Issue 178 The Fishing Paper & Hunting News July 2020 by The Fishing Paper

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July 2020 Issue 178

NEWS

rainbow in the snow

Story pg 2

 Schrödinger's Snapper  Set net rules  Venison giveaway

THE FISHING PAPER & HUNTING NEWS - JULY 2020

Canal knowledge arresting fishing

Doug with another canal beast

Doug Clifton

It was a welcome surprise when a message popped up on my phone from Alister, owner of Hunting and Fishing Timaru. The invitation was to join them for few days fishing the Twizel/Tekapo canals. Keen fishermen Andrew and Ford didn’t take much convincing to join me, so leave from work was quickly arranged. After a big drive we arrived at our accommodation for the week based in Twizel. Oour hosts Alister and Mike had managed to stay awake to greet us. The tower of empty cans on the table confirmed that the chilly bin was in for some use over the next few days! The next morning was a slower start, with a thick blanket of snow having fallen overnight; we chose to fish the closer areas for the afternoon and managed to nail some nice silver rainbows in the snow! A shift in location the next day saw us all get into some nice fish, with the highlight of the day being Andrew’s 24lb rainbow. Over the next couple of day’s we had some awesome fishing, with some solid trout landed. However, the -8 degree mornings made for some seriously iced up anglers and rods! The highlight for me was landing a chunky brown on the last morning of the trip. Catching this calibre of fish while being surrounded by the Southern Alps sure is special and made packing up to head home that much harder. While down there, I bumped into Ben from Boothy’s Fishing School, a wizard when it comes to canal fishing. The few small tips he gave me improved my fishing enormously. If you don’t get the chance to fish the canals much, like me, or are struggling with catching fish down there, I highly recommend looking him up—it’ll make all the difference to your success rate!

Front Cover: Andrew Claridge is all smiles with his fat rainbow

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SHOOTING Brian Bishop

Home on the range It has been a while since we have been able to hold a pistol match, due to the lockdown. Christchurch was booked to hold an IPSC match but it had to be put off and is re-booked for September. Cable Bay Pistol Club in Nelson held an interclub match on 21 June for the clubs in the area. Motueka and Blenheim shooters attended, as well as a competitor from the Westport club. Nelson weather did us proud; after a bit of a wet week, it cleared up for Saturday, which made the set up a lot more enjoyable—followed by a

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knudsen sports & Toyworld beautiful warm Sunday. It was great to catch up with everyone and to meet a few new ones. Two squads and an even split competed around the ranges, shooting seven different stages. We had all the different styles of hand guns that we shoot in IPSC (Open, Standard, Production, Classic and Revolver). While we kept the stages simple and didn’t have any swinging targets, there was plenty of steel, lots of movement, and the round count was high. The plan was for us to get a chance to get back into the competition thinking and enjoy ourselves—the more we shot the more fun was had. It did

show some of us (namely me) hadn’t been working enough and wasn’t shooting as straight—the loose shots were way too obvious.

lost is minimal. Speed is all important but safety over rides it all. Everyone works hard to keep it safe even when shooting at full speed.

Our standard course required us to look at the way the targets were spread, then taking into consideration the different gun and skills competitors have, the aim shoot the course as quick and accurate as possible. It’s a 32 round stage covering 40m and using a pistol with 15 rounds, so deciding the best time to reload becomes a factor—this isn’t TV, our guns need reloading and a standing reload costs time, so if you can reload while moving and between shooting zones, the time

A good day was had by all and I would like to thank those who came, with a special thanks for the help setting the stages up—always a good way to learn when you are part of the match organising. On a side note, the Government hasn’t finished punishing licence holders and the fight continues. Think hard this election as it is not far away and if shooting is important to you, then change is required or it may very well eventuate that shooting is finished.

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Issue 178 3

Kings ‘Fizzing’ in Sounds Fizz

Had a break down Queen Charlotte Sound just before COVID wrapped a bubble round us and the PM declared that fishing was hazardous to your health. She also put a lid on hunting too—apparently the boffins who know better than us mortal folk were worried they might have to chopper in some medics, if I broke with tradition and fell on me arse. After fifty odd years in the hills I’ve become quite good at staying upright but hell, I don’t mind giving the missus an extra cuddle in the morning, so I stuck to my bubble.

ripper and legal too. The Missus and I were dragging some lures behind the boat as we puttered home, just enjoying the scenery as you do. Bugger me, I nearly jumped out of me slippers when the kingi hit; they got a bit of muscle those things. Put a smile on my dial for the rest of the day and even prompted me to suggest to the missus that we reduce the social distancing thing somewhat. Got a fair slab of meat off it too (the kingi not the missus) and it was mighty fine chewing. The dog didn’t miss out either

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A fair slab of meat

My mate Tee Pee McPhee—Terry Wigwam— struggled with it though. He rang up half way through the lockdown complaining that he couldn’t hold out much longer without getting back into the hills. Useless coot. I asked him if he’d run out of goat meat and he said, “No… whisky!” Then I remembered he had a still out the back of his hut up the Waitellu River. He’s not allowed to keep it at home since it blew up and shrapnel killed the neighbour’s racing pigeon. I digress. I started out talking about the Queen Charlotte but there’s really not much of a story to tell. I really just wanted to get a pic in the paper of me first kingfish—it was a bloody

and I even saved a bit for Terry Wigwam—I reckon by the time he gets out of his bubble he’ll be a mite hungry.

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THE FISHING PAPER & HUNTING NEWS - JULY 2020

A near catastrophic shot A double rubbered carbon 110, no float line, and the girlfriend’s father’s digital camera clipped to the handle. A big South Island kingfish swims into range. With only seconds to decide, do you take the shot? An opportunity arose to race up to the Marlborough Sounds and sneak in a day’s diving. Hosting some mates in Kaikoura the following evening, my window was looking pretty slim. Nevertheless, I locked up at work, loaded my dive gear, and started north. The following day started early, with excitement, strong coffee, and southerly winds hitting earlier than expected. Captain Smeds and I launched the boat in still conditions, but as we ventured further out, the wind proved to be stronger than expected. Unable to reach our desired kingfish destination, we resorted to sheltering behind a minor point at the head of the bay. (Sorry for the vagueness, but some things are worth

Bryn Williams

keeping close to the chest— you know what I mean!) Adapting to the situation, the new goal was to shoot blue cod or gurnard on the sand. Because we were targeting small fish that may require a slightly deeper dive, I decided to leave my float line behind on the boat. This was nearly a catastrophic decision.

Bryn very nearly got burned by this biggie

As Smeds and I dived along the edge, we encountered small schools of kahawai riding tidal currents. Inquisitive cod littered the bottom, but nothing worth shooting.

Soon we came across a rock ledge that looked a promising spot, having a sharp drop on one side. I descended and lay patiently on the bottom. Strangely, nothing. But something felt right. Running out of air, I made my ascent and, just before breaking the surface, a kingfish swam past on the shallow side of

Captain Smeds

the shelf. It was too quick to line up a clean shot so I regathered my breath and informed Smeds of what I had seen. We had drifted off the mark slightly, so I swam back over, dropped down the ledge, and stared into the open. What unfolded next happened in slow motion. Out of shooting range, but not out of sight, I made eye contact with a big kingfish as it lurked past. It wasn’t interested in coming any closer and began to drift out of sight. I grunted twice, which grabbed its attention and prompted a U-turn in my direction. Suddenly, I found myself in the situation with no float line, a camera attached to the gun, and now within range of an epic South Island kingi.

was fish Vs fins as I fought my way to the surface for a breath. I looped my arm through the rubbers to act as a shock absorber and climbed my way up the line to the spear. The fish was going berserk. Eventually,

I gained control of its tail and then bear-hugged the green torpedo, swimming backward towards the shore. Once in shallow and with the help of Smeds, we managed to iki the fish and collectively earn our fish for

dinner. By the time I got back to Kaikoura, I was the last one to turn up to my own barbecue. However, all was forgiven when that fresh kingfish hit the grill!

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Did I take the shot? Of course I bloody did. I hit the fish with a good holding shot, but it still had plenty of fire left to burn. It

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Issue 178 5

Gurnard for the grabbing

Dammit, it’s our patch So let’s take charge and own it!

TP McPhee

Gurnard are more abundant around the Top of the South than many fishers are aware of. The Marlborough Sounds has seen a huge resurgence of gurnard in recent years and provide a great alternative to blue cod, which is a species struggling under pressure. They are a perfect target species for food gatherers because they are tasty, yield good fillets, and freeze well. And they are fun to catch.

Sarah Thompson with a good sized gurnard

With so many issues threatening the freedoms, rights, and opportunities of rec fishers, South Islanders have once again thought outside the square, tackled the issue proactively and innovatively, and created Fish Mainland.

Unlike blue cod, they prefer flat sandy or muddy bottoms where they cruise along taking crabs, shrimps, little fish and whatever else is on the menu. In amongst mussel farms is perfect habitat but have patience and work the tide; gurnard feed in waves and come at any time of the tide. The trick is to secure your boat between the mussel lines or rows: I use two ropes with a grapnel hook at one end and attach the bow and stern to opposing mussel rows, then pull tight so I am sitting in the middle. This keeps you clear of the droppers and avoids tangles or bust offs if you get a big snapper or kingfish. It also avoids damage to the mussel farm from boat interaction or accidental prop contact.

Never has it been more critical that recreational fishers have recognised representation and influence over our coastal resource. Fortunately, pragmatic South Islanders have a reputation of ‘rolling up their sleeves and getting things done’, leading the country in innovative ways to deal with local issues; take Fiordland Marine Guardians and Te Korowhai for example.

Fish Mainland is there to coordinate, represent, and promote recreational fishers’ interests in restoring and sustaining fisheries resources to maximise their fishing experiences and opportunities.

I will put berley down to within two metres of the bottom, but it is not essential. More important is to sit through the whole tide and not be tempted to move if things are slow. Different species also fish at different times of the tide so a waiting game is more productive than constant prospecting. I have had a lot of luck

Slow Jigging

with Black Magic flasher rigs and the best bait is one of conjecture: salted mackerel is a good stand by and oily baits like pillies, anchovies, and bonito good too. However, gurnard will eat almost anything, from mussels, squid, kahawai, gurnard, jack mackerel, yellow-eyed mullet to fresh cockles. They can also be

“Have fun while fishing”

finicky feeders so I’ll give you a tip: stick a sabiki down while you are fishing and collect fresh bait—blue mackerel being the absolute sweet treat for gurnard in the Sounds. If you haven’t already cottoned onto them, grab a gurnard and see where it takes you. Chances are you’ll be in for a tasty treat.

Fish Mainland recognises the majority of fishers just want to go fishing and not get involved with politics, so have taken this burden off their shoulders—the only effort required by rec fishers is sign up for free @ www.fishmainland.nz, then go bait a hook, assured that Fish Mainland is working on their behalf, looking after their interests! However, for the many fishers who want a proactive role in managing our own resources, Fish Mainland provides

opportunities to be involved in fisheries management processes and decision making. Free membership gives you control Either way, it is important that fishers show their support by signing up for free @ www. fishmainland.nz. Your show of support is crucial to Fish Mainland becoming a professional, adequately funded, representative organisation governed by an elected and appointed Board of Directors. Members control Fish Mainland through their power to nominate, elect, and remove five Regional Directors. Only those members who reside and/ or own property in the South Island or Stewart Island have the right to vote. The election for Regional Directors will be held soon. At that time, the South Island Mandated Iwi Organisations will be able to appoint two other Directors. Together the Directors will represent their respective constituents’ interests and those of all South Island and Stewart Island fishers. The Board of Directors will be responsible for appointing the CEO, who will implement the Board’s strategic direction, which members can help formulate. Dammit, it’s our patch so let’s take control—sign up @ www. fishmainland.nz

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THE FISHING PAPER & HUNTING NEWS - JULY 2020

On a return hunt to New Zealand, Freddy realises a long held ambition, and FINALLY improves his English after much coaching from his master guide. He also discovered…

Reds don’t come easy The day began like every hunting day with Crimpy, with a half sleepless night— SNORE! It’s been a day I’ve been waiting for a long time. The next level was reached to shoot a red deer. So we packed our bags and made us on the way. We had an early start to be in the right place at the right time. It was early in the evening so Crimpy’s plan was to stalk to a clearing to wait for something suitable. I stalked behind Crimpy as quietly as I could. I was already thinking that today might be the day. The wind continually changed its direction, which made the hunt not easy. Crimpy had a good instinct and wanted to stalk to a very promising clearing. When we came closer, we stalked as quietly as possible up the hill but, just before we could look at the meadow, we felt the wind in the neck and knew, “That's it!”.

fallow deer in case no red deer comes anymore. As it got darker and darker, we stalked further up to get an overview of the whole meadow. Plenty of fallow deer but no red deer. That can’t be true! So Crimpy’s decision was, “Freddy, get ready and shoot the fallow deer as soon as it was standing.”

“F#@*—I F*#@ING knew it!” Crimpy yelled. But we didn’t give up, so new plan new luck.

“Crimpy, red deer just 50 metres!”

We had plenty of time so we stalked slowly and quietly to where we’d seen reds before. On the way, we could have already shot fallow deer but no, this time we waited for red deer. We already saw fallow deer on the clearing, nevertheless, we had to be very careful because the sun blinded us exactly in the face. So we waited for a while and already chose a suitable

He didn’t believe me and said, “Good.”

Crimpy: “Red just there! Take it Freddy! Take it!” I immediately took my rifle, but no chance!

Freddie is all smiles with this double

My motivation went down a bit as I would have been really happy if it had been a red deer. But the hunt was far from over, so I got into position but a tree blocked the view of the pack of fallow deer. While I was waiting, I looked a little bit through my scope and, as if from nowhere, I suddenly saw something brown behind the branches between the fallow deer pack. Red deer? I assumed that it was a piece of fallow deer because we had already seen some brown ones before. But something told me look again Freddy! When I looked closely, I saw features that only red deer can have.

Less than five seconds later, we saw a red deer in the opposite slope.

Frederic Von Gimborn

I thought, are you kidding me? There’s a red deer and the only thing you are saying is “Good?!” But when Crimpy looked at it himself, he saw it too. Yep, definitely red deer! “Very good spotting Freddy. Take it if you can.” A tree blocked a good view. There was still enough

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time so we waited and changed our position many times, but the tree was always in the way. I talked to Crimpy again. Crimpy told me to shoot as soon as I can and if possible to shoot a second fallow deer. All right!

When it slowly became too dark, we changed our position once again. I was ready, ready

to shoot. And then it happened.

placed and the fallow deer was immediately down.

It moved to an open area and the moment I had been waiting for a long time came, so cartridge into the barrel, unlocked, a deep pull in and out, and it hissed through the valley. I immediately reloaded as I saw another fallow deer. Breathed again, and again it hissed. I missed! Again reloaded. This time without catching breath, a quick shot was taken and a perfect hit

I wasn’t sure if I hit the red deer. “Crimpy, did I hit the red deer?” “Yes definitely. Looked like a heart shot” Relief!! My pulse was still as high as at the beginning when I saw the red deer in the meadow. “Can you see it Freddy?” I screamed, “Look there!”

Full of joy, I stood in front of my first red deer and then of fallow deer in addition. I was overjoyed and simply speechless. “How was that Freddy?” F@#*ING AWESOME! And yes, just for this hunting day, it was definitely worth travelling all the way from Germany. Thank you very much Crimpy!

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Issue 178 7

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THE FISHING PAPER & HUNTING NEWS - JULY 2020

SchrĂśdingerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Snapper

Dominik Bergham

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Do you want to go to kindy tomorrow or come fishing with Dad?â&#x20AC;? Tristan stared at me in disbelief. He had been out on the boat for several very short trips but hadnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t been on a proper fishing trip yet. Of course he wanted to come! My better half seemed concerned. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Are you sure he will be patient enough to be on the water for several hours?â&#x20AC;? she asked. â&#x20AC;&#x153;He is only three-yearsold!â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Well, I asked him and he told me he would be on his best behaviour and very, very patient,â&#x20AC;? I responded, while Tristan nodded frantically.

The weather forecast was perfect and after a very early breakfast we were on the water by sunrise. Turns out the weather wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t so perfect at all, a nasty chop awaited us the second we passed The Cut. I was tempted to turn back but the wee one was adamant he wanted to catch a fish. Painfully slow, we crept towards our designated fishing spot. It took almost an hour and several treats Mum may or may not have known about - to get there. I anchored up, prepared his tiny rod and sent some squid down to the bottom. Before I could bait any of my rods, Tristanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s rod tip indicated a fish had taken

interest and with a little help from my side, he proceeded to pull up a small snapper. It was only a few centimetres over legal size so it went back and I reset the gear. Again, no time to bait a second rod, this time he pulled up two of the same size.

Tristan and a definitely legal snapper

Obviously â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;snapper kindyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; was having a field day! Tristan was delighted nonetheless and proceeded to catch a dozen fish of the same size over the next 20 minutes. The last one had swallowed the hook and didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t survive the necessary surgery, so it went in the bin despite only measuring 26cm. Time to move on! The fishing at the next spot

w o n s i e m i t e Th

CRUISE FIORDLAND

proved to be slower but the fish were slightly larger and we managed to snag two good eaters and again two more small ones that had swallowed the hook. Soon after the fishery patrol officers came over in their new boat and wanted to inspect our catch, not an easy task in that chop. It took three attempts to come alongside. The first snapper had apparently gotten a bit smaller since being put in the bin but it was still legal and Tristan was mighty pleased to get a junior fishery officerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s badge. The fish didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t seem to like all the commotion above their heads and stayed off the bite, so I suggested to head home. Tristan was not ready to call it a day and wanted to keep fishing â&#x20AC;&#x201C; so much for not enough patience!

We made it back to the ramp eventually â&#x20AC;&#x201C; to be greeted by yet another fishery officer, the girls and boys were truly putting in some effort today! He measured our catch again and found the small snapper was now 4mm too short! Bugger! Luckily, the friendly officer only issued a warning but the small fish had to go into the rubbish. Next time we catch a fish just a few centimetres over the legal limit, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll think twice about putting it in the bin, releasable or not. Until you open that box again the fish could be both legal and undersized at the same time! Tristan didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t care and proceeded to boast about his catches for a solid week. Next time he wants to catch a kingfish!

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Issue 178 9

Return two Fiordland Daryl Crimp

Ironically, the first time I visited coastal Fiordland was at the invitation of Fiordland Marine Guardians to take part in a blue cod survey they were running, many many years ago. While I had tramped through the interior of this twelve-and-a-half thousand square kilometre glacier-carved corner of the Southern Alps when I was young and attractive to women, and was prepared for the grandeur, the marine experience left me with a pocketful of clichés and a desire to return. The magnitude and magnificence of the fiords have to be physically experienced to be fully appreciated; no picture or documentary can express or portray the tangible essence that is unique to this part of the world. Going there is the closest reality to the fantastical idea of being able to slip through time to another age. A primordial era where nature has not yet relinquished her command to mortals. She dominates every aspect of her domain and visitors carry with them a paradoxical sense of

awe, privilege, and of being an intruder. No two people experience Fiordland in the same way so it is impossible to get an appreciation of this special place by living vicariously through the stories of others. I treasure an image of gentle evenings where the ambient light and toffee calm waters suggest a benign sleeping giant, but good friend and renowned bird photographer Craig McKenzie argues that Fiordland has to be experienced in foul weather.

“The hammer of Thor cracks thunder that splits the sky and gashes the tranquility so abruptly, the sheer sides of the fiords bleed waterfalls and the wind groans in protest.” Others submerge themselves in the history, the wildlife, the fishing and hunting, or the ‘Nessy-like’ notion that moose still exist and they will catch a glimpse of the ghost-like

Jen Brunton about to dive check the ss Stella wreck for marine pests. MPI

The Tawaki or Fiordland crested penguin is a species endemic to New Zealand. Photo Craig McKenzie

creatures on the fringe of the rainforest. After that first trip, an ethereal tether gradually pulled me back, this time to fish, dive and hunt. The experience was sublime; a surreal underwater landscape festooned with lobster, pāua, and clouds of fish; fishing that was both prolific and extremely tough and demanding; history and nature so confronting it overloaded the senses. While it rates as one of my best experiences, it did expose a thin crack in Fiordland’s coastal fortress: the weather and remoteness is no longer enough protection for the bounteous marine life. The idea of Fiordland being an extractive resource, where recreational fishers experience the bounty of the area and then take a freezer full of fish home is not a sustainable approach. We need a change of attitude, where people go for the whole Fiordland experience and leave with a small feed, amazing memories, and photos. This reflects the desires and actions of Fiordland Marine Guardians, the commercial operators,

and local fishers, and the marvellous work they are all doing to manage the resource sustainably. The ethereal tether is pulling again. To this end, The Fishing Paper & Hunting News is hosting a special Fiordland experience with Fiordland Expeditions in early September. Good company, social frivolity, flowing wine and exquisite food, and camaraderie balance this unique exploration of the fiords. Fiordland dictates the terms so the itinerary is not set in stone, but we are in the safe hands of ‘Abo’, one of the region’s most experienced and entertaining local skippers. This trip provides an eclectic taste of Fiordland: we dine on our catch, travel in Cook’s wake, experience the awe of the landscape and wildlife, and cap it off with a spectacular helicopter trip over the mountainous hinterland. And we do this with minimal footprint by following the ethos of Fiordland Marine Guardians and partners. Spaces are limited, so book now.

Let’s protect Fiordland Every visitor has a part to play in protecting this special part of Aotearoa NZ. As a group, we’re responsible for managing and caring for Fiordland’s precious marine environment. The Fiordland Management Area allows for both sustainable use and protection. Before you leave home, make sure you know and understand the rules around biosecurity, fishing, anchoring and marine protection. Connect with us at FMG.org.nz

Photo courtesy of Grant Thomas, for Descend Dive Milford Sound

10 THE FISHING PAPER & HUNTING NEWS - JULY 2020

Wild venison from luxury to staple The Wapiti Foundation, Game Animal Council, NZDA, DoC, and commercial helicopter hunters have joined forces to process and supply around 18 tonnes of wild venison to New Zealanders in need. The meat comes from red deer culled in Fiordland National Park as part of the Fiordland Wapiti Foundation’s highly

successful management of the Wapiti Area within the park, whereby they cull up to 1000 animals annually. “The Covid emergency has cost people jobs and left families struggling to make ends meet. Hunters have recognised the tough times fellow Kiwis are facing and have got stuck in to provide them with high quality venison,” NZDA Chief Executive Gwyn

A family receives a Salvation Army food parcel, which includes Project Venison mince

CRIMPTOON

Thurlow says. “The meat is a top quality, sustainably harvested product, which would normally not be made available to Kiwi families, and could be a way forward in the future.” He says hunters know the value of game herds and the virtues of wild venison, which is being professionally processed through certified export standard processing facility Fare Game Meat Processors, and packed into one kilogram parcels of mincemeat. One pack will feed a family of four. “With the loss of venison export markets, this will also assist with keeping meat processing staff employed and help local helicopter operators, while providing protein to Kiwi families in need,” says Tim Gale, Game Animal Council General Manager. “Managing the impacts of deer on Fiordland is a win-win for both recreation and conservation.” The project is jointly funded by the Department of Conservation and the Fiordland Wapiti Foundation with the Game Animal Council administering the programme. Many NZDA branches in the North Island and South Island are helping

pay for the distribution by transporting tonnes of meat to their areas to give to food banks. DoC Chief of Governance Mervyn English says this is a great example of organisations working together to achieve an outcome with multiple benefits. Wapiti—or elk as they are also known in North America—are a large member of the deer family. The species was gifted to New Zealand by US President Teddy Roosevelt and introduced to Fiordland more than a century ago. They are now the only wild wapiti herd in the Southern Hemisphere.

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site is the capability to filter a search by device compatibility, under DEVICES. This removes the hassle of chart comparison tables or conducting online searches about device compatibility, by providing a list of compatible chart options based on consumer chartplotter brand and model.

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Issue 178 11

A trailer that planes like a boat

Hereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s an irony; most pleasure boats spend as much time on the road as they do on the water, yet many give little consideration to the trailer transporting it. Most boat packages come with a generic, one size fits all, trailer that â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;does the jobâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, but there is more to matching and â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;tuningâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; a trailer to a specific boat than meets the eye. Poorly fitting trailers will ultimately cost you in the long run, especially if you have a large heavy trailer boat like the Osprey 650 Custom Elite HT.

While the original trailer fell within the parameters of what was required for my 6.5m vessel it was at the bottom end of the spectrum with no consideration given to the extra loading with lock up cabin, winches, davits, underfloor tank, cookers, and toilet; or to the fact that most of my travel is over steep, narrow, and winding hill roads and that I predominantly launch from remote beaches. A reality to consider in todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s economic climate is that boat packages are often put together based on keeping the price down

A upgrade to stainless brakes

and trailers are one of the variables that help to achieve this. It may never be an issue if you are carrying light to moderate loads and doing short hops to a wellmaintained ramp, but crank up your demands and time and wear may become your enemy. The refurbishment project allowed me to address the issue of an underspec trailer, so I elected to have one custom-made to fit the boat. In this, I deferred to the experts and contacted contacted Shane from Dunlea in Kaikoura, designers and manufacturers of Mudgway Trailers. Dunlea are at the forefront of trailer technology and have developed high-strength, lightweight aluminium trailers to exacting specifications that optimize performance and return on investment. They are also keen fishers who build trailers for their own use, so have plenty of practical knowledge tied up in their designs. When custom making trailers to order, they find out as much about the end userâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s practical requirements so they can best advise the client. In my case, towing safety was a big issue so we didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t spare the

The boat just glides on

horses in the design. The mainframe is made from imported Australian I-beam aluminium made to special specifications, which is bent and welded at the Dunlea workshops in Kaikoura. Cross ribbing is made from box aluminium and other components; drawbar and axles, are made from galvanized steel. This considerably adds strength while reducing weight and corrosion issues. Long term the trailer saves considerably on fuel consumption; it being lighter than similar-sized galvanized trailers and it may also save you the cost of a bigger towing vehicle. The alloy trailers look nicer than galvanized and there is not the same

urgency to wash them down immediately they are out of the water. Being lighter and less prone to corrosion also makes them more durable. Mine has multi-rollers and I noted Shane was very exacting and spent time fine-tuning their set up so the boat absolutely glides on and off the trailer. I chose oscillating suspension so that both axles are always evenly loaded, which gives smooth travel on the roughest roads and less stress points because the weight of the boat is distributed better. Braking was a hot one for me so with the help of Trailcom, who supplied all the Trojan components, we upgraded to stainless brakes. They simply give much better

durability and performance. Even the small things werenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t overlooked. Instead of cheap Chinese lights, I opted for quality Hella lamps at the back. These cost bugger all more than the inferior ones, but come with a five-year warrantyâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;so it was a no-brainer really. At the end of the day I had to buy a trailer twice to get the right one, but the lesson here is, had I known to ask the right questions in the beginningâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;it would have saved a lot of stress and money. This exercise was worth the investment and completely lifted the boat/trailer unit into a different realm. It literally glides along the road. Every aspect of this boat now is top end quality.

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12 THE FISHING PAPER & HUNTING NEWS - JULY 2020

Shedding light on porkers

OPTICALLY

SPEAKING

The Pulsar Helion XP38 thermal imager allowed Daniel to get extremely close to this animal

Daniel Crimp

A thick layer of dew had already formed on the sheep paddocks, which combined with the mellow moonlight and sparkling stars—the night was well under way. Max and I had been lucky enough to get permission to hunt on a family friend’s farm and put our Pulsar Helion XP38 thermal imager to the test on wild pigs that had been destroying the farmer’s paddocks. We scouted the areas we were planning to hunt earlier that day to make sure there would be safe firing zones and had discovered acres of farmland plowed up by rooting pigs. However,despite hearing stories of the abundant pig population and

seeing the amount of damage they had done, we were yet to see any signs of life apart from the dozens of hares and rabbits that lit up the paddock like fairy lights through the thermal, even from hundreds of metres away. An unexpected change in the wind direction forced us to change our route and move to the other corner of the farm, which was just the change we needed. Not long after altering course, Max grabbed my arm and whispered, “Pig, 150 metres.” He handed the thermal over to me, and I watched the creature weave between bushes, destroying stumps and dirt as it moved. We

Max's two with one shot effort

were quick to plan our stalk, which was to walk straight towards it until we could get close enough to shoot. Because we had spotted it through the thermal and had yet to spook It with a light, we were able to creep up to 23 metres, where I leant over Max’s shoulder, closed the bolt, and switched the spotlight on. The pig stared at us and froze, BANG... THWACK! It walked a total of four steps before collapsing, dead as a dodo—the .223 strikes again.

After making the rifle safe, there were high fives all round as we walked up to inspect the beast, a nice 60-pound sow, perfect for eating. Now began the task of gutting. I had only just started gutting when Max tapped my shoulder and notified me that he had just seen three more pigs, so I told him to take the gun while finished gutting. He happily agreed and started the stalk. It didn’t take long, only five minutes, before I saw the blinding beam from the spotlight hit the bush edge, followed by one gun shot and some rustling. I finished up and walked over, only to find Max standing over two headshot pigs. We both stood there in amazement; he had just shot two pigs with one bullet—something I

Travels

Paper inspires blockbuster movie Legendary movie moguls Robert John Thomas Jr and Colonel Tom Pompeii take time out from their latest big budget production to research The Fishing Paper & Hunting News, looking for ideas to flesh out the movie’s storyline. While the movie is under tight wraps, the two are in Alaska filming the thriller, which is said to be based around salmon fishing. After the success of their movies Rogue Grizzly and the sequels Rogue Grizzly 1, Rogue Grizzly 2, Rogue Grizzly 3, and The Bastard Ate the Town, it is rumoured the new movie has the working title Rogue Salmon. Speculation suggests the two have moved

their focus away from Hollywood to escape the stigma of the #MeToo movement, starting their own their own counter movement #We Don’tFiddleWithTheTalent. They now only cast male actors in their movies and use the latest CG technology to turn some of them into actresses. They put the success of their movies down to a collaborative process involving drinking bourbon while smoking Cuban cigars and alternating it with drinking Cuban Cigars while smoking bourbon! They have great imaginations, which is probably why they love The Fishing Paper & Hunting News.

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had heard about but never thought I would see in my lifetime. After shooting one more pig on the way back, we arrived at the tent with bloody hands and big smiles, over the moon with how our night had gone; four pigs with three bullets, and all shot within 30 metres. All that was left was to drive around in the side by side the next

morning and pick up our haul. We had been very lucky to be using a high-quality Pulsar Helion XP38 thermal imager because without it, we wouldn’t have had the success we did. It allowed us to get extremely close without the animals noticing us and was incredibly helpful in spotting and identifying animals. It has completely revolutionized night time hunting.

Issue 178 13

Salmon locked down

It’s 3.15am again, the time you have to be up to secure a spot on this ever-popular spot a few kilometres up the Waimakariri River. I have been unsuccessfully flogging this hole before and after work for the past nine days, leaving at 3.30am and returning 9.00pm. Realising due to the new regulations the season was almost up, I figured I only had six days left to keep the grind going. Even more it was apparent New Zealand was going to be facing a full

lockdown later in the week.

My six days turned into 19 hours. I had debated sneaking out for a fish during lockdown thinking surely, I can’t get in much trouble. Eventually I agreed with my conscious, I would hang the rod up by the end of the day. Waiting in the car, heater on full blast it’s 4.30am, 30 minutes till we can get in the water. A few moments later, another car pulled in, forcing me to jump out and freeze on the rock I wished to fish

from, 15 minutes earlier than anticipated. Right on cue at 5.00am, the thrashing of a salmon up onto the ledge excited us all. We had watched multiple fish move into the hole the night before. The excitement of them still being there had us all carefully cast out lures into the hole, riddled with snags and dozens of lures, donated by unlucky anglers, including me. After 45 minutes passed with no sign of any more

Caleb Taiulu

life in the river, I placed a bet of my whole pay cheque I would not be the lucky angler of the morning. No sooner had the words left my mouth, WHACK! I’m in, headlights are on, net is in the water, bolting downstream in the current. The boys told me hold on tight, don’t let him go. This had me nervous as that’s how I lost the last two. It was a short but very aggressive fight, I don’t think he saw the net under him as he was scooped to the bank.

The12lb ‘bullet’ is locked in. Relief and excitement rushed through me. After losing four this season, I was glad to have some fresh wild chrome for the family to put in the bank. Over 100 hours put in, countless lures donated, dozens of litres of fuel, two reasonably successful competitions, catch ups with new and old friends, the season had come to an end. I have been salmon fishing for 24 years. I can

confidently say this has been a very successful season for many anglers. The number of fish in the Kaiapoi and Waimakariri Rivers this season has been very promising. The fact the fish are still there and know where to come home in good nick is an exciting prospect for the future. Even more the amount of fish left to make their way through the system in April is another reason to look forward to the future!

A successful 24th season of salmon fishing

Coutta’s Cut:

The New Jeep Wrangler at Armstrong’s Jeep

Coutta

Ruthless for a reason

In last month’s article I mentioned a new boat. What I didn’t mention was the said boat arrived a week before the lock down. I did pretty well and managed four trips, but then I had to sit and look at it for the next seven weeks.

losing her built in baby sitter, as no doubt Clark would have hooked up his boat and headed for the nearest ramp. Jacinda hotly denies this allegation, so perhaps a bit more research is in order before I can confirm it.

Now I’m not sure if many of you, especially female readers—if there are any— can imagine the emotional strain this put on me. I really don’t think Jacinda took this into account when she, admittedly for the good of the country, stopped me from using my new boat. It was one of the most gutwrenching and trying times I have ever gone through. I polished it, played around with where I could place what, and sat gazing at it for hours, days, and weeks on end. I could do everything except use it.

Another thing equally important Jacinda did not take into account, was lock down was far easier for women. Fishing is not as nearly important to them as it is to their husbands.

Why did this go on for so long? I heard one theory I do subscribe to, that Jacinda could have allowed fishing from boats a couple of weeks earlier than when she did. Had she done this, however, would have meant

Not only that, duck opening was put off for bloody near a month—outrageous. Again, not so important, if at all to women. Now take ‘Lynne the Ruthless’ for example. Lock down did not bother her at all. A couple of weeks prior, she went out and spent an astronomical amount on a new vacuum cleaner. Now a lot of women will say, “But what about your

bloody boat?” They would say that wouldn’t they. This vacuum cleaner, that doesn’t even look like a vacuum cleaner, has bloody headlights. I’ve never seen the ‘Ruthless’ vacuum in the dark, so why the hell she needs headlights I simply can’t work out. My boat hasn’t even got headlights. So, when she got bored, she did the vacuuming and even ventured into the kitchen to cook her and me the odd meal. Women certainly had it easier. Now being a sensitive new age guy, I did my best. I can honestly say it was not until the end of the first week I apparently showed signs of boredom. I even shared the cleaning duties with Lynne. I can prove this, as she took a photo of me vacuuming out my shed. To cut a long story short, I got through lockdown with minimal injuries, which is surprising due to the ‘Ruthless’s’ violent tendencies. I hope other men managed as well as I did.

The all-new and completely redesigned Jeep Wrangler – the latest incarnation of the most capable SUV ever is now available at Armstrong’s Jeep. The new Wrangler Showcases a unique blend of contemporary design that also remains authentic to the Wrangler’s iconic history – combining advanced safety and technological features with unrivalled 4x4 capabilities.

for the fully loaded all-new Sport S, the refined yet rugged Overland model or the Rubicon variant for the ultimate offroader,” Chris says. “There is, quite simply no better, no more capable vehicle in which to explore and enjoy New Zealand’s great outdoors. The entire range comes with

CarPlay and Android Auto available as standard in the Sport S, and an 8.4-inch display standard on all other variants. Significant improvements have been made to the on-road driving dynamics which have also considerably reduced wind noise and improved fuel efficiency by over 13%.

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more than 70 standard and available active and passive safety features including Auto Emergency Braking, Adaptive Cruise Control, Blind-Spot Monitoring and Rear Cross Path detection, ParkView Rear Backup Camera with Dynamic Grid Lines, Electronic Stability Control and Electronic Roll Mitigation. The all-new JL Wrangler also boasts premium technological features, with 7.0” Uconnect touch screen display with Apple

Customers are able to enhance their new JL Wrangler with over 130 accessories covering everything from exterior styling, storage versatility, vehicle protection and driver convenience. Contact Chris Beavon at Armstrong’s Jeep chris. beavon@armstrongs.co.nz 021 222 0150 to book your test drive or for more information on the new Wrangler head to armstrongs.co.nz/jeep

16 THE FISHING PAPER & HUNTING NEWS - JULY 2020

Signage at the cutting edge “Great things in business are never done by one person. They’re done by a team of people.” - Steve Jobs

ver the years, Cutting Edge Signs has invested in a multitalented, hardworking team of skilled professionals. The team is lead by Matt and Arko since April 2016. Matt is a second-generation signwriter who has grown up in the industry and has inherited his father's passion for the profession. Apart from working for Gus, his father, Matt has also travelled overseas and worked in the signage industry throughout. The opportunity to work for various sign companies in different locations has given him a wide perspective of the industry. This has also

Standout boat wraps

enabled him to compare and learn from various business structures and management styles. Matt likes to be hands-on with projects. He loves wrapping vehicles and boats but, more than anything, loves challenges. Matt finds it stimulating to come up with practical solutions to meet the requirements of a seemingly complicated job. Over the years he has developed the organisational skills and become an accomplished project manager with indepth knowledge of the industry. Arko, on the other hand, comes from a design and management background. He has a degree in commerce and a diploma in Communication Arts

& Design, and has been designing logos since 1999. Arko has worked for various design agencies and marketing companies since 2002. He moved to Nelson in 2004 and has owned several businesses in the region. Arko is working at Cutting Edge Signs since 2014. The merger of his two backgrounds, commerce and design, presents a unique opportunity for the clients. He can look at a job from both perspectives and come up with a solution that does not compromise the functionality over aesthetics and vice versa. His aim is to provide the client with a practical, cost-effective solution that is not only striking to look at but also communicates with the

target market. Arko also manages the marketing side of the business.

att and Arko's diverse skill sets and experience have made their partnership a success. Their individual expertise complements each other, which has created a solid foundation for Cutting Edge Signs. However, Cutting Edge Signs could not be a success without the team to support Matt and Arko's vision. The great leaps the business has taken forward in the past few years have only been possible due to their dedicated, hard-working, fun-loving crew. They have Roslyn, the administration manager, who makes sure the books are looking good. She is also the happy face you come across when you enter the reception. Steve the installation manager has been in the signage industry since 2008. He is also an experienced

Arko and Matt, cogs in an amazing team

graphics designer. He is a practical guy with an eye for details and great organisation skills. Steve is supported by Kerry and Mike. Kerry has been a signwriter since the ‘80s and is super talented; a legendary brush artist. Mike also runs the CNC router and has in-depth knowledge of the print industry. Cutting Edge Signs also have the two best production staff possible. Taylor takes up any challenge thrown at her and Nadja, who is a signwriter since 1997, runs the thermal edge machine, which requires specialised skills. Cutting Edge Signs have a talented graphic designer, Eden who can take your idea and make it real. She is your first contact

when it comes to designs. The business is fortunate to have Gus, the previous owner and Matt's father, still involved. His wealth of experience and guidance is absolutely invaluable. Since early 2019 Cutting Edge Signs has been investing in digital signage. They are the only signwriters in the region to have a dedicated digital signage technician. That is Joolz, an allrounder who has vast experience in computer networking, audio-video, and electrical work. With a team like this, you can be assured that you will get the right advice and the right price without compromising quality.

Issue 178 17

Quick Slow Quick

Roused from her marital bed, she was not happy

Kim Swan

Folks might say, “It’s just a pine tree,” and so it is, but it’s a special pine tree. When silviculture is your job and your passion, they’re all special pine trees. I count and caress hundreds of thousands of baby pine trees as they get planted, year upon year. I become more familiar with some for reasons many and varied. Some get more attention than others as they get older too—selected for good traits, they will be hugged and given a haircut—a variable lift instead of a face lift. After they’ve been loved for long enough, they’ll eventually be a tree of note, a producer of logs straight and true. This tree, this poor unfortunate tree, marked the start of an overgrown 4x4 track. Recently I’d cuddled up to it, lopped its lower branches, plucked its epicormics, and rubbed its exposed trunk clean of flaws. A passing stag, strutting by with hormones coursing through his veins, took exception to my work and to the tree too. He thrashed it. Now it will die. Don’t get me wrong, everyone is entitled to their opinion, “It’s just a pine

tree”. Everyone is entitled to express themselves—antlers raking bark into strips, cloven hooves pawing the ground, a playful pronk, and several sprinted circles, but dammit, I’m feeling like a maternal mamma bear and someone is going to pay for vandalizing young Radiata.

On a strictly limited time frame, I returned the following morning. I had two hours. I thought I’d be sweet. I knew where the stag wallowed. For sure I’d hear him vocalise, an early season ‘Roooaaar’ his downfall. Of course I was thwarted. The stag and his harem had fed and played by the light of the waning moon. By 6.00am they were turning in after a big night out and I was just heading out after a big night in. The air was still and not a sound was heard. A heavy frost silvered the landscape and I was the only clown stretching my legs and eager for action. I had two

hours—they had all day. My 10x magnified view from 200 metres out revealed the wallow mud had settled and a thin layer of ice was unbroken on the surface. Damned if I was going to admit defeat though. Time yet to seek out the tree-vandal. Watching the hot spot from afar and lobbing a long range bullet was not viable but putting my binoculars in my pocket, turning the vari-power scope down to 3x, and getting amongst it was definitely an option. So it was for the next hour, I crept silently in tight confines—amongst those very same trees I’d known as babies and nurtured to adolescence. There was sign to encourage me: prints in the frost, dung pellets soft and shiny, and bark stripped from branches still white and beaded with resin. So quiet, a bird’s wingbeat startled me; a mouse harvesting seeds audible and clear. The day’s new sun rose and warmed the hillside, releasing scent from my immediate environment. Hind pee musky in yesterday’s grass bed. Dry dirt where a sow had scuffed a thistle. Then me. Sweat.

The slightest trace of floral perfume. This is hunting—all senses tuned in—what’s not to love.

Then it happened. The eye contact between us both and despite wanting to move at warp speed, slowly and calmly raising the rifle, while he registers all is not well with his world.

He got to his feet, humped his back to stretch, his tail lifting. His eyes tried hard to make out my mottled shape amongst the trees. His nostrils flared and quested. Releasing the stretch, he turned to face me and my target area narrowed. Brisket shot or risk a neck shot?

wallow. His antlers were tiny and, as I cast them aside, I noted the pine bark and smelt the sticky resin deep within the pearling.

The impact of the shot lifted the stag’s front feet off the ground and he toppled over backward. He was dead before ever knowing what I was. He was young, fat, as yet untainted by pizzle stain or a urine-tainted

Time, just, for me to depart the hill with the hind’s suitor in tow. Then to flap and flounder, strain and fart as I struggled to get him onto the deck of my ute. Home time, just in time—job done.

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A hind barked nearby. I had meat aplenty in hand so clicked a pic and wished her well.

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18 THE FISHING PAPER & HUNTING NEWS - JULY 2020

Better ‘bodyguards’ for threatened dolphins Extensive new protections are being introduced for New Zealand’s native Hector’s and Māui dolphins. “Hector’s dolphins are nationally vulnerable with about 15,000 in New Zealand’s waters. Māui dolphins are critically endangered, with only about 63 left. These marine mammals are New Zealand’s taonga and we need to act now to ensure they are there for future generations,” said Minister of Conservation Eugenie Sage. “Fishing activities and the disease toxoplasmosis pose the biggest threats to Hector’s and Māui dolphins,” said

Minister of Fisheries Stuart Nash. The changes include increased fishing restrictions in dolphin habitats, focussing on methods with the highest potential to affect dolphins. New measures will take effect from 1 October as follows: · A nationwide ban on drift netting · An extension of current set-net closures, and the creation of new areas closed to set-netting, in the North and South Islands · An extension of the existing area closed to trawling off the west coast of the North Island · A change to the

regulations allowing the Minister to act immediately to impose further restrictions if a single dolphin is caught in the Māui dolphin habitat within the west coast of the North Island. In addition there are a range of non-fishing measures planned: · Doubling marine mammal protection areas across the West Coast of the North Island and around the Banks Peninsula to 37,286 km2 of protected areas · Reducing the risks from seismic surveying and seabed mining by

prohibiting new permits in the expanded marine mammal protection areas and making the a code of conduct for existing activities mandatory in those areas · Seabed mining will also be prohibited in the Te Rohe o Te Whānau Puha Whale Sanctuary area off Kaikōura · Rolling out the toxoplasmosis action plan A targeted transitional

support package is being established to help and incentivise fishing operators adapt to the new restrictions. “Livelihoods can be protected if new methods are adopted,” says Stuart Nash.

cost of converting boats from set net or trawl to other fishing methods that have less impact on the dolphins. The funds may also be used for moving to another fishing area, or to exit the industry completely.

The package, available to commercial fishers and Licensed Fish Receivers who are most impacted by the new measures, will include ex gratia payments, free independent business advice, and will also help meet the

www.fisheries.govt.nz/ dolphintmp; www.doc.govt.nz/tmp-review ;AADhEim4L5nfWUrliS4VK7r 9a?dl=0;

More information, including factsheets and maps, is available here:

Fisheries management and the new blue cod rules New fishing rules for blue cod take effect from 1 July The new rules are an outcome of the National Blue Cod Strategy which was endorsed by the Minister of Fisheries in late 2018 and aims to address sustainability concerns for this iconic species. Blue cod are treasured by tangata whenua, and one of our most important recreational and commercial species. However, this popularity has led to overfishing in some parts of the country, particularly in the South Island where most blue cod are caught. To help ensure our fisheries continue to provide for us all in a sustainable way, Fisheries New Zealand works with iwi, stakeholders communities to draw on their expertise and advice as well as the best available scientific evidence. In the case of the National Blue Cod Strategy, over 3,000 people contributed to development of the strategy and the new rules through 18 public information sessions (attended by 480 people), and input from through submissions, on line surveys and face to face discussions. The new rules reflect the feedback received, including widespread support for reduced daily limits for blue cod in some areas. It was signalled strongly from iwi, recreational and commercial fishers, and communities that they all want to ensure blue cod are available for future generations, and share concerns around the low and declining levels of blue cod in some areas identified through

scientific monitoring. There are significant changes in these areas that will impact some fishers. Fisheries New Zealand will continue to monitor the effectiveness of the new rules and impacts they have on both the blue cod fishery and fishers, and if further changes are required these will be publically consulted. Everyone has a part to play in the sustainability of New Zealand’s fisheries, and we know that fishers have a strong sense of personal responsibility for our fisheries. The Responsible Blue Cod Fishing guidelines, which are available online (https://www. fisheries.govt.nz/bco-guide) provide useful information to help reduce the death of undersized blue cod returned to sea. We are also working with hook suppliers to produce barb-less hooks to help with the survivability of returned fish. We hope to have some available in our fisheries offices in time to hand out for spring – we will advise you of their availability on our regional Facebook pages. What about commercial catch? The rules for commercial fishers targeting blue cod have changed too as a result of the National Blue Cod Strategy. Our largest commercial blue cod fishery is in Southland (BCO5). Fisheries New Zealand is currently consulting on commercial catch limit reductions of up to 40 percent for BCO5 (https:// www.fisheries.govt.nz/reviewmeasures-2020).

Issue 178 19

Untangling mega trout tactics Blair Whiting

A nymph tumbling down the current is quickly enveloped by a dark shape. There’s something off about this piece of food, so the shadow tries to reject it. Within the space of a second, the shadow transforms into a fighter jet and crashes into the water with a tidal wave sized splash. It had been fooled. Rainbow trout typically

average 4lbs in my local waters. This year, with the combination of drought, a good food source and minimal pressure from anglers, the trout have grown off the charts. One of these massive fish was now attached to the end of my 4lb tippet with a miniature #16 Hare & Copper hanging from his jaw. The rainbow had started off with his best

marlin impression, clearing the water five times in just as many seconds. The big jack then paused, almost like it was thinking about what to do next. Tactic number two was deployed; the fish charging out of the water towards me. This was then repeated in its attempt to put slack on the line. After the first burst of

Clever tactics pays off

jumps, the fish went deep and settled in for the long haul. When a large fish decides it doesn’t want to be moved, I respond by walking right up to it to threaten a net shot. As expected, the rainbow took off up upstream, having no trouble making my reel scream. It’s not often I can’t turn a fish when it is hooked in the mouth but this fish was simply too bulky to have any control over. I watched its actions closely, knowing too well how fast things can go from bad to worse. The rainbow read my mind, because two seconds later it was racing off towards the nearest submerged branch. Perhaps when I was younger this would have lost me the fish but I knew its third tactic well. Without thinking twice, I charged into the water and untangled my thin tippet from the stick, keeping pressure on his mouth as I went. It was that stunned it just sat there. With the amount of drama going on, my fly-line managed to get tip wrapped. This was resolved after some tense moments.

barbless hook would be beginning to wear a hole in his mouth, so I put on as much pressure as I dared and began to slowly move the giant’s head. The jumps had really taken a toll on his brute force.

There was no time to lose, as he turned and I gave chase downstream. The

With a last ditch attempt he rubbed his mouth into the shingle to try and

dislodge the hook but to no avail. I swooped in quickly and netted the beast, now realising just how big he really was. As quick as it had all begun the action had subsided, leaving me to gawk at the scales that read 8lbs. It was time to send him home.

Blue cod and rock lobster rules have changed Check the rules before fishing Download the free NZ Fishing Rules App to get the rules or visit www.fisheries.govt.nz/rules From 1 July, changes to the rules for blue cod (nationwide) and rock lobster (BOP/Hauraki Gulf and Canterbury/Marlborough) took effect. These rules help protect our precious marine resources – for you, other fishers and future generations.

T & J Enderby

www.fisheries.govt.nz/rules

20 THE FISHING PAPER & HUNTING NEWS - JULY 2020

COOKING with CRIMPY

Paua Sausage with Lemon Caper Velouté Sauce This is an excellent way to make a few paua go a long way. It is a delicate dish with a lovely velvety French-style sauce that is both suitable for entrée and main. 2-3 paua White fish fillet ( one third the quantity of paua ) 1 tbsp sour cream 2 tsp chilli sauce Zest from 1 medium lemon 1 free-range egg 3 sprigs thyme, parsley or chives (optional) Salt & pepper Combine fish and paua in food processor and whiz until blended to desired consistency – coarse or smooth. Add cream, chilli, herbs, lemon zest and egg and combine. Season to taste. Dollup a couple of spoonfuls onto a rectangle of cling film and roll to make a sausage shape – tie the ends of the cling film to seal. Make at least four and place in fridge for 30 minutes to set. Poach sausages gently for 10 minutes and remove wrap. Slice into medallions for serving.

Lemon Caper Velouté Sauce 1 litre fish stock (Room temp or slightly warmed) 75g butter 75g plain flour 1-2 Tbsp capers Zest of a lemon Juice of a lemon Salt & pepper to taste Melt butter until foaming in pan over moderate heat and stir in flour. Stir until it goes grainy and just starts to change colour to a nutty tone. This is called a roux. Remove from heat and allow to cool for a couple of minutes. Stir a third of the warmed stock into the roux so it combines smoothly and gradually stir in the remaining stock whilst the pan is back over the heat. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add remaining ingredients and cook a further five minutes.

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Tangaroa’s hidden gift

Storm Stanley - Chairman Pāua Industry Council Dr Norman Ragg Dr Tom McCowan

Pāua a peacock

Our native pāua have a beautiful shell. On the outside drab and usually encrusted

And that gorgeous colouring? It’s a biological phenomenon that mimics the physics in a rainbow. The microscopic crystal layers refract light causing the apparent bright colours in a similar way to a butterfly wing or peacock feather. The pāua also has true colour within the shell due to trace amounts of different minerals.

with lime and smaller organisms but turn the shell over and you’ll be treated to all the colours of the rainbow. Hence the pāua Latin name, Haliotis iris, after Iris, the Greek goddess of the Rainbow. Naturally, the New Zealand species has the best colouration of any abalone in the world. Why on earth would such spectacular colouring be hidden from view, or even exist at all? Actually, there is no reason we know of—it is simply an accidental aesthetic of the shell structure. However, the way the shape and structure of the shell matches perfectly its function is an interesting story. Abalone species, including pāua, have existed a long time. Well-preserved fossils suggest that the pāua shell has remained unchanged for at least 64 million years. Over that massive timespan (humans have been around for about 3--4 million years), their biological layout has changed little. This says a lot about the abalone’s successful evolutionary design— and one of their key adaptations is their shell.

Take a close look at the layout of a pāua shell—in profile, a half teardrop, the perfect hydrodynamic shape to lower drag in high energy surf zones or tidal areas, reducing the energy required to clamp down on the reef. But there is a down-side: just like a wing, flowing currents create lift when they pass over the shell, potentially pulling the pāua from the rock. That’s where the design gets clever. The shell holes, technically ‘tremata’, allow lift to suck water from the inside of the shell. This is the Bernoulli Principle or Venturi effect, which reduces the effect of that suction. The pāua body plan is laid out to capitalise on this free water flow, arranging its gills immediately underneath the holes and extending its anus to align with the highest (and incidentally, oldest) hole.

Diagram Credit Dr Norman Ragg (Cawthron)

The colour range can vary from place to place. The interior shell colouration is influenced by diet and hence local algal assemblages. The most attractive green/blue/purple colouration comes from areas with a mixed diet, particularly with abundance of red seaweeds. ‘Mother of pearl’ colouration is associated with brown seaweeds in more sheltered areas, for example Carpophyllum.

A Ngāi Tahu guy at Okains Bay once suggested that the very poetic Maori descriptive name for shells tending to blue/ greens means “morning pāua” and for reds/ pinks “evening pāua”.

Form follows function A distinctive feature is the single row of holes along the left side of the shell. The holes continue to be formed throughout the life of the abalone. As it grows, new holes are made and older holes are filled in. These holes are used in the abalone’s respiration, sanitation, and reproduction and are a surprisingly effective way of achieving multiple jobs. The holes are an efficient waste disposal, egg and sperm dispersal point and also, if needed, a defence mechanism. In a James Bond-style attempt to deter predators like starfish, pāua can violently eject a noxious mixture of blood and mucus through its shell holes.

The comparatively drab exterior of the pāua shell varies depending on abundance of local encrusting algae and encrusting animals, including other shellfish. Shells that have no encrustation are usually evidence of living in a cave or under a boulder where there is not enough light to support algal growth. In a few areas excess sandblasting will wear away the outer layer exposing those rainbow colours to the world. Lastly, if you ever want a brilliant book to read to the kids on this, get a copy of “Tangaroa’s Gift” by Mere Whaanga (published by Scholastic New Zealand Ltd); look for the revised English—Te Reo version.

The shell of the abalone is known for being exceptionally strong. As a younger diver, I recall pāua shell from some exposed parts of the southern Fiordland coast being so hard and heavy that you could drive small nails with them. Don’t try this at home though!

Simplicity, purity and calm The shape is classic Scandi-minimalist, using the least possible shell mass to enclose the maximum body mass. Its rounded shape means any stones or rocks bowling around usually hit a sloped angle, dissipating impact, much like the sloped armour on a Russian T-54 tank!

spiral, reminding us that the pāua is really a flattened snail. In fast-growing areas shells are flattened and the growing edge is sharp, sometimes showing a blue line of new growth. In slow-growth environments, often referred to as ‘stunted’ areas, shells can be taller and blunter.

Smooth, sloping shell surfaces also make it hard for predators such as rock lobster to get enough grip to prise the animal from the reef.

The colourful mother-of-pearl nacre layers are slowly deposited across the entire inner surface, causing the shell to thicken and resist erosion. If the shell is damaged the pāua uses the nacre process like a natural panel-beater – a leathery patch is laid over the damage and new mother-of-pearl is applied in a repair that is obvious to the outsider but undetectable on the inner surface.

Building this shell shape is enabled by the mantle (the thin tissue that lies above the frill or skirt around the pāua body) laying down protein and calcium carbonate crystals over the inner shell surface and along the right-hand edge. The result is a compressed

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Form follows function in nature, and pāua are no different. The key to pāua shell strength is layering. It is made of microscopic, hard calcium carbonate tiles stacked like bricks. Between the layers of tiles are clever proteins that act like minions, directing and organising the layering of the bricks. When the abalone shell is struck, the tiles slide instead of shattering and the protein layer stretches to absorb the energy of the blow.

Scanning electron microscope photographs of aragonite crystals forming the mother-of-pearl, viewed from a) inner shell surface, b) cross-section through shell.

Material scientists at the University of California San Diego and in other parts of the world are studying this tiled structure for insight into stronger ceramic products such as body armour. You can find out more on that here: https://www.livescience.com/3800-abalone-armor-toughest-stuff-theoretically.html

Go Anywhere Read Anytime Watch Everything

All the pāua images above were kindly supplied by Dr Tom McCowan

Issue 178 21

Sensational sailfish surprise Visiting my brother Gareth in Western Australia last year naturally meant exploring the local fishing opportunities for this mad keen fisherman.

Elliot Hendry

Elliot with a sailfish that just managed to stay attached to his line.

Billfish being an achievable goal for even small trailer boats, one of these magnificent fish was high on my bucket list. My first chance was while on a camping trip to Exmouth, a world class fishery known for its game fishing just 15 minutes from the boat ramp. While unsuccessful on the billfish front, I did raise a small black marlin, which repeatedly hit my lure without hooking up and landed my first mahimahi incredibly exciting stuff. Back in Garethâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s home town of Karratha, several hours north of Exmouth, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a long ride out to the deeper water billfish like to inhabit, so we were instead trolling inshore for spanish mackerel. I was using a rod and reel combo I usually use for salmon fishing and a small bibbed minnow. We hadnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t had any luck for the morning, before my rod buckled over and a sailfish exploded out of the water! My poor little reel was screaming and lost a lot of line in a short space of time. I was certain something was going to give as it began another series of spectacular jumps in the distance but somehow I remained attached to the fish as we spun the boat around to give chase. Regaining some braid after almost seeing the bottom of my spool was a relief and the fish began to settle down giving me a glimmer of hope maybe I could defy the odds and land this dream fish. After a long tiring battle, I had the fish boat side. Neither Gareth nor I had

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handled a billfish before and he wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t keen to go near the pointy end, so I passed the rod to him and managed to grab the bill just as the hooks fell out of its mouth! After hauling it into my lap for a quick photo, it swam off strongly leaving me buzzing for the rest of the holiday!

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22 THE FISHING PAPER & HUNTING NEWS - JULY 2020

Strange things happen at sea. Daryl Sykes investigates a remarkable journey that was interrupted when a Taranaki oil and gas man went fishing with his mate and discovered they were so damn hungry...

They could eat a ‘horse The story starts at Reef Point in Ahipara, Northland, September 2nd, back in 2019. A technician contracted to the NZ Rock Lobster Industry Council was completing another tag and release sequence and encountered several packhorse rock lobsters amongst the hundreds of red rock lobsters landed by the commercial fisherman. Packhorse lobsters are not uncommon on the Northland coast but abundance is generally higher on the eastern fishing grounds, from the Three Kings to North Cape and down along the Bay of Islands to the Hauraki Gulf. Packhorse rock lobsters carry the rather grand taxonomic title, Sagmariasus verreauxi, and are regarded as the largest lobsters in the world, when fully grown. In comparison to the more abundant red rock lobsters (Jasus edwardsii) they have a similar but different size at onset of maturity, reproductive cycle, and growth rate. Packhorse rock lobsters are similar but genetically different to the Eastern rock lobster found in New South Wales, and occasionally south of the border in Victoria.

Big lobster little fishery The commercial packhorse lobster fishery is small, with a total allowable commercial catch (TACC) of less than 40 tonnes. CRA 1 (Northland) has invested significant time and money over the past five years to improve knowledge of the fishery and compile sufficient catch, effort, and growth data to inform the first ever formal stock assessment, which will be reported in November 2020.

If in doubt.. Google it Google is your friend—even at sea off the Taranaki coast—so Rhys checked and discovered limited information about rock lobster tagging, coming to the conclusion that the lobster may have been tagged in one or other of the Taranaki marine reserves. He and James hauled the remainder of their pots for another three takers and decided to keep the packhorse and take home two lobsters each to feed themselves, friends, and family. Once back onshore, another Google inquiry led Rhys to the NZ Rock Lobster Industry Council and he sent in his tag recapture report, requesting information about his unusual catch.

Within a few days he had his reply: In the eight months that lobster had been at liberty it travelled quite a distance—240 nautical miles if measured in a straight line—a greater distance following the coast. Rhys’s first response was, “It would have been great to let him go and see where he was off to next!”

Rhys enjoys telling a good story

Which is true, because although the greatest abundance of packhorse lobsters is observed in the North, the species

So on that 2019 September day at Reef Point, two more packhorse lobsters were tagged and released in the expectation that a recapture report sometime in the future would provide growth data useful in the assessment. In May 2020, Rhys Foster and his mate James made the most of the first weather window since they went into COVID-19 lockdown, and set their cray pots—in between night shifts. They launched from Port Taranaki the morning of 22 May to check their pots, before heading out for a fish. Sea conditions were excellent; very flat and settled, the water was green.

The first pot came up with an odd looking lobster for their area—a packhorse! Rhys thought it had a piece of meat sticking out of the shell but, on closer inspection, realised it was a tag. They had mixed feelings on whether to keep or release their catch; neither had ever captured a packhorse and knew they weren’t a common sight in Taranaki, especially one carrying a tag.

is occasionally found along both North and South Island coastlines. The management area for packhorse lobsters is referred to as PHC1—being one stock for all New Zealand waters. But Rhys and James were right first time—their catch was unusual—the first tagged packhorse ever reported on the west coast south of Hokianga. Rhys has fished Taranaki his whole life but only offshore since his late teens. He fished off a kayak over the years, as well as fishing and diving from a couple of inflatable boats and a jetski, until recently buying another boat. He does okay too; in addition to lobsters he has landed some excellent snapper. He has a YouTube channel featuring his hunting, diving, and fishing adventures, with some odd encounters also featured there. Like the time he was free diving on a stingray, trying to pat it. It seemed to be guarding a rock, under which he could just

see a live kahawai. Rhys attempted to pull the kahawai out but it was well and truly stuck. He surfaced for air, took another breath, and dived again. Despite renewed efforts, he still couldn’t free the kahawai. As he ascended again, the stingray slipped in, wrapped its mouth around the kahawai, pulled it free, and watched it swim off! A collaboration that ended well for the fish and gave Rhys another great fishing yarn—like that day in May he and his mate were so hungry they caught a wandering packhorse… and ate it!

Issue 178 23

Worthy of receiving an arrow

CHEVIOT HARDWARE & LOTTO

Max Barclay

Daniel and I had planned a bow hunting trip ready for when lock down Level 3 was over. We called it “The Start of Winter Alpine Trophy Billy Goat Bow Hunt”. Neither of us have had much experience when it comes to bow hunting, so that is why we were going for the smelliest and least intelligent game animal.

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However, they had started moving away and it wasn’t

Max on a hunt that proved quite boaring

long until I couldn’t see any pigs. At that point I would have settled when I heard a grunt above me, which was both good and bad. I had located a pig, but I was below it and my scent was drifting directly towards it. I made my way up the hill; luckily it was busy with its nose deep in the ground. It was a boar worthy of receiving an arrow. I brought my range finder up to my eye to get an accurate measurement. I was shaking so much I could barely range the pig!

I drew back to my anchor point and waited for the pig to move so I could get a shot between two trees. He walked out moments later. I had a split second to pull the release lever with my thumb, letting an arrow fly—hoping I had aimed low enough with my 20m pin. I heard a thud, the pig let out a squeal and ran off. We made our way down to where the pig was when I took the shot. There was no sign of blood, but the arrow was on the ground. Daniel went straight down the hill

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and yelled back that he had found my pig only 30m away. I meet Daniel with a well-earned handshake. I was over the moon. I dragged my pig out for a better look. The shot was good; behind the shoulder and the arrow had gone straight through.

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We didn’t end up recovering any goats, and by the end of the trip we were down four arrows, although I would have no problem losing another four if I could have another hunt like this again.

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We had high hopes of seeing plenty of big billy goats. Six and a half hours later we reached our destination. After a fair bit of extra walking and glassing, we weren’t seeing anything. An explanation came when we read the hutbook, “What’s up with the chopper assassination of all the goats”. The next day the plan was to cover as much ground as possible to find some goats. Hours passed, when Daniel suddenly dropped. Out in front of us were a couple of boars on the bush-line. We were both shocked to see pigs on the tops at 1500m. Daniel, being a great friend, offered me the shot. The closer I got to the bush-line, the more pigs I started to see and, as most young guys do, I tried to find the biggest pig I could.

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24 THE FISHING PAPER & HUNTING NEWS - JULY 2020

Fishing Club President’s support for Fish Mainland

The Tautuku Club has been involved in a range of initiatives, besides fishing competitions: safe boating education, blue cod breeding research, the ‘Paua to the People’ movement and tag and release programmes with the Tindale Marine Research Charitable Trust. Club President and delegate to the New Zealand Sport Fishing Council, Brett Bensemann, says, “For several years, we have encouraged the Sport Fishing Council to increase its involvement in the issues that matter to South Island fishers. Instead, the Council’s attention has largely been directed towards the issues that concern the much larger North Island Councilaffiliated clubs. “Also, the way the Sport Fishing Council’s voting system is set up, just one large-size North Island Club can overrule all of the South Island’s Councilaffiliated clubs. As the largest South Island affiliated club, we at Tautuku can find this

Otago's Tautuku Fishing Club fully supports Fish Mainland

arrangement rather frustrating. Our voice simply doesn’t get heard.

Andrea Julian

My partner Dan Scott lives an idyllic existence in Whatanihi Bay in Pelorus Sound, with boat access only. The jetty there not only provides access to this picturesque location but also is a solid enough structure to support his lanky 6’ 6’’ frame, as he prowls about the planks busying himself for a fish. Topped with a flash of red hair he thinks is fading to blonde, he looks every bit the bohemian fisher.

“This is why many of us at the Tautuku Club are very supportive of Fish Mainland Inc, a new not-for-profit organisation whose purpose is to coordinate, represent, and promote the interests of South Island and Stewart Island marine fishers, to maximise their fishing experiences and opportunities now and in the future.” Brett explains, “What makes Fish Mainland different from other organisations is that, not only is representation based on democratic election of directors, it approaches the fisheries issues with a good understanding of what is important to Iwi and the commercial fishing sector, and aims to reach agreed outcomes that will benefit all sectors and interests. Fish Mainland has their support, which is unprecedented.” Brett highlights that his club has limited resources to tackle the numerous issues that could impact on its members’ fishing experiences and opportunities. “Recently, we have spent considerable effort responding to the south-eastern Marine Protected Areas Forum’s proposal to establish six no-take marine reserves, five Type-2 protected areas, and one kelp

protection area, covering a total of 1,267 sq km from Timaru to Waipapa Point in The Catlins. “We have already made a substantive submission on this proposal, outlining what we think benefits and potentially harms the public’s opportunities to fish in the Otago region, including our concerns about safety. With the support of Fish Mainland, we have worked with the commercial fishing sector to provide Government with a clearer understanding of what we consider are procedural shortcomings and the inter-sectoral impacts of this proposal.

shares concerns with many fishers about some changes to the blue cod fishery that go into effect 1 July. Had Fish Mainland been up and running earlier, we would likely have had some of our concerns addressed better than they have been. “There is no end to the issues that can impact on our fishing experiences and opportunities. This is why we need Fish Mainland, the Sport Fishing Council, and others to work together” says Brett.

Most days he can be found littering the jetty, attaching squid to hooks and plying the water for a feed. This little plank of pleasure is only a spit into the wind from his

home and I often join him there. On each occasion that I have fished with him, we only catch kahawai and rays but it is a lot of fun and the kahawai are welcomed at the table. In early June, he repeated the ritual he’d performed a million times before and, perhaps, was lulled into the predictability of past catches. The rod did a big bend and Dan immediately thought he’d hooked another ray, so played it accordingly. The extremely experienced fisher didn’t twig to the bunts and tugs telegraphed up the line, so was gobsmacked when this enormous snapper came to heel! Okay—next to his skyscraper frame it does look like an angry spotty, but it did tip the scales at 23lb. To this day he argues it swam like a stingray… but perhaps that’s just the beer talking.

Dan Scott with an 'angry spotty'

“Our Club also

Photo Credit Alisa Mcgilvary-Howard

The Tautuku Fishing Club was formed by a group of local fishers in the early 1970s. They purchased the historic Smaill Homestead, built in 1874 by the same masons who built Larnach Castle on Otago Peninsula. The facility remains a popular functions venue for club members and the public.

Blame it on the beer

Become a member

The aim of Fish Mainland is to provide a unified voice for the South Island marine recreational fishing community. Its aim is also to demonstrate the ability to work respectfully and collaboratively with others to find workable solutions that provide the best public outcomes. Its vision is a healthy and abundant marine environment in which recreational fishers have an equitable share of available fisheries resources and are respected partners in management decisions. The recreational fishing sector is far more numerous, diverse and undefined than the commercial fishing sector and Iwi fishing interests. As a sector, recreational fishers remain largely unknown, except for a small proportion with membership to fishing and boating clubs

If you are interested in and supportive of recreational fishing and/or sustainable fisheries management practices then become a member of Fish Mainland today

Join today

MEMBERSHIP IS FREE - JOIN TODAY • A key development for Fish Mainland is its South Island Recreational Fisheries Policy. • Its purpose is to guide and coordinate the actions of the South Island recreational fishing sector, the Crown, Iwi, other fishing sectors and interests in realising opportunities and meeting the challenges facing the recreational sector in shared fisheries. • Shared fisheries are those where commercial, recreational and Māori customary fishers have a shared interest, and they value their share quite differently.

Like us on facebook.com/FishMainland and become a member at www.fishmainland.nz

Randall Bess - TNC support 027 314 4084

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