weaving around cable was required to avoid disaster and, after several near mishaps, the fish finally surrendered and came to the bank. It was an absolute stunner, with bright crimson cheeks and flanks. I was after one to take home for the table but decided to release this gorgeous fish. After a few snaps and some recovery time, the big girl kicked off strongly into the darkness to continue harassing the smaller residents of the canal; the perfect end to an outstanding evening, which made braving the elements well worthwhile!

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Our canvas hunting products are designed for comfort and durability, and the range is huge, ensuring we have all your requirements covered: hunting/game bags in canvas, arm protectors, carry capes, and gorse gloves (great for bush bashing) to name a few.

Our biggest seller, all purpose leggings, are available in two sizes – long or medium length.

WE insist on quality and durability, using best grade (14oz) canvas with an oil-based coating, giving it waterproof qualities. It is not stiff, making it easy for walking and sitting. This material is hardwearing yet lightweight and tough. We also produce a wide range of outdoor clothing with merino, possum, and ﬂeece materials, and have a fantastic kids range of camo clothing for up to 8yrs. The list goes on, so visit our website for the full range at: www.sewlovely.co.nz Available from Sew Lovely, Gowan Valley, Murchison Ph 03 523 9577

Chill out with the perfect Christmas gift

MARINE WASHCOAT AND SHINE

The Signature Series Ice Boxes are built with 70mm walls. Yes, you read it right - 70mm walls. That is more than twice as thick as most polyethylene ice boxes, and much thicker than ﬁbreglass ice boxes, with super thick lids ranging from 75mm to 90mm. These huge lids and walls are injected under extreme pressure with highest quality high denisty multi-compound PU insulation.

Marine Washcoat & Shine is an amazing new product that is a powerful wash that removes salt buildup and black streaks on boats, but then rinses clean and leaves a UV protective coating that not only repels dirt (so it stays cleaner for longer) but a super shine that just gets better and better after every wash. NEVER WAX AGAIN!

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ISO Accredited manufacture and a Consumer Award in NZ, Australia, and UK rated this the best bin in the world. Add in our re-usable ice sheets for ﬁshing, hunting, and camping, and you have a winning combination. Cold ﬁsh and colder beer… the perfect gift to shout a friend, or treat yourself. Merry Christmas. NZ Techni-Ice paul@techniice.co.nz 021 2772690

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Tested and proven by the team at Wholesale Marine Direct as the perfect lubricant spray after washing down with Salt-Away. PRO E.P.T is manufactured with the latest enhanced polymer technology and is designed to lubricate and protect your fishing rods and reels. Completely safe on all mono-filament and braid lines. Spray on all engine components and lubrication points i.e. throttle linkages, steering cables, electronic switches and wiring. Will not harm engine decal. Keeps your engine looking like new, inside and out. Kills salt corrosion. SUGGESTED APPLICATIONS: Marine and water sports equipment, cars, trucks, motor cycles and bicycles, guns, rifles, military equipment, remote control hobby equipment, mechanical equipment, repair precision equipment and controls, and safe tumblers and locks Only $24.95.

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Blood Brothers - a pearler of a present Blood Brothers, from the pen of accomplished Marlborough Sounds author Marion Day, is the perfect stocking ﬁller or surprise gift this Christmas. Guaranteed to be on the wish list of all keen hunters, this well-crafted, true tale of two brothers who followed similar trajectories through life is a gripping and fascinating read that will appeal far beyond the realm of hunters alone. While there are plenty of hunting adventures and a good jaunt through our pioneering helicopter hunting era, it is a biographical adventure story, full of warmth, humour, romance, tragedy, thrills and spills, and plenty of drama. The people are real and the stories are true, but it could equally read as the synopsis of a good movie. Blood Brothers is an ideal gift for Christmas. Available from all good book stores. RRP $39.99

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Making it easy to look after your boat. Salt-Away Concentrate has shown consistently that it removes salt from the engine, the boat, the trailer, fishing rods, and reels - resulting in reduced corrosion that in turn assists with a reduction in the day to day wear and tear on all metal moving parts. As long as you have a boat in the drive way, you will have Salt-Away in the shed ready to clean up. Salt-Attack’s Mixing Unit comes with an international quick fit hose connector to connect the mixer to hose as well as motor flushers and engines. MIXES AT UP TO 512 PARTS WATER TO ONE PART CONCENTRATE - THAT’S 480 LITRES! Only $92.45 - 946ml. Available Wholesale Marine Direct 0800 272 589 or from all leading marine stores, and online:

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Ultimate in tackle storage The Black Magic Tackle Pack and Tackle Bag are the ultimate in ﬁshing tackle storage. These heavy duty bags feature: • water resistant material

Be sure to get in early this year for your cooler bags and bring your ﬁsh home fresh! Invest in a quality NZ Outdoor Gear cooler bag to keep your ﬁsh cool this summer.

We produce a range of cooler bags for marlin, kingfish, and snapper. Our cooler bags save room on your boat. They are durable and long lasting, with robust zips and carry handles. We hand-make every product in our factory at Katikati, so it is also easy for us to custom make any product to your individual needs; we can make to order any sized bag/cover you require. We produce over one hundred products for hunting, fishing, forestry, protective wear, pet gear, and inflatable boats, and we guarantee all our products, as our workmanship and products are known to last. Mention this ad when placing your order to receive free courier nationwide! Available from:

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Formerly Penguin Sea and Surf Order by phone 07 5492240 or for our full range visit our website www.nzoutdoorgear.co.nz

SALT-AWAY PROFESSIONAL STRENGTH SPRAY READY TO USE SALT-AWAY ready to use spray is perfect to keep on your boat to look after your gear and remove salt build up, and stop rust and corrosion. Suitable for, pliers and other hand tools, printed circuit boards, underwater cameras, gauge and meter housings, canvas snaps, zippers, diving regulators, BCs, goggles, electrical connectors, locks sets, gauges, battery posts and battery corrosion, recessed bolts, metal connectors, water-safe switches, valves, ﬁttings, hinges, and other hardware. Only $19.95 - 473ml bottle. Available Wholesale Marine Direct 0800 272 589 or from all leading marine stores, and online:

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• corrosion free nylon zips • waterproof plastic base

• fully padded interior with adjustable compartments and shelves • three utility boxes (tackle pack includes insulated box)

Black Magic pride themselves on creating top of the range ﬁshing tackle and accessories. These items are a great example of what separates them from other brands in terms of quality and endurance. A great gift idea. www.blackmagictackle.com

Vintage Tin Signs - The Perfect Christmas Gift If you are stuck for Xmas gift ideas then these signs are the perfect choice.

The range is huge. You can choose from cars to ﬁshing, to vintage garage signs. There is a theme to suit any ‘Man Cave’, shed, bach or bar. Come on in and check out the entire range. New signs have just arrived. There are heaps of themes. From only $30, these signs make amazing gifts, but hurry, they are going fast. Available from Ellis Street Auto, Ph 03 542 4035 104a Ellis Street, Brightwater, Nelson

Sauce up your stocking filler The Glasseye Creek Wild Meat Sauce recipe was born in a West Coast pub. Batch after batch, brew after brew, whisky after whisky, we endured, seeking the perfect sauce that would complement the famous wild meats of the West Coast of NZ. Up until that hazy night, at least in our red eyes, such a sauce did not exist.

Our sauce is hand made and small-batch-brewed. It goes beaut with beef, pork, venison, chicken, ﬁsh, lamb, prawns, mutton, rabbit, duck, ﬁsh & chips, spare ribs, sausages, chops, bacon and eggs, burgers, pies, sausage rolls, pizza, fancy sarnies, meatloaf and everything off your barbie. The Glasseye Creek Wild Meat Sauce is also great as a marinade for meats, or to add some guts to a casserole sauce or gravy!

So, in other words, pretty much great with most meats and Kiwi tucker but NOT WHITEBAIT! Some things are best left alone! The perfect stocking ﬁller for the hunter or chef in your family. Ask for us at you local food store.

For a full list of stockists visit www.glasseyecreek.co.nz or phone 03 323 6116

K-2 schoolboy tough

Is that school bag starting to split apart on you? Not even though the year and it’s starting to show wear? Problem solved! Daniel Crimp has been trialling this K-2 bag all year and not one split seam in sight. There is no greater punishing test that daily abuse from a typical schoolboy: jampacked, not just with books, but soccer and rugby balls, clothes, boots, boys’ junk, and a huge heavy lunch box. Boys show no mercy and take no prisoners, so this bag is thrown, dropped, kicked, shunted and dragged everywhere. Daniel’s only comment was that is was a little stiﬀ when he got it but it has softened over time. He is pretty sure that once he has finished school, this will end up his hunting day pack - that’s no faint praise! All packs are made in New Zealand and come with a three-year guarantee and range in sizes L $119, M $99, S $79. Daniel has the large one, a great investment for a lifetime bag. Available from www.k2antarcticproducts.co.nz Ph Marie 0220 740 319 - email k24u@xtra.co.nz

26 THE FISHING PAPER - DECEMBER 2016

TIDES OF CHANGE By Poppa Mike

STEPHEN’S ISLAND HANG GLIDING CLUB Out near Stephen’s Island in Cook Strait it is quite common to see New Zealand’s biggest hang gliding club in action, taking advantage of the sea breezes rising up the cliffs. On a recent visit I counted over 100 in action, all hanging there virtually in the one spot for hours, with just the occasional tweak of a wing for balance. When I looked more closely, I noted the club comprised two main models of glider – the harrier hawk and the black-backed gull.

On my return home, I started to research the history of this club and the reason for its existence in such a remote location. It turns out this club has been going for well over 100 years. The reason it continues to thrive is because of the tuatara, the New Zealand native lizard that today live in large numbers, approximately 50,000, and have done so in varying numbers for thousands of years. It may well be the hang gliding club dates that far back as well. When Europeans first established a lighthouse on the island, they cleared areas of bush cover. This continued for year after year to create pasture to carry more stock – meat for the lighthouse keepers and their families. Clearing bush cover exposed the tuatara nests, making them vulnerable to the hang gliding predators. Lighthouse keepers’ cats breeding on

the island became a third predator. There is also evidence of the kingfisher and little grey German owl eating baby tuatara chicks. Well meaning human predators started catching tuatara and their eggs for trade to zoos and museums in other countries, but this practice came to an end in 1898 when it was realised numbers were dropping, one estimate stating only 150 tuatara left on the island. Soon after, lighthouse keepers were issued with shotguns and the war against cats, harrier hawks, and black-backed gulls begun. On some occasions professional shooters were brought in to assist. Cats were finally eliminated in the mid-1920s. The hawks were easy to shoot because they did their hang gliding just above the cliff tops, from where they could spot a tuatara pop out of its burrow and, with a silent flip of a wing, pounce on their prey. During the summer of 1917-18, they shot 1582 hawks and in similar numbers for several years after. In 1924 a further 1300 kills were recorded. For a short period, kingfisher were also shot. When the Department of Conservation took over responsibility for the island in 1989, they began an extensive programme of replanting; the idea being to replace the natural cover the tuatara needed as a defence against the bird predators. About ten years ago, the last of the sheep was removed. Today, planting continues. The war against the hang gliding club is being won to the point, recent estimates put the number of tuatara as “possibly as many as 100,000.”

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Labour Weekend diary Malcolm Halstead

Saturday AM As this was our first weekend at our bach in Kaikoura for a while, we were well and truly loaded up with supplies for the coming months. The Hilux towed the boat easily and in a couple of hours we hit the Kaikoura coast. I noticed the dirty colour of the water, bugger, no diving this weekend. Saturday PM With diving out, we set some pots for crayfish. Four were baited and onto the briny we went in the mighty Stabi. Once out there the visibility was not as bad as we thought and hopes were renewed for a dive later in the weekend. The pots were set in a variety of depths to see where the bugs were currently residing.

Jack with some of the bounty they laboured for!

raised his rifle and fired. Reloading, he fired again. I ran up just as he reloaded and fired for the third time. I could not believe my eyes - lying in front of us were three wild pigs, which had obviously pushed the deer off during our stalk. Congratulations were forthcoming and the three pigs carried back to Jack’s Hilux for the trip home. Once in the meat safe we took time out for a few beers before hitting the sack.

Sunday AM We headed out to check the pots and took the dive gear just in case. The visibility had improved markedly so, after checking the pots, one of our regular spots looked okay and over the side went Jack, my son, with catch bag in tow. He free-dived some crays and six paua, which was plenty for us. He then took his spear gun and accounted for a large butterfish.

Monday AM Back on the water to check the pots and go for a dive. The visibility was now perfect, which shows how quickly it can come right. This time we ended up with crays, paua, butterfish, and a large conger eel! The pots were kept on board, because we were heading home this afternoon.

Sunday PM Jack phoned a friendly farmer south of Kaikoura and arranged a hunt, taking his .243 along for the walk, while I just took my binoculars and acted as spotter. As the sun went down, we started to see the odd deer and pig. Three deer on one clearing were sorted for a stalk and off we went. At the clearing we worked out the deer were behind a large clump of gorse, so I hung back while Jack moved in. Peering around the gorse, I saw Jack pull back and close the bolt on the Sako. Moving back around the gorse he

Monday PM Vehicles were loaded for the trip home after a very full on start to the summer. The drive home was pretty slow due to the amount of traffic but who could be in a hurry to get back to civilisation. Thoughts were already starting to wander to Show Weekend, three short weeks away.

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THE FISHING PAPER - MAY 2016

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Staunch seven-gillers cut no slack

Greg Gilbert

Having spent a few weeks chasing silver on Canterbury rivers and having a low patch at work, I figured I should get back to what I know best, surf casting. After watching the time tick by at work, I raced home on Friday, packed my car and headed north, arriving in Kaikoura about 7.30 pm. I rigged up and fished for about an hour-and-a-half, using scallops as bait. I managed eight moki and a red cod, all undersize, so packed it in. I met up with Greg Terras around 6.00am next morning. It was cold but we didn't mind, so we fished for a couple hours but with not a huge amount of success - just a couple small moki. Then the wind turned and was blowing in our face. Although it wasn't pleasant, it wasn't bad either and it coloured up the water. I thought there could be some seven-gillers around so on went some salmon for bait. The first big bend in the rod proved me right and I went on to battle it out with three seven-gillers, a decent conger eel, and a small stingray, along with the moki and other fish I

THE FISHIN

G PAPER

- MAY 2016

The luck

Greg Gilbert with the staunch Kaikoura seven-giller.

caught. Greg also managed two seven-gillers. Of our catch, a couple were small, 20-40lb, but a couple were a bit bigger. We fished on into dark but it was pretty quiet so we retired for a well earned sleep. Sunday

A big conger added to the mixed bag taken from

the surf.

dawned to a beautiful morning, which had us back at the surf full of anticipation. I threw out some rainbow trout as bait but, having seen Greg get a couple of dogfish, I was a little disappointed when my line went slack. I said to Greg, “Here's a doggy for me,” and started winding up the slack. The moment I felt the weight come on, 50m of line suddenly peeled off my reel, straight out to sea! This was no doggy and thinking it wouldn’t be a

giller, as they usually swim along the beach, it was thrilling not knowing what was on my line. After a solid fight and plenty of rod bending action, some 20min later and 300m down the beach, I saw in the wave the brown shape and mass of a giller. Needless to say, I was very surprised as it was the hardest fight I've had from one. We thought it had to be foul hooked, but once we’d managed to beach it, and with a crowd of over a dozen people that had watched the whole fight standing around, we saw it was in fact hooked in the mouth! A couple of quick photos and back it went to fight another day. A few others wanted photos and I possibly sounded rude with the way I said, “No, it needs to go back!” (So, sorry if you’re reading this).

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love the mix of technology and the primitive aspects 10x42! Wow, of the sport. real primal what amazing Karl shares feel not prevalent There is a the sweet kit: crystal clear, it is the best taste of success The discipline gear I have with with son, Sam. a plan to intercept bought. Binos needed to accuratelya rifle. more animals get you and the sequence the two closer than you believe, on hands and deer. Crawling of steps required shoot game but also not just spotting knees practice. After planning stalking at hand. She takes me a clear shooting to a gap in the trees gave a year, I’m was close now expensive but routes. They get the feel just starting but kept looking lane. I rose I was told once, are of a correct way. I waited to depression from a small shot when - you only cry my if you buy quality until her head into a kneeling pressure; throw there is no once - when dipped behind and pulled position but in the excitement have made you pay for the bow up know, shut a tree must too much noise, 20-30 yards them. I of being only up, get back to full draw. from an animal, through my as the lead deer’s to the hunt. I then went head snapped shot sequence: I stalked on and placing arrow on target up and looked through the an straight at me. becomes a froze mid-crouch 1) Check pines, making long thin grassy HUGE challenge! stance. I’m I’ve had to I until she went for a kneeling! Have slow down slip that often By this time, back to feeding. a lot more like this. Glimpses of practiced held animals. my thighs were quieter, which and move the slip through burning. Ever my 42-year-old, mouthfuls, 2) Bow hand the trees soon appeared, so she’d look in y few struggles with. 6ft 2, 95kg body I slowed to relaxed, arm my direction, move a muscle. a crawl but slightly bent. so I daren’t deer everywhere. 3) Sight looked for I had earlier I glass more pin floating I ranged the they would but my old on target. glassed carefully. stopped short of the slip spot feed past at binos didn’t 4) Sight so with major and 26 yards, so cut it, Below, I could bubble level. waiting game, brownie points now it was a redskins feeding see a couple Not which quite! promised to missus, I secured I twisted my had a detrimental wrist. of about 80 yds my noggin. the a new pair of away. Soon, turned to six! effect on Swarovski SLC two She was looking I started to straight at me! They were feeding overthink the rising like bile I felt panic shot. Would in my direction, up, would she but I fought I stuff it so I formed keep feeding to focus. Using tension into to I move? Got release the shot, back my lane, should to focus, keep I still managed the trigger, my mind on to ‘pull’ but the shot the task felt good. Time as the arrow yawned closed the gap, striking perfectly in

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“It was a hot summer afternoon and the family was picking blackberries. A hunt seemed better option, a so I grabbed the bow and off through set the trees; after years of rifle it was time hunting for a new challenge - the close action of bow up hunting.” Karl Barlow explains the exhilaratio n of…

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27 THE FISHING PAPER - DECEMBER 2016

Treating them gently… Don Rood

Anglers love trout. They spend thousands of dollars on the best gear, amass extensive collections of flies and lures that realistically will never get wet, and travel huge distances to cast to fish they may never catch. So it is puzzling that when they do catch something, some don’t treat the object of their affection with more care. Trout are fought for too long on light line, dragged up onto hot rocks, and the hooks extracted with little care or delicacy. The fish are then thrown back into the water and these anglers congratulates themselves on their angling ethics because they let the fish go ‘to grow bigger’. The sad reality is that the fish may well die as a result of the rough handling endured and this has an impact on the long term survival of the trout fishery. This is just simple maths. If an angler keeps their limit of say three trout and releases the other six they also land but treat badly, then the real impact on the fishery is nine fish killed, not three. It doesn’t take long before the compounding toll has a real affect and soon those same anglers are shaking their heads and blaming everyone but themselves for the falling trout numbers. This summer, take a good hard look at how you fish and how you treat the fish you catch. It starts with the line. Don’t use too light a line as it means you will have to fight the fish for longer and that takes a toll – an exhausted fish has much less chance of surviving the ordeal. This can be a balancing act with clear summer waters and finicky trout, but use the heaviest line you can realistically get away with. Modern reels have great drags, so make the most of these and the rod’s leverage. Use a net to land your fish, preferably a knotless one. Whatever you do, don’t drag the fish onto shore and leave it flapping around on hot rocks, beating itself up on the unforgiving shore as it flaps around. This is a death

sentence. Instead, keep it in the water as long as possible and if you want a photo, make it quick, and get the fish back into the water without delay. Wet and cool your hands before handling the fish and consider using gloves. When handling the fish, don’t touch its gills. If your fish is bleeding from the gills, kill it, because studies have shown they won’t survive to see another dawn. Unhook the fish gently, preferably with long nosed pliers. Trout make good eating so if you are keeping them for the table, kill them quickly. A sharp blow to the head with a rock or priest does the trick nicely. Finish it off with a trip to the smoker, a squeeze of lemon, and a slice of bread – you don’t have to apologise for taking fish for the table. New Zealand is famous around the world for the quality of its trout fishing, the size of the rainbows and browns that live here, and the magnificent country they thrive in. The desire to catch a trophy trout is a passion for many anglers, while for others, fishing is a more practical venture, combining a day’s recreation with the chance to catch dinner for the family. Whatever the motive, all anglers need to take care to look after the fish they catch so they are either despatched humanely for eating or released to grow bigger and breed. For all their hard-fighting capabilities, trout are vulnerable to poor treatment by anglers. It makes no sense to handle a fish so badly that it will be poor eating, or die when it is released. Looking after the fish we catch is not only better for the health of our trout populations and the future of the fishery, but also your reputation as a provider of good quality food for family and friends.

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Eating Tahuna Beach lobster (a.k.a. the local paddle crab) Cole Ryan

Having commercially fished for paddle crab, pulling 50 crab pots a day, I thought I would have had enough of them by now, but it seems that once you get a taste for the sweet little crustaceans, it becomes seriously habit forming. Crab are natures’ specialist shellfish openers, living on cockles and pipis in the surf zone. It is fascinating to watch them dextrously open a cockle with their powerful claws and tapered legs. The simplest method for catching them is to wrap an old stocking around some bait, tie it to a hand line and place in about six feet of water at low tide. The crab will become entangled in the stocking and you will have a treat for dinner. There are many great recipes available for crab cakes, crab soups, curries etcetera, but I have chosen to describe the most simple and my favourite way of enjoying them, which is generally described as 'crab feasting'. This involves steaming the crab and dressing them out whole for the table. Preparation Prepare two dipping sauces, a bowl of mashed potatoes, and salad prior to cooking. I recommend a sweet chilli sauce enhanced with a little fish sauce and lime juice, and a warm garlic butter. Two - three large crab is a good portion per person, and best eaten the day you catch them. If the crabs are live, turn them on their backs and pierce them with a pointed knife just above their tails; this quickly and humanely dispatches them. It may help to think that, if they have been a good crab, they may come back as a crayfish. Bring about 25mm of water to the boil in a large pot, place crab in pot and with the lid securely on (I put a rock on mine). Steam for 10 minutes; it is difficult to over cook the crab with this method, so a little more time in the pot won't do any harm. Tip the crab straight from the

pot into the sink and douse with cold water. With a cold tap running, pick up the crab and pull the lid off the body using your thumb from bottom of the lid. Then wipe the gills off the carcass, turn over and remove the tail, discard and run the body under the tap to wash it until it looks tidy. Repeat this with all the crab, placing on a serving platter. Presentation & eating Place a large scrap bowl, plates and dips on the table with plenty of paper towels. Eating whole crab for the first time can seem like a challenge, but don't be deterred, as once mastered it will allow a lifetime of hands on enjoyment. Pick up the crab in both

hands and break in half down the middle. Put one half down and holding the other away from you break in half again. This will expose pockets of beautiful white crab meat. Squeeze, pull and prod the meat out, either eating and dipping as you go or reserving on your plate to combine with mashed potato and garlic butter. Break the legs off just below the joints that attach them to the body, then squeeze the meat from the leg through where you broke it from the body; this is my favourite part of the crab, the tastiest part! For the claws, use either a nut cracker or a small hammer to break through the tougher shell. Enjoy!

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28 THE FISHING PAPER - DECEMBER 2016

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Screaming for kingies off Westport O’Flynn trumped by master

Margie Mathews

I often visit the Coast for work and stay at McManus Hotel in Westport, where I am always boasting about my love of fishing. The owners had recently purchased two ex cray boats and challenged me to put my money where my mouth was. “Margie,” they said over the phone, “You’d best come down here and fish the Buller Fishing Competition.” We rose very early but the Harbour Master would not let us out because it was too rough, so we waited half an hour for sunrise. The bar was rough alright. With nervous anticipation, we nosed down the Buller River toward the bar. I was petrified crossing that legendary stretch of water, screamed all the way. I kept screaming for a good twenty minutes, until the crew could not stand the ear-piercing shrill any longer and stopped. We were immediately surrounded by dolphins, porpoising and frolicking like kids. Eventually they dispersed and quite suddenly were replaced by hundreds of kingfish and kahawai. Straight into action, we tried jigging and caught three under sized kingies and landed some large kahawai, which was enough to win the first day of the competition with a 3.1kg kahawai caught on an egg beater reel. It was exhausting fishing. The following day we headed off early in much kinder weather, so there was not quite so much screaming. The boys targeted shark while I readied my new Okuma rod and reel from Santa. I tied a size 6 oyster hook straight to

A short story by Howie

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the end of the braid, snagged on a baby squid, and drifted it right out at the back. Suddenly, I got a strike and the reel screamed, line peeling off like melting butter. The fish was a dirty fighter, wrapping line around the anchor rope. While trying to clear this, the bail arm flicked open and lined spooled out for miles! We were resigned to the fact that we had lost the fish because we saw the line slacken. I tried to wind in the line, which was a huge struggle until we realised the bail arm was still open. Then it became a mammoth effort just to retrieve all that lost line. Toward the end and close to the boat, the water boiled and I was almost pulled over the side. The

fish was still attached and not happy about it! It exploded into a series of scorching runs, which eventually gave way to some nuggety, dogged fighting. A fantastic team effort was required to land it because I was totally exhausted. However, the reward was worth the pain - a shimmering 8.9kg kingfish was hefted aboard to the delight of everyone. I won $800 from the competition and put that towards fuel for the boat, competition registration, and no one had to buy a beer. As a thanks to McManus pub for loaning the boat, we cooked up the fish and fed the bar. It was a surprise ending… but a screaming success you might say!

The annual fishing competition was O’Flynn’s major challenge of the year. A popular event with generous prizes. Groper commanded the biggest prize and was O’Flynn’s target fish, along with the prize for the biggest crayfish. The weather forecast for the competition caused O’Flynn concern; two metre swells on Saturday stirring up the coastline, no good for diving. On Thursday, O’Flynn and his trusted mate set out for an evening dive. O’Flynn caught several crayfish, the biggest only about 1.5kg. On the way back, he cached the biggest crayfish along with plenty of bait fish in a small cage hidden amidst rocks. A rope to a buoy below the surface marked the cage location capped by a GPS mark making it easy to find in poor visibility. Now Dan, a local amateur diver and fisher, happened to be watching O’Flynn’s distinctive boat through his binoculars. Having observed this boat’s brief stops in the same location many times before, Dan quickly summed up O’Flynn’s intent. Later Dan swam out to the cache area, found the submerged buoy and the cage. Dan removed the crayfish and took it home where he kept it alive in a big bucket of sea water. Saturday arrived along with the predicted swell and murky coastal water. Dan did well catching a good size snapper worthy of a prize. At the weigh-in Dan waited at the boat ramp. The cell phone rang, his wife to report that O’Flynn’s boat had arrived at the cache. Dan proceeded to the weigh-in, presenting his catch and the pirated crayfish, both being duly weighed and recorded. The crayfish weighed in at 1.25kg. The prize giving commenced. Neither Dan or O’Flynn featured with their fish. When it got to the crayfish, Dan was by default the winner, ‘his’ being the only crayfish presented. Dan stepped forward to take the $300 prize. “Thank you,” said Dan looking directly at O’Flynn, “I would like to present this to the Hospice Association.” Stunned, mouth open, O’Flynn realised he had not only been trumped by a master but by Dan’s stare had been quietly and effectively rebutted for attempting to cheat. What could he say?

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29 THE FISHING PAPER - DECEMBER 2016

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Eight million and counting Marty Bowers - Senior Fisheries Analyst, Recreational Fishing Team

The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) commissions a considerable amount of research on recreational fisheries each year, mostly from organisations such as NIWA, the National Research Bureau (NRB), and Bluewater Marine Research (BMR). Fisheries science can be challenging. The considerable length of New Zealand’s coastline, the large number of species taken, the large number of access points and methods used, and, of course, the weather all conspire to make determining the harvest of recreational fishers particularly difficult. There are two main ways of estimating recreational fisheries harvest: onsite methods where fishers are surveyed at access points or counted out on the water, such as boat ramp and aerial surveys; and offsite methods where fishers are contacted periodically to gather data on their fishing activities. A selection of these methods has been used over the years to estimate recreational harvest, and each has its strengths and weaknesses. All of these different approaches culminated in the development of the National Panel Survey of Marine Recreational Fishers, which NRB first ran over 12 months in 2011 and 2012. This survey started with personal visits to over 30,000 dwellings spread at random across the country and the recruitment of over 7,000 marine recreational fishers onto a ‘panel’. The activities of the 7,000 fishers were checked

periodically (up to weekly) using SMS text prompts, phone calls, and sophisticated computer-assisted telephone interviews. Information on catches gathered from panellists was scaled up to estimate the harvest by the entire New Zealand population (aged 15 or over). In the 2011/12 year, New Zealand fishers went on an estimated 2.3 million trips where something was caught. The most trips conducted in any one week was almost 150,000 in January, and the least was just 5,500 in August. The Could you guess how many fish Kiwi fishers catch very year? estimated total recreational harvest of all marine species from these trips was 8.7 costing over $4 million. survey will be amended slightly based on million finfish and 8.3 million shellfish. The findings from the last survey, and analyses The results from these three surveys were most common finfish caught were snapper conducted since, to further improve its all remarkably close, which indicates the (total harvest of 4,800 tonnes, mostly from effectiveness and reliability. Once the survey reliability of these methods of estimating SNA1), kahawai (1,784 tonnes), and blue cod starts proper in 2017, I ask that you get recreational harvest. All results have been (333 tonnes), and the most common shellfish involved and fully participate if asked, the reviewed by MPI’s standing technical were kina (over 2 million harvested) and information that you provide individually is working group, which scallops (1.7 million). important to managing our fish stocks well. includes New Zealand “I ask that you get involved and In an effort to verify MPI also has a number of projects recreational fishing fully participate if asked, the the panel survey, NIWA underway investigating how they can make advocates, as well carried out aerial information that you provide better use of the information that is already as being subject to surveys of recreational individually is important...” being collected by individual fishers and detailed international fishing activity and clubs. MPI recognises there is a wealth of peer review. MPI is conducted intensive knowledge held by recreational fishers that confident that it has available to it the most interview sessions at key boat ramps can be better utilised to inform on fisheries effective and reliable methods of gathering between North Cape and East Cape. A third management. information on recreational harvest in New survey was conducted by BMR using a Zealand. standardised survey of boat ramp interviews in the western Bay of Plenty. MPI intends to repeat the panel survey with preliminary work already started in 2016 and Conducting these three parallel surveys at the same time was a huge undertaking the survey proper starting in 2017. This panel

WHO ARE YOU KIDDING? It’s no joke when you catch undersized fish. Play by the rules of size. Make sure your catch is a keeper. Check the rules at www.mpi.govt.nz/ fishingrules, download the New Zealand fishing rules app or free text “fish” to 9889.

30 THE FISHING PAPER - DECEMBER 2016

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Mystery Envelope

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Perch, the personable little predator Grant Holmes

Crimpy has a bunch of Mystery Envelopes to give away so here’s your chance to win: Send in your fishing or hunting story, together with one or two high resolution jpeg pictures, and, if published, you win an envelope! Stories don’t have to be super long but a good ‘cup of coffee read’ - ideally between 200 to 500 words and capture the essence and excitement of the moment. Check out stories in the paper for ideas.

The stories don’t have to be about mega monster fish or huge antlered stags either - we just want good yarns about what you guys are doing. If you don’t have a story - don’t let that stop you. Write about a friend or neighbour who has had some success lately. And if you are not a confident writer, just have a go - Crimpy has a knack of making you look magic in print.

Wonder what’s in the post? There’s only one way to find out - put pen to paper now! Send to: editor@thefishingpaper.co.nz or message Crimpy on FB.

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Lake Hayes near Queenstown have large populations too. A handsome fish with red fins, olive green flanks, bold black stripes and spiny dorsal fin, perch were historically Perch are generally more active in low light conditions, such introduced to many freshwater ways in New Zealand and are as morning and evening, but also on cloudy, cool days. They now widespread throughout both islands. Listed as a sports are more commonly found in slow flowing and still waters, fish on your fishing licence, but neglected by many anglers, and like to hang around or under structure like willow roots, they share many waters with trout and, like trout, they are raupo, or man-made cover. active predators, feeding on fry, smelt, whitebait, small fish, My best catch of perch in England was taken next to an old and aquatic insects like dragon and damsel fly larvae. sunken rowing boat. Where you find one fish you will likely For this reason they can be caught on much the same tackle find more because they shoal. As they grow larger they tend to as trout, particularly small be in twos or threes, or even spinning lures such as solitary. Veltic and Mepps blade Another reason to try your spinners, which they have hand at perch fishing is a weakness for. They are their eating qualities; I don’t often found in mid-water believe I am exaggerating and also love worms, so when I compare them to blue one suspended under a float cod. They have firm white can be effective; there is no need to fish hard on the flesh and I could be cooked bottom. I have also caught many ways. them on a fly rod using My favourite is to fillet them, feathered lures like a red Light tackle and perch equate to a lot of fun. do this from the tail, as it is bodied Mrs Simpson. far easier to cut through their Perch don’t fight as hard as trout, making shorter runs and tough scales and then skin them. Now season with salt and dashes from side to side, and they don’t jump. However, they lemon pepper or seasoning of your choice then dip in flour, are still a lot of fun to catch and a great way to introduce egg and coat them in a mixture of bread crumbs and rolled children to fishing. Perch have been recorded up to 4kgs oats, or chopped nuts, or crushed cornflakes. Shallow fry in oil in New Zealand, although a 2kg fish is a good one in most or butter, or deep fry them. waters. If you enjoy a fish breakfast or brunch I recommend Waters in Canterbury holding perch in the lowlands include: frying your bacon first followed by the fish in the bacon fat. Lake Ellesmere and its tributaries, Lake Forsyth and tributaries, Succulent and delicious. and the Kaiopoi lakes. In the mountains: The Ashburton lakes, To find waters holding perch and to check out bag limits Emma, Roundabout and Clearwater hold some large fish. On contact your local Fish & Game office for more information. the West Coast, Lake Kaniere and Lake Mahinapua and its outlet has good numbers. Lake Waihola near Dunedin and Happy perch hunting.

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31 THE FISHING PAPER - DECEMBER 2016

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Porbeagle donates parasites to science Dr Haseeb Randhawa Senior Teaching Fellow- Ecology Degree Programme, Otago University

The Tautuku Fishing Club donated a 55.9 kg porbeagle shark caught by David Knartsen off Otago Heads, to my research programme. which focuses on the ecological roles of parasites in marine ecosystems; primarily tapeworms of sharks, skates and rays. Parasites are often the overlooked component of biodiversity yet, more than half the species on earth have adopted a parasitic lifestyle. In some estuarine and intertidal ecosystems, parasite biomass exceeds that of shore birds. I am particularly interested in identifying the predatorprey interactions that parasites exploit for their transmission. Since no life cycle of these tapeworms is known, this work is key to gaining a better understanding of the ecological roles played by various organisms in our oceans. Since 2007, I have been collaborating with the Falkland Islands Fisheries Department examining porbeagle sharks collected as by-catch by the longliners and trawlers off the Falkland Shelf (South America). Examination of parasite communities in these sharks have confirmed that porbeagles undergo an ontogenetic shift in diet: porbeagle sharks smaller than about 1.6 m feed almost exclusively

Dr Haseeb is interested in parasite transmission in predators.

EM EW D

hing Club TautukuDuFis nedin

on squid, whereas larger sharks transition towards bony fishes such as hoki and whiting. This study led us to confirm that the two most common tapeworm parasites of porbeagle sharks are transmitted by squid. Furthermore, we suggested that fisheries managers could use parasites as a proxy to determine the proportion of the squid population taken as prey by porbeagle sharks. This has led to the Falkland Islands Fisheries Department to become the first fisheries managers in the world to take the conservative approach of incorporating an estimate of mortality relating to shark predation in their management of the squid fisheries. All of this work was done examining sharks from the Southwest Atlantic. However, based on population genetics, there is evidence that porbeagle sharks migrate between the Falkland Shelf, the North Sea, and New Zealand. Therefore, I am particularly keen on examining the parasite communities of our local porbeagle sharks. The specimen donated by the Tautuku Fishing Club was approximately 1.8 m and its parasite fauna matched that of what would be expected of a porbeagle shark feeding on squid. Additionally, we recovered two squid beaks from its stomach. This information fits our hypothesis that, globally, squid are not only an important part of the diet of porbeagle sharks, but also a key species in the transmission of tapeworm parasites to these top predators. Other parasites were recovered (both internal and external) and these will be identified at a later date. Other than the bait, only the two squid beaks were recovered from the stomach, and a flesh sample has been sent to colleagues in the UK for DNA analysis and population genetics studies. I thank the Tautuku Fishing Club for the opportunity to examine this majestic creature and collect some opportunistic data and some very important information. I would definitely be keen to examine more porbeagles collected as by-catch from New Zealand waters to adequately test this hypothesis.

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32 THE FISHING PAPER - DECEMBER 2016

COOKING with CRIMPY

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taste of Asia

In preparation for our hosted trip to Vietnam and Cambodia, I though I would try a traditional Vietnamese dish, pho pronounced fuh. I substituted the traditional beef and used a goat leg from the freezer. The fragrance of the spices ﬂavoured the meat and the broth. A little time making the broth but a quick dish to serve. THE BROTH •

2 onions, halved

•

4" knob of ginger, halved lengthwise

•

1 x goat leg not boned

•

5 ltr water

•

1 cinnamon stick,

•

1 tbl coriander seeds

•

1 tbl fennel seeds

•

5 whole star anise

•

1 tbl cardamom seeds

•

1 tablespoon salt

•

1/4 cup fish sauce

•

1 tbl sugar

SERVING •

500 grams rice noodles (pre cooked or fresh)

•

Cooked meat from the broth (shredded or thinly sliced)

•

Goat fillet

•

2 limes, cut into wedges

•

2-3 chili peppers, sliced

•

1/2 cup chopped fresh mint

•

1/2 cup chopped fresh basil

•

1/2 cup chopped fresh coriander

•

Fresh asparagus if in season

•

Bean shoots

•

Hoisin sauce

•

Sriracha hot sauce

Crimpy’s Goat Pho TO PREPARE THE BROTH Turn your griller on high and move rack to the highest spot. Place ginger and onions on baking sheet. Brush just a bit of cooking oil on the cut side of each. Broil on high until ginger and onions begin to char. Turn over and continue to char. This should take a total of 10-15 minutes. Parboil the goat leg. Fill large pot with cool water. Boil water, and then add the leg keeping the heat on high. Boil vigorously for 10 minutes. Drain, rinse the goat leg and rinse out the pot. Refill pot with 5 ltr of cool water add meat. Bring to boil over high heat and lower to simmer. Using a ladle or a fine mesh strainer, remove any scum that rises to the top Place the cinnamon stick, corriander, fennel, anise, and cardamon in fine mesh cloth and tie at the top add to the broth then, add the ginger, onion, beef, sugar, fish sauce, salt and simmer uncovered for 2 1/2 hours or until the meat is tender and falls from the bone. Remove the meat and set aside (you'll be eating this meat later in the bowls) Continue simmering for another 30 minutes. Strain broth and return the broth to the pot. Taste broth and adjust seasoning - this is a crucial step. If the broth's flavour doesn't quite

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shine yet, add 2 teaspoons more of fish sauce, pinch of salt and a little sugar. Keep doing this until the broth tastes perfect. SERVING Cook noodles, follow the directions on your package of noodles there are many different sizes and widths of rice noodles, so make sure you read the directions. For some fresh rice noodles, just a quick 5 second blanch in hot water is all that's needed. Slice your goat fillet as thin as possible - try freezing for 15 minutes prior to slicing to make it easier. Remember the cooked meat that was part of your broth? Cut or shred the meat and set aside. Arrange all other ingredients on a platter for the table. Your guests will "assemble" their own bowls. Ladling: Bring your broth back to a boil. Line up your soup bowls next to the stove. Fill each bowl with rice noodles, shredded cooked meat and raw meat slices. As soon as the broth comes back to a boil, ladle into each bowl. The hot broth will cook your raw meat slices. Serve immediately. Guests can garnish their own bowls as they wish.

Crimpy’s Taste of Asia Early September 2017

33 THE FISHING PAPER - DECEMBER 2016

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Brief encounters of the ‘preferred’ kind Frank Cartwright

I first visited Lake Ohau over the 1972 Christmas holidays during a caravan tour with my wife, two children, and our Labrador. It was virtually unknown as a holiday destination so we had the place to ourselves. Views of the lake and the distant mountains were superb and, nestled behind a thicket of matagouri scrub, we enjoyed privacy and good protection from blustery norwesters. The matagouri also served another purpose; it was ideal for drying clothes, due to its spikes keeping everything in place no matter what the wind. It seems I wasn't the only one to take advantage of nature’s makeshift clothesline. One morning I came across three bikinis impaled on a matagouri shrub not far from our campsite. It was perplexing; we hadn't seen any clothing on arrival, so I retrieved the bikinis and gleefully presented them to my wife in lieu of a trout - much to her

amusement. Lake Ohau is glacier-fed and much too chilly for swimming, so why had three females bucked the trend and, after coming ashore, abandoned their togs? They must have been very secretive as we had seen no one about and our dog had not alerted us to anyone in the area. It didn't make sense and subsequently, remained unexplained. Twenty-seven years on and the year is 1999. My mate and I are on the last day of a sixteenday fly-fishing safari through Southland and Otago, and we call into Lake Ohau for one last fish. It was extremely hot, the lake like glass, and not conducive to good fishing but we had to give it a bash. My mate wandered off to look for rises but I stayed put, deciding to cast long and deep with a weighted Woolly-Bugger. I started false casting, extending more and more line

until I was double hauling and, near my maximum range, gave an extra haul on the line. Big mistake. I duffed the cast and felt a whack from behind. Ruefully, I reeled in my line but found that the Woolly-Bugger was stuck fast to the bottom of my fly jacket. When I attempted to remove my jacket I was thwarted by the hook having also caught my shirt. Ah well, doff my gear, remove the hook and get on with fishing. Not so. I couldn't manage it. Freakishly, jacket and shirt were hooked to my trousers AND my Rio briefs. Luckily the hook hadn't penetrated flesh! There wasn't a soul around so, in a perfect re-enactment of Mr Bean at the seaside, I shucked off my jacket and shirt, shoved down my trousers and briefs, reduced my entire clobber to a heap at my feet, and kicked off my boots. I was left standing in just my socks and fishing hat in an impromptu display of naturism, which, under normal circumstances, exceeds conventional standards of decency. I hastily took my side-cutters to the offending Woolly-Bugger and soon restored myself to my personal comforts. Thoroughly annoyed for making a dog’sbreakfast of a straightforward cast and having to wilfully expose myself, I headed back to switch to a heavier rod and fly line. It was then that I stumbled upon a pair of purple and black French knickers, laid out on the beach as if placed there to dry. They looked both racy and expensive. Who on earth would have had left them and why? I briefly debated the wisdom of picking them up but considered the consequences of arriving home to my wife, after a sixteen-day absence, with women’s lingerie in my fishing bag. Definitely a no-brainer. I left them on the beach.

I recalled finding the three bikinis back in 1972. How odd that another item of intimate apparel had been abandoned at the same spot. The only soul I had seen was a solitary shepherd driving a mob of hoggets, with his dogs. Whoever had left their briefs on the beach had certainly forgotten to retrieve them. Henry Purcell’s classic folk song Nymphs and Shepherds came to mind, but any notions of a sweaty shepherd smelling highly of eau de merino and cavorting with a nymph sans briefs was way too imaginative. I decided I really needed a refreshing cuppa and a rethink of my fishing options. When my mate turned up soon after, I related the events to him and he roared with laughter. In spite of myself, I had to laugh too. I must have looked a complete idiot wearing just my socks and hat with a heap of clothing round my ankles but, on the upside, my misfortune contained a salutary lesson. Never overextend your casts! And always expect the unexpected… even lady’s lingerie!

Presents

TFP TRAVELS

Fishing paper no spaghetti western Reclusive multi-millionaire inventor and scientist B. Finnie-Tesla was caught making a rare public appearance recently when paparazzi captured this shot of him enjoying his favourite read in the Bahamas. FinnieTesla became famous for his work on alternating currents in the Atlantic Ocean, which sparked a war amongst marine biologists - known as The Current War. Common belief held that fish migrated using direct currents, but Finnie-Tesla was able to prove that fish go both ways, using both alternating and direct currents. Fish are, in fact, AC/DC. Finnie-Tesla, an ardent beachcomber, invented the driftwood-seashell mobile, which became popular with hippies in the seventies but, to prove he was no cowboy inventor, turned to more serious endeavours. A keen fisher and passionate conservationist, Finnie-Tesla won the Nobel Pices Prize by inventing the EcoHook: an environment friendly, biodegradable hook made from a derivative compound found only in wheat extract that, when synthesised under ultra-magenta light, sets hard like steel.

B.Finnie-Tesla in a rare public appearance.

The patented process is a highly guarded secret but, essentially, damp wheat powder is extruded through fine spaghetti machines, cut, moulded with eyelets, sharpened, and chemically hardened under the UM light. The non-curve hooks are also barbless and perfect for sustainable fishing practices. B. Finnie-Tesla loves The Fishing Paper & Hunting News because it is entertaining, very informative and full of useful information.

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34 THE FISHING PAPER - DECEMBER 2016

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Gil’s got crabs - sussed!

COARSE FISHING

Dave Dixon

Carp at close call Carrying two section points into the second day of the NZ Open Coarse Fishing Championship meant my fate was pretty much in the hands of others. I would be unable to better any section winner repeating that result so I had to hope for nothing less than a section win myself and that the four other anglers ahead of me dropped points. Even then, if three points was the top score, total weight would come into play as the tie breaker, so I needed a win and a big one!

Greg Gilbert

enough weight in the net, as half the anglers in my section were out of sight around a bend in the river. I’d had no signs of fish on the feeder cast across to the far side but, when a couple of bonus small koi popped up on the pole line, I decided to keep doing what I was doing and hope for the best. With a couple of hours to go, a bank walker told me that Dennis Paton, Hutt Valley angler, on Peg C13, had caught a 7lb carp. I knew I had more than that in my net but where there’s one A section win but not enough.

The reason I use whole crabs and part crabs: Some days and night sea lice can be in plague numbers, so sticking with whole smaller crabs slows them down from stripping out all the flesh. I also think it makes it more appealing to a rig to see a whole crab there, because it's what they naturally see; even better if it's alive still The half/part crabs I quite like if the lice are not about and the sea is rougher. I use it to let more scent out and the rough sea may have broken some crabs up so the bait may look like what they would see naturally naturally presented baits work best. I like to use heaps of bait elastic when baiting up to ensure it stays on the hooks and make sure I have heaps of hook exposed, to get better hook up rates! Sharp hooks are a must, as baiting up with crabs can blunt your hooks pretty fast!

The conditions determine which bait to use.

Make sure the hooks are well-exposed.

Once again my draw was average, with Peg C19 just a couple upstream from where I’d fished on Saturday and a long way away from the areas that had produced the best catches. West Aucklander Dave Russell had also drawn close to where he had blitzed the match on day one, and two of the other section winners had virtually swapped pegs, so I knew they were also sitting on fish. Anyway, nothing’s certain in fishing so I got down to my task of catching more than anyone else in C section. As with the day before, small rudd were the main species to show, but a short way along the bank Gary Bourne, top Auckland angler, was clearly targeting carp. He sat patiently with a big bait presented over his carefully fed spot and was rewarded by two big fish, and another one lost in the first hour. That suited me, as Gary was in D section and I needed him to take points off Dave Russell, who I could see was already swinging in small fish with regularity. My own catch rate was ticking along slowly but it was difficult to know if I was putting

carp there are usually others, so I focussed hard to winkle out every single ounce with fins! Finally, the hooter sounded and it was all down to the scalesman. As the weigh team approached I heard that Dennis had caught three more carp and was leading the section with 22lb 12oz. I didn’t think I had that but, lifting my net, I thought it might be close. The dial swung round, flicked a few times then settled on 23lb. I’d nicked the section! I followed the scales down to D section. Gary Bourne’s early run of carp had dried up and his 19lb was well off the pace, as Dave Russell’s aggressive approach had once again paid off, easily winning the section with another brilliant net of fish totalling 48lbs and securing him a successful title defence. In the top two sections, Nathan Morley and Andy Deamer both claimed their second section wins of the weekend to finish second and third overall, while their Hutt Valley team-mate, Jason McMahon, joined me on three points, but his total weight of 41lb 6oz just pipped me for fourth place by 5oz!

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35 THE FISHING PAPER - DECEMBER 2016

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Harbour Views

Prep, check, and know - the key! By Dave Duncan

Luke Grogan - Harbour Master, Marlborough District Council

“He who lets the sea lull him into a sense of security is in very grave danger.” This quote from the author Hammond Innes runs through my mind as I watch a steady stream of vessels heading out into the sparkling tranquil waters of the Queen Charlotte Sound. Hammond’s words neatly sum up the fundamental cause of a great many recreational boating incidents. All too frequently, skippers underestimate their environment, overestimate their skill, and fail to properly prepare for their boating journey. This is reflected in numerous incidents the Harbour Master’s patrol crews deal with every summer. Consequences may be minor and limited to a bruised ego or bank balance, or tragic in the event of loss of life and the impacts on friend and family left behind. The message is simple. Take boating risk seriously, prepare your boat, check your gear, and know the rules. This simple ‘prep, check, know’ strategy will help to ensure you are ready for the voyage ahead. Search prep check know on the Maritime New Zealand website for more information. If you’re in Picton, free Safer Boating workshops are available courtesy of the Harbour Master. Spend a few hours with a qualified maritime tutor before heading out for practical instruction on a Coastguard vessel. The workshops are open to anyone and you’ll even get a free lunch. Contact the Marlborough Harbour Master on 520 7400 to register. Prep, Check, Know and stay safe on the water this summer. luke.grogan@marlborough.govt.nz

From left; Alan Klenner, Steve Handyside, John Butt, Andrew Crawford, Julie Moorehead, Hunter Bendell and Debbie Remacha.

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36 THE FISHING PAPER - DECEMBER 2016

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A HOLIDAY BREAK LIKE NO OTHER ! Crimpy’s Hosted Boutique Island Tour Niue - Departing August 2017 I have personally packaged this unique hosted boutique tour so you get to sample the very best of Niue, while still having free time to enjoy your choice of an amazing array of activities: whale watching, swim with the whales, dive with the dolphins, fishing for wahoo, mahi mahi, and tuna, snorkelling, coral reef dives, underwater scooter, hunt the coconut crab, forest tours, golf, fishing from the shore, and much much more. Immerse yourself in the culture, cuisine, and comfort of Niue with me, while relaxing in the beautiful clifftop surrounds of the scenic Matavai Resort.

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See more at www.theﬁshingpaper.co.nz/tfp-travels/

You need to come and visit Niue, this tour we are on is brilliant. Way better than doing your own thing, you should call Daryl Crimp and put your names on a spot for next year. We are going to come back again Daryl & Kate Morris

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37 THE FISHING PAPER - DECEMBER 2016

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Camp chimaera catch surprise

Kaikoura, a subject of change. Photo Joe Blakiston.

Tony Hamer

Camping at the South Side Rangitata has many fishing opportunities, that's what my family and I love about it. It’s a great location for a fish but also to meet a real mix of keen fishers who love to celebrate the fun times. This Sunday morning I was on the beach at 5:30am and the sea was tranquil and calm so I decided to get my homemade kontiki out. Using squid for bait, I sent the kontiki out for 800 metres. After a 20 minute wait I brought it back in, to my surprise, attached was this awesome elephant fish. Unfortunately, I didn't have my scales but it's great to see fish in this condition. We also caught two grey boys, which went back. Elephant fish are quite interesting because they are related to sharks: a family called chimaeras, with smooth skin and four pairs of gills opening through one slit on each side, unlike sharks. Maori called them by many names: repe, reperepe, and makorepe, and they are marketed in the fish shops as silver trumpeter. Cooked fresh, they are delicious eating. They are a popular target species of South Island anglers on the east and west coasts during spring and over summer because they move in shore. The females lay leathery, horny cased eggs in shallow, which sometimes wash ashore and are found by fossickers on the beach. Elephant fish are believed to be fast growing, with a relatively short lifespan, but for the time they are in close - they make great fun on the rod and a surprise catch for the kontiki.

GoPro in kayaks for now Mark Roden

Tony Hamer with a solid elephant taken from his homemade kontiki.

Tony's home-made kontiki.

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The earthquakes will have a permanent effect on the geography of the east coast area and a lasting effect on our appreciation of nature and our place in it – GeoNet tell us that big chunks of the earth moved at 3000 metres per second – that is literally faster than a speeding bullet. One thing I’ve noticed is the real love that people have for the Kaikoura coastline, it is truly a fantastic place with a unique combination of cold (we all know that) nutrient rich southern water upwelling close to a rocky craggy shore that provides a perfect nursery and breeding ground for a huge variety of marine life. The good news is that the nutrient rich water is still coming and that nature has a remarkable resilience if given a chance, and sometimes a helping hand. Good on you guys who turned up to relocate tons of paua – did you make a difference? You did what you could do, and a lot of people saw you do it and appreciate it, only time will really tell how the paua have been affected. When the minister closed the area

he talked about ‘the fishery’ that’s a commercial term that unfortunately indicates where the government's thinking is – money! When we talk about our native land species, like kiwi or kea, we don’t talk about the ‘birdery’; we talk about preserving the natural biodiversity and include all species within that framework. Yes, we all like to get a feed but everyone I talk to, be they spearos or fisherman (are there any others?), see Kaikoura as more than just a ‘fishery’, we don’t want to see the paua saved just because we want to eat paua – we want to see a healthy marine environment and we know that paua are just one of the many species that make Kaikoura the wonderful place that it is. So it will be GoPros in kayaks for a while and, right now, some good video footage is going to be a lot more popular than pictures of dead fish. Meanwhile the water round d’Urville is clearing up and the weather should be starting to settle. The kingies are arriving, so get out there, get a feed and stay safe.

38 THE FISHING PAPER - DECEMBER 2016

www.thefishingpaper.co.nz

Travels of Gurr, Little Gurr, and Bigger Gurr (Part 1)

the drag and started after the fish. Running after a fish while in waist deep water is an exercise in frustration, to say the least. The salmon stopped and used the tide to hold out from the beach. Reeling as I stumbled after it, I came up tight and off it went again. The drag was set to max but it was still taking me back to the backing. I

Humpies, chum, silver and sockeyes Graham Gurr

beach as we fished to keep in shallow water. Little Gurr hooked into a fish that, lucky for him, ran up the creek and not down the beach. He quickly landed that one and very next cast was into another. Alaska has very strict rules about limits and locations, you have to be

Alaska makes the perfect backdrop for a memorable fishing experience.

When untold millions of coho surge up the rivers and streams of the Pacific North West in late August through to October, everyone on the Kenai Peninsula gets excited. This mass migration of silver salmon was exactly the reason I’d brought my two sons to Soldotna, and it started well enough, with Bigger Gurr taking one from the Kenai River on his second cast. Little did we know, it was to be the only one of the day. We landed pink salmon, known as humpies, chum salmon or dog salmon, and

sockeye salmon, which are strangely plankton feeders and do not take the fly. They are, however, extremely aggressive and will knock aside any intruder with their head or body, so are foul hooked and put up an incredible fight. But silvers were the target so Bob, our host at All Alaska Outdoors, suggested a ‘fly out’ to greener pastures. I was keen to use my double-handed spey rod but guide Jay seemed to think my 9’ would be adequate, so I left it at the lodge. Our destination was a

saltwater estuary where the salmon run in with the tide, up a small creek into a large freshwater lagoon, and then up another creek to spawn. We landed on the lagoon to find three other floatplanes already there and people fishing but, by the looks of it, not having much success. Jay lead us through the trees to the creek estuary, where the boys elected to spin while I selected my 9 weight, silently cursing Jay as the situation was perfect for the spey. I set up using a Skagit line, which would give me more distance, and a fast sinking tip and 15lb

Bigger Gurr with 17lb jack.

leader. A few casts later and I changed to an intermediate sinking tip as the fast one was fouling the bottom on every cast. Bigger Gurr hooked into a fish, which took off down the beach, with Jay yelling instructions and the fish taking line. Bigger Gurr was forced to follow along the beach; he eventually disappeared around a bay about a mile away. Meanwhile, I had problems of my own. A smashing take had me hooked into a good fish; its first run took all the fly line and most of the backing. As the backing started to disappear and the amount left on the reel got less and less, I wound up

Gurr clan gone tropo.

palmed the spool edge to apply more pressure to stop it… and everything went slack! The hook had pulled. Back to the start again. Half an hour later, Bigger Gurr and Jay returned with a magnificent 17lb jack. The boys went off into a ‘I’m ready for my close-up now, Mr DeMille’ moment and took a couple of hundred photos. Thank heaven for digital. The tide was flooding by now, forcing us up the

a local or a lawyer to fully understand the intricacies but, according to Jay, we were allowed two silvers each if we got them in saltwater and another two if we got the second two in fresh water. Little Gurr was finished for in the salt water and the tide was almost full. Salmon were streaming up the creek but they were no longer interested in anything we were offering. Ryan suggested we move to Bug Lake.

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39 THE FISHING PAPER - DECEMBER 2016

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From grimace to a grin

Apparently looks are deceiving... one of the two is not that attractive!

STORY

Brian Fensom

he largest living structure on earth, visible from space, and home to over 1,500 fish species, Great Barrier Reef in Australia is certainly spectacular. The planet’s largest reef system comprises 2,900 individual reefs and 900 islands, and supports over 10% of the world’s total fish species, so no wonder it came on our radar as a fishing destination. However, being 2,300km long, it seemed highly unlikely we’d cover it all in the five days we had available. The hard core fishing group comprised myself, Troy Dando, Shaun Dando, and Dan Fisher, while the on-shore team handling the G&T circuit was Andrea Fensom and Jo Dando. It was essentially a black marlin mish’ but anything was up for grabs; take no prisoners leave no regrets (I suspect the girls adopted that motto as well). We’d chosen Port Douglas as a point of departure, to coincide with the black marlin season: between September and December, the 150 mile stretch between Cairns and Lizard Island provides the finest fishing in the world, with more than twice the odds of hooking the famous ‘Grander’ here, than anywhere else on the globe. While ‘The Holy Grail’ would be nice, just bagging a black would make my dream come true. It wasn’t to be a solid trolling week but a mix of ‘bommie knocking’ and stringing lures for marlin. ‘Bommies’ are coral outcrops that rise to just below the surface and fish rich locations. Bait fish congregate and feed in the wash, as waves crash over the shallow structure. Lurking in the shadows,

The silvery flash of the Spanish mackerel put a grin on Brian's face.

gutters in between, and deep water nearby are pelagic predators like the giant trevally or GT, and Spanish mackerel. These, and other reef fish, were our target as the skipper pulled the big launch to a stop 50m off the dark colour in the slop ahead. Thanks to Big Blue in Nelson, I was well kitted out for the occasion, fishing a Shimano T-curve stickball rod, with a Shimano Saragosa reel running 80lb Ocea casting braid. I initially used fluorocarbon trace but found it too stiff, so switched to 170lb mono casting trace; it’s important to get the right action into the stick bait while being heavily gunned to avoid bust offs in the coral. Believe me, these fish are brutal and punch well above their weight. The technique was to cast over the bommie wash or into the gutters between bommies and retrieve. To induce a wounded

"I’d cast over the bommie wash and just commenced a retrieve when the flash exploded into a rod fold that left me in no doubt as to the bruising rounds ahead."

baitfish-like action in the stickbait, you’d wind wind wind, and then side haul the rod, and repeat. Up on the flying bridge, the skipper and decks stood watch for schools of baitfish and, once spotted, would direct your casts into the fishing zone. It was seriously hard work and I was soon to realise how unfit I was for the relentless effort required of this type of endurance fishing. Note to self: train next time. Distance casting, the repetition, the constant arm action, and strain on shoulders all took a toll… that was magnified beyond belief when you hooked up. Then it’s pump and wind like there really is no tomorrow. Dan hooked a nice coral trout first up and then my stickbait was wolfed by something grunty, which put up a hell of a fight that pleased me but not the crew. “It’s a shit fish,” they mocked. “Now catch something decent!” I rose to the barb and something silver flashed from the side and snaffled one of the barbless trebles on my lure. I’d cast over the bommie wash and just commenced a retrieve when the flash exploded into a rod fold that left me in no doubt as to the bruising rounds ahead. Think kingfish and then add turbo charge. We were running heavy drag because of the reef, so it was hard pump and wind to get the fish clear. Muscles burned

The barbless trebles were lethal but the stickbait took a lot of punishmen.t

THE ICATION LUBRNSATION SE

and you had to have faith in your knots. Sweat streamed, my shoulders knotted, and I grimaced, but gritted through it. Deft action from the deckie soon had my fish aboard and the grimace switched to a grin; my first Spanish mackerel, another tick to a box, and a sweet taste of things to come.

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40 THE FISHING PAPER - DECEMBER 2016

Aerobatic trout bails with Parachute Adams Max Graham

A long weekend saw me heading south on the Canterbury Fly Fishing Club’s annual Twizel trip, to stomp out some new water and fish with good mates. Tony and I made the call late Thursday night to head to a likely looking spring creek to fish in a short weather window the following day. The Friday morning weather forecast didn’t look good, as clouds and rain were to plague us all day, but we made the little journey south to the spot. Tony and I rigged up and, ready to kick into it ,we tramped in to our starting point for the

day. I was armed with a 9ft, 5wt Loop Cross S1 fly rod and Loop Opti Dryfly reel spooled with Rio gold 5wt line, to which I ran a 15ft leader. On a mission, we stumbled across several fish feeding in confidence early on in the lower stretches of our beat. With three hooked and none to the net, we revised our tactics, re-tied, and trudged on upstream to more likely looking water, blind fishing all the good parts as spotting was a tough job on the day. Another couple little fish were plucked out by nymphing the pools and we gained confidence. A sudden burst of showers hit and then the sun pierced through the thick cloud for a few minutes, bringing on a mayfly hatch. I soon saw a mouth come up and start slurping mayflies off the top; a trout was in residence along a glassy piece of water. It was my shot and I decided the move was to put on a size 16 Parachute Adams. The trout was gorging himself on mayflies, so I put a cast up. Tracking the fly, I saw the trout rise right next to it. After the drift completed, I put another cast up a little further and, mid way through the drift, I saw a bow wave just break the surface as it came over and slurped it. I struck and then the chaos started. The trout went nuts, leaping into the air multiple times before a making blistering run downstream. Chasing along the edge to try gain some line back, I slipped and ended up in waist deep water in the current. I managed to struggle back to the bank with the trout still on and doing somersaults into the air. After a superb battle, we soon tired him and a clean net job by Tony secured the catch. Relief after what was one of the most exciting action packed trout fights I've ever had!

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Salt & pepper season starter Jayden Rich

My first season surf casting has gotten off to an alright start thanks to the boys from the Canterbury Surfcasting Club. These guys

are dedicated, hard core shored-based fishermen who have amassed a huge amount of local knowledge and experience over the Jayden admires his first elephant fish.

years. I consider myself lucky enough to fish with Greg and Matt who have helped me get into fishing. I lost my first seven giller this season but hopefully will get on to another one soon. The highlight for me was, thanks to the lads’ guidance, I was able to hook into my first rig at Leithfield Beach, Canterbury. It took the bait, the rod loaded under the weight, and line peeled as the fish powered off. That got the adrenaline pumping as I settled into a dogged battle with what appeared to be a solid fish. Once under control, I beached it with the help of the others and was stunned with the size of it. My first rig weighed in at 21lbs. Through the club, I also caught my first elephant fish, which was exciting. Initially, it made a screaming run but I quickly brought it under control and landed it without too much drama. One night the lads had an amazing run, landing 42 rig in a session.

Max with the trout he took a swim for.

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41 THE FISHING PAPER - DECEMBER 2016

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From Sinker to Smoker By Ron Prestage

Go west Cantabs This year I am issuing an invitation and a challenge for Canterbury surfcasters to enter the 10 day Mokihinui Fishing Competition, Boxing Day 2016 to 4 January 2017. The recent successful formation of the Canterbury Surfcasting Club shows there is plenty of interest in this form of fishing. The unfortunate episode in Kaikoura may also have Canterbury fishers making other plans for the immediate future. The West Coast is a good option. When the Mokihinui Fishing Competition was in its heyday a large contingent of Canterbury surfcasters always attended, led by the late Joe Chidgey. Joe was always the one to beat for the longest fish and the heaviest fish prize. He never worried the snapper much because his terminal tackle of 80lb plus nylon looped traces scared them off! Conger eels were a different story. Joe weighed plenty of big ones in, caught at his favourite spot, the northern end of Gentle Annie Beach near the rocky headland. Another group from Christchurch also holidayed at Mokihinui in those days. They were freezing workers from the now closed Belfast Freezing Works and their main activity was playing pool at the local hotel. Mokihinui has a spacious camping ground as has Seddonville and, providing the weather plays ball, the West

mokihinui

fishing competition

Coast is a great place to spend summer. If you want to target sharks, congers, and rays, go for the heavy gear. Snapper require a more delicate approach with lighter rigs and baits like squid, fresh yellow eye mullet, and kahawai. On an exceptionally calm day you might get away with using pilchards for bait but usually soft baits like pillies last only a minute or two in the turbulent West Coast waters. In the last competition the largest number of snapper for many years were weighed in. The Fishing Paper daily prize for the heaviest snapper was claimed on eight of the 10 days. Rig is another plentiful species Canterbury fishers are good at catching. Crab catchers will be pleased to note paddle crabs are relatively easy to gather at the Nikau Mussel Rocks. Robust sinkers are essential as drift can be problematical. I favour 5-6oz breakout sinkers with long wires. Rod stands often need to be hammered into stony beaches, so steel is the material of choice in this department. Trout fishers have the picturesque Mokihinui to fish in and for many this is a good alternative when sea conditions are unsuitable for surfcasting. All bases are covered at Mokihinui. It’s a trip well worth making. See you there.

Tony Murphy was very successful snapper fisher in last year's competition.

10 Day Competition - 26 December 2016 to 4 January 2017

TOTAL PRIZE VALUE $3000 Entry Fees: Open $20 • Junior $2

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West Coaster Tony Murphy with two typical Mokihinui snapper.

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42 THE FISHING PAPER - DECEMBER 2016

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THE D In front of NEW and FRESH customers each and every month. A bully this big makes good bait.

Big bullies beaut bait Tyler McBeth

Bullies are an important food source for trout, perch, flounder, and other predators in many lowland and some highland lakes and rivers around the country. With that being said, it makes sense to use them as bait. Catching these hardy little fish is not too difficult, if you know where to look. Bullies find sanctuary in crevices between large rocks, under sunken logs, and anywhere that provides safety from larger predators such as cormorants and eels. By using a small split shot close to a size 12 hook, you can catch them with ease. Bullies are inquisitive fish that will take almost any bait you put on the hook. I personally find that if you jig the bait in areas where they inhabit, it can quickly get their attention and get you a very The bully rig. fast bite.

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predictions, navigational warnings, and trip and position reports from vessels on all our daily scheduled transmissions. Nelson Marine Radio is also involved in Search and Rescue at sea, as well as assisting the NZ Police and Coastguard. This ad is proudly sponsored by The Fishing Paper & Hunting News - read us online and in print www.thefishingpaper.co.nz

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