The Fishing Paper & Hunting News - February Issue No 161

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February 2019 Issue 161

NEWS

Gentle Annie yields!

Story Pg 2

 Ele' scrap  Scope secrets  Bluey with the wife

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2

THE FISHING PAPER & HUNTING NEWS - FEBRUARY 2019 FRONT COVER STORY

MARINTEC Dave James To Combo… or not to combo… that is the question?

Combination marine electronic systems, or MFD’s have become very popular in the last 15 years, but are they better? Like all things, it depends: on you, your application, and your requirements.

MFD is an acronym for Multi-Function Display— essentially it is a display unit that can perform multiple tasks: plotter, sounder, radar, side imaging, CCTV, 3D sounder, et cetera.

Basic combo systems may include basic functions, like GPS plotter and sounder only. Other systems can be very advanced. Some are stand-alone, with the features or functions viewed, displayed, and controlled ONLY on that specific display. Other combos may be networkable—sharing sensors (GPS, charts, radar, sounder, et cetera) over a network, thereby allowing the owner to install multiple displays and access and control the system at multiple stations, EVERYWHERE. So surely combination systems are better, because they are more flexible? Well, yes, they are flexible, but there is a catch.

You may have noticed that commercial radars, sounders, and plotters have lots of keys and knobs on their controllers? It makes them look complicated, right? That’s only because it is all new to you. Once you use the equipment regularly, you get to know the key functions relatively quickly.

Conversely, if you look at a lot of leisure marine electronics, you will find they typically have very few buttons or knobs. Many are touch screen, and some are touch screen only. The lack of buttons may look simpler to operate, but it’s only the case if you remember where to swipe to get functions, which is not so easy to recall if you use your boat infrequently.

Touch screens can be very handy, but there is one area they fall short: for the control of Gain functions, particularly if you use the technology to its potential.

For example, we have explained in a previous article how important it is to constantly adjust your gain setting. Nothing makes that easier than having a dedicated knob you can tweak, as opposed to having

to open a menu, adjust, and then close the menu Try doing that every few minutes and you will quickly get frustrated.

source and share the sounder with compatible Furuno MFD’s on-board. That way, a serious angler gets the best of both worlds.

It is true that the automatic gain systems are better than they used to be, but they will never be as good as a person who knows what they are doing. The sounder cannot take into account the various environmental factors on the day, like you can.

In summary, touch screens are excellent in many ways, but think about your application. If you are not so serious about finding fish, then touch screen will be fine. However, if you want to use your sounder to its full potential to hunt fish, then there is nothing like having dedicated gain keys.

Some manufacturers are

The Furuno FCV1150 aware of this and have allowed traditional standalone devices to also act as a network device. A good example of this is the Furuno FCV1150 sounder, which is a stand-alone high performance sounder that can also act as a sounder

For this reason, we suggest a stand-alone sounder (with knobs) and a separate plotter. Most of the cost of electronics is in the head unit, so it does cost more to have two head units, but it means you can get the best out of both the sounder and the plotter separately, without compromising.

We find many clients who own combination plottersounders discover this for themselves in time, and often we will sell them a new dedicated sounder and they will use their original combo unit as a plotter only (disable the sounder). Happy Safe Boating!

Chocolate fish for snapper man Lloyd Jones

The weather on the Coast is never predictable and the upshot of being exposed to the elements means the sea can be a moody beast. Big surf and strong currents are not uncommon, which means the topography under the water is ever changing.

This makes for challenging but interesting fishing and is what draws many anglers to the annual Mokihinui Fishing Competition in the Buller.

This year proved one out of the box, with hot days, settled seas, and every day fishable. So many anglers being able to ply the water over such an extended period meant there was a good variety of fish caught.

My brother Ken was lured away from Christchurch and was rewarded for his efforts with the heaviest fish on day four. A highlight of this competition was the number of snapper caught. I even managed to bag a nice one of 5.18kg, which won me runner up to heaviest snapper of the contest. I

even won a chocolate fish at the prize-giving barbecue for having let a ray get the better of me—all caught on film.

However, the fishing and the fish were a bonus; it was such a great time amidst great people and full compliments to the organisers. Circle your calendar for the next one— 26 December. It’s definitely a Bucket List event.

Trip up over position reports YOUR MARINE ELECTRONIC SPECIALIST

Stephanie Atwell - Nelson Marlborough Marine Radio It has recently come to light that there is some confusion over trip reports and position reports, with some members filing position reports instead of trip reports. This has resulted in some uncanceled reports, which have resulted in unnecessary investigations into where the boats were. A trip report has a departure point and a destination, and must be canceled upon arrival. Failure to do so triggers an investigation. A position report can be a call up as you cross Cook Strait, pass a landmark en route, or anchor overnight. The following are examples of both:

Trip report Dad and the kids are going fishing in the fizz boat. They leave Nelson Harbour to take a spin to Pepin Island. Dad calls up MarlboroughNelson Marine Radio on the VHF radio on Channel 04.

“Marlborough-Nelson Radio, MarlboroughNelson Radio, this is Catchalot on channel 04, are you receiving?”

He goes on to give his callsign and number of persons on board and lets the operator know where they’re going and their time of return to Nelson. If the call is made before you depart, it serves as a signal check as well. So you know your equipment is working and your signal is ok.

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Position report You are crossing Cook Strait from Picton to Wellington, Chaffers Marina. It’s a longer journey and not without potential hazards. If you need assistance, it is possible you could be a long way from help. Place a trip report on channel 01—starting from Picton at 9.00am and expecting to reach Wellington Harbour by 3.00pm.

During your journey, we would welcome position reports from you along the way. (Grid Reference from your GPS) Basically, the more often we hear from you with your location, the better it is if things go wrong. We have a recent starting point to pass to Coastguard.

Remember, if you arrive early, just cancel the TR early. If it takes longer for any reason, just let the operator know. Just a tip regarding the signal in Wellington Harbour – cancel your TR outside the harbour, as the signal inside is patchy.

Trip report The family are leaving Nelson for Greville Harbour, d’Urville Island.

They haven’t done the trip before but expect their boat Escape will take four hours to get there. Call up the Operator on Channel 04.

If delayed because the fish were hard to find, just call up and extend the estimated time to reach home.

“Marlborough-Nelson Radio, MarlboroughNelson Radio are you receiving on Channel 04?”

NB: Remember to call your operator when you get home—they will be waiting to hear.

When you get your reply, let the operator know your callsign, how many persons on board, your destination, and what time you expect to arrive there. Call in with position reports at Cable Bay or Croiselles Harbour.

Maybe again at Otuhaereroa Island. Cancel your TR on arrival, even if its early, and always extend it if things are taking longer.

The most important thing is that you call in on your VHF radio before you leave the boat.

Cancelling trip reports is essential – we take your safety seriously. If you don’t make contact and we have exhausted attempts to contact you, we dial 111.

Issue 161 3

Hell of an ele' scrap

Josh Tasker

After six unproductive trips to various spots along the Kaitorete Spit, only catching undersized rig and dogfish, I must admit I was getting a little frustrated.

The Canterbury Surfcasting Club Facebook page(members only) had plenty of members showcasing their latest hauls of rig, shark, and elephant fish, so I was keen to get amongst the action. The last trip had resulted in fellow fisho, Jay, landing three good size ele’s right beside me, and Terry, the trip before, had got on to his first elephant fish, which he was very happy about. I knew it was just a matter of time before I had some success, I just needed to be patient.

Sick of catching dogfish on my tuatua bait, I went out and caught some fresh paddle crab that morning,

jumped in the Highlander with Terry, and off we went. Arriving at the beach, conditions looked great; less than 0.5m swell, with only a few gentle waves. Terry and I baited up and, as we were doing that, one of the two chaps to our left hooked up and landed a good sized ele’.

We chucked out our baits and I started on getting rod number two out when, suddenly, my first rod went slack. I raced over and wound the reel like crazy, then bang, it was all on. I find with elephant fish they can come in easy or put up a hell of a good scrap, with not many in the middle. I’m happy to report this one was a good scrapper. Starting with a good run after the hook was set and, as soon as it got near the beach, it kept running in and out

Josh Tasker shares a magic Canterbury evening with an elephant

of the breaker zone. After about five minutes of that, I tightened up the drag a bit and got it in on the back of a bigger wave.

Terry, also on fresh crab,

had hooked up a decent rig(his first) on his gear, so I grabbed my fish then raced over to tail up his, which he was fighting on a light reel.

After a good scrap, I got my

feet wet, grabbed the tail and pushed it up the beach. The first cast for both of us and a fish each on the beach!

How I wish that happened all the time.

The rest of the night was fairly uneventful, with a few hits but nothing sticking, but we were happy to leave with a couple in the chilly bin.

4

THE FISHING PAPER & HUNTING NEWS - FEBRUARY 2019

Dominik dwarfed by enormous snapper - 83cm and 20+ pounds

Berghamer’s bloody great bulbous bruiser

Dominik Berghamer

“Can you take us out fishing?”

My brother-in-law Marco’s parents were visiting from overseas and had heard that the fishing in the bay was excellent. I quickly asked for permission from the missus (“You better be home by noon!”) and off we went to Spot X. My expectations weren’t too high because the water had gotten too warm for the snapper, but I hoped to get them onto some kahawai at least. The conditions were

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DIRECT

exactly like what Helga and Joseph are used to in the Mediterranean: no wind, glaring sunshine - and not a single fish for miles and miles!

barracouta! Usually not a reason to cheer but the folks were amazed by these alien looking fish and their power.

Helga even decided to take one home to eat.

After 90 minutes without a nibble, we decided to try another spot and lifted the anchor. Suddenly, the sounder sprang to life with dozens of fish on display. I was pretty sure I knew what we were dealing with but still told the crew to drop their lines. They immediately got hits and started to reel in their catch. Sure enough,

The next spot started slow too but, after 20 minutes, my crew managed to haul in two good eating size snapper – smiling faces all around!

I must have closed my eyes for a wee bit – it was very warm and we had gotten up early – when the rod almost got yanked out of my hand! I jumped up and just about went overboard when I tripped over a bucket containing squid. I managed to ease the drag just in time before the fish went for another powerful run.

Boredom again so I rigged a steel trace with an 8/0 hook to strayline a large pillie for kingfish – at least the coutas wouldn’t get my gear!

“Must be a kingie!”, I thought, but the rather short runs made me doubt my judgement. Maybe a large greyboy like the 40-pounder we had caught the week

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before? Good thing I used the steel trace and the heavy gear! The 80lbs braid on the small Torium was certainly an overkill for the area, but it made the fight much easier.

After 10 minutes I was finally able to get the upper hand on the stubbornly fighting fish. Slowly got it closer to the boat and I instructed Marco how to use the gaff if needed. By now, everybody was peering over the side of the little Osprey – luckily, they are very stable! Colour, finally – not a shark, a snapper! Gaff

swapped for landing net, and within seconds the fish was on board – what a monster!

It had swallowed the hook, so it went in the bin, and with the wind coming up we decided to call it a day.

Joseph and Helga were stoked and will travel home with a great fishing story to tell. Hopefully, they won’t spread the word too far!

And, by the way: the ‘couta back straps were worm free and tasted delicious!

Issue 161 5

A bluey with the wife

Cristina is calm of temperament

Martyn Barlow

Cristina has got a fair sized beam on her. It’s not massive but it’s not small either. While she has a calm temperament, you wouldn’t want to push her into a tight spot. Or would you?

Perhaps it was the fact that it was New Year’s Eve that tempted me, but I looked at the confined rocky area in the Outer Pelorus Sound and immediately thought blue cod—big blue cod. You could easily see the bricks underwater, which led me to think not too many people would venture in amongst them, for obvious reasons.. The upshot of this line of thought was that, given the perceived lack of pressure, it could be the perfect hidey-hole of big blueys.

Kathryn and I were spending our break cruising the Marlborough

Sounds and just about to moor for the night when I changed tack.

The weather was idyllic so no risk at all; flat arse calm and good water visibility. I tickled Cristina and she tittered her way over and amidst the underwater castle of rocks, positioning nicely for the first drift.

The response was swift and decisive, with a good bluey of 38cm coming aboard—a good sign. I believe the cod populations in the Marlborough Sounds region to be good, which I put down to three key factors: no slot rule, MLS of 33cm, and proactive enforcement by fisheries officers. During our stay we had contact with their larger vessel and also a smaller RIB. Good to see. In high fishing pressure areas the cod seem to have been fished

s Daryl Crimp’

down to 33-35cm but in less frequented spots, there are still a few big fish to be found.

I immediately took Cristina back for a second drift. This time the take was subtle. When the rig hit the bottom, I felt a gentle weight come on the line as a fish sucked in the bait, so I lifted the rod. Whack… whack—a double thump. I was a bit cocka-hoop, thinking I’d bagged a brace of blueys on the one drop, so imagine my surprise when a ‘horse’ rode to the surface instead.

The big blue cod measured 53cm, was in good condition, and made for exquisite dining. A glass of wine, my two beautiful girls for company, and the sun setting on a hectic year. What a way to ring in 2019.

Martyn with the big bluey he teased from the bricks

Simply breathtaking

Daryl Crimp’s Flavours of Vietnam & Cambodia

FLAVOURS OF

VIETNAM & CAMBODIA

14 Sept to 3 Oct 2019

Arresting destinations reawakens I love the excitement and adventure of travel, the thrill of exploring somewhere new and distant, and having the senses awakened by a kaleidoscope of fresh sights, smells, sounds, encounters, and escapades. I feel alive when I experience the vibrancy of different cultures and engage with people far removed from my own comfortable realm. I love the bustle of busy places.

I’m always keen to taste exotic cuisine.

And I enjoy sharing the magic with others.

P ROU G L L 0 SMA TED 2 R O ESC TOUR Y A D M& A N T E I OF V IA BOD M A C

Nothing quite heightens the experience as much as contrast: to step out of the comfort bubble into a new and vastly different situation — it piques the senses and enriches the soul much more than

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6

THE FISHING PAPER & HUNTING NEWS - FEBRUARY 2019

Ducks fly for me, Argentina Part of the appeal of this region of Argentina is the variety of bird shooting.

The Judge and I were particularly interested in the shoot following our successful dove hunt, because it was devoted to ducks. And ducks there were.

Everyone had settled in by now and found their rhythm, so the shoot went extremely well. When we returned to the lodge later that morning and before the bird boys could whisk the ducks away (I suspect they were feeding most of the local population), we asked for

some group photographs so we could identify the ducks we had been shooting. We laid out on the lawn, three group’s morning shoot, all had limited out (as usual).

We had Coscoroba swan — Coscoroba coscoroba, Fulvous whistling-duck — Dendrocygna bicolor,

Ringed teal — Callonetta leucophrys, Brazilian teal — Amazonetta brasiliensis, Silver teal — Spatula versicolor, Yellow-billed pintail — Anas georgica, Yellow-billed teal — Anas flavirostris, Rosy-billed pochard — Netta peposaca, and one the locals called ‘pato grande’, which we never managed to identify properly.

The swan was particularly interesting as it is believed to be the common ancestor of all the swans and geese, because it is really neither

(part 3)Graham Gurr

had a magnificent hunt; they had a local with an exceptional dog, which found them bird after bird.

They almost shot two limits (eight perdiz each) and returned to the meeting point with big grins and tales of a wonderful hunt. Neil and Alistair fared a little better than Di and I, but had been plagued by an out of control dog that flushed birds out of range. However, they had still managed eleven perdiz between them.

Our last day of hunting saw us shooting a wetland

ducks were trying to land in front of us as we sorted ourselves out; Di to the left, the Judge to the right, and me in the middle. It proved to be one of those memorable hunts where everyone shot well and the ducks came into the decoys like kamikazes, but all too soon the bird boy was saying “only three more”, which took three more shots and we were done. One hour, 75 birds, three happy hunters.

Sadly, good things come to an end but not before putting a cap on an amazing

Fowl play

one nor the other, but a very interesting one to hunt.

Ducks galore in Argentina

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That afternoon we drove (past the dove shoot) out to a new area to hunt one of my favourite upland game birds, perdiz. However, the golden run couldn’t last forever and this time I was to be disappointed. After a three hour walk behind a pointer, Di and I, along with Carlos our bird boy for the afternoon, managed to flush seven birds, all but one either out of range or at extreme range. The Judge and Ross on the other hand

on a distant island. It was essentially mud covered by an inch of water and had been fed for weeks to concentrate the ducks. We settled in behind bamboo blinds, which were just a row of bamboo fronds stuck in the mud. The mud proved to be a problem because, once you stood still, you sank and were unable to turn to take a shot in any direction except in front. The boys solved that problem by using the rear of the blind and laid the bamboo down under our feet to give us a more stable platform. The

adventure. Tango and Buenos Aires go together like bread and jam, so we went to an intimate restaurant and theatre on our final night.

The meal was excellent but what followed sealed the deal for me; a 90 minute non-stop show of tango dancing and singing. The lead female singer was superb and when she sang Buenos Aires from Evita it just summed up the trip for me. (Go listen to it you’ll see what I mean). Wonderful!

I can’t wait to go back.

Anyone care to join me?

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Issue 161 7

Simm-ply fishing the sun in the deep south

Brendon Mortimore - Hunting and Fishing

AMAZING HAS A NEW LOOK.

Invercargill

Simms Solarflex in the sun on the Aparima River Southland-Photo John Knowler

The start of the trout fishing season was a bit tough all over Southland due to a lot of rainfall and surface flooding. The only exceptions were the upper Waiau and the Waituna lagoon, which both fished extremely well.

Now with good clean rivers and plenty of sun it’s big dry fly time! Nymph also, so paying attention to the environment and matching the hatch is really important.

Notice how I’ve matched this nymph to exactly what was in the water. Your leader and tippet length is really important to get right in these conditions, see your local store for expert advice.

However, the hot temperatures mean that the need to be sun smart on the water is imperative.

Simms fishing sun protection clothing is a must for me, its one of the most important parts of my fly-fishing equipment. The sun in Southland is some of the harshest in the world — the UVA and UVB rays are strong. UVA penetrates deep into the skin and UVB is the one that will eventually burn you. UPF is the sun protection factor that stops all those suns rays from burning or penetrating the body. Simms solar flex clothing is light weight, breathable, and this material is perfect for those long hot days on the river. My choice is the solar flex long sleeve tops and the solar flex hoodie with built in sun gaiter, the single solar flex sun gaiter is high in UPF, a must for myself: its light weight, breathable

Tin Signs

helps protect the neck, face and ears, and gives extra protection especially when the wind kicks up.

With eye protection becoming a bigger thing now, I wouldn’t be without my Smith polarized sunglasses, cutting out the bright glare, UV protecting the eyes, and filtering out different colours, and of course increasing the ability to spot fish. The crystal-clear glass lens is a total winner.

With low flow and warm water there is more nitrogen and less oxygen in the water, which can make the fishing harder, especially spin fishing, but a small bubble float and a dry fly will be Simm-ply awesome.

So with your Simms gear and Smith glasses on, get ‘Out There Doing It’

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8

THE FISHING PAPER & HUNTING NEWS - FEBRUARY 2019

Knickers in a twist Day 12 of 2019 and, as per all those hunting days gone previously, it was looking unlucky and unlikely.

If I were pessimistic I’d believe Old Ma Nature was being a bitch. Overcast, drizzling, and a breeze blowed the wrong way.

The knee-high tag droops, each individual seed-head weighted heavily with an accumulation of moisture.

Plump silver droplets adhered to grasses and scrub and me.

I’m not pessimistic, I’m grateful. Those suspended droplets are like an irrigation drip-line, keeping my dogs constantly watered and that breeze, vague as it is, blows over their wet coats and draws heat away from their hard-working muscles.

It works just like an oldfashioned refrigeration system, my dogs will not die of heat exhaustion this day.

It may be near-impossible for those same dogs to sniff out their quarry, what with the breeze the wrong way and the drizzle dousing ground scent. As a hunter it’s my responsibility to position them to their best advantage, to seek out pig havens and to source likely thoroughfares.

Pig hunting with dogs is team work and with Pearl as my main, there is optimism

yet.

In a north-facing gutter, a spring has kept the soil moist and the grass green despite summer’s harsh burn. Soil so rich and dark, the pig wallow here looks like a pool of ‘Jed Clampett’s Texas crude.’ Old pig-digging has been revisited overnight holes have been dug deeper by a questing snout. Exposed plant roots and half-chewed worms tell me a story of a boar disturbed a short while ago. That wrong-way breeze has tipped him off and given him a head start. I don’t know how long he’d been running already but with Pearl as my main, there is optimism yet.

With her apprentice intow, Pearl tracked around the contour and over the spur. On and on both white dogs ran, sprinting like greyhounds until the acreage of matagouri and bracken knitted into a rumpled blanket, laced with lawyer. Here they slowed, forcing their way through the vines. Vegetation popped and snapped, rocks and banks loomed in the gloom.

Their quarry stopped here to urinate in preparation for battle, his reek was overwhelming. Unknown to Pearl, he had heard her in pursuit and set an ambush,

awaiting her arrival with porcine cunning.

I hurried as best I could. A few extra kilos of Christmas pudding and New Year’s cheer weighed heavy about my waist. My recently sprained cruciate ligament reminded me of its fragility.

My tracker tells me my dogs have vanished but my ears tell me otherwise. ‘Game on’ in yonder acreage of rumpled vegetation - amidst the strangling vines and the skin-piercing thorns - amidst the two metre high bracken and the rocks, which lie in wait to crack shins and twist ankles.

After the initial ambush, Boar played a game of hideand-seek under the blanket but Pearl is equal to him. He played tag too and then he ran.

I smashed and crashed through the saw-toothed lawyer, flailing and being flailed — a kicking, cussing human in a hurry, forging towards the ridge where Boar and Pearl blew aside droplets on the swaying grass. Jen, the apprentice, had quit the chase and thrown in the towel. Perhaps the bloodied rip in her backside is an indication she tried to save her friend during the closequarters ambush. Or perhaps she’s not equal to the task

Kim Swan

a y c t c a c t h r o g fi

and knew it.

In heavy manuka cover, Pearl and Boar circled one another cautiously, both wary of the damage the other can inflict. Boar’s hideout was a tangle of creepers at the edge of an eroded creekbed. Approaching stealthily, I assessed entries and exits, it wasn’t going to be easy.

Jen joined the fray, bolstering the odds in our favour. Boar attacked her at once but in doing so he made himself visible to me.

I had just one opportunity.

A few seconds before Boar was aware of my arrival.

A few seconds to clear the rifle scope of debris and moisture. I had nothing dry to wipe with. Nothing. Not even my lingerie is dry but then again it wasn’t sodden like everything else.

Good grief it was awkward to wipe a rifle scope with the front of one’s cotton knickers. Wet jeans clung and Christmas-puddingtummy obstructed my efforts like a dimpled wobbly jelly.

Later, much later — after the fleeting rifle shot despite a smeared and condensation obscured scope — and the brutal carry-out of a heavy pig in harsh geography — and the sigh of relief after said pig was shucked off sore shoulders beside a lonesome

back country road — that is when main dog, apprentice dog, and I headed back towards the ute parked so far away.

Tattered, torn, and limping, we were a sorry sight. Bright red blood seeped through

PISTOL SHOOTING

M t wet white fur on the dogs. S c Similar coloured blood trickled down my bare arms. t It was cold and dismal but “ i soon the sun shined through. c 2019 will shine, I know it t will, ‘cos with Pearl as my main, there is optimism yet.

Brian Bishop

Pistol shooting is under attack!

Yes, that’s right. Pistol shooting is under attack, the same as all shooting in New Zealand.

This is occurring by stealth, with the movement of allowing buildings closer to our ranges, resulting in a few whiners complaining about the noise, or their poor feelings, and we lose out because the courts are too weak to back the locals and instead back the newcomers. Is this political correctness gone mad? When a club has been shooting in an area for many years with no complaints, until a newcomer arrives and decides they have the right to reduce the conditions a club has been working under for many years?

Then we have the Police looking at restricting the ownership of the AR15’s and parts both E and A Cat. If you don’t think this is a problem because you don’t shoot a pistol, shoot on a range, or have an AR, how long do you think it will be before it is your guns they are after?

It has passed the stage of acting as individuals. It’s only when we stand together as one group, will we have the strength to keep the fight from being a walkover, as they

are picking the battles they think are the easy ones to win. Anyone that currently has or has had a firearms licence needs to look at what they can do. Yes, the almighty dollars are going to be needed to help us but also emails, letters, and spreading the word is also important to stop this occurring. Have a think about what you can do.

I had a competitor at a November competition complaining about his PNZ subs and what does he get out of it! Well, you have a council of dedicated shooters who give up a lot of their free time in order to fight for the right for him, me, and you to shoot. Council members, I can assure you, do not get paid but spend a lot of time away from families, answering emails, debating and discussing points, several times a week and meet four times a year.

The behind the scene work is ongoing so don’t think PNZ council is not fighting hard to ensure the current conditions continue—backing all the different disciplines, not just their own style of shooting. They are under no illusion things are only going to get harder and more restrictions put on us if we don’t fight this together.

Issue 161 9

Black Magic rig secrets exposed

When you talk to the guys at Black Magic, they’ll tell you they’re the king when it comes to the range of rigs they have developed and continue to develop. They’ll also tell you that when it comes to flasher rigs like their Snatcher series, there have been plenty of ‘copy’ rigs come onto the market over the years, all trying to get a share of this popular fishing style.

made of? The leader used is all Black Magic’s Tough Trace, so no worries there.

The hooks are sourced from their Japanese factories with both suicide and KL circle options. Add in some soft ‘long glow’ Japanese lumo beads, some ‘flash’ material, and you’ve got the guts of it. And hey – they’ve even designed their own knots to improve knot performance.

Then there’s the rigging of

components prior to manufacture.

They believe the upshot of all this is that their customers get rigs with reliable performance.

The concept of controlling the raw materials has also fed through to their latest rig development – the Snapper Snack. This rig is modelled around their new PTFE coated non-offset KLT

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NO COMPROMISES.

Even so, the good old Black Magic Snatcher rig continues to dominate this space.

So why is that? They’re certainly not the cheapest on the market. Their answer?

“No compromises” when it comes to choosing the components or in the way they manufacture them.

the Snatcher series. It’s been tempting to move all this off shore to lower labour cost countries, but the desire to maintain tight quality control means they continue to rig them here in New Zealand.

This also means they can do smaller production runs and batch test them in their testing lab, along with the

ILLETING KNIFE Well then. What are they

hook. Again, this hook was developed in their Japanese factories and there were hours of field testing put into getting the skirts perfected to ensure they lasted.

So. King of the rigs?

Probably a fair call. They’re tough and they catch fish.

It will be interesting to see what they develop next.

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10 THE FISHING PAPER & HUNTING NEWS - FEBRUARY 2019

Strategic tactics tease Taupo trout The sinker hit the bottom and I watched on the sounder as a trout raced towards its next meal. BOOM! A huge whack on the fly. This fish destroyed the lure and took off into the depths.

Jigging on Lake Taupo is incredibly exciting; watching on your sounder a fish eat the fly, hooking up, and seeing your rod double over—just awesome. I fished there over New Year’s break; Lake Taupo was buzzing with boats and holiday makers, which made trout much harder to catch.

I needed a plan to combat the crowded lake. Going at dawn solved the boat issues and my first morning was spent learning the ropes of trout jigging. I’d previously researched videos and articles to prepare myself for the new style of fishing and set up a four metre 8lb fluorocarbon leader going down onto the main jigging rig—8lb backbone and 6lb droppers. I was using Jack Sprat, Grey Rabbit, and Parsons Glory flies, all in size 8. This is quite a light setup for jigging but, as I have experienced with trout before, 4lb line can stand up to a beating from trout running into willows.

I picked up two trout within two hours on the empty lake and, by the time people were out of bed, I was back at the bach for breakfast. At dawn I

found the trout were holding much shallower than the middle of the day, which was sometimes just below the kayak! I had a fish hit the top fly not a metre below me, while I was dealing with a landed rainbow. Trout over Christmas are typically in excellent condition and these fish were no exception.

With the warm weather, the lake gets much more pressure from boaties and fishermen, but the eastern rivers were almost deserted on New Year’s Eve. I normally see around 15 cars parked in the Tauranga-Taupo river access over winter, but there was just one. A quick walk to the river revealed low clean water and good fish numbers.

Taupo rivers fish differently to my home waters in Hawke’s Bay, with trout holding mostly in deep pools, well away from the edge of the river. Your techniques must change with this, especially when the water is clear. I rigged three metres of 6lb fluorocarbon and a double nymph rig consisting of a heavily weighted Hares Ear nymph and an unweighed Pheasant Tail nymph trailing behind. The trout are generally wiser to fishermen, so going lighter really helps your hookup rate.

One section of the river had a beautiful run, with deep

water running throughout its length. Combined with overhanging structure, like trees and blackberry, made this an appealing spot for trout to lie.

I judged the depth and moved my indicator to where I thought the bottom will be. In this case, just under two metres. Always make a habit of keeping your nymphs in the strike zone as long as possible. This puts your rig past more fish and creates more chances of a bite per cast.

I was able to cast in at the head of the run and walk my nymphs down 50 metres.

Sure enough, my indicator pulled under and I came up tight on a solid rainbow. It turned and immediately screamed to the top of the run in an attempt to reach some snags. I stopped the fish and turned it back towards the bank. The glistening rainbow leapt high into the air and continued its scrap. It became a game of patience to firmly apply side strain to tire the fish out and there were some nervous moments before the trout went into the net. Finally, I had it, a beautiful rainbow close to 6lbs—photographed and released. You simply have to admire fish of this condition.

Key tactics net Taupo trout

Blair samples success with summertime switch of tactics

This final fish rounded the trip out with nine rainbows caught, which shows, a bit of strategy and planning goes a long way.

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Issue 161 11

Jewel in the kingi’s crown

Free software upgrade for HDS Carbon displays Lowrance® has released a new 18.3 software update for HDS Carbon™ displays, which includes support for Active Imaging™, StructureScan 3D® with active imaging enhancements, and the LR-1 remote control, plus a simplified user interface and new dual mode WiFi capability.

Active Imaging Perfect for pinpointing fish-holding areas like rockpiles, standing timber, weedbeds, ditches, and drop-offs, Active Imaging allows anglers to see structure and cover at a greater distance from their boat with more refined detail than any other structure imaging technology. The update enables support for both Active Imaging 3-in-1 (CHIRP, SideScan, DownScan Imaging™) and 2-in-1 (SideScan, DownScan Imaging) transducers.

Steve Wyllie

One out of the box.

Stand out of the decade: best weather wise and fishing wise. There wasn’t a day during our annual three-week pilgrimage to Okiwi Bay that we couldn’t go fishing and the sea was boiling with fish. It was sublime.

Twice a year we shed Christchurch for the hospitality and ambience of Okiwi Holiday Park and Lodge, where hosts Pam and Monty have become like family. It is the perfect destination for a getaway and this year proved to be the jewel in the kingi’s crown.

With New Year’s Day being a cracker, we headed to the top of d’Urville to target kingfish. It was certainly shaping up to be the summer of kings, because we saw abundant schools, flashing past the boat and roiling the water in work ups. We focused our attention on Stephen’s Passage where we’d taking kingies over 25kg in the last four trips, initially jigging but changing to trolling cedar plugs and Rapala lures.

Huge volumes of water pump through the passage, causing massive currents, eddies, and boiling water; the perfect domain to find kingfish. Over the years, we have refined our trolling techniques and the tweaks

StructureScan 3D with Active Imaging Enhancements

The stars aligned for Steve and produced this 27.5kg kingi here and there have resulted in more fish, more often. I like to target the drop-off on the eastern side where the water and current boils up and I troll quickly: 7 knots.

The faster than usual speed seems to eliminate kahawai and ‘couta, and prompt the kingfish to strike with a vengeance. At slower speeds they often whack the lure and become lightly hooked but in this turbulent water they are fully committed on the attack, taking the lure with the intention of swallowing it, which results in very firm hook-ups.

go, happy that it wear itself out away from the boat.

Three power-purging runs and the table turned; I was able to make string. After an arm-aching twenty-minute tussle, we saw colour and I whooped in delight.

Out of nowhere, a monster smashed my Rapala and put me to the test; blistering powerful runs with, seemingly, no end in sight.

When the fish bolted, I let it

Then with our fishing needs sated, we sat back to enjoy the remainder of our stay in the kingdom of Okiwi Holiday Park and Lodge paradise.

“You bewdy!”

A new PB kingfish for me, tipping the scales to 27.5kg.

The rest were released but that big boy went on to feed many hungry mouths.

Nothing was wasted except the gills and guts: the prime fillets cooked in many different ways and the frame, head, and wings smoked.

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Active Imaging enhancements for StructureScan 3D include a cleaner water column with less noise, refreshed colour palettes, and enhanced sonar processing to deliver the maximum amount of detail; plus a new depth-highlighting feature that colours the user-selected upper- and lowerdepth limit area to help anglers better isolate specific structure and bottom depth.

Quick and easy sonar access

Anglers will get quicker, one-touch access to all of their sonar via a simplified HDS Carbon interface, featuring dedicated sonar pages for CHIRP, SideScan, DownScan Imaging, StructureScan 3D, and SpotlightScan™. New custom split-screen panel configurations are also available that allow anglers greater control over the display of split-screen panels–the perfect way to showcase HDS Carbon’s new capability to display SideScan, DownScan Imaging and StructureScan 3D on the same screen, at the same time.

Dual Mode WiFi With Dual Mode WiFi, you can maintain a WiFi connection to HDS Carbon and still use it as an access point for screen mirroring/ remote control from a smartphone or tablet via the Link app. Prior to this upgrade, HDS Carbon displays could only perform one of the tasks at a time – connecting to the internet or serving as an access point for screen mirroring/remote control.

For more information about the Lowrance software update, HDS Carbon, other Lowrance marine electronics, or to locate an authorised Lowrance dealer, please visit www. lowrance.com.

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12 THE FISHING PAPER & HUNTING NEWS - FEBRUARY 2019

Recovery moves for shook up paua fishery The Minister of Fisheries will soon be making decisions on proposed new daily bag limits for pāua in PAU3 (Canterbury/Kaikōura) and PAU7 (Marlborough).

While no-one enjoys having their catch limits reduced, there are sound reasons for easing fishing pressure on pāua stocks in these two areas. The proposed changes will help rebuild the earthquake-affected fisheries and will ultimately benefit everyone who values a good feed of pāua.

and juvenile pāua habitat was severely disrupted. In order to protect the surviving pāua populations, the area from Marfell’s Beach to the Conway River was immediately closed to the harvesting of pāua, seaweed, and some other shellfish species. This closure will remain in place until scientific evidence shows that the fisheries can be safely re-opened. In the meantime, important pāua harvesting areas in PAU3 and PAU7 are no longer accessible to

pressure on a smaller fishery.

Pāua are sedentary (i.e., they don’t move around much), and this makes them especially vulnerable to depletion if fishing pressure is concentrated in a localised area. Overfishing of a local pāua population can affect spawning success and hinder the productivity of the entire fishery.

The risk of commercial fishing effort shifting from the closed area to other parts of the coast has already been averted by a combination of

PAU3 and over 10 percent in PAU7 (on top of a 50% reduction in the PAU7 TACC in 2016), effectively removing any excess commercial fishing effort in areas either side of the earthquake closure.

recreational or commercial fishers.

When areas are closed, fishing effort inevitably shifts into the remaining open areas, placing more

Eathquake impact. Dr Tom McCowan photo

Although new recreational allowances were set in October 2017, the daily bag limit was left unchanged at 10 pāua per fisher – which is the current limit in most parts of New Zealand. As a result, in the two years since the earthquakes, recreational fishers have sought to PAU7 to either five or three pāua and to reduce the accumulation limit (the total number of pāua a person is allowed to accumulate over multiple days of fishing) to either 10 or six pāua.

Reductions of this magnitude are necessary because FNZ considers that recreational harvest needs to be cut by half in order to protect the remaining pāua fisheries. To halve the total recreational catch, the daily bag limit needs to be small enough to actively constrain the catch taken by the large majority of fishers and for the large majority of fishing trips. A small reduction – for example, a bag limit of eight or nine pāua – wouldn’t be effective because many fishers already take fewer than 10 pāua.

The scale of the uplift was staggering. Geoff Laing photo

When the earthquakes struck in November 2016, the coastline around Kaikōura and Cape Campbell was uplifted.

Intertidal species such as pāua were left high and dry,

Storm Stanley - Chairman, Pāua Industry Council

TACC reductions and ACE shelving (where quota owners voluntarily forgo catching a portion of their quota).

Commercial catch has been reduced by 50 percent in

take their 10 pāua from the coastline north and south of the earthquake closure, placing extra pressure on popular fishing spots such as Port Underwood and the Marlborough Sounds to the north, and Motunau and Banks Peninsula to the south.

People who dive these areas regularly will have seen how the additional fishing pressure has depleted local pāua populations.

Once the Minister has made his decision, the new daily bag limits will be put into regulation and are expected to come into effect in June 2019. While there will be some pain from the reductions, displaced fishing effort will be removed and the pāua fisheries will be allowed to rebuild more rapidly. Once the earthquake-affected area has recovered, bag limits may be reconsidered in the longer term. In the meantime, it may be worthwhile for recreational divers to seek out bigger pāua to fulfil their bag limit.

Not only does this achieve a greater weight of pāua per bag – it’s also a good thing to do for the fishery, as it allows pāua to spawn for several more years before they are harvested.

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Issue 161 13

Shocker salmon secrets revelation Ashley Cook Last season was a shocker so all eyes have been on salmon and signs, so far, suggest glimmers of silver on the horizon. With reports of a few bouncing around in the surf, a mate and I headed upstream, after work, to our regular haunt on a North Canterbury River. We checked out the usual holes in the middle reaches but our favoured one had moved with the last floods, so we scouted about for good water. I was looking for deepwater with a slow flowing edge or eddy to one side. The water was clear. Very clear.

I figured the salmon would be sitting in the middle of the pool, down deep, so started there. In only six casts, the line pulled tight and the smooth curve of the rod indicated salmon—and a good one by the feel of it.

While you will still catch salmon on the ubiquitous Zeddy, these low clear conditions dictate that you cut your gear size down, otherwise

you’ll just be pissing in the wind. I was rigged with a 16lb fluorocarbon trace 1.5m long and a very small blade spinner at the business end.

Between the trace and braid, I ran an half ounce barrel sinker between two swivels. Another tip for low conditions is to target early morning and late evening.

The salmon exploded into gear and was fresh as the morning dew. Unquestionably, I had on the hardest fighting salmon I’d ever been connected to and it took a full 30 minutes to tire it and coax it to the bank.

The condition factor of the estimated 15lb salmon was very high, too good for the smoker, so it graced the table, delicately cooked with a few secret herbs (and spices), and was superb.

Pop into Hamills North Canterbury if you’d like a few tips on catching local salmon, or the right gear. I’d be only be too happy to share a few of the other secrets that didn’t quite make this page.

HUNTING INSIGHT Choosing a rifle scope requires some thought about your hunting situation and what your rifle and calibre is. Nowadays many Kiwi hunters go for an all-round set up; one that can be used for close range bush hunting and longer shots when hunting slips or the open tops.

To achieve this, a scope with a larger zoom range is ideal: on the lower zoom range, examples of a 3x zoom range would be a 3-9x36 or 4-12x50 (3x3=9 or 3x4=12). A larger zoom range would be a 6x or 8x zoom scope like a 3-18x50 (6x3=18) or 2-16x50 (8x2=16).

What is best for you comes down to personal preference. For general hunting, I personally reckon a maximum of 18 power is plenty for longer range shots, as this draws in adequate detail without being over-

JP Klaus

Ashley went light and subtle for silver

Some cunning little scope secrets

magnified and picking up too much mirage. For closer range work in tight manuka or when bush hunting, the ideal minimum, giving enough field of view, is around 2.5 power.

Quality manufactured optics will produce a superior image over cheaply made ones. Lens coatings play a huge part light transmission—the coating process being a closely guarded secret like the Colonel’s secret 11 different herbs and spices recipe. Internal lens positioning is critical, as is the different type of coating used. Many calculations go into this exact science and some manufacturers don’t get it right. The higher the percentage of light transmission the better, so long as the manufacturer’s claims are true.

Objective (front) lens size also needs consideration.

A common misconception is the larger the objective, the bigger the field of view, which is not the case. The larger the objective, the more light is captured, which equates to better image quality. NB, scopes with larger objective lens do need to be mounted higher on the rifle, which can make proper cheek weld a problem. If you have a stock with an adjustable cheek rest, this won’t be an issue.

To optimise your scope in low light, the highest magnification is not the best setting. Ideally, the optic’s exit pupil diameter needs to match up with your eye. A young heathy

eye will have about a 7mm pupil diameter and this lessens with age. The way to determine where to turn your power zoom ring to, is to divide the scope’s objective lens diameter by seven.

For example, a Swarovski Z8i 2.3-18x56mm: divide 56 by 7 equals 8, making the 8-power mark on the

scope’s zoom ring the optimum between maximum magnification and usable light via the exit pupil from the scope.

If that’s confusing, try this: set your rifle scope on maximum power on dusk, look through it and slowly wind back the magnification

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14 THE FISHING PAPER & HUNTING NEWS - FEBRUARY 2019

Science, sustainability, and App Marty Bowers—Senior Fisheries Analyst, Inshore Fisheries Management Fisheries New Zealand started consultation in December on proposed changes to commercial catch settings for four fish stocks for the new fishing year beginning 1 April 2019.

Director of fisheries management, Stuart Anderson, says reviewing catch limits and other management measures is one way Fisheries New Zealand ensures long-term sustainable fisheries for the future.

“Twice yearly we check and adjust catch limits to fish stocks to help keep our fisheries sustainable,” says Mr Anderson.

“We use the best available scientific information to tell us what's happening with our fish stocks and to identify which stocks need changes. If the scientific information suggests more fish can be harvested sustainably, then we increase the catch limits. On the other hand, if there are sustainability issues identified, we reduce catch limits.

“Of the four stocks being reviewed in this consultation, increases to catch limits are proposed for three stocks and a decrease is proposed for one.

Any changes to catch limits will come into effect on 1 April 2019.

“We encourage people to put in a submission via the submission form on our website if they have an interest in any of the fisheries being reviewed.”

Consultation opens 18 December 2018 and closes on 12 February 2019.

As part of the April 2019 sustainability round, the following stocks are being reviewed: Rock lobster: Gisborne (CRA 3) Hawke's Bay/Wellington (CRA 4) Southern (CRA 8) Sea Cucumber: Top of the South Island/Marlborough Sounds (SCC 7A) Once the public and fishers have had their say, Fisheries New Zealand will summarise these views and advise the Minister on the options available.

The Minister will then make the final decisions on changes to the way these fisheries are managed. The Minister’s decisions and reasons will be publicised and changes to catch limits and the relevant fishing rules will be made.

Our management of fisheries is effective and robust. Currently, 97 per cent of our stocks of known status (by volume) are above their management target levels and there are rebuilding plans in place for those that are not.

To keep up to date with fisheries issues in your area, sign up to the recreational fishing mailing list by contacting recreationalfishing@mpi.govt.nz or by visiting the Recreational Fishing Initiative page on the Fisheries NZ website.

App it know it A lot of fishers think they know the rules already but New Zealand’s marine

environment is constantly changing and the rules need to change with it.

Remember the Kaikoura ‘quake?

Ugly anglerfish a happy catch Klaus Frank

That raised large areas of seabed and changed the coast forever. It’s an extreme example, but a reminder the ocean is a dynamic place. To protect it, our fishing rules need to adapt quickly and be specific to different areas.

Letting fishers know what’s going on can be a challenge as we change the way we communicate and consume information. Signs take time to change and not everyone reads the newspaper or listens to the radio so, the NZ Fishing Rules App was developed. Rather than being a ‘rulebook’ it’s more of a live communication tool with up-to-date fishing information for each region. We advise you check it each time before you fish.

The App is available free for Apple and Android devices. Just visit your app store to download it, or text the word ‘APP’ to 9889 to get a link sent to you by return text. Once you’ve got it on your phone it works without an internet connection, so even if you’re in an area out of cell-phone range you can still check it. Or perhaps you just want to enjoy some peace and quiet and switch your phone to airplane mode? Don’t worry, it still works.

If you have an older phone that doesn’t run apps, you can send a free text to 9889 with the name of a species – for example, blue cod or pāua and you'll be sent legal bag and size limits for that species by return text. Easy!

Last time I was in Norway the fishing was rotten. The weather was so poor, some days, that it was impossible to take the boat out; just too much wind. And when I could get out, the fish wouldn’t bite.

But at some point, fishing a jig in 50m, something took the hook and let itself be pulled up, very slowly and without making a fuss. I could hardly feel that it was a fish but it certainly had weight on its side. When it finally broached the surface, it brightened my whole week. It was my very first

anglerfish, not a giant, but a nice example of this awfully ugly species, tipping the scales at 8kg.

It's impossible to fish for anglerfish, since they just lie motionless at the sea bottom, waiting for some unaware fish to swim by. You have to be lucky enough to cast your bait right in front of their ugly mouth. Fishing in Norway since 1992, this was my first time to get one.

Guess if I was happy!

Footnote: Klaus spent time in Blenheim as a specialist locus doctor and fished and hunted with Lloyd Hanson.

Rob caught the big one today.

Download the free NZ Fishing Rules App to get the rules.

It’s important to check the rules because they change regularly and are different for each area. So, if you don’t want to catch a fine, make sure you download the App. These rules help protect our precious marine resources – for you, other fishers, and future generations.

MFI0018

www.fisheries.govt.nz/rules

Don’t be like Rob.

Issue 161 15 Trusting your tyres

COOKING with CRIMPY

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Roast Beetroot Salad This is a superb hot salad to serve alongside fresh fish.

Large bunch fresh spinach or silver beet 3 medium beetroots

Rinse silver beet in cold water, roughly chop and toss in saucepan with a knob of butter. Sweat the silver beet over a hot element until it wilts, give it a good shake to coat with butter and drain any excess juices. Remove to a bowl.

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16 THE FISHING PAPER & HUNTING NEWS - FEBRUARY 2019

Out in the prop wash Urban myth not propped up The most commonly asked question I get relating to props is, “If I put a bigger prop on my 4-stroke outboard, will I get faster speed or better economy?”

The simple answer is no, that’s an urban myth and here’s why.

Modern 4-stroke engines are state of the art technology and designed to pull around 6,000 rpm, taps full open. Each engine has a range, somewhere between 5,500 and 6,100. If you put a prop that is too big, the top end revs may come down, say to five-grand, but that doesn’t equate to better performance or economy. In reality, the engine has been ‘overloaded’ and will be working harder throughout the range, and fuel consumption will actually go up. The added stress will also, over time, shorten the lifespan of your engine.

Contrary to most people’s thinking, 4-stroke engines are designed to rev faster than their 2-stroke counterparts, which have a top end of five-and-a-half grand. A 4-stroke has to be able to pull six-grand or 6,000 rpm.

Much of the misconception about up-propping arose

Dennis Ellmers

a decade ago during the transition from 2-stroke to 4-strokes when engines came factory-fitted with a standard prop—one size fits all. This did result in some boats being mismatched and there are probably a few older models still out there suffering this ignominy.

However, today, outboards do not come with props, standard or otherwise. I order the prop after you purchase your new engine and match it to the boat, and its use, at the point of installation. I then do a sea trial and check that it is pulling the right numbers and if not, I try another. Years of experience enables me to assess very quickly what your set up needs and modern engine ‘computerisation’ very quickly tells me if I get it wrong.

There are also different styles of prop to suit different situations but, again, we sort that very quickly at the point of installation. The upshot is, today you can pretty much turn the key and go boating with confidence that you have the optimal configuration, if your new motor has been installed by a professional.

TIDES OF CHANGE

Poppa Mike

Joe meets Mike again

The old friends had not seen each other for several years but the catch up revealed Mike had recently purchased a launch—a big one. Talk of a fishing trip soon became the topic of conversation.

“Yes,” said Mike. “If you can round up 25 mates I will take you out for some deep sea fishing for $10 per head, with all the fishing gear, bait, and crew supplied.”

Joe soon found the required number of starters, mostly workmates and a few teenage sons. The trip was booked but, as the large group assembled on the wharf at the agreed time, there was no sign of Mike and his big launch. Then around the corner it finally appeared, 45 minutes late.

A big cheer went up and everyone rushed aboard, excited about the prospects of the day ahead.

Underway, they got the chance to take a look around and ‘suss the situation,’ as Joe put it. In discussion with his friend Al, they expressed disappointment about the poor condition of the boat and the one very young and inexperienced crewman.

They also noted the launch was sitting low in the water,

particularly at the stern where there was only about 45 centimetres of freeboard.

Their concerns grew as the flood tide was attacked by a strong south-westerly wind coming in the opposite direction. This caused the launch to pitch and roll severely, then nose dive into a trough. It was fast becoming a ‘white knuckle’ trip, with everyone hanging on desperately. Joe checked with skipper Mike, who suggested he ask the ‘boys’ what they would like to do. Their response was one of blokes’ bravado; they laughed and joked, saying they wanted to get their money’s worth. One passenger did comment that the launch didn’t seem seaworthy.

Then sign of real trouble: bags and lunch boxes, stashed on the afterdeck, were suddenly washed away. Clearly the water was coming up higher as the launch settled lower.

“She’s taking on water, she’s going to swamp,” they yelled out to the skipper in the wheelhouse.

As lifejackets were being distributed, the engine died.

Someone tried to get the radio going and others yelled

out instructions. Then the launch took her final plunge, the cabin started to break off, and everyone was thrown free.

As wreckage floated to the surface, survivors grabbed for it. Then a fairly large life raft appeared and 14 managed to clamber in. The seas were so rough, no-one could stay in the raft, nor on the wreckage.

It was a case of having to hang on to something and drag in the water, fighting the cold, leg cramps, shock, and numbness of the brain.

Suddenly, a large ship appeared three kilometres away and headed in their direction. From 150 metres it appeared they were rescued but, despite yelling and waving lifejackets, she continued past and disappeared.

Once aboard the survivors could only whisper, “Others out there.”

Over the next 45 minutes the yacht searched for ‘others’ and the head count slowly rose but, by the time the search ended, 16 men had been lost, including the skipper and young deck hand.

The subsequent maritime investigation found the launch had no maritime survey and the owner no commercial skipper’s ticket.

Although this true tragic story happened several years ago in another country, it could easily happen tomorrow in New Zealand.

Take care on the water.

Eventually, realising death was likely, two passengers attempted to swim for help, using a bench seat for flotation and swimming onehanded, “Like two ants on a chip of wood,” they joked.

Two hours later, one spotted a triangle of white cloth, but it sailed right past.

Then the yacht turned, one of her crew having sighted what he thought were two kids in a swamped canoe.

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Issue 161 17

From Sinker to Smoker Ron Prestage

After a hiatus of a few years due to arm and shoulder injuries, I decided to accept the challenge again of the Mokihinui Fishing Competition. With an ageing and rehabbed body, I was not sure how it would go in the trying West Coast fishing conditions.

Day Two: Another two kahawai.

Both frozen to be used as craypot bait by one of the locals.

Day Three: Blue shark caught.

Day Four: Nil to report.

Day Five: Had a mix of squid

I knew the challenge would test my limits and hopefully build my self-confidence and showcase my abilities. After all, isn’t that what a challenge is about? Here’s how it went.

Plenty of kahawai on day one.

Day One: Had a read of the beach and located a likely looking spot at the Mokihinui River end of Gentle Annie Beach. Soon had two rods in the water with squid and salted bonito bait. Four kahawai around the two kilo mark caught.

One was the heaviest fish of the day and they all ended up in a friend’s smoker.

Orange flashes for Glen Billy Cranshaw

and unsalted bonito as baits.

Used heaps of bait elastic on the soft bonito. A two and three kilo snapper caught. The three kilo one was heaviest snapper of the day.

Day Six: Another three kilo plus snapper landed and a kahawai.

Another heaviest snapper of the day. Kahawai also took out heaviest fish prize. Squid bait.

Day Seven: Sea rather agitated.

Lost two sets of gear. Pulled pin early.

Day Eight: More blue sharks.

Plenty of bite-offs and one landed.

Day Nine: Fished through the tide. Not a bite all morning.

Day 10: No fishing. Attended the prizegiving.

A brace of snapper on day five.

Overall I was pleased with how things went. Got on the results board a few times. Arms, shoulders and back stood up well to the rigours of West Coast surfcasting.

Heaviest snapper on day six.

Legs out of comfort zone a few times. It was rewarding to be able to help a few young surfcasters along the way. I’m not done yet. I’ll be back!

Hunt the 󹁓eam—A󹁀ica

SEE CRIMPY AT THE SHOT EXPO THIS YEAR AT BOOTH NO. 138 AND ORGANISE YOUR DREAM HUNT TODAY

Have you ever dreamed of hunting Africa?

With 2018 drawing to a close, 12-year-old Glen Cranshaw approached New Year’s Eve with determination and a little bit of expectation; he was on holiday with his family and, as the sun sunk lower over the Kaikoura Ranges, he was targeting gurnard, surfcasting from the beach. Glen really wanted to catch one and used a red flasher rig with a cube of pilchard on his favourite rod - a 12-foot vintage Kilwell Surf King and a Shimano Alivio 6000 reel.

Within a few minutes of the baits being in the water, the rod tip gave a couple of slight movements. Glen gave the reel handle a few turns and the rod bent over, showing he had a fish on. He played the fish through the waves and commented that he hoped it was a gurnard.

When the orange flash was seen he knew he had the fish that he was going for; he landed the fish and is very chuffed with himself — incidentally, orange is his favourite colour. A great conclusion for 2018 and a ‘first’ ticked off.

The magic of going on safari on The Dark Continent has not diminished over time. Taking a sundowner as the bright orange African sun slips below the horizon, kicking into gear the night orchestra of jackal yips, hyena hoops, and lion growls, remains an unrivalled experience.

As does the stalking on foot of the multitude of species available to the hunter. There is literally a surprise around every corner— an old dagga boy buff, elephant, a leopard crossing the trail, or the kudu of your dreams— and no two hunting days are the same.

I have hunted Africa many times and put together a business that specialises in helping Kiwis experience an authentic fair chase wild

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An African safari—when done correctly— is the epitome of hunting.

Come along and talk to me about fulfilling your African Dream Hunt Crimpy

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18 THE FISHING PAPER & HUNTING NEWS - FEBRUARY 2019

Optically Speaking

Ant Corke

Shooting rabbits with a new Yukon Photon + LRF digital night vision riflescope kit Rabbit as seen through the Yukon Photon RT.

This month’s Optically Speaking is an account of my experience with a new Yukon Photon night vision riflescope kit that combines excellent night performance with an accurate laser rangefinder, at a very attractive price. This set-up is ideal for recreational hunters and for pest control on farms, lifestyle blocks, market gardens, orchards and vineyards.

a pack to last you a lifetime

k2Quality Canvas packs & bags For The Serious Outdoors

The Yukon Photon is a tried and tested product that has The LRF clearly displays distance to the nearest metre. undergone regular improvement since its introduction in 2013. shooting systems is located in the Waimea The latest RT version has many useful Plains close to Nelson. It is a mix of flat features such as recording and streaming paddock, orchard, and broccoli fields. When video, inbuilt IR, multiple reticle choices and I began shooting this property in 2013, it a robust 30mm tube. It performs head and was crawling with rabbits due to several shoulders above the competition because containers on its boundary. I made pretty it is fitted with a high resolution infrared short work of this infestation with a .22LR optimised sensor that produces a clear and a PCP air rifle, the latter being the only black and white image with better low light option around stock, buildings and dwellings. performance than digital riflescopes that Since this eradication, the containers have display a colour image. been removed, and there are low numbers of The laser rangefinder (LRF) fits onto an accessory rail and is controlled by a wired remote controller that turns the unit on and off, selects single and multiple scan modes.

It measures up to 700 metres and can be selected to measure in metres or yards. It also measures angle-of-inclination and can be set to True Horizontal Distance for better precision in hilly terrain. The LRF can be fitted on the left, right, or top of a riflescope to best suit individual shooters preference.

The property that I evaluate our rabbit

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rabbits dispersed throughout the property.

My first hunt with the Photon RT + LRF was very encouraging. I had limited time, and a quick walk around the northern part of the property presented seven shots, with six kills including a rat at 19 metres and a rabbit at 72 metres. I knew the exact distance to my target which made the Photon RT + LRF mounted on my suppressed BRNO Model 2 a true game changer. See the video on our website.

For more info contact your local stockist or visit www.yukonoptics.co.nz

K-2 unconquerable

Pete Cody

We're discussing packs during Christmas family gathering and the topic centred around quality and durability. In the modern arena, not everything is built to last and, in some cases, built in redundancy is a feature of many products. Not so K-2 packs.

My son bought this prototype pack from you while he was at Nelson College in 1996 and it is still going strong (zip suffering a wee bit now and stretchy cable pretty well passed its use by date). It was initially hammered from school use, then travelled the world three times, and now is standing up to the rigours of taking four kids hiking in New Zealand!

K2 is clearly good quality gear!

Do you have a K2 Story?

Email them to Maree: k24u@xtra.co.nz or editor@thefishingpaper.co.nz

Bulletproof - New Zealand's K-2

Issue 161 19

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20 THE FISHING PAPER & HUNTING NEWS - FEBRUARY 2019

Captain’s Log: Beam me up spotty Salmon sizzle in Marlborough heat A run of salmon in Marlborough’s Wairau River in January sparked a flurry of interest and saw a marked increase in the amount of metal flicked into the water. With several fish around the 10kg mark coming to the bank, anglers are cautiously optimistic of a good season. These fish are far heavier than is expected in the Wairau and the numbers appear better than usual.

Nelson Marlborough F&G cite the dry season being responsible for a build up of salmon congregating off the mouth of the Wairau, awaiting rain to trigger the spawning run into and upriver. This is good news for shorebased anglers, because the fish hold in close and provide good fishing at the mouth.

Fish & Game are keen to hear of any adipose clipped fish caught, as there are a number of salmon enhancement release programmes still operating in the South Island, so catch information is vital to research. If you catch any fin clipped fish, please contact the Fish & Game office.

ABC of Wairau salmon Marlborough salmon are not huge, six to fourteen pounds on average, and the Wairau River is better described as a salmon creek, lacking the volume of the Waimak’, Rakaia or Waitaki.

Therefore, most use heavy trout spinning gear, which is fine, rather than heavier, Canterbury-style salmon gear.

I do use a Canterburystyle set, because I owned a set before moving to the region: a 7.5 foot, 2-4kg graphite slowjig rod. Most salmon sets I see in shops feature 6-8kg rods, which is WAY too heavy because you lose sensitivity, and with the often-subtle takes of a salmon, you want to feel EVERYTHING. I use a baitcast reel, because that’s what I’m comfortable using, with a left hand retrieve because I cast right handed. Salmon are known as ‘the fish of a thousand casts’, so, if I am to cast a thousand casts, I don’t want to be swapping hands every time the lure goes in or out of the river.

Hayden Register with a Wairau salmon.

Ross Laybourn photo (courtesey Hendersons)

Ben Sowry

I use a PE-2 line (20lb polyethene braid). Braid, is essential to detect the delicate takes of the salmon, and to feel the lure hitting the bottom. I attach two metres of 20lb fluorocarbon trace with an FG knot.

Ben with a classic Wairau salmon

I have heard of people catching Wairau salmon on Rapalas, softbaits, and flies. Some people use the Colorado spoon and weight method. I still prefer a 22gm zed spinner, because it has probably caught more salmon in New Zealand than all the other lures put together. I do carry smaller 16gm zeds for really clear water. Colour? I keep it simple: white on a cloudy day and silver on a sunny day. Sometimes, if the river is very low and clear, I will run a copper coloured 16gm zed, but I’m pretty

sure a silver would work as effectively.

The most overlooked part of salmon tackle is the most important—the hooks. When I buy a new zeddy, I take off the hook and replace it with smaller one. The hooks on most zed spinners are massive and hard to set. Remember, salmon are not feeding and generally won’t smash and grab the lure. Instead, they mouth it as it goes past. A smaller, stronger, and deadly sharp hook will penetrate better than a big clumsy one. Smaller hooks also

allow the spinner to swim better. I use #2 or #4 VMC trebles—perfect size for 16 and 22gm zeds. And I carry spares! Change the hook every hour, or after a snag. You’ll basically be dragging the bottom the whole time, and the river bed will dull the hooks. You want them sharp - deadly sharp. I also carry a hook sharpening stone and, every five minutes, run each point on it a few times. Carry it in your pocket—if it’s in your lure box in your bag, you’ll never use it.

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Issue 161 21 STICK YOUR OAR IN HAVE YOUR SAY…

email all your letters to editor@thefishingpaper.co.nz

Sage is an ‘exotic’ herb Dear Ed, Congratulations on your October issue in which you highlight the current threats by way of the Minister of Conservation’s tahr slaughter and her bill to give DOC unrestricted powers to eliminate trout. Your Captain’s log was excellent pointing out that Sage’s moves are “nothing more than the naked extermination and eradication of exotic species.” The ideology is hypocrisy in the extreme. It is the obsessive mantra that is selective in the extreme. After all, all humans were introduced by way of migrations, firstly the Polynesians in the 14th century and the Europeans in the 19th century. So exotic species. Sage and her DoC managers will frequently dine on exotic species such as chicken, beef, or lamb, accompanied by asparagus, peas, and beans, and then in the summer twilight they’ll weed around their exotic roses, petunias, and pansies - all socalled exotic.

Minister Sage comes from the stable of Forest and Bird who have cunningly infiltrated places of influence such as DoC’s head office and even Parliament.

You refer to Captain’s Log being apolitical.

I understand ‘apolitical’ means no political party allegiance or links as distinct from being political. There should be no apologies for being political and forthright. Politics is democracy, the right to have an opinion, irrespective of which party is government.

That’s why we vote every three years.

The fishing and hunting public shouldn’t be afraid of being political. Stand up and challenge the government or politicians.

Politics in fishing and hunting is simply “cause and effect”.

Well done.

Tony Orman - Marlborough

Smoke and mirrors Dear Ed,

CRIMPTOON

FREEMAN GROUP

The sustained pre and post Christmas attacks

by TV and print media on those opposed to 1080 toxin use, has the hallmarks of a well organised use of naive journalists, by the governments poison industry agencies ‘smoke and mirrors’ departments, to regurgitate through opinion pieces and other so-called news stories the same old propaganda they have been peddling for years. Instead of real facts, accuracy, fairness, and balance, the mainly ‘Stuff’ related articles were written around trivia, hysteria, and paranoia to sway public opinion against 1080 opponents.

The worst example of this shoddy journalism was the anonymously written editorial, "The appalling 1080 fanatics", published in the 19/12/2018 issue of the Otago Daily Times. The writer failed mention that the ‘1080 in baby formula blackmailer’ and Government branded ‘eco-terrrorist’, Jeremy Kerr, was also a long time business partner and researcher within the Governments poison industry. Kerr worked with Landcare Research and Department of Conservation on poison research projects, as well as being a representative of Connovation Ltd. The ODT editorial made no mention of this, simply pointing out that Kerr demanded in his November 2014 blackmail letter that the country stop using 1080; a very subtle use of words that didn't convey the real facts around Kerr's blackmail attempt to get the government’s poison industry to use his poison, Feratox, instead of 1080.

Goebbel's would have been proud of that journalistic propaganda piece.

The 2015 and 2017 "Most Trusted" surveys put journalists at the bottom of their list — below politicians and car salesmen, which is no surprise because they simply regurgitate what politicians and bureaucrats tell them; they don't think for themselves.

Writers of letters to the editor are required to supply name, address, and phone number

OVER 45 YEARS OF ROOFING EXPERIENCE We use genuine NZ Steel products backed by a full warranty

8 convenient locations. visit www.roofing.co.nz for our full range & services ... this democratic requirement should also apply to editorials and anonymous opinion pieces.

Thank God for independent papers like The Fishing Paper & Hunting News. Unlike the corporate controlled major papers, those independent papers keep democracy alive and well in New Zealand.

DoC's 2016 "Survey of New Zealand" showed 66% of respondents are against aerial 1080 toxin operations. The government poison industry is naive in its Trump-like head in the sand approach to conservation. How many more native birds are they going to kill before they wake up to what's happening? It's time for change!

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22 THE FISHING PAPER & HUNTING NEWS - FEBRUARY 2019

Reflections of a geriatric Unbelievably, CRAMAC 5 has enjoyed sharing stories on the CRA 5 lobster industry with you for three years now, which is not long in the big picture—until you reflect on what’s happened over that period. I, for one, had a milestone, which wasn’t as painful as first imagined, but it couldn’t be surgically removed—I turned 60. I used to think that was old but, believe me, it’s not. There’s simply no time to age because there’s so been much happening.

In terms of local management initiatives, Te Korowai te Tai o Marokura acquired legislation for the coastal area from Clarence River to Conway River, forming a legislative body called the Kaikoura Marine Guardians, which comprises people from Te Korowai, TRoNT, and Scientists—all appointed by Ministers of Fisheries and Minister of Conservation.

Telson Fin Clipping and accumulation was huge for the local lobster industry, proving an effective tool in restricting illegal sales of lobster to such an extent, those rules will be applied to the whole of CRA 5 this year.

That bloody earthquake: industry stood up and secured approval for a short harvest of three weeks, which would have been impossible without our historical catch data and the

Larnce Wichman

willingness of fishermen to collect further evidence the resource was not impacted.

We are so grateful to those fishermen who put their own earthquake issues aside to get the industry up and running again. However, still very much a concern is recruitment issues we may see as a result of potential earthquake impact on juvenile lobster at the time.

On a sour note, the lobster industry fell out of a good working relationship with the then MPI as a result of a very poor, unsubstantiated report on bad fishing practices, mostly based on 20-year-old data. This fracas resulted in IEMRS, Integrated Electronic Monitoring System. We have wanted electronic reporting for years and now, after two years development, it will be rolled out to the lobster fishery this year, in stages. We still have issues that need ironing out, but at least we can start recording and reporting catches electronically. The lobstermen have a choice of two good devices, so can select one appropriate to their own situation and vessel. IEMRS has been a long and very frustrating road, with industry investing huge resources to get where we are today.

The election delivered us a new government and, with it, new Minister of Fisheries who is a breath of fresh air;

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willing to listen and make decisions, some very hard.

Because industry is speaking kindly of the minister, you might think we are getting preferential treatment—not!

CRA 2, experiencing a ‘loss of recruitment pulse’, faced catch restrictions; the Total Allowable Commercial Catch (TACC) was slashed from 200mt to 80mt. No favours there. The Minister, in willing to make a hard call to rebuild stocks, addressed commercial harvest but also stated recreational must take part in managing a stock rebuild—those initiatives have yet to be put in place.

The previous Minister for the Environment promised Recreational Fishing Parks in Marlborough. A few species, including lobster, were excluded. However, the concept gave us no confidence a Minister for the Environment would engage in fisheries management, which one had to question why it was under the environmental portfolio

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Lastly, and worth a mention, the work Randall Bess is doing; he introduced the consultation paper NZ Initiative, which provided for recreational fisheries management based on abundance and sustainability. It took a leaf out of Recfishwest’s book, a Western Australian recreational sector group. It is a very complex debate, best managing the use of a public resource (just ask the Blue Cod Advisory Working Group), but Randall is striving to have the recreational sector part of the decision making process. He has identified that North and South Islands face different issues, although based on the same subject, and is putting together a Working Group of

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in the first place. Had there not been a change of government, could the recreational sector have confidently, and responsibly, managed the area? I think we all dodged a poison chalice in that election gift

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Issue 161 23

24 THE FISHING PAPER & HUNTING NEWS - FEBRUARY 2019

Fishing Paper rocks in Alaska Ageing American rock drummer and B-grade actor, Long John Tawdry, spends his retirement in Ketchikan Alaska, where he fishes for salmon, halibut, bottom species, and compliments.

An avid hunter, John loves ‘killing stuff’, which the Native American says should be celebrated and not condemned, “as it is by PC rattlesnakes, bunny-loving tree-huggers, and vegans more hairy than grizzly bears.”

&

Travels

John says its in his genes to be a hunter, full stop. Also in his jeans, is bail money; for those occasions he goes to sleep in a motel room and wakes up in Jail.

“Look, the Rock ’n’ Roll life was heady stuff and I may have banged the odd drum that wasn’t mine—but I’m upbeat about it,” he says.

Long John Tawdry was drummer for the Alaskan heavy rock band, ‘More Beaver’ and starred in the spaghetti western, The Sloan Ranger (a spoof of The Lone Ranger)

Working group explore South Island peak body The Fishing Paper & Hunting News have recently run articles on Dr Randall Bess’ efforts to improve the South Island’s marine recreational fisheries, which starts with forming a working group of South Islanders to explore establishing a professional, adequately funded organisation (peak body) to represent recreational fishing interests to the Government and other fishing sectors and interests.

Refer to The Future Catch: proposed actions to improve South Island Recreational Fisheries, November 2018 issue, pg.2; Working Group forming to improve South Island recreational marine fisheries, December 2018 issue, pg.18; Peak body didn’t bite Minister’s arse, January 2019 issue, pg.28).

written and directed by American producer, director, and writer Tom Pompey. Pompey is known for his Academy Award winning Havana Smoke, which was long, rich in flavour, and brought tears to the eyes.

Long John says he posed for a picture with The Fishing Paper & Hunting News because he thought he was auditioning for a role in a commercial.

His one remaining ambition is to kill a certain ‘Kiwi’!

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Daryl Sykes’, National Rock Lobster Industry Council, has also written about the importance of professional representation in protecting and enhancing the rights of fishers and opportunities for fisheries. Daryl warns of the risks associated with fishers being apathetic or unrealistically expecting Government officials to protect fishers’ rights, in this case in relation to marine protected area proposals (The art of survival – A warning to fisherfolk, December 2018 issue, pg.26).

Randall reports good progress in forming the working group, which will first meet in March 2019 to explore various components of a peak body before seeking feedback from the South Island public.

“It will be important for the working group to start with the basics, such as ‘Why have a peak body?’ In my view, the short answer is simply to better enable South Islanders to achieve desired outcomes, such as a healthier marine environment with more abundant fish stocks.”

“On the South Island, we see some stocks are doing better than they have in the past, particularly snapper. But, what changes will be needed to ensure its rebuild continues? Also,

there are troubling signs about the blue cod fishery in some regions. Scallops at the top of the South are in dire straits, and there always seems to be too few paua to go around,” says Randall. , “Another desired outcome is greater political and social connections on issues that can impact, positively and adversely, on regional and local communities.”

“Representation can provide the means for recreational fishers to provide articulate input into fisheries management processes, participate in political processes and in ways that could be more effective than if they worked alone or in small groups (e.g. fishing clubs). Even if fishers choose not to participate directly, they can put their views forward, and be assured that representatives will direct efforts to protect and enhance their interests.”

“While a peak body would have an explicit role in advocating for recreational fishing interests, it’s effectiveness will largely come through its ability to work respectfully and collaboratively with others, to find workable solutions that provide the best public outcomes,” Randall says.

“Trust is an integral part of this process as other users of the resource, and government, will rightly be cautious of a recreational peak body. Good communication networks across all sectors is paramount, as are the protocols that go with it”, says the founder of Western Australia’s recreational peak body, Recfishwest, Ian Stagles.

Over time, if properly nurtured, mutual respect will achieve far more than arguing over access and catch levels.

“We should be mindful of the collaborative approach that characterises the Guardians of Fiordland and Kaikoura. In my view, this approach should help form the peak body’s culture and belief system,” says Randall.

Issue 161 25

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Editor: Daryl Crimp - 021 472 517 editor@thefishingpaper.co.nz Sub-Editor: Mike Brown Administration & Sales: Annette Bormolini 021 028 73393 - annette@coastalmedia.co.nz Deputy Editor: Ron Prestage rgprestage@xtra.co.nz Printer: Inkwise 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.

26 THE FISHING PAPER & HUNTING NEWS - FEBRUARY 2019

FOREST AND BIRD RECYCLING FAKE NEWS TO LAZY JOURNALISTS

OPIN ION

Daryl Sykes

It seems that two major newspapers and several television news broadcasters opted for lazy journalism and picked up a Royal Forest and Bird Association (F&B) media release as the centrepiece of poorly researched stories on the state of the Bay of Plenty (CRA 2) rock lobster fishery.

So much for F&B and the fake news that they generate. The truth is that the CRA 2 rock lobster fishery is subject to a formal fisheries management strategy based on the best available information and science. Catch limits have been set from April 2018, which are intended to reverse recent stock decline and improve abundance over time. The commercial sector took the brunt of the catch reductions F&B seem content to recycle the already well-proven to be ‘fake news’ about lobsters being functionally extinct, and their colleague in arms, Option4 and LegaSea spokesman Mr Scott McIndoe backs F&B, whilst

recycling his rhetoric about the alleged failures of the fisheries management regime. McIndoe continues to wilfully misrepresent the situation in his frequent references to ‘unconstrained fishing’, knowing, as he does, that Minister Nash set new catch limits for the fishery in April 2018. Those very significantly constrain commercial fishing.

Let’s examine motives – what does F&B want? Clearly it wants to close the fishery down and move away from fisheries management to a marine protection agenda – a network of no-take marine reserves across the Hauraki Gulf. That is a well-

publicised aspiration for them and their supporters.

But F&B is also trying to reclaim its place in the fisheries space, having lost ground over recent years to Greenpeace and WWF. Losing ground means losing supporters – losing supporters means losing funding, so F&B needed to crank up the alarmist messages by necessity. And they obviously have their own support and influence in the print and television media. The NZ Herald, Network One, and NewsHub went to press without any comment from commercial interests.

And Scott McIndoe? He is clearly looking for a way for his business group, LegaSea, to claim some moral high ground, on behalf of the NZ Sportfishing Council, by supporting the proposed reduction in the amateur daily bag limit for CRA 2 lobsters. In agreeing to three, McIndoe claims the new limit won’t matter anyway – perhaps a signal to the Minister that the bag limit should be even lower until the fishery rebuilds?

Despite F&B being in denial about the reliability of the New Zealand fisheries management regime, it can operate in a timely and efficient manner. The CRA 2 fishery has been and is being managed. The CRA 2 industry has significantly invested in the research that informs management decisions and has promoted

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Issue 161 27

Anglers swarm on mega spawners

The spirit of Christmas Eve

Pat Noone

Ivan Wilson

I went fishing on Christmas Eve.

It got me out and away from the turmoil and prep for the big day.

Mind you, this year it was more of a low key affair with just family and one guest – a Finn. Don’t know if she was pectoral, caudal, or what, but with her sense of funny, not anal that’s for sure! It was all done on the after deck with appropriate libations, including juice for our ‘Finny’ friend, as she was on-call.

However, the previous day I’d headed for a favourite lake just east of Darfield, to find dozens of boat trailers parked around the ramp.

Most were for ski boats, or jet skis, so wouldn’t be bothering me as I tootled around the shallow edges on a floating stalk. Car and trailer parked up, two bucks in the ramp fund box, sun-cream and life jacket on, and I was quietly moving out of the bay. I have mentioned the ramp fee before in this column and it still beggars belief someone with 120 thousand dollars worth of boat and vehicle seems reluctant to stick a gold coin into the box for upkeep of the ramp, they obviously take for granted. Maybe they do it when I’m not looking!

I was on my own, having had an over-busy year and more than enough contact with people, to need some solitude. The lake had sufficient water to allow access to various backwaters—easier with just me in the boat and no extra ballast from anyone else. The trout were flighty in the skinny water and, most likely, had had plenty of attention over the good weather.

Trout on high alert means more thought about techniques in order to fool the creatures. The first fish appeared after five minutes of nosing about, right alongside the boat and it was chomping on something, so was on the feed. A quick roll cast to put the fly in its path proved ineffective, as it went under the hull and skulked off. Not

to worry, plenty more fish in the lake, but I wasn’t seeing the fish we normally do, so persistence became the watchword. That and advice from an earlier mentor who advocated moving if you don’t see fish, because they always go to where the food is. The odd one came looking at my smallish Mrs Simpson but would turn away, until one had a tentative go at it, missed, had another go, missed, and finally it was a take. Caught and released but, with just the one success, I switched to a nymph and managed another.

Since I was knee-high to a grasshopper, I always dreamed of fishing Back Country New Zealand and so did every other angler I spoke to at home in Ireland.

Times change. Nowadays, whenever I speak to people from overseas it’s all about the Twizel Canals and the monster trout that they dream of catching. The Twizel Canals, it seems, have become far more popular over the past five years, with the amount of people fishing them going from around 5000 a year to 40,000.

breeding and keep the canals stocked. But what happens when all the big spawning fish are been killed? To me, it’s only a matter of time before they’ll be gone and people will be left muttering, “We should have had regulations in place to help save the spawning fish.”

If you’re like me, straight away you think, ‘How can this be sustainable?’ The truth is, that it isn’t. People are under the illusion that these fish will just keep

I’m not suggesting closing the area the fish are spawning in; I fish it

It’s an easy thing to do, if you ask me; people just need to be educated, especially the younger anglers who are catching these fish during the winter with ease as the fish move up the canals to spawn.

a lot and know if the fish are handled with care and time is taken to release them, they’re fine. However, something as simple as a size limit on fish over that period of time would do wonders for the fishery.

My cousin visited me recently with the dream of landing one of these world class fish and we were able to get one with relative ease. I just hope and pray it stays this way for future anglers who make the trip to this amazing fishery in the second best rugby county on the planet.

Tight lines everyone.

(Editor’s note: after that last comment, Paddy is a ‘former’ writer for The Fishing Paper!)

The rest of the time was not overly productive but I was out there doing it, enjoying the sunshine, watching the various birdlife, and getting exercise on the oars.

Haven’t been out enough, because I was stiff in funny places the next morning. Normally the motor is only used to move to a new spot or return to the ramp at the end of the day. Rest of the time it’s quiet rowing and if someone like our late mate was aboard, taking turn about to fish. A take or catch means a swap over.

Many of the areas around the lake brought to mind sunny memories of ‘He of the F Word,’ who has featured regularly in this column. Somehow I felt he accompanied me on Christmas Eve—a good way to keep the memory alive.

Paddy and cousin Michael test the luck of the Irish at Twizel

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28 THE FISHING PAPER & HUNTING NEWS - FEBRUARY 2019

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