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110,000 Readers Monthly January 2013 Issue 88 FREE NEW ZEALAND PAPER FISHING & NEWS WORTH OF FISHING GEAR THIS MONTH TXT 2 WIN $750 & Great Summer Steve's Early Morning Riser story page 6 HUNTING THE see inside for details 8 page NELSON/BAYS FISHING GUIDE

Issue 88 Jan 2013

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110,000

Readers Month

ly

January 2013Issue 88

FREENEW ZEALAND

PAPERFISHING

&

NEWS

worth of fishing

gear this monthtXt 2 win $750

&great summer

Steve's Early Morning Riserstory page 6

HUNTING

THE

see inside for details

8 page nelson/Bays

fishing guide

www.thefishingpaper.co.nzThE fishiNg PAPEr2

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Happy New Year everyone. I hope the Christmas break was good for you all and the new year proves to be a bumper fishing one.

To get the old brain matter warmed up for the return to work (sorry for mentioning that word) and the year ahead, I thought this month we would look at beam angles and how these can affect your fishing in different depths of water.

As you may or may not be aware, the sound wave from the transducer travels down through the water column in a cone shape - see the attached drawing - this is what we refer to as a beam. The deeper you are, the greater the coverage will become and the more of the seafloor you will be looking at. An easy way to visualise this at home is to hold a torch against the floor and then slowly lift it up and you will see the beam of light getting bigger and bigger, the higher you lift it.

Regular readers will know I am always talking about narrow beam angles in regards to successful deep water fishing. This is because the sounder is always showing the shallowest point in the transducer beam so the narrower beam is able to drop into holes that wider beam angles cannot.

However, at this time of year the majority

of you will be out in the bay in no more than 30m, chasing the snapper and here is where the narrow beam actually becomes a slight weakness, as you are looking at a very small area of the seabed. To give you an example, if you are in 25m of water and using the 1kW transducer with a 5 degree beam, you are only looking at a circle of the seafloor with a diameter of 2.18m, which is great for bottom definition, however not so good for finding fish. This area then becomes even smaller when you think that the majority of fish are going to be mid-water, say around the 15m mark, here the diameter of the area you’re looking at is only 1.31m.

The reason this is an issue, is because the area is just so small you will have to go directly over the fish to pick them up on your sounder, although on the plus side, if you do pick up fish you know they are directly underneath your transducer. In order to combat this and give yourself a wider beam using the 1kw transducer you may be best to look at 50 kHz as well, so put your sounder onto dual beam and view both frequencies.

The 50kHz beam on the 1kW transducers is generally around 15 degrees, which is the same as the 200kHz beam on most 600W transducers and in 25m will give you a footprint on the seafloor of 6.58m and 15m diameter of 3.95m. So if you have the standard 600W transducer, stick with the 200kHz. Hope all that made sense.

For Otago Fish and Game Ranger, Steven Dixon, it all began with subtle murmurings that the salmon were on the move, so just as dawn was breaking over the heads, the 5m Dominator powered its way to the mouth of the Dunedin Harbour.

Using a blue and white lure, fished deep with a paravane, and after landing only barracouta, Steven started to wonder if there was any truth to the murmurings.

Once again the reel sang out, “Not another barracouta,” he thought. But as the fish was played towards the boat, he realised with joy, that it was indeed a salmon! Being on his own, however, uncertainty crept in, as the fish still had to be landed and he had lost many salmon before at this crucial stage. With rod clutched in his left hand and the net in his right, the 5kg salmon was finally landed!

Steven continued to fish, hoping he would catch another salmon, but after 10 barracouta

he began to think that it was time to call it a day, especially after the tenth barracouta split open his finger! Steve desperately taped his finger with insulation tape to stop the bleeding. As it was only a short trip back to the boat ramp he decided to keep fishing on the way back. Suddenly, halfway between the heads and Port Chalmers, the

rod started to move in sharp

jerks. Steven played the fish

towards the boat and with even

greater joy than before, realised

it was another salmon! With a

final pull on the rod, the salmon

was landed, caught on the same

blue and white lure. This one

weighed in at 3.5kg.

Salmon Running in Salmon City! By Steve Dixon

ThE fishiNg PAPEr 3www.thefishingpaper.co.nz

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While driving to Kaikoura we received a text from the helpful blokes at Hamills Christchurch, to let us know albacore tuna had been caught off Kaikoura - good news indeed; the excitement levels in the vehicle rose. We would be fishing out of Howard Lewis’s 7.5m Seamaster, a rig purpose built for game fishing.

The alarm shattered the silence at 5.00am the following morning and an absolutely perfect day greeted us at the ramp. No wind and a flat sea as far as the eye could see.

The first task was to secure barracouta bait for the mako sharks we planned to chase later in the day. The 'couta were elusive but after half an hour we had a few in the bin, so headed to deeper water.

At the 100-metre mark we set out four tuna trolling rigs, choosing three, four, six and eight kilo line weights to provide maximum fun for the anglers on these speedsters of the ocean. Trolling speed was set at 10 knots and the lures could clearly be seen just beyond the wake. In the

distance we could see another vessel also trolling, which bode well for some action. We noticed them stop and a check through the binoculars confirmed they were hooked up. You beauty!

We circled the other boat at about 300 metres giving them plenty of room, as well as giving us a chance at a hook up. Suddenly there was the magic sound of my Tiagra reel screaming, as the six-kilo line rapidly disappeared. Despite having a fish on, the boat kept trolling as we tried for a multiple hook-up from these pack hunting albies. The three and eight kilo rigs were next to go off, so with a triple hook-up the boat stopped and the battle began.

Unfortunately, the fish on the other rigs both dropped the lures, leaving me hooked up to the only stayer. Howard fired the boat up and began to follow the fish, letting me regain precious line; about 300 metres was out by this stage. Steadily I hauled it back until the albie went deep and slugged it out.

With only two kilos of drag, it took quite some time

before the fish came into sight. Its magnificent shining body looked awesome as it swam in circles, fighting all the way to the end. This was the nervous part; quite often mako sharks turn up and help themselves to an easy feed. However, I managed to work him to the surface where an expert gaff shot from Howard had him onboard. There were high fives all round as we

marvelled at this amazing fish. My albacore went 7.4kg, which on six kilo line, is a pretty good fish!

Once on ice we put the gear back out and continued to troll along the 100 metre drop off, but after an unsuccessful hour, we headed out to sea to try for some makos - more about that next time!

Gamefish KaikouraPart one – Tuna Time By Malcolm Halstead

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With westerlies limiting our options, Andrew and I headed for the Main Divide and sought shelter in an enclosed bush catchment that held promise of some good browns. Fishing is often a compromise and while the shelter enabled accurate casting, the pristine waters made for challenging fishing. Early on the fish were hugging the bottom and it was difficult to tempt them with nymphs.

Such clear water offers another challenge – perspective. The seemingly benign river is, in fact, eerily deceptive. What looks a mere metre deep can actually be four

or five and the fish can fool you as well. This one looked to be around 3lb, but that wasn’t to be the case. It was situated in the tail of a pool and as the water temperature had come up, so too had the trout; it was rising to ‘dries’.

Andrew offered me a #14 emerger pattern and I made the cast. With such clarity these fish need to be fooled on the first or second cast, otherwise they disappear. My first cast was good, but the trout was focused on another object of delight, so we waited and watched for a few minutes, giving the fish time to settle into its feeding routine.

The second cast was immediately taken and the moment I felt the rod load, I knew it was no three-pounder. It put up a solid fight and didn’t relinquish its grip on freedom easily, but when it did finally succumb, I was impressed with its size – a nicely proportioned seven-and-a-half pound mountain brown.

Seeing that it had such an affinity with freedom, I released it and we moved on, taking with us a sense of what the trout had just given us.

An Affinity With Freedom

By Adam Peat

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www.thefishingpaper.co.nz6 ThE fishiNg PAPEr

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The answer ANDROS

Salmon fishing has always been known as a sport suited to anglers who are able to put in enormous hours on the water. Although salmon are more likely to run and be caught in certain river and

weather conditions, there is no substitute for time on the water. The lucky few who are retired and live at settlements such as Kairaki Beach or the Rakaia Huts are the only anglers who can be certain of being on the water when the salmon are going past. However the rest of us can improve the odds a little by embracing the wealth of information available in the digital age. The following are some of the better sources of information for the modern salmon angler.

Environment Canterbury River Flow Website www.ecan.govt.nz/services/online-services/monitoring/river-flows/Pages/Default.aspx

This site gives regular measurements of the flows in the major Canterbury rivers. Over time you will learn at which flow your river of choice is fishable ; -for example the Rakaia is typically fishable for salmon when flows drop below 180 cumecs. However the gauging system is not utterly accurate and needs to be re-calibrated after each fresh so the “fishable figure” will change. I tend to look at the actual flow curve for the river I wish to fish (to do this for the Rakaia click on “Northern Region”

flows, then click on “Rakaia” in the table). I tend to deem the river fishable when the curve starts to level off after a fresh. If the curve is showing a steep increase/decrease in flow over time it is likely to be dirty.

Environment Canterbury Rainfall Websitewww.ecan.govt.nz/services/online-services/monitoring/rainfall/pages/default.aspx

Rainfall in the foothills will not affect the braided rivers but rainfall right back on the main divide will. The gauging stations of most relevance to salmon anglers are the Arthurs Pass (in the Northern Region table) and Mistake Flat (in the Southern Region table). In reality the rainfall at one of these stations is almost always consistent with the other so I tend to check only one. Rainfall of around 25-30mm in a twenty four hour period will generally bring the braided rivers down in fresh, but it might take up to 24 hours or the dirty water to arrive at the mouth.

Ocean Swell Forecastwww.swellmap.com/surfing

Salmon surf anglers need the sea to be relatively calm in order for the water to be clear. While sediment input from the river can make the surf dirty, it is mostly sediment stirred up by ocean waves that is the root of the problem. For rivers other than the Hurunui, a swell of less than one metre is preferred and around

0.5m is best. The Hurunui can be fished in swells up to 1.5m but anything less than one metre is best. Be aware that the swell can be quite different on either side of Banks Peninsula so choose a forecast in close proximity to where you wish to fish. One of the better sites is Swellmap. Make sure you choose a “surfing” forecast as opposed to a “boating” forecast. For the Rakaia and Rangitata Rivers, hit “Timaru/Oamaru” and then “Jacks Point”. For the Hurunui River choose “Kaikoura” and then “Hurunui Mouth”.

Angler ForumsSalmon anglers are shameless braggers and often announce

their catches online. At the very least you will pick up hot intel on which rivers are producing salmon. A shrewd web browser will often pick up much, much more if he or she is able to read between the lines. The best two sites are:

Fish n Hunt Forum; -Freshwater Fishing Pagewww.fishnhunt.co.nz/forum/YaBB.cgi?board=fishing1 and The Fishing Website; - Freshwater Fishing Pagewww.fishing.net.nz/asp_forums/freshwater-fishing_forums_cat20.html

Of course these sites only work if everyone supports the sponsors and contributes to the information exchange. Trawling sites for information while not doing your bit eventually wears on the patience of the hosts.

Good luck out there!Ross Millichamp - Fish and Game North Canterbury

Salmon Fishing and the Information Age

Canterbury

Freshwater Freight Trains Derailed (front cover story)By Steve Terry

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Having a key role in salmon management for North Canterbury Fish & Game over the last twelve years, you would expect that I would have put a few hours into fishing for these freshwater freight trains. However, over the last decade I think I have probably only wet the line chasing these magnificent fish a handful of times.

On a recent job, I had the opportunity for a quick fish in the lower Rakaia River, before beginning work nearby. Having driven to the water’s edge by 5.00am, I assembled my gear and began fishing what I thought appeared to be an average looking stretch of water, about 50m from my vehicle. Within 15-minutes I felt a whack on the braid and instantly knew I was hooked up. I have not caught a salmon for around 15-years and the excitement was instant and palpable. Not wanting to lose my first salmon in years, I played it tentatively, before dragging the 19-pound silver bullet into the shallows and onto the rocks, right in front of the truck. Fantastic, what a buzz. Five-minutes later, after a quick photo, I was back in the same spot thinking that was easy, imagine if I hooked another one! Two casts later and whack, I did! After a good tussle, a 16-pounder was pulled onto the bank in the same place as the first, right beside the vehicle. A week later the opportunity presented itself again for aquick

fish before work and this successful spot was an pobvious choice. By 7.00am, a nice 15lb salmon was beached in front of the vehicle! I have since had a number of comments from friends and colleagues about my luck.With an average like this, Think I might keep this sport up!

There is quite a buzz around the salmon anglers at the moment, with some of the best catches seen in over a decade. A number of the salmon caught so far this season have been some of the best conditioned fish seen for a number of years, with plenty weighing well into the 20-pound plus bracket. The lower reaches of nearly all the East Coast salmon rivers seem to be the preferred areas to fish, although salmon have been caught right through to the gorge in the Rakaia. Further south, the Rangitata River has had a fantastic start to the season and our rivers to the north generally follow similar trends. This appears to be the case already, with the Waimakariri River also seeing a flurry of activity early on, which is not usually seen this early in the season. Let’s hope we are in for a bumper season. I certainly hope so, as catching salmon like that doesn’t get much easier.

ThE fishiNg PAPEr 7www.thefishingpaper.co.nz

ThE fishiNg PAPEr www.thefishingpaper.co.nz8

AT CALTEX KAIKOURAThe best place in Kaikoura for ice, fi shing tackle, LPG, hot food and heaps more!Come in and talk to Mike and Sharon neal for the best fi shing spots!

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Targeting Elephants From ShoreBy Ashley Cook - Hamills North Canterbury

As the summer weather and water tempratures begin to rise, the itch to target the ellos begins. After a long cold wet winter, surfcasting for mostly undesirable species, the welcome relief of the spring is eagerly awaited by the South Island surf fishermen.

There are a lot of surf rods, reels and combos available priced from $99.99 up. However, when choosing a surf casting combo you will need to identify what’s going to work for you and the areas you are likely to be fishing. These decisions can be based on general size of swell, wave height, currents and the weights that you will need to cast to combat these elements.

I currently fish with a Berkley Veritas 14ft, 3-piece rod and use a Shimano Baitrunner 8000, spooled with Suffix Siege 33lb main line and a 45lb shock leader. My preffered sinker is a 5oz breakaway, but I may use a 6oz for large and messy seas.

At the business end I use a standard ledger rig of 80lb and medium to long shank, chemically sharpened hooks; Gamakatsu,VMC and Black Magic are brands of choice. There are some

fantastic pre-made rigs available, with floats, flashers and impact shields, and I have found that these, used in conjunction with peeler crab and squid vicious soft baits, work well.

I am also a fan of fresh bait like tua-tua mussell, squid and paua. Elephant fish can be very selective from day-to-day and I have caught them on anything from bonito, pilchard, mullet and even the beloved spotty.

Tides can play a big part in the success and this may vary depending on the beach. I have found that shallow beaches fish better on a dead low tide, enabling a shorter cast to the drop off and gutters. Fish the top two hours of the high tide for deeper steeper beaches. A long cast is not always needed, as I have caught ellos in and around the first breaker.

As with any saltwater fishing, beach fishing is a very hard enviroment for gear, so I recommend buying the strongest, toughest gear available - based on your budget.

These fish look weird, taste great, fight hard and are guaranteed to pull some string.By Leo Thomas

Together with good mate Jordy Trafford, I headed for the hills to fish a remote wilderness river to kick-start the summer. The day for

both of us was challenging due to the spooky browns lurking about and also a few fussy fish that refused some promising looking nymphs.

Only one fish was landed for the day, but boy was it a beauty! I managed to land a stunning 7lber, which was slowly feeding on nymphs in the current. This fish gave a grunty battle, which took me upriver towards the rapids containing some huge boulders. After a battle and a half, the fish soon was in the net. What a great trout, which definitely made up for the hard day on the river! The wild brown was released back into the river to live and spawn another day. A good way to start off the summer!

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Positive Spin for ‘Trouties’By Rhys Barrier - Biodiversity Office, Nelson

With all of our rivers low and clear after a very settled period of weather at the start of the season, there is a myriad of new fishing options for licensed freshwater anglers, in sections of river not normally accessible.

Drift dive results and angler reports reveal that while overall numbers of fish in many Nelson/Marlborough and West Coast rivers are down due to flooding (the Aorere River in Golden Bay has had close to nine floods in two-years, including a 1:150 year event!), fish that have survived these floods are generally in magnificent condition. The lower Aorere, Motueka, Maruia, Buller (below Kawatiri), and the Wairau are all worth a look. Larger rivers, particularly the Wairau, also experience a midsummer run of superbly conditioned estuarine brown trout and the Wairau and Clarence also experience sea-run salmon from Christmas onwards. Boat fishermen are encouraged to target tidal sections of the Wairau or the large fishery resource present in the Nelson Lakes.

The good news for anglers is that settled flows over October-November are contributing to a long overdue region-wide ‘fisheries reset’. Recent electric fishing in the flood vulnerable Riwaka fishery for ‘young of the year’ brown trout, revealed great numbers of fish for the first time since monitoring of juveniles in this system began three-years-ago. This is likely to be occurring throughout all our rivers and if we only experience normal sized (annual return period) floods over the next two-years, anglers can expect all of our fisheries to be full of small and medium fish again.

Nelson Marlborough

Tom, Tom And Tom Take Time outBy Steve Terry

French university student Antoinne Serriere recently completed a voluntary internship with North Canterbury Fish & Game as part of his engineering masters degree.

Fish & Game have been fortunate enough to attract French masters’ students for seven years now and a number of research projects based around water quality and quantity have resulted from this. Antoinne was one of three more commonly known as The Three Toms. They consisted of ‘Big Tom’, ‘Little Tom’ and ‘And Tom’, for ease of both remembering and pronouncing their names. Amongst their busy workload, the students got to travel to some remote parts of the country for both work and recreation. On a recent trip to Haast the weather allowed for some deep sea fishing, with this photo showing ‘And Tom’s’ on-going commitment to hard work, having kindly retrieved my dinner for me!

'And Tom' scores.

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ThE fishiNg PAPEr www.thefishingpaper.co.nz10

Kayaking with Chris West

With kayak fishing increasing in popularity, we often get joined by a few others each time we launch and with this latest weather pattern, it is so tempting to get out there after work or

first thing in the morning to catch a few fish for the table.

Recently we launched from the Glen at sunrise, with a low tide and paddled out to about 350m off shore, where we anchored up. With a couple

of rods each, small cubes of fresh bait and homemade double hook snapper rigs, we were soon homing in on the snapper and they were well on the feed. The sea was providing us with perfect

conditions, flat and calm, but

we knew the midday wind

would pick up and landing

would become difficult at

the boulders, so just before

midday we set off back to

shore and timed it perfectly

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yakking with Kathy

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Forward paddling is the stroke that is used the most when kayaking. Good, efficient technique

will allow you to use less energy, go faster or to go further. Below are a few things that you can look at with forward paddling to help improve technique.• Ensure that you have a good posture and are sitting with a

straight back.• Hold your paddle with a loose grip; a tight grip tenses your

whole body and can also cause a wrist injury.• Aim to get the whole blade of the paddle in the water early

in the stroke and keep the blade submerged throughout the stroke.

• Make sure your paddle blade does not lift water when exiting the water; watch your paddle as you finish your stroke and try to have it exit the water cleanly.

• Try and use a range of muscles when you kayak; if you use only your arms then you are only using small muscles that will tire quickly. Aim to use the muscles of your torso, eg your abdominal muscles.

• The paddle blade needs to exit the water near your hips. Continuing the stroke beyond your hips causes the kayak to bob and forward propulsion is reduced.

• Get the right tools for the job; select a paddle length and blade size that suits your kayak, paddling style and your body size. Investing money in a good paddle will make your kayaking more enjoyable.

There are two styles of forward paddling; low angle and high angle. The style used depends on the conditions encountered. For most kayaking, a low angle stroke is used. When paddling with a low angle, your top hand will be about shoulder level. This style of paddling uses less energy and is suited to cruising along at a steady speed. When a faster kayak speed is required, a high angle is used. Your top hand will now be at around eye level, the paddle shaft more vertical and the paddle blade sunken further into the water. Your stroke rate will also increase and a slightly more forward lean will help. High angle aggressive paddling is used in short bursts, such as breaking out through the surf.

Learning new techniques is best done under the guidance of a kayak instructor, who can ensure that you are learning the stroke correctly and avoiding learning bad habits.

To view this article, complete with pictures, visit: www.adventures-unlimited.co.nz/learn/tips.html

Kayaking Technique – Forward Paddling

Carl Lines with a string of snapper.

ThE fishiNg PAPEr 11www.thefishingpaper.co.nz

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Jitterbugs can be fi shed by using an ordinary softbait setup, although specially designed Jitterbug rods are also available from Ocean Angler and provide further enhancement to the action of these lures.

Use 10 – 20lb braided line and 20lb fl uorocarbon leader, about a metre and a half in length.

Attach the leader to the tail end of the Jitterbug. They are designed to appear like a baitfi sh struggling to swallow a squid during the descent.

Always use on the drift keeping an eye on the fi sh fi nder and chartplotter.

Fished through the part of the water column where the fi sh are detected.

Best fi shed vertically and wound back to the surface to redeploy once they’ve gone past 45 degrees angle during the drift.

Vary the winding during retrieves: 3 point star, quarters, halves, eighths the pause points on the wind back up.

Colours and weights are important and need to be changed to suit conditions and fi sh preference on the day or season.

Good technique is to drop to the bottom and very slowly wind up every 5 turns and drop again. These lures are designed to be fi shed slowly.

These bullet-shaped metal lures come with a twin assist hook, disguised within a soft body plastic squid lure that is attached via braid to the lure. They are designed to act like a jig on the descent and as a softbait once they reach the seabed. These lures are further enhanced with lumo and more importantly UV Blast sealer coat. They also have realistic 3D red eyes for further fi sh attracting enhancement.

The seductive twitching of the squid lures, which wafts gently in the current, is what makes these lures deadly on snapper and, in fact, all fi sh when retrieved up through the water column, just by winding the reel. No real need to jig the rod - just wind while holding the rod parallel to the water.

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As I sit here writing this, it is 5.00am …I have had a number of stories over

my desk from Canterbury anglers this past week and it seems all Canterbury anglers go fishing at 5.00am! Not 4.30am or 6.00am, but five on the dot. Must be something in the water down there.

One guy who didn’t go fishing at 5.00am this month was Paddy, our lay up guy, although he might well have still been there at 5.00am had he not had personal connections with God. With a name like Paddy, you could be excused for thinking him Irish and after reading his story you might well think he has the blood of the Blarney People in him, but he is, in fact, Canadian. Paddy moved to New Zealand for the fishing – period! Everything else, such as breathing, women and beer, is a bonus.

Paddy headed to the mouth of the Motueka River the other day and couldn’t believe his luck – there was no one else there, so he drove right to the water’s edge and bathed in the warm glow of conceit at knowing he had nature’s playground to himself. Oh, and his mate.

They fished for hours as serious ‘fisherholics’ do and became so engrossed in their passion, the whole world slipped by without attracting their attention. When it came time to depart the scene, they loaded the car and proceeded to retreat along the same route they had come in by. Alas, nature had locked the playground gate and the boys found themselves on a gravel island surrounded by water. Paddy nudged the nose of the Subaru tentatively into the channel, but the bonnet quickly went under water. He reversed.

After some contemplation, Paddy’s mate said, “Well, we are going to drown anyway, so you might as well boot it!”

And Paddy did. He poked the nose of the car under the water, clenched the steering wheel, attached a ‘Wilbur Smith Lantern Jaw’ look to his face and threw caution to the tide and floored it. The water rose above the bonnet, swirled about the windscreen and washed over the roof of the car. Paddy started humming Ringo’s We All Live in a Yellow Submarine and kept going, emerging out the other side without a splutter and not a drop of condensation on the inside. The luck of the Irish!

Adding insult to ignomy, the closest Paddy and his mate got to catching a fish was when one swam past the windscreen. The moral of the story? Perhaps the locals know something you don’t, Paddy.

Perhaps the Canterbury anglers, with their 5.00am starts, also know something I don’t. Better check out their stories and find out.

The old adage, ‘big bait catches big fish,’ has been proven without an ounce of doubt in Golden Bay.

Doug and Jesy Rua, from Rockville in Golden Bay were fishing a little way down stream from the Collingwood

Camping ground.There were around a dozen

others fishing along the bank of the Aorere River nearby, but these clever fellas were the only ones catching anything.

Jesy suggested that ‘the

oldman’ (Doug) leave a small kahawai they had just caught, on the line, as live bait.

This caught the one seen in photo, in the bigger guys mouth.

So bait caught small fish, small fish caught bigger fish, and bigger fish caught the biggest fish, proving size matters!

Size Matters By John DonovanKayaking Technique – Forward Paddling

ThE fishiNg PAPEr www.thefishingpaper.co.nz12

Mondo Travel

Presents

Dr Dwayne Down-UnderWe all know The Fishing

Paper & New Zealand Hunting News is popular ‘Down-under’, but just how far down-under came as a surprise when we spotted this photograph in the Pacifi c Intern’s Society for Sea Slugs (PISSS) bi-monthly magazine – SLUGFEST.The society is a voluntary

organisation dedicated to study of sea slug behaviour and population dynamics in the Pacifi c region and Society president Dr Dwayne Percy (pictured) said the group has made some tremendous breakthroughs recently in understanding these complicated sea creatures.Dr Dwayne and his team have

been studying slug migration patterns in Vanuatu, a very time consuming job.“The Pacifi c variety of slugs

(Sluggish Pacifi ca) is not renowned for its speed, so consequently there is a lot of ‘down time’ when observing their migration,” Dr Dwayne says. Because of this, he likes to fi ll in the long hours catching up on his favourite read, The Fishing Paper &

New Zealand Hunting News.Dr Dwayne said people are

generally surprised when they fi nd out how intelligent sea slugs actually are.“For example, when

threatened a sea slug will often lie perfectly still and appear nonchalant and as if it doesn’t give a damn, which often unnerves the predator, causing it to give up the attack,” he said.Dr Dwayne also said the

slugs can be quite aggressive with one another and it’s not

uncommon to see them gang

up on a weaker member.

“I have seen a whole group

block the path of a migrating

slug, holding up its progress

for days!”

Dr Dwayne has offered to

publish some of his fi ndings

in The Fishing Paper & New

Zealand Hunting News.

“It would be like taking the

PISSS to a whole new level of

awareness,” he said.

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Moonlight Dolphins Attract Snapper SuccessBy Scott McMillan

My good fishing buddy James and I were doing a spot of night fishing off the rocks at our Spot X, when we both achieved our personal best snapper.

We enjoyed an amazing day’s fishing, comprising the odd snapper and massive ocean going kahawai. James and I both spent plenty of time taking photos of the dolphins that swam right in front of the ledge we were fishing from.

Just as the full moon started slowly rising, James hooked up with what I thought to be a foul hooked dolphin. We had been catching some reasonable sized snapper earlier and at the same moment James’ line peeled off at an incredible rate, a school of dolphins swam past

in the same direction. Ten minutes later, a very happy James had his best catch ever - a 16-18 (guestimated) pound snapper.

After calming down from helping with some words of encouragement and a well-placed gaff shot, I decided to try my own luck. Thinking that possibly where there is one big snapper there may be more, I carefully threaded half a large bonito head on to my line.

Casting out directly into the moonlight with a huge splash, I waited. After a big solid take and run, I slammed my baitrunner into gear and hooked up solid. After around 10 minutes solid tussle and a very tired arm and sore back later, I had the snapper many fishermen only dream about, at my feet. James and I were ecstatic. What an end to an amazing fishing trip.

straight from the fish’s mouth

Word from the WharfHappy New Year to you all from the Team at

Jimmys Bait Co.

We hope Santa was kind to you and you are now enjoying a relaxing break.

Last month, we were at the Mapua Wharf Kids’ Fishing Competition, where about 30 kids took to the wharf with their rods for two hours. Thanks to the Mapua Boating Club for hosting this event, it is always good to see kids out in the fresh air and getting excited about fi shing.

On the same weekend, we also attended the Inaugural Sport Fishing for Youth Charitable Trust Take a Kid Fishing event. 146 children were taught how to catch a trout from the new Waimea Ponds in Appleby. The fi rst day’s fi shing was a lot easier, with over 60% of the kids landing their fi rst trout, but the second day, a brighter day, was a little harder with about 40% of the kids being successful. Jimmy’s Bait Bullets proved to be effective and with a little patience, the fi shers were soon seen at the weigh station for their certifi cate and lesson on how to gut and fi llet the fi sh. See the Fish & Game website for details on the January and February events and register now, so you don’t miss out.

There will be many of you out and about this month fi shing at the wharves at your favourite holiday spot, so we hope to see lots of pictures and stories coming into us for your chance of the monthly draw of our $50 Wharf Pack. Rosie and I will be out and about around Nelson, so look out for us and keep safe.

Tip of the month - For those of you who are after larger fi sh from the wharf, fi sh the change of light, dawn and dusk for the best results.

Don’t forget to send us your photos and stories to [email protected] for the $50 monthly prize draw of Jimmys Bait Bullets.

Happy Holidays everyone and good luck with the summer fi shing.

Until next month, HAPPY WHARF FISHING KIDS!

BAIT BULLETS

By Jim Jobe

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Rosie’s Pick: comes from Mapua Wharf with Giselle and Lucy Lile seen here with a joint effort in catching these two sprats - on Jimmy’s bait bullets of course. Well done girls, get in touch with us at [email protected] to receive your $50 Prize Pack.

NEW ZEALAND huNTiNg NEWs 13www.thefishingpaper.co.nz

HUNTINGNEWS

nEW ZEALAnD

Free Range Red Stag – Finally! By Karina Livesey

A quest for a free range red stag has to be one of the hardest hunts, a hunter can undertake. I have been told. It was one trophy I still had to get.

Having been to Gisborne the previous year and seeing a good number of animals but not connecting with the big one, I had to wait to see what 2009 brought. BJ emailed me mid February to say he had seen a nice stag, which he thought would go 320.

The following week I was driving to Gisborne and was told to bring the rain with me. Upon arriving there was no one home, but BJ had told me he would be at the sheep yards. I changed into farm clothes, as I knew I would be put to work. Sure enough, there were ewes to push up. Once we had finished the farm work BJ said we would go for a look. The wind was blowing reasonably strong, which worked to our advantage, as I was to find out. We glassed the area of trees where BJ had seen the group earlier but to no avail, so moved to our right. After sneaking into position, we watched some hinds and spikers come out below us, grazing. It was great just watching them and we both got some good video footage. (Cont. pg 15)

By Daryl Crimp Sitka Gear, introduced to New

Zealand by The Safari Supply Company, brings a fresh new, holistic approach to hunters’ clothing and the product is rapidly making Kiwi hunters sit up and take notice, … which is exactly what it’s designed NOT to do!

Camouflage clothing is not new and neither is the concept of ‘layering’ to wick away moisture and trap heat, so what has Sitka got to deliver that is so unique in the rag trade?

Essentially Sitka clothing is a concealment system aimed at making hunters ‘less visible’ to the animals they hunt, but unlike other camouflage systems that try to ‘mimic’ the background, Sitka operates at an entirely new level. Rather than making the hunter look like something else, Sitka attempts to make the hunter look like nothing, or in other words – disappear.

To understand how it works, you first have to look through the eyes of the

animals you hunt, to see things from their perspective. Ungulates, or cloven hoof animals such as deer, tahr and chamois, see things very differently from us, and this is part of the key to not being seen by them. Taking a look at some of the differences will lay the foundation of how Sitka technology works to the hunter’s advantage:• we have 20/20 vision, which

basically means sharp eyesight• ungulates have 20/40 vision, which

is more blurry• we have a field of view of 120°, which

means we look ahead and focus• ungulates have a field of view of 280°

and with a slight head turn either way, can see 360°, which means they tend to scan for movement

• we see in the full primary colour spectrum

• ungulates lack the receptors for red, so see the world in greens, yellows, blues, white, black and shades of grey

While ‘photo-realistic’ camouflage

clothing looks good to our eyes, ungulates don’t see the full colour, so the human outline is still visible to them. Sitka gear has been scientifically designed so that our outline ‘fades’ into the background, hence the catchy marketing name of – Optifade Concealment Technology. So how does it work?

The human form has a ‘signature’ that is made up of lines, geometry and symmetry, which animals recognise, so Sitka renders this signature impotent by combining two concealment patterns found in nature. Macro patterns of light and dark blobs break up the symmetry or geometry, much like a tiger’s stripes break up lines of movement. Then a fine texture of micro patterns is overlaid so that the body form is then hard to see against the background. This utilizes the concept of leopard spots, which enable ambush predators to merge with the background. In nature you can have only one or the other, but Sitka have combined both principles to create ‘the science of nothing’. It’s a fascinating

concept and I recommend visiting www.safarisupply.co.nz and checking out the videos on Optifade.

Sitka also aims to be a complete clothing system and in addition to the three conventional layers – base/wicking, mid/insulation and outer shell/protection – the company has introduced four more layer combinations between the mid & outer shell: mobility, insulation, weather resistant and windproof. If you are unfamiliar how the layering system works, I recommend taking it in in more detail on the website.

For my last three major hunts, Grant from Safari Supply provided me with a test kit of Open Country clothing and I was able to trial it in different environments, from New Caledonia to the Southern Alps. While I didn’t get to test the full range, simply because of weather conditions being mild and clear, I was impressed overall at a number of levels.

First up, Sitka gear is not cheap but it is top range quality and is unique in terms of what it does. You could also get away with acquiring a basic covering and add to it as you can afford to, but obviously you need to be well covered to get the benefits of the concealment factor.

I used the mountain pants, Jetstream Jacket, Traverse zip T, gloves, Jetstream hat and Core Zip T extensively and have this to say, • the clothes are well cut, cleverly

designed, fit well and light and comfortable to wear.

• good pocket placement and size on jackets and pants and plenty of them.

• knee pads on mountain pants great when using the spotting scope and crawling over hard ground and rugged terrain.

• only negative was when shooting prone from steep face I struggled to use knees as anchor because they tended to slide against the fabric, so had to rely more on toes and elbows.

• the Jetstream Windstopper was excellent when glassing and stopping for long periods in alpine conditions."

• once I had to use the Kelvin Jacket

for extra insulation under the Windstopper and was kept very comfortable and warm. More for extreme winter conditions.

• I also trialled the Flash 32 Day Pack, which was comfortable, functional and had an almost unbelievable number of pocket configurations for its size, but it did have some issues with strap attachments, which I believe have been modified in the later model. I would recommend that Sitka ‘universalise’ their buckles or clips. While most were standard, they threw one slightly different one on the pack, which caused my arthritic fingers and enfeebled eyesight some grief when I was cold and tired. The pants buckle is different again.

In summary, from my observation of the animals we stalked, I’m prepared to believe the above theory, with a couple of provisos. Animals still see movement, so the clothing doesn’t render you completely invisible and therefore, you still need to adopt good hunting practice and be stealthy. Freeze when an animal looks at you and you will ultimately find they go back to feeding – unless you are real close and exposed. You also benefit more from being completely covered in Sitka, which includes hands and face. These stand out like flashing lights when you are moving, particularly during low light conditions and especially if the rest of you is obscured, so cover up.

But the proof is in the pudding – would I invest in Sitka? The order is about to go in.

NEW ZEALAND huNTiNg NEWs www.thefishingpaper.co.nz14

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Sitka - The Science of

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HUNT BACK WITH HARKER By Peter Harker

NEW ZEALAND huNTiNg NEWs 15www.thefishingpaper.co.nz

STRAIghT ShooTINg with Brad McMillan from Belmont Precision Ammunition

A hunter and their mate buy the same rifle; the serial numbers are one digit apart and are identical in every way, but the mate’s rifle is chronographing 100 feet per second faster than the hunter’s.Not only that, but they are shooting the same ammo, from the same box, on the range, and being quite scientific about their testing.This predicament can happen, so do you blame, the rifle or the ammo? The answer is neither as there is always variation

in manufacture of firearms and ammunition.

Sometimes the combination of a rifle and ammunition are unfavorable, and require a bit of research to discover the factory ammo that your gun functions best with.This may arise due to the rifle’s chamber, bore or action just as it may be the powder load, primer or projectile in the ammo load.Each shooter/rifle/ammo combination is unique which is why I encourage shooters to research and apply information to their own situation.

Ammunition and rifle combinations

We backtracked and on the way BJ glassed over the ridge and there were some stags grazing out from the trees we’d glassed earlier, so we lay down in what little cover we had (dead thistles, not a good look on the stomach). After glassing and not seeing the particular stag we were after, out came the video cameras. While I was chang-ing position so I did not get cramp, I looked behind me to see four stags coming out of the trees and grazing to-wards us. Luckily the wind was still strong, so they did not pick up on our scent, but if they kept grazing the di-

rection they were heading, they would pick up where we were laying earlier while watching the hinds. Great - deer behind us and deer in front. It was while I was videoing that BJ whispered, “There he is.” I picked him up in the video and he looked great. He was the biggest in the group, rubbed up with a bit of colour and had been wallowing. BJ said I needed to get ready to shoot, as the deer behind us had grazed to where we were sitting earlier and were milling around. It was only a matter of time be-fore they spooked.I did the snake crawl along

the ground to get in a better position and by now the deer had grazed to within 100 yards. BJ said to wait till the stag was clear from the oth-ers and take the shot when I was ready. He dropped on the spot with a follow up shot. There he was, 17 points; it was all too surreal. He was in good condition, so after the photos it was time to cape be-fore the rain came. I took the meat, as he was still fat and would be good eating.It scored 333 6/8 Douglas Score. It is a great trophy and one that will take pride up on my wall.

Free Range Red Stag – Finally!(Cont, from pg 13)

Looking at the sky from the doorway of the hut, I could see clusters of twinkling stars that stubbornly defied the rapidly approaching dawn. Barry and I sat in front of the fire drinking coffee as we worked out where to spend the day hunting. I had seen a large group of tahr feeding on one of the Eric Twins peaks and considered it a likely spot for plenty of shooting. We settled for this area and as the early-morning sky afforded enough light, we set off at a brisk pace to try our luck.

The first hour of travel saw us breaking through tangled vegetation that caused us a great deal of trouble, but before long we struck the leading ridge that, although steep in places, offered few problems. Eventually we sat in the sun overlooking the basin at the head of the Bettison Stream and were thrilled at the number of chamois to be seen - more than in previous years.

Edging down, we came to a point where we could see a small mob of tahr, led by a large male with a superb, shaggy coat and a long, flowing mane. Barry staked his claim on ‘Mr Big’ and we began to stalk down to a suitable place from which to fire.

In theory, this was a straightforward procedure, but in practice there was a major obstruction in the shape of an old female tahr, perched on a high rock that commanded a clear view in every direction. We crouched behind a bank of shingle and scratched our heads. Barry was determined to get the big male tahr, but the sentry would give us away and the mob would streak off across the steep mountainside and be swiftly lost from sight among the outcrops of ice and snow.

We came to the conclusion that if the sentry could be put swiftly out of the way, the rest of the herd would scatter, giving us time to race down the steep slope to stand just above them. Barry was ready to run as I put the red dot of my single point on the old tahr’s behind. At the sound of the shot, we paused just long enough to witness the fall before making a rather dangerous dash down the mountainside.

Barry made for the left side of the slip. I went right and had not gone 50-yards when a string of animals came into view, making a bid to reach a high wall of rock. I threw a fair amount of lead around while shooting from most awkward positions. Only one tahr was unlucky enough to run into the erratic pattern of fire. As I scrambled back up to the crest of the spur, I saw Barry point at a large bull tahr that had bolted down into a narrow canyon.

We had no chance to peer over the side, as the rock was smooth as glass and coated with a thin layer of ice. We hit on the idea that if I was to roll boulders over the top, the old boy would charge out the lower end, which could be witnessed from above by Barry, who would wait with this rifle ready. I began my devilish deed. We chuckled away, full of confidence that the ruse would work.

However, after five-minutes of rolling and throwing boulders and rocks, I agreed with my mate that the tahr had somehow dashed out without us spotting him. It seemed unlikely, but surely no animal in his right mind would stand around in the hail of rock that had tumbled over the top. We descended to survey the damage of our shooting, and then parted.

I was surprised to see the shaggy rump of the old bull tahr beating a hasty retreat up the canyon. It must have sheltered under a ledge and guessed the reason for the man-made avalanches. I reached the bottom in a couple of wild leaps and cranked a cartridge into the breech. The red dot of my sight swung on to the shaggy sprinter as he reached the top and I saw fur fly as the bullet hit home. The horns were 13 inches long, but both tips were broken and worn to an almost square finish. Of course I then had to square things up with Barry, who was none too happy I’d jumped his claim on 'Mr Big'!

Photo credit: Derek Johnson

HUNT BACK WITH HARKER By Peter Harker

Mr Big and the Claim Jumper!3 July 1971

NEW ZEALAND huNTiNg NEWs www.thefishingpaper.co.nz16

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Whether reloading or using factory loaded ammunition for hunting, the projectile is ultimately the business end of the equation in terms of putting the animal to ground. Therefore, we need to match the correct projectile to our conditions and the type of hunting undertaken. Particularly if using lighter calibres such as .223, it then becomes critical to find the correct projectile to suit the game, rather than a price point. Cheap is not necessarily best for harvesting animals.

A little research is required and there are some stumbling blocks in the way. There is now a bewildering selection of ammunition to choose from and the bulk of it comes from the United States or Europe, where much of it is chiefly designed for larger game than we have here, such as elk or moose. A lot of the hunting literature from these parts is also skewed towards big game, so you need to filter out what is relevant to our conditions and animals. For example, projectiles designed to be effective on whitetail would be suitable for our average reds.

Another problem can be the attitude of the consumer. It is not uncommon for hunters to fork out a small fortune on petrol, choppers and other consumables, but when it comes to the ammo, baulk at the price of quality stuff. It’s acceptable to spend seventy-bucks on a bottle of Scotch for the trip, but spending $60 on ammunition that will likely last three or four trips, can cause some to falter. If we are honest about our hunting, the average hunter wouldn’t fire more than half-a-dozen shots on a hunt so, putting it into perspective, quality ammunition is not a huge outlay.

There are some rules of thumb:- quality projectiles tend to be

dearer- name brands such

as Sierra, Nosler,

Hornady, Swift and Norma tend to be best for New Zealand conditions

- bulk produced projectiles at the lower end of the market, from the likes of Remington and Winchester tend to be better suited to basic practise or range shooting

- the bulk of Kiwi hunters require a projectile that is efficient at penetrating a deer’s shoulder out to 300m

Some useful places to start your research are:- experienced friends and hunters- internet forums- reloading manuals such as Swift, Nosler,

Sierra and Hornady have useful information and details on what projectiles are suitable for different game. You just have to make relative comparisons to what animal body-types we have here

- test the accuracy of various ammunition at the range. Your rifle may show a preference to a particular brand

When you find something that works for you, it instils confidence so stick with it. The difference between a good projectile and an ‘also ran’ is generally less than $1 a round. And remember, the projectile is the only thing that connects you to your quarry and the best rifle in the world matched with mediocre ammo, will always be a poor performer.

Yourself Short By Paul Clark - NZ Ammunition

Don’t Sell

My twelve year-old-daughter Connie had decided that last year was to be the year she would shoot her first goat, which was fair enough, as her brother Jack had shot his first one at age eight. Connie had fired an air rifle a few times, so I was confident we could set her up with either my .223 or Jack’s .222, both of which have bipods. Connie already had tramping gear so all was set for our adventure.

Heading south from Christchurch, we arrived at the property just in time for the goats to be out and about on their daily routines. We had also brought along our Weimaraner “Moose” as he is handy for flushing goats and tracking wounded ones. We headed up a creek, which was about 100 metres wide, with scatterings of scrub and open stony areas. Jack pointed out four goats about 300 metres away on a bluff, so we cut the distance down to 200 metres. This distance was too far for Connie, so Jack and I elected to take these ones. Jack suddenly noticed four more black goats only 50 metres away and walking towards us. A quick change of plan had Connie set up with Jack’s triple-two and

pointing in the right direction. Once Connie confirmed she could see through the scope, Jack shut the bolt and told her to fire when the cross hairs were on the lead goat’s chest. At the crack of the shot we heard the solid sound of a hit. The goat spun around on the spot and disappeared over a bank, at which point we despatched Moose to do his thing. With his nose to the ground he too disappeared over the bank. After making the .222 safe, we advanced forward to find Moose sitting beside one very dead goat that had only travelled 10 metres from the point of impact.

With yahoos and hugs all round, it was out with the camera for some pics before I butchered the goat to take home. Connie loaded the back legs into her pack, as she was now officially a hunter/provider.

Further up the creek Jack despatched two more goats, which were also butchered for the larder. Next up was a mob of five, from which I shot two and Jack one. As the creek narrowed, a chilly wind started to blow and made things a tad uncomfortable. Aware that Connie was now carrying six

back legs, I made the decision to travel a further 10 minutes upstream, then stop for lunch before heading home. Upon reaching the end of our walk we saw four goats feeding in the creek bed and with four quick shots, they were all harvested.

I put the billy on for a hot drink to have with lunch and then took all the back legs off the four goats. As it had now gotten even colder I wasted no time in having a quick lunch then heading back downstream where it got progressively warmer. We ended the day with 14 goats, but the high light for me was the first one for Connie, which is something I will treasure for a long time - probably until she shoots her first deer!

Connie gets The goat! By Malcolm Halstead

NEW ZEALAND huNTiNg NEWs 17www.thefishingpaper.co.nz

My terrier Fred has just struck up a bail way down the hill. It might be 6am but it’s already sticky hot. I'm none too keen to scramble down to him but I do, reluctantly, and find he has an enormous black doe bailed up a pine tree. Mrs Possum wears a $23 fur coat. Like Scrooge McDuck, dollar symbols flash across my eyeballs - ching-ching. Good boy Fred!

I twat the valuable doe between her blinking eyes with my .22 rifle knowing from experience I have only seconds to grab gun-shy Fred. I dive on him and hold his collar tight. The doe, meanwhile, hangs by her back feet up the tree. Then she drops, kicking violently. Each kick sees her scoot down the hill on slippery-slidey pine needles. Kick - ten metres more. Kick - another ten and so on and so on.

Twenty-three dollars slide down, down and out of sight. I have to let Fred go. He bolts off and finds Mrs Possum and he scrags her, dragging her the last ten metres into the creek. In two seconds there is fur flying everywhere – hers is now an eighteen-dollar coat. In ten seconds she is half-naked and only worth five-dollars. To top it off, I have to carry her all the way back to the top. Two hundred metres - almost vertical, slippery pine needles and rolling ankle-twisting rock - three steps forward and two back!

By the time I crawl, literally

on hands and knees, to the forest track I'm panting noisily along with Fred. He sweats from his tongue. My tongue is sticky dry but my brow is wet, and salty too. We

have two-hours of hard labour and hill work ahead of us and no drink - not even a mud-puddle or a pig wallow to sip from - thanks dog!

We progress haltingly: following yesterday's footprints, clearing cyanide poison, accumulating possums then skinning them. I find the dead possums, Fred finds live ones. Time and again his bail bark drags me from my backbreaking toil. He has an uncanny knack of encouraging me down the steepest hill, through the thickest supplejack, across the gnarliest bluffs. He bails possums up trees, under trees and in trees; high in the branches, low amongst the roots, in rotten stumps and fallen logs. Once I found him bailing a hole in a twisted and leaning trunk five metres up. I mutter miserly thoughts as I climb up to rescue him.

Halfway around the line, having done an extra several kilometres in pursuit of my wayward canine, my pack is full and heavy. I have begun the drunken stagger of the dehydrated possum hunter. Forty kilos on my back, a rifle in one hand, a possum in the other and I'm knackered. My dog is not knackered. My dog, whilst panting noisily and ever so thirsty, is full of pep. I think its because he eats nuts. I think the experts are right and they are a superfood.

Scientifically it’s proven, nuts

are nature's nutritious bounty. They're full of health giving properties too - almonds for bone health, brazils for prostate health, buck's for testosterone, macadamia for hormone balance, walnuts as brain food, any and all of them come highly recommended by health stores, nutritionists and Fred.

I'm a woman, and while I do enjoy nuts I don't have any of my own. Some of the possums however, are mature males, and they have buck nuts of the vulpecula variety. Fred eats them.

When I skin a possum and flick its testicles away Fred ferrets them out, chews them up and grins manfully. He is parched, in saliva deficit; they are sticky and velvet furred, but he gorges on them with gusto. I do believe buck nuts are a superfood. They must be full of essential oils, vitamins and minerals - AND testosterone.

Truly, they have many

mysterious macho powers, because my little Fred has a sparkle in his eye and his tail is so erect it tickles his back.

We encounter a nanny goat and her half-grown daughter, so I say 'sss siccem' to my right hand mutt. With a yip and yeeha he's off. The nanny turns to confront him and he backpedals when ‘too big’ registers. "Too small? No, just right!" he thinks of Goldihocks behind Mum.

The pair scuffle in the dust. She has a height advantage - he has teeth and machismo. He wins, naturally - add cocky swagger to sparkling eyes and erect tail!

The golden goatling is added to the bulging pack and I stutter on in bright-hot sun, with the bonus of a slurp from a mossy trickle for the dog and I. It’s almost all downhill from here. Rehydrated and revitalised, the little bugger tracks off again. And then he bails way, way up the hill ... arghh nuts!

Nuts!By Kim Swan

The Swandri clad riders on sturdy horses pictured amongst golden hills on the front cover says it all. Gold Dust and Saddle Bags tells the story of New Zealand’s infamous cavalcade. It began with a dream. Restaurateur Fleur Sullivan and friends, keen to promote Central Otago, organised the first cavalcade from Rockland’s Station over the Dunstan Trail to Cromwell in 1991, never dreaming it would become the iconic event it has some 20-years later. This book is a collection of memoirs from those rides. The stories are beautifully told, of men and woman from all walks of life that come together for the adventure of a lifetime. Some ride horses, others hitch a ride on a wagon and many re-vert to shanks’ pony. There are colourful characters; many famous and some not. Rae captures the raw emotions and hardships these modern day adventurers endure re-enact-ing a life past. Many have found love along the way. Each chapter brilliantly describes aspects of the Cavalcade in its entirety. There is a wonderful balance of good humour and information gleaned from time spent on the trail. It’s a fascinating story backed up by beautiful photographs that capture the true spirit of the Central Otago country-side and the extraordinary people who make all happen. Purchase this book for no other reason than to admire the photographs and you will be well satisfied, delve into the commentary and you will be well entertained. As a reader and collector of the coffee table style books I would truly have like to see it produced as a hard cover. However this book will delight readers from all walks of life for years to come.

GOLD DUST and SADDLE BAGS Tales from the CavalcadeWritten by Sally Rae and Stephen JaquieryPublished By The Halcyon Press - RRP $50 Review by Cathrine Peter

BOOK REVIEW

Connie gets The goat! By Malcolm Halstead

ThE fishiNg PAPEr www.thefishingpaper.co.nz18

www.thefishingpaper.co.nz

Local Stockists: Stirling Sports, Mobil-Richmond, Port Nelson Fuels & Rentals, Burnsco Marine, Big Blue Dive & Fish, Takaka Fuels & Fishing

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Wacka MurphyBy Daryl Crimp

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Give the owners Andrew & Tracey a call today and get stocked with bait, ice & berley

Ph 03 5418 321 or 021 908 549

19ThE fishiNg PAPEr

Sudoku

GO GIRL HUNTING ADVENTURESVenison virgin? Want to be a bit wild?Flummoxed mum, nubile nymph or grey-haired gran - city sophisticate or gumboot gal - ravishing rose or shrinking violet - I can help you achieve your game hunting goals!

Big game, small game, photography or time out.Numerous options, lots of fun, no pressure.

Your guide: Kim Swan, wife, mother, hunter, author

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Mish On Impossible

By Mish Sullivan On the day we went fishing, it was pret-

ty sunny and warm. We were just chilling and waiting; feeling nibbles on our rods and talking. But just then, a HUGE fish bites my hook.

And I pulled as strong as Thor and reeled as fast as a cheetah. This fish was strong and was putting up a fight. I pulled and pulled with Uncle Tony yelling, “Come on Mish, you can do it - pull hard-er,” and then the fish jumped into the air!

“OMG!” I yelled in my head and then it jumped into the boat. “What fish is that?” I asked.

“It’s a kahawai,” both Uncle Tony and Auntie Linda said.

After 10 minutes I asked my aunty, “Can we measure it?”

“Yes we can.” And so we did. “It’s 52cm LONG!!!!” I scream. “Yes, this is pretty amazing,” Auntie

Linda replied. “You’re my little pirate,” says my uncle.And that’s how I caught this kahawai!

Not EvenBy Rachel Broughton

Not much of a story to tellBut I’ve given it my best shot

Whilst I lumbered on the beach at Kina

Squollowing in Export DryNot a hint of wiggling from

his rod-deniedAnother Export Dry touched

my throatArraahh at least I caught that one

Another dayAnother Export Dry heading

my wayI forgot?

That’s why we’re hereFISHING

Pulls in his lineBloody crab bitesNever mind dear

The BIG one’s getting nearPleze bite the bloody line

I’m getting pistDon’t wanna miss

That BIG biteI’m wit ya dear

I’m right ere, hicBugga that Export Dry

I know the big one’s gettn nearTide’s going out dearI know that

bloody bite’s right therCRAP!

I fell asleep ‘hic’Where’s my dear?

Bloody heck!No fliggin fish out there!

SORRY DEAR

The Pink Page

Jorja ‘Snags’ a BeautyBy Brett BensemannJorja Hutton of the Tautuku Fishing Club Dunedin caught this nice

2.025kg searun trout, plus a couple of baby salmon. The baby salmon are in good condition quite fat for their length, which suggests the recent releases by the Dunedin Community Salmon Trust have been doing well in the harbour!

'I'm so fast that last night I turned off

the light switch in my hotel room and

was in bed before the room was dark.'

Muhammad Ali Quotes

ThE fishiNg PAPEr www.thefishingpaper.co.nz20

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After waking up at 5.00am on a Sunday morning, I figured it would be a good day to head to my usual spot at Whalewatch, Kaikoura. After enjoying a nice drive up from Kaiapoi with only a handful of cars on the way, I arrived at my spot, baited up and cast out. It was a while before I got a bite and it was nothing flash - a small skate, followed by a few mullet and a small cod.

A bit later on, my line suffered to the teeth of a small seven gill shark and after another hour, I landed a conger and thought, “Gee this is poor,” so went to see how a mate was getting on at South Bay. As it turned out, worse than me, so we decided to head to Conway Flat for a try. I had never fished this place before and upon arrival, we were surprised to be greeted by a wave of close to two-metres!

“Hmmm,” I thought, “do I even try?”But my mate was walking down to the beach

so I thought, “Oh, why not!”We soaked the lines for an hour or so with

it being very hard to tell if you got a hit or not, but after time, I noticed my line was pretty slack and well down the beach. Thinking my extra grip BOS had pulled, I went to my rod to suss it out and with a bit of weight on the line, thought I had snagged some weed, as there was a fair bit floating around ... THEN it got to the wave and it was game on. After a short battle and a decent wave to assist, the rig was washed onto dry land where we could pick it up.

I decided it was getting on in the day and thought I should head back to Kaiapoi. After a miserable trip to a favourite spot, it showed me that having back up plans and new locations to try can prove fruitful. Conway Flat: not my first choice of beaches but definitely somewhere I will try again soon.

Always have a Back upBy Greg Gilbert

Prawns nobble

First-Time Moki

By Donald Searles

I took the family up to Kaikoura for the day fishing, arriving about 9.30am to be greeted by a sea that was flat with no swell. We started

off at the railway station

and fished until about

11.45am, using crab and

cooked prawns for bait, but

there was nothing around so

we headed over the hill to

South Bay.

We settled in just past the

rest area and out from the

racecourse, and soon had a

few bites on both crab and

cooked prawns, so stuck

with the prawns. At about

half-one, a rod bent over

and my son Dante screamed,

“Dad, ya rod!”

I ran down and picked it

out of the holder and started

winding in. After a little

battle and some line pulling,

a nice sized blue moki of

about 43cm long emerged

from the surf and onto the

beach. I was so stoked, as it’s

my first moki.

21www.thefishingpaper.co.nz ThE fishiNg PAPEr

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Fishers and hunters know that a degree of physical fitness is essential for the pursuit of what can be demanding physical challenges. Dealing to a d’Urville Island kingfish or chasing a wild pig are real tests for the body! Surfcasting, by its very nature, requires a lot of physical effort by participants. There is all that walking backwards and forwards to your rods, that explosive casting action and all that winding in every twenty minutes or so to check your baits.

The key to achieving and maintaining physical fitness is finding a regular physically demanding activity that you enjoy and can adapt to fit your varying states of fitness. In Nelson there is no doubt we are spoilt for choice: footpaths and tracks to walk, cycleways to ride, beaches to stroll on, a host of gyms and facilities such as swimming pools to use and mountains to climb. For those keen on competing or joining others, there are many organised events that make use of our wonderful areas of open space and water. Within the Nelson gyms there are a variety of activities: free weights, machines, spin classes, group activity classes, aqua jogging, swimming, crossfit etc.

Like many New Zealanders, I went along the track of playing rugby, running marathons and then ‘retiring’ before realising

that ceasing physical activity was not a wise option. Fortunately I found my solution, weight training in the gym and have been able to keep in reasonable shape for fishing and living ever since. I have no problem being motivated and organising my own gym programme but others, like Crimpy, find the use of a personal trainer the best way to achieve physical conditioning. Money well spent if it improves your quality of life and lengthens it. My wife, as another example, enjoys daily walks and also spends a lot time gardening, giving her a good level of fitness.

If you want to achieve a worthwhile level of physical fitness there must be consistency and intensity in your approach. A few sets of dumbbell arm curls or calf raises now and again is a waste of time, compared with some heavy squats and deadlifts three times a week! Similarly, if you are a walker or biker have some demanding components, ride or walk up a hill or simply speed up for short periods.

As well as physical activity, the other aspect of good health is your food intake. In the book ‘The China Study” Colin and Thomas Campbell tell us of a massive study in all the provinces of China, where the correlation between dietary habits and diseases was analysed. The findings, put simply, were that in areas where the foods were whole foods and plant based foods, the incidence of heart disease, cancer and diabetes was extremely low. In more affluent areas where a more Western style diet was followed, the rise in the incidence of these diseases was extremely marked.

Studies of Japanese who moved to Hawaii and Chinese who moved to America showed that, before long, obesity and disease levels reached the norm for Americans, which is not good. We have the same situation staring us in the face in New

Zealand with Pacific Islanders moving to New Zealand, adopting our Western diet and suffering the consequences. The lesson, if we are willing to take it, is to eat whole foods and plenty of fruit and vegetables. Processed foods, junk food and excessive meat in the diet are the killers. Unfortunately, in all the graphs of such things as obesity, heart disease, diabetes etc., New Zealand ranks right up near the top with the USA. The Campbells call these diseases, the diseases of affluence.

You need to be fit for fishing and fishing helps you keep fit and healthy. Make your fitness fun and you’ll keep at it and enjoy life so much more and for a longer time.

From Sinker to Smoker By Ron Prestage

Fitness for Fishing

BEfORE AND AfTER! Six months of intensive physical exercise and clean eating of whole foods, fruit and vegetables and a moderate amount of meat can get you into shape.

It required an early start to beat the weather, but then you don’t want to mess with the Canterbury coast. Steve Terry fixed his eye on a point on the

horizon and the big Stabicraft rode high over a building swell, while a low bank of monotone grey cloud gave the seascape a flat, drab look. The

setting was in total contrast to the image I conjured up of our destination – The Strawberry Patch.

Located off Banks Peninsula, this area of foul is not very big and is largely protected from exploitation by the weather, but if the chance does present to fish it, the yield can be bountiful. It is not surprising then to find a cluster of small craft vying for squatting rights on this tiny piece of real estate, whenever conditions permit.

By the time we rocked up, there were squatters galore – but it didn’t really matter, as there were plenty of fish to go round. In short order we had our fill of groper and then moved on to target blue cod, tarakihi and trumpeter. In less time it had taken to get there, Steve had us homeward bound, The Strawberry Patch having lived up to its reputation yet again.

Squatting over The Strawberry PatchBy Daryl Crimp

23www.thefishingpaper.co.nz ThE fishiNg PAPEr

Stick your oar In

Crimptoon

Mail your letters to Stick Your Oar In

The Fishing Paper, PO Box 9001, Annesbrook, 7044, NELSON.

Email: [email protected] Fishing Paper encourages readers contributions and points of view. We ask that all contributions come supplied with contact details. All letters must be emailed, type written or printed legibly, signed and not more than 300 words. The Fishing Paper states that opinions put forward are not necessarily those of the publisher. We reserve the right to publish in part or refuse to publish on legal grounds if the content of the letters are in any way legally contentious.

Have Your Say…

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TIDES OF CHANGE By Poppa Mike

A Pioneer Story Not to be Forgotten

Dob the Bastard In

… Whoever He Is!

Dear Ed,Fishing is one of the

great pasttimes enjoyed by thousands of Kiwis, but unfortunately, as in every sector of the community, there is a small minority who have no regard for rules or regulations, none more so in regard to the fresh water fishery and salmon fishingIn 1997 a well-known poacher was prosecuted for the second time for breaches of the regulations on the Rangitata River. The individual concerned has been absent from the river from then until the commencement of the last season, whereby he has returned with a vengeanceIt is time those who have witnessed his actions and have substantive knowledge stand up

and protect the fishery from this plundering. To remain silent is gutless and only encourages greater illegal activity, and for those who regard this bloke as ‘not a bad fellow’, they need to take a good long hard look in the mirror.Ken LLoyd - Christchurch

Ken & Ken AgainDear Ed,The many volunteers involved with the McKinnons Creek Hatchery who cumulatively give thousands of hours of free time to ensure this project is successful, would like to wish a Happy New Year to the low life scum buckets who took it upon themselves to remove 11 salmon from the trap on the evening of Friday 14 December. This project is not only about giving greater opportunity to anglers, but also, more importantly, restoring the natural run. These fish where

to be an integral part of the progamme. This is a major set back and one has to ask what goes through the mind of these lowlifes, who obviously are unable to apply themselves or possess the skills to catch a fish

legally.

One can only hope that someone is prepared to out these lovely people so that we can personally thank them next time they are on the river.

Ken Lloyd - Christchurch

If you are visiting the small township of Ross on the West Coast, consider taking a moment to call in to the historic cemetery, 100m above the town, to visit the gravestone of Samuel and Agnes Mitchell. Family descendants and royal navy restored the large memorial stone in 2005.

As a young seaman in the British Royal Navy, Samuel served on a number of warships before finding himself as a young officer on board HMS Harrier, a wooden screw sloop - a sailing ship with an engine - with duties in New Zealand in 1863. The HMS Harrier, captained by Commander Hay, and its crew of marines were ordered to assist in quelling the Maori Hauhau uprising in the Waikato. In April 1864 HMS Harrier went to Tauranga, where her crew joined other British forces to attack the large enemy force that had retreated to Gate Pa, Puke Hina Hina.

During this fierce battle, Commander Hay was shot and badly wounded as he led an attack on the pa. He lay for some time before Samuel, under cover of fire from his colleagues, entered the pa defences and retrieved the body of his commander. Hay was returned to his ship and his wounds treated but he died the following day. Before his death he nominated Samuel for the Victoria Cross, which was awarded at a huge public ceremony in Sydney, on the voyage home, making 22-year-old Samuel the youngest ever recipient of the VC.

The HMS Harrier left New Zealand with Samuel in October 1864. He left the navy in May 1865, returning to New Zealand three-years-later prompted by the news of the discovery of gold on the West Coast. While

stopping off in Sydney he prepared himself for the gold rush, leaving behind his sea chest in the care of the Goodman family, owners of the boarding house.

He made his home in Ross, the focus of his gold seeking and in 1870 he married Agnes Ross. Together they purchased farmland near the coast on the south side of the Mikonui River. Despite regularly crossing to get to school or town, the river claimed his life in 1894, aged 52-years, as he tried to cross it while in flood. A sailor colleague from the battle of Gate Pa and fellow farmer, William Green, found his body several days later, down the coast. His funeral was reported to be one of the biggest held in Ross, as the family were very popular and well respected. This left Agnes with eleven children to care for - the youngest two-years-old. She struggled on and continued to live at ‘Mitchells Farm’ until she died in 1918, aged 71, and was buried on the hill alongside Samuel. Another nearby hill is still known locally as Mitchell’s Hill.

Unfortunately Samuel’s VC went missing, along with all his belongings from the Sydney boarding house. After his death Agnes tried for many years to locate the missing medal and in 1909, got a positive lead as to its whereabouts, although it had still not been returned when Agnes died. Daughter Edith carried on the quest until, eventually, a collector returned it in 1928. Today it is on display in the Hokitika Museum. Call in there too and complete your West Coast history tour.

Things wear out with overuse but, paradoxically; if you don’t use it you can lose it! At least that’s what my doctor tells me! The same is true of diesel engines on boats; the more they sit around without regular running, the more headaches they cause and one of the most common is water in the fuel. Ironically life is dependent on water but it also has a sinister side.

Mark Pedersen of ENTECH in Stoke, Nelson’s engine and fuel specialists, said that water in the diesel often goes unnoticed by boat owners until damage is done and then remedial work is required. He said the problem can manifest itself in a number of ways: engine blowing smoke, general running problems, difficulty in starting, right down to injectors sticking or seizing altogether.

“After a while, the seals and o-rings wear out and the pump leaks,” Mark says. “It is better to let us service your pumps and engines on a regular basis and eliminate these problems before they create damage.” He says they have opened up some

pumps to find them completely rusty on the inside and seized.

ENTECH in the Heslop’s Centre in the Wakatu Industrial Estate Stoke is equipped to handle all marine diesel engines, from the little putt-putts used in yachts through to the big 4,500 HP engines used in Talley’s trawlers. ENTECH also services and repairs gensets. They are certified Bosch service agents, having recently undergone an extensive inspection, assessment and recalibration from Bosch Australia and also service agents for Denso, Delphi, Stanadyne and Zexel.

Mark said the company is structured to handle all size jobs because it has three key divisions:

• The Fuel Shop – services, repairs and overhauls fuel pumps and has an extensive parts department. What’s not in stock can be sourced from Australia, Singapore or the UK, usually within 2-5 days

• Marine Maintenance – specialist marine engineer, Mark Cooper, handles all the general marine maintenance, much of it off site. He’ll travel

virtually anywhere to sort out customer’s problems, from the local marina to around the Top of the South and down the Coast.

• The Engine Shop – handles the big jobs like engine rebuilds and repairs

Mark is only too willing to discuss any queries because he says an ounce of prevention can save a pound of cure.

“We are perfectly situated to handle all requirements, so it makes sense to let us take the potential stress off boat owner’s shoulders by keeping all servicing and maintenance checks up to date.” ENTECH utilizes current modern technology and staff pride themselves on their ability to provide efficient, professional service to exacting standards.

“Because we are authorised dealers for all major brands, we have all the special tooling required and access to information, such as test plans and parts breakdowns to set pumps up to manufacturers’ specifications,” says Mark.

If you own a marine diesel, give ENTECH a call now.

ENTECH – 7 Kotua Place, Wakatu Industrial Estate Stoke – freephone 0800 533 300.

[email protected]

ENTECH – The Marine Diesel TroubleshootersBy Daryl Crimp

The capable crew at ENTECH.

Left to right: Phillip Wells, Ron Williamson, Tony Phyn, Karl Jones, Sam Dick, (kneeling) Mark Pedersen.

ThE fishiNg PAPEr24 www.thefishingpaper.co.nz

McCashin’s Brewery &Motueka RSA fishing Contest

18, 19 & 20 January 2013Venue Motueka RSA Car Park

Weigh-in1pm—3pm Sunday 20 January

• $1500 for heaviest snapper over 9.06 kgs

• $400 for the average weight snapper

• Plenty of great spot prizes

• Adults have 8 prize categories ($25 entry)

• Juniors (12 and under) have 5 categories ($5)

Fish auction with proceeds going to Nelson Marine Radio.

Entry forms available from Richmond and Motueka sports shops, McCashin’s Brewery, and Motueka RSA.

BBQ, refreshments, bouncy castle, fi sh hat competition and raffl es.

for full details check out the Motueka RSA website

at www.sportsground.co.nz/motuekarsafi shingclub

Due to an addition to the family and a tight budget, it had been a long time since I had been away, but Friday 2 November saw me headed south from Nelson to Coleridge for a long awaited weekend away. I was meeting a mate from Christchurch but travel delays meant I caught up to Kent just before the

lake turn off and we stopped for a celebratory beer before heading to set up camp.

We found some reasonable shelter amongst the scrub and sorted a feed. Luckily the season didn’t open until Saturday, so there was no pressure to try and battle the wind for a fish. The forecast was for the weather to change

to the south overnight and the wind to drop away, which it duly did.

The morning dawned wet as expected, however, the change in direction brought down a fresh dusting of snow that adversely affected the temperature. After breakfast, Kent and I got in the truck and went to the head of the lake. The reasons were two-fold: we needed the heater and I hadn’t been there before. We drove to the end of the canal where it meets the lake and I dug out my spinning rod and cast a lure diagonally across the end of the canal. When the lure got to the bank there was a fish in hot pursuit, however, on that occasion it chose not to take it.

After about another dozen casts, a (the same?) fish followed it in again. This time it took the lure and we were into it. A short battle ensued and with a mix of good luck, drag adjustment and ineptness, I got the fish to the shore. Typically unprepared and with no landing net, I did a quick assessment of the terrain and decided the best course of action was just to turn around and drag the fish up the bank. SUCCESS - my first Lake Coleridge fish, a 1.49kg brown trout. I was stoked.

We ended up on the lake later in the morning in the dinghy and Kent managed to land a 1kg rainbow; two on the scoreboard and it was Kent’s first competition fish as well.

With the inimitable Crimpy doing the prize giving, it was a great weekend and with a bit of luck, I will get back there again next year.

A big thanks to Hamills, Fish & Game, CD/Okuma and The Fishing Paper for a great event.

opening Day Competition Good Therapy By Scott CarpenterSingle and happy with it -

a concept that might strike a chord with confirmed bachelor fishermen. You fish when and where you want, there are no time limits and zero pressure to get other stuff done, “before you go out that door!”

That last phrase is likely to give rise to a shudder or two in some quarters. It can mean the end to your perfectly planned day. By the time you’ve got the lawns done, torn down the old chook house, got rid of that stuff from around the back of the shed, tidied the garage and done a dump run, the day’s shot.

But if you thought this was going to be a diatribe against the idea of marriage you are mistaken.

The single status I would like to see promulgated and taken up by all trout anglers is the single hook. In the true spirit of our pioneering forbears, fish should have a sporting chance; the single hook helps to provide that.

Some squeeze down the barb and others even snip the hook off completely, their premise is that when they ‘rise’ the fish to their well presented pattern, they’ve had success.

These conservative practices speak to the way an angler views salmo trutta, the brown trout. He or she places this beautiful creature on a pedestal, attaching high value to the fish and the recreational angling experience it offers. But we’re in a shekel driven, user pays system and many people feel driven to take and use. There has to be a monetary value to absolutely everything.

They say, “We drove all the way here, dragging the boat, there was all that fuel we had to pay for, including in the boat and all that gear – lead lines, lures and so forth, so sure – we’re gonna take whatever we get. Reckon those two fish came to $137.56 each, when you take all that into account!”

There will always be

Philistines. Many will make sure the ‘rods’ are in their favour by using treble hooks – but to my way of thinking, treble hooks should be outlawed. We’re not that desperate to take fish surely? It’s not as if we have to eat them to survive.

If fish taken on treble hooks are small, they’ll be mangled in the unhooking process and die after release. Their blood is likely to leave a trail for the eels.

At the other end of the scale, a fine trout, finning quietly undisturbed in a pristine waterway is an object for our muse and imaginings. The least you can do for the trout is use a single hook.

Snip off two from the treble, or change it to a single and please catch and release with wet hands, or a wet cloth.

Acclimatised fish should be angled for with a single hook, in the spirit of those who had the passion and persistence to get the sporting fish established in this wonderful country.

I wonder if you have similar thoughts – are you into ‘single and happy?’

Single and Happy

Coastlines By Ivan Wilson

Phone: 03 525 9438 • 027 613 6873 • www.wildcatcharters.co.nz

Book our 1 or 2 night fi shing packages and enjoy the fun

Another happy angler

Hook into some fresh fi sh for the BBQ!

Ask about our vouchers

38 Grove Road, Blenheim - 03 578 [email protected]

For all your fishing, boating, chandlery, clothing, pool and

spa equipmentAlex Corke of Nelson with his first ever trout, caught on a gold spoon, in the dark at the Wai-iti

confluence. The chunky female brown searun fought like hell and even leapt clear of the water a couple of times before Alex got it under control. Alex was fishing late spring when there is plenty of searun activity and was thrilled with his 4lb 12oz catch, although the trout was none too pleased at being hooked.

A Corker Catch By Daryl Crimp

25www.thefishingpaper.co.nz ThE fishiNg PAPEr

31 Stuart StreetBlenheimPhone 03 5788793Fax 03 5788028sales@roofl inemarlborough.co.nz

“Finish on Top with Roofl ine Marlborough”gateway to blue cod and giant sounds snapper

“Finish on Top with Freeman Roofi ng”

4 Elms StreetStoke, NelsonPhone 03 5443108Fax 03 5443109sales@freemanroofi ng.co.nz

golden sands, scallops and kingfi sh

42 J.B.Cullen DriveAshburton Business EstatePhone 03 3070593Fax 03 307 [email protected]

66 Racecourse RoadWashdyke, TimaruPhone 03 6887224Fax 03 [email protected]

“The name says it all”the best salmon, trout and hunting in your backyard

WE’VE GOT YOU COVERED

The BIG family of roofi ng professionals!

65 Main South RoadGreen Island, DunedinPhone 03 4882881Fax 03 4882661sales@roofi ngsoluti ons.co.nz

“Home of the Roofi ng Gurus”big cod, big trout, and big stags

www.thefishingpaper.co.nz26 ThE fishiNg PAPEr

From Westport: Greymouth +05 minutes Hokitika +10 minutes Karamea +35 minutes Whanganui Inlet -1 hour 05 minutes

From Nelson: Picton is -47 minutes on the high tides and -1 hour 19 minutes on the low tide Elaine Bay -35 minutes Stephens Island -30 minutes Collingwood -25 minutes Croisilles Harbour -18 minutes on the high tides and -02 minutes on the low tides

From Akaroa: Kaikoura +1 hour 08 minutes on the high tides and +1 hour on the low tides Lyttelton +43 minutes on the high tides and +42 minutes on the low tides Moeraki -1 hour 08 minutes on the high tides and -35 minutes on the low tides

FISHING WITH CRIMPY

SATURDAY MORNINGS | 7 - 7.30

NELSON • 1341 AMMARLBOROUGH • 92.1 FM

WEST COAST • 98.7 FM

NELSON • 1341 AMMARLBOROUGH • 92.1 FM WEST COAST • 98.7 FMJANUARY 2013

Westport Nelson Havelock

Waimakariri Mouth Akaroa Rakaia Mouth

Tidal data supplied by OceanFun Publishing Ltd www.ofu.co.nz

01:49 3.0 07:53 0.5 14:03 3.0 20:17 0.502:26 2.9 08:30 0.6 14:42 3.0 20:57 0.503:06 2.9 09:11 0.6 15:25 2.9 21:42 0.603:51 2.8 09:59 0.7 16:15 2.8 22:34 0.704:44 2.7 10:56 0.8 17:15 2.8 23:34 0.705:47 2.7 12:03 0.8 18:23 2.800:41 0.7 06:57 2.7 13:15 0.7 19:33 2.801:50 0.7 08:07 2.8 14:23 0.6 20:40 2.902:55 0.6 09:12 3.0 15:26 0.5 21:43 3.003:55 0.4 10:12 3.1 16:24 0.3 22:41 3.204:51 0.3 11:06 3.3 17:18 0.2 23:35 3.305:42 0.2 11:57 3.4 18:09 0.100:26 3.3 06:31 0.1 12:46 3.4 18:58 0.101:14 3.3 07:18 0.1 13:32 3.4 19:45 0.102:01 3.3 08:04 0.2 14:18 3.3 20:32 0.202:46 3.1 08:49 0.3 15:05 3.2 21:19 0.403:32 3.0 09:36 0.5 15:52 3.0 22:07 0.604:19 2.8 10:26 0.7 16:43 2.8 22:58 0.805:11 2.6 11:21 0.9 17:38 2.6 23:53 0.906:08 2.5 12:22 1.0 18:37 2.500:53 1.0 07:10 2.5 13:26 1.0 19:38 2.501:54 1.0 08:13 2.5 14:26 1.0 20:37 2.502:52 1.0 09:10 2.6 15:20 0.9 21:31 2.603:43 0.9 09:59 2.7 16:07 0.8 22:18 2.704:28 0.8 10:41 2.8 16:49 0.7 23:00 2.805:08 0.6 11:20 2.9 17:28 0.5 23:39 2.905:46 0.5 11:56 3.0 18:05 0.400:16 3.0 06:21 0.4 12:31 3.1 18:41 0.400:52 3.1 06:56 0.4 13:06 3.2 19:17 0.301:27 3.1 07:31 0.4 13:42 3.2 19:54 0.302:03 3.1 08:08 0.4 14:19 3.1 20:34 0.4

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00:50 3.9 06:43 0.7 13:07 4.0 19:07 0.701:28 3.9 07:17 0.7 13:42 3.9 19:46 0.802:06 3.8 07:54 0.8 14:21 3.8 20:29 0.802:47 3.7 08:36 0.9 15:05 3.7 21:17 0.903:33 3.6 09:25 1.1 15:59 3.6 22:11 1.004:27 3.5 10:27 1.2 17:03 3.5 23:14 1.105:33 3.5 11:45 1.3 18:14 3.500:25 1.1 06:50 3.5 13:08 1.2 19:26 3.501:38 1.0 08:07 3.7 14:19 1.0 20:34 3.702:47 0.8 09:12 3.9 15:18 0.7 21:36 3.903:47 0.6 10:08 4.2 16:11 0.5 22:32 4.004:41 0.4 10:57 4.4 16:59 0.4 23:24 4.205:29 0.3 11:42 4.5 17:46 0.300:11 4.2 06:13 0.3 12:25 4.5 18:30 0.400:56 4.2 06:54 0.3 13:07 4.4 19:13 0.501:39 4.1 07:34 0.5 13:48 4.2 19:55 0.702:20 3.9 08:14 0.7 14:31 4.0 20:37 0.903:02 3.7 08:56 1.0 15:15 3.7 21:20 1.103:45 3.5 09:43 1.2 16:04 3.5 22:09 1.304:36 3.3 10:44 1.4 17:00 3.3 23:05 1.405:38 3.1 12:01 1.5 18:02 3.200:13 1.5 06:56 3.1 13:16 1.5 19:09 3.201:27 1.5 08:13 3.2 14:17 1.4 20:12 3.202:33 1.4 09:10 3.4 15:05 1.2 21:08 3.403:25 1.2 09:54 3.6 15:47 1.0 21:56 3.504:08 1.0 10:32 3.8 16:25 0.9 22:39 3.704:44 0.8 11:06 4.0 17:00 0.7 23:18 3.905:18 0.7 11:39 4.1 17:35 0.6 23:56 4.005:51 0.6 12:12 4.2 18:10 0.500:32 4.0 06:23 0.5 12:46 4.2 18:46 0.501:08 4.1 06:57 0.5 13:21 4.1 19:24 0.6

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00:36 2.9 06:10 0.7 12:53 3.0 18:34 0.701:14 2.9 06:44 0.7 13:28 2.9 19:13 0.801:52 2.8 07:21 0.8 14:07 2.8 19:56 0.802:33 2.8 08:03 0.8 14:51 2.8 20:44 0.803:19 2.7 08:52 1.0 15:45 2.7 21:38 0.904:13 2.6 09:54 1.0 16:49 2.6 22:41 1.005:19 2.6 11:12 1.1 18:00 2.6 23:52 1.006:36 2.6 12:35 1.0 19:12 2.601:05 0.9 07:53 2.8 13:46 0.9 20:20 2.802:14 0.8 08:58 2.9 14:45 0.7 21:22 2.903:14 0.6 09:54 3.1 15:38 0.6 22:18 3.004:08 0.5 10:43 3.2 16:26 0.5 23:10 3.104:56 0.4 11:28 3.3 17:13 0.4 23:57 3.105:40 0.4 12:11 3.3 17:57 0.500:42 3.1 06:21 0.4 12:53 3.2 18:40 0.601:25 3.0 07:01 0.6 13:34 3.1 19:22 0.702:06 2.9 07:41 0.7 14:17 3.0 20:04 0.802:48 2.8 08:23 0.9 15:01 2.8 20:47 1.003:31 2.6 09:10 1.0 15:50 2.6 21:36 1.104:22 2.5 10:11 1.2 16:46 2.5 22:32 1.205:24 2.3 11:28 1.2 17:48 2.4 23:40 1.206:42 2.3 12:43 1.2 18:55 2.400:54 1.2 07:59 2.4 13:44 1.2 19:58 2.402:00 1.2 08:56 2.5 14:32 1.0 20:54 2.502:52 1.0 09:40 2.7 15:14 0.9 21:42 2.603:35 0.9 10:18 2.8 15:52 0.8 22:25 2.804:11 0.8 10:52 3.0 16:27 0.7 23:04 2.904:45 0.7 11:25 3.0 17:02 0.6 23:42 3.005:18 0.6 11:58 3.1 17:37 0.600:18 3.0 05:50 0.6 12:32 3.1 18:13 0.600:54 3.0 06:24 0.6 13:07 3.0 18:51 0.6

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02:05 0.6 08:17 2.2 14:33 0.6 20:42 2.102:47 0.6 09:00 2.2 15:15 0.6 21:27 2.103:31 0.6 09:45 2.2 16:00 0.6 22:12 2.104:17 0.6 10:32 2.2 16:47 0.6 22:59 2.205:07 0.6 11:20 2.2 17:36 0.5 23:48 2.206:01 0.6 12:11 2.2 18:27 0.500:41 2.3 06:57 0.5 13:05 2.3 19:20 0.401:37 2.3 07:55 0.5 14:01 2.3 20:15 0.402:36 2.4 08:54 0.4 14:59 2.4 21:13 0.303:35 2.5 09:53 0.3 15:57 2.4 22:12 0.304:34 2.6 10:51 0.3 16:55 2.5 23:12 0.205:31 2.6 11:47 0.2 17:53 2.500:09 0.2 06:26 2.6 12:43 0.2 18:50 2.501:05 0.2 07:21 2.6 13:36 0.2 19:46 2.501:58 0.2 08:15 2.6 14:29 0.2 20:42 2.402:51 0.3 09:08 2.5 15:22 0.3 21:35 2.403:43 0.4 10:01 2.4 16:14 0.4 22:28 2.304:36 0.5 10:53 2.3 17:06 0.5 23:19 2.305:30 0.6 11:45 2.2 17:58 0.500:11 2.2 06:24 0.6 12:36 2.1 18:49 0.601:02 2.2 07:18 0.7 13:27 2.1 19:39 0.601:54 2.1 08:11 0.7 14:17 2.1 20:27 0.602:45 2.1 09:00 0.7 15:05 2.1 21:15 0.603:33 2.1 09:47 0.7 15:51 2.1 22:01 0.604:18 2.2 10:32 0.7 16:35 2.1 22:46 0.605:00 2.2 11:15 0.6 17:17 2.1 23:30 0.605:41 2.2 11:56 0.6 17:59 2.100:12 0.6 06:21 2.2 12:38 0.6 18:42 2.100:54 0.5 07:03 2.3 13:19 0.6 19:26 2.201:37 0.5 07:46 2.3 14:02 0.5 20:11 2.202:20 0.5 08:31 2.3 14:46 0.5 20:58 2.2

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01:13 0.8 07:24 2.2 13:41 0.8 19:49 2.101:55 0.8 08:07 2.2 14:23 0.8 20:34 2.102:39 0.8 08:52 2.2 15:08 0.8 21:19 2.103:25 0.8 09:39 2.2 15:55 0.8 22:06 2.204:15 0.8 10:27 2.2 16:44 0.7 22:55 2.205:09 0.8 11:18 2.2 17:35 0.7 23:48 2.306:05 0.7 12:12 2.3 18:28 0.600:44 2.3 07:03 0.7 13:08 2.3 19:23 0.601:43 2.4 08:02 0.6 14:06 2.4 20:21 0.602:42 2.5 09:01 0.6 15:04 2.4 21:20 0.603:41 2.6 09:59 0.6 16:02 2.5 22:20 0.504:38 2.6 10:55 0.5 17:00 2.5 23:17 0.505:33 2.6 11:51 0.5 17:57 2.500:13 0.5 06:28 2.6 12:44 0.5 18:53 2.501:06 0.5 07:22 2.6 13:37 0.5 19:49 2.401:59 0.6 08:15 2.5 14:30 0.6 20:42 2.402:51 0.6 09:08 2.4 15:22 0.6 21:35 2.303:44 0.7 10:00 2.3 16:14 0.7 22:26 2.304:38 0.8 10:52 2.2 17:06 0.7 23:18 2.205:32 0.8 11:43 2.1 17:57 0.800:09 2.2 06:26 0.9 12:34 2.1 18:47 0.801:01 2.1 07:19 0.9 13:24 2.1 19:35 0.801:52 2.1 08:08 0.9 14:12 2.1 20:23 0.802:40 2.1 08:55 0.9 14:58 2.1 21:09 0.803:25 2.2 09:40 0.9 15:42 2.1 21:54 0.804:07 2.2 10:23 0.8 16:24 2.1 22:38 0.804:48 2.2 11:04 0.8 17:06 2.1 23:20 0.805:28 2.2 11:46 0.8 17:49 2.100:02 0.7 06:10 2.3 12:27 0.8 18:33 2.200:45 0.7 06:53 2.3 13:10 0.7 19:18 2.201:28 0.7 07:38 2.3 13:54 0.7 20:05 2.2

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01:09 0.6 07:21 2.2 13:37 0.6 19:46 2.101:51 0.6 08:04 2.2 14:19 0.6 20:31 2.102:35 0.6 08:49 2.2 15:04 0.6 21:16 2.103:21 0.6 09:36 2.2 15:51 0.6 22:03 2.204:11 0.6 10:24 2.2 16:40 0.5 22:52 2.205:05 0.6 11:15 2.2 17:31 0.5 23:45 2.306:01 0.5 12:09 2.3 18:24 0.400:41 2.3 06:59 0.5 13:05 2.3 19:19 0.401:40 2.4 07:58 0.4 14:03 2.4 20:17 0.302:39 2.5 08:57 0.3 15:01 2.4 21:16 0.303:38 2.6 09:55 0.3 15:59 2.5 22:16 0.204:35 2.6 10:51 0.2 16:57 2.5 23:13 0.205:30 2.6 11:47 0.2 17:54 2.500:09 0.2 06:25 2.6 12:40 0.2 18:50 2.501:02 0.2 07:19 2.6 13:33 0.2 19:46 2.401:55 0.3 08:12 2.5 14:26 0.3 20:39 2.402:47 0.4 09:05 2.4 15:18 0.4 21:32 2.303:40 0.5 09:57 2.3 16:10 0.5 22:23 2.304:34 0.6 10:49 2.2 17:02 0.5 23:15 2.205:28 0.6 11:40 2.1 17:53 0.600:06 2.2 06:22 0.7 12:31 2.1 18:43 0.600:58 2.1 07:15 0.7 13:21 2.1 19:31 0.601:49 2.1 08:04 0.7 14:09 2.1 20:19 0.602:37 2.1 08:51 0.7 14:55 2.1 21:05 0.603:22 2.2 09:36 0.7 15:39 2.1 21:50 0.604:04 2.2 10:19 0.6 16:21 2.1 22:34 0.604:45 2.2 11:00 0.6 17:03 2.1 23:16 0.605:25 2.2 11:42 0.6 17:46 2.1 23:58 0.506:07 2.3 12:23 0.6 18:30 2.200:41 0.5 06:50 2.3 13:06 0.5 19:15 2.201:24 0.5 07:35 2.3 13:50 0.5 20:02 2.2

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JANUARY 2013Westport Nelson Havelock

Waimakariri Mouth Akaroa Rakaia Mouth

Tidal data supplied by OceanFun Publishing Ltd www.ofu.co.nz

01:49 3.0 07:53 0.5 14:03 3.0 20:17 0.502:26 2.9 08:30 0.6 14:42 3.0 20:57 0.503:06 2.9 09:11 0.6 15:25 2.9 21:42 0.603:51 2.8 09:59 0.7 16:15 2.8 22:34 0.704:44 2.7 10:56 0.8 17:15 2.8 23:34 0.705:47 2.7 12:03 0.8 18:23 2.800:41 0.7 06:57 2.7 13:15 0.7 19:33 2.801:50 0.7 08:07 2.8 14:23 0.6 20:40 2.902:55 0.6 09:12 3.0 15:26 0.5 21:43 3.003:55 0.4 10:12 3.1 16:24 0.3 22:41 3.204:51 0.3 11:06 3.3 17:18 0.2 23:35 3.305:42 0.2 11:57 3.4 18:09 0.100:26 3.3 06:31 0.1 12:46 3.4 18:58 0.101:14 3.3 07:18 0.1 13:32 3.4 19:45 0.102:01 3.3 08:04 0.2 14:18 3.3 20:32 0.202:46 3.1 08:49 0.3 15:05 3.2 21:19 0.403:32 3.0 09:36 0.5 15:52 3.0 22:07 0.604:19 2.8 10:26 0.7 16:43 2.8 22:58 0.805:11 2.6 11:21 0.9 17:38 2.6 23:53 0.906:08 2.5 12:22 1.0 18:37 2.500:53 1.0 07:10 2.5 13:26 1.0 19:38 2.501:54 1.0 08:13 2.5 14:26 1.0 20:37 2.502:52 1.0 09:10 2.6 15:20 0.9 21:31 2.603:43 0.9 09:59 2.7 16:07 0.8 22:18 2.704:28 0.8 10:41 2.8 16:49 0.7 23:00 2.805:08 0.6 11:20 2.9 17:28 0.5 23:39 2.905:46 0.5 11:56 3.0 18:05 0.400:16 3.0 06:21 0.4 12:31 3.1 18:41 0.400:52 3.1 06:56 0.4 13:06 3.2 19:17 0.301:27 3.1 07:31 0.4 13:42 3.2 19:54 0.302:03 3.1 08:08 0.4 14:19 3.1 20:34 0.4

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00:50 3.9 06:43 0.7 13:07 4.0 19:07 0.701:28 3.9 07:17 0.7 13:42 3.9 19:46 0.802:06 3.8 07:54 0.8 14:21 3.8 20:29 0.802:47 3.7 08:36 0.9 15:05 3.7 21:17 0.903:33 3.6 09:25 1.1 15:59 3.6 22:11 1.004:27 3.5 10:27 1.2 17:03 3.5 23:14 1.105:33 3.5 11:45 1.3 18:14 3.500:25 1.1 06:50 3.5 13:08 1.2 19:26 3.501:38 1.0 08:07 3.7 14:19 1.0 20:34 3.702:47 0.8 09:12 3.9 15:18 0.7 21:36 3.903:47 0.6 10:08 4.2 16:11 0.5 22:32 4.004:41 0.4 10:57 4.4 16:59 0.4 23:24 4.205:29 0.3 11:42 4.5 17:46 0.300:11 4.2 06:13 0.3 12:25 4.5 18:30 0.400:56 4.2 06:54 0.3 13:07 4.4 19:13 0.501:39 4.1 07:34 0.5 13:48 4.2 19:55 0.702:20 3.9 08:14 0.7 14:31 4.0 20:37 0.903:02 3.7 08:56 1.0 15:15 3.7 21:20 1.103:45 3.5 09:43 1.2 16:04 3.5 22:09 1.304:36 3.3 10:44 1.4 17:00 3.3 23:05 1.405:38 3.1 12:01 1.5 18:02 3.200:13 1.5 06:56 3.1 13:16 1.5 19:09 3.201:27 1.5 08:13 3.2 14:17 1.4 20:12 3.202:33 1.4 09:10 3.4 15:05 1.2 21:08 3.403:25 1.2 09:54 3.6 15:47 1.0 21:56 3.504:08 1.0 10:32 3.8 16:25 0.9 22:39 3.704:44 0.8 11:06 4.0 17:00 0.7 23:18 3.905:18 0.7 11:39 4.1 17:35 0.6 23:56 4.005:51 0.6 12:12 4.2 18:10 0.500:32 4.0 06:23 0.5 12:46 4.2 18:46 0.501:08 4.1 06:57 0.5 13:21 4.1 19:24 0.6

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00:36 2.9 06:10 0.7 12:53 3.0 18:34 0.701:14 2.9 06:44 0.7 13:28 2.9 19:13 0.801:52 2.8 07:21 0.8 14:07 2.8 19:56 0.802:33 2.8 08:03 0.8 14:51 2.8 20:44 0.803:19 2.7 08:52 1.0 15:45 2.7 21:38 0.904:13 2.6 09:54 1.0 16:49 2.6 22:41 1.005:19 2.6 11:12 1.1 18:00 2.6 23:52 1.006:36 2.6 12:35 1.0 19:12 2.601:05 0.9 07:53 2.8 13:46 0.9 20:20 2.802:14 0.8 08:58 2.9 14:45 0.7 21:22 2.903:14 0.6 09:54 3.1 15:38 0.6 22:18 3.004:08 0.5 10:43 3.2 16:26 0.5 23:10 3.104:56 0.4 11:28 3.3 17:13 0.4 23:57 3.105:40 0.4 12:11 3.3 17:57 0.500:42 3.1 06:21 0.4 12:53 3.2 18:40 0.601:25 3.0 07:01 0.6 13:34 3.1 19:22 0.702:06 2.9 07:41 0.7 14:17 3.0 20:04 0.802:48 2.8 08:23 0.9 15:01 2.8 20:47 1.003:31 2.6 09:10 1.0 15:50 2.6 21:36 1.104:22 2.5 10:11 1.2 16:46 2.5 22:32 1.205:24 2.3 11:28 1.2 17:48 2.4 23:40 1.206:42 2.3 12:43 1.2 18:55 2.400:54 1.2 07:59 2.4 13:44 1.2 19:58 2.402:00 1.2 08:56 2.5 14:32 1.0 20:54 2.502:52 1.0 09:40 2.7 15:14 0.9 21:42 2.603:35 0.9 10:18 2.8 15:52 0.8 22:25 2.804:11 0.8 10:52 3.0 16:27 0.7 23:04 2.904:45 0.7 11:25 3.0 17:02 0.6 23:42 3.005:18 0.6 11:58 3.1 17:37 0.600:18 3.0 05:50 0.6 12:32 3.1 18:13 0.600:54 3.0 06:24 0.6 13:07 3.0 18:51 0.6

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02:05 0.6 08:17 2.2 14:33 0.6 20:42 2.102:47 0.6 09:00 2.2 15:15 0.6 21:27 2.103:31 0.6 09:45 2.2 16:00 0.6 22:12 2.104:17 0.6 10:32 2.2 16:47 0.6 22:59 2.205:07 0.6 11:20 2.2 17:36 0.5 23:48 2.206:01 0.6 12:11 2.2 18:27 0.500:41 2.3 06:57 0.5 13:05 2.3 19:20 0.401:37 2.3 07:55 0.5 14:01 2.3 20:15 0.402:36 2.4 08:54 0.4 14:59 2.4 21:13 0.303:35 2.5 09:53 0.3 15:57 2.4 22:12 0.304:34 2.6 10:51 0.3 16:55 2.5 23:12 0.205:31 2.6 11:47 0.2 17:53 2.500:09 0.2 06:26 2.6 12:43 0.2 18:50 2.501:05 0.2 07:21 2.6 13:36 0.2 19:46 2.501:58 0.2 08:15 2.6 14:29 0.2 20:42 2.402:51 0.3 09:08 2.5 15:22 0.3 21:35 2.403:43 0.4 10:01 2.4 16:14 0.4 22:28 2.304:36 0.5 10:53 2.3 17:06 0.5 23:19 2.305:30 0.6 11:45 2.2 17:58 0.500:11 2.2 06:24 0.6 12:36 2.1 18:49 0.601:02 2.2 07:18 0.7 13:27 2.1 19:39 0.601:54 2.1 08:11 0.7 14:17 2.1 20:27 0.602:45 2.1 09:00 0.7 15:05 2.1 21:15 0.603:33 2.1 09:47 0.7 15:51 2.1 22:01 0.604:18 2.2 10:32 0.7 16:35 2.1 22:46 0.605:00 2.2 11:15 0.6 17:17 2.1 23:30 0.605:41 2.2 11:56 0.6 17:59 2.100:12 0.6 06:21 2.2 12:38 0.6 18:42 2.100:54 0.5 07:03 2.3 13:19 0.6 19:26 2.201:37 0.5 07:46 2.3 14:02 0.5 20:11 2.202:20 0.5 08:31 2.3 14:46 0.5 20:58 2.2

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01:13 0.8 07:24 2.2 13:41 0.8 19:49 2.101:55 0.8 08:07 2.2 14:23 0.8 20:34 2.102:39 0.8 08:52 2.2 15:08 0.8 21:19 2.103:25 0.8 09:39 2.2 15:55 0.8 22:06 2.204:15 0.8 10:27 2.2 16:44 0.7 22:55 2.205:09 0.8 11:18 2.2 17:35 0.7 23:48 2.306:05 0.7 12:12 2.3 18:28 0.600:44 2.3 07:03 0.7 13:08 2.3 19:23 0.601:43 2.4 08:02 0.6 14:06 2.4 20:21 0.602:42 2.5 09:01 0.6 15:04 2.4 21:20 0.603:41 2.6 09:59 0.6 16:02 2.5 22:20 0.504:38 2.6 10:55 0.5 17:00 2.5 23:17 0.505:33 2.6 11:51 0.5 17:57 2.500:13 0.5 06:28 2.6 12:44 0.5 18:53 2.501:06 0.5 07:22 2.6 13:37 0.5 19:49 2.401:59 0.6 08:15 2.5 14:30 0.6 20:42 2.402:51 0.6 09:08 2.4 15:22 0.6 21:35 2.303:44 0.7 10:00 2.3 16:14 0.7 22:26 2.304:38 0.8 10:52 2.2 17:06 0.7 23:18 2.205:32 0.8 11:43 2.1 17:57 0.800:09 2.2 06:26 0.9 12:34 2.1 18:47 0.801:01 2.1 07:19 0.9 13:24 2.1 19:35 0.801:52 2.1 08:08 0.9 14:12 2.1 20:23 0.802:40 2.1 08:55 0.9 14:58 2.1 21:09 0.803:25 2.2 09:40 0.9 15:42 2.1 21:54 0.804:07 2.2 10:23 0.8 16:24 2.1 22:38 0.804:48 2.2 11:04 0.8 17:06 2.1 23:20 0.805:28 2.2 11:46 0.8 17:49 2.100:02 0.7 06:10 2.3 12:27 0.8 18:33 2.200:45 0.7 06:53 2.3 13:10 0.7 19:18 2.201:28 0.7 07:38 2.3 13:54 0.7 20:05 2.2

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01:09 0.6 07:21 2.2 13:37 0.6 19:46 2.101:51 0.6 08:04 2.2 14:19 0.6 20:31 2.102:35 0.6 08:49 2.2 15:04 0.6 21:16 2.103:21 0.6 09:36 2.2 15:51 0.6 22:03 2.204:11 0.6 10:24 2.2 16:40 0.5 22:52 2.205:05 0.6 11:15 2.2 17:31 0.5 23:45 2.306:01 0.5 12:09 2.3 18:24 0.400:41 2.3 06:59 0.5 13:05 2.3 19:19 0.401:40 2.4 07:58 0.4 14:03 2.4 20:17 0.302:39 2.5 08:57 0.3 15:01 2.4 21:16 0.303:38 2.6 09:55 0.3 15:59 2.5 22:16 0.204:35 2.6 10:51 0.2 16:57 2.5 23:13 0.205:30 2.6 11:47 0.2 17:54 2.500:09 0.2 06:25 2.6 12:40 0.2 18:50 2.501:02 0.2 07:19 2.6 13:33 0.2 19:46 2.401:55 0.3 08:12 2.5 14:26 0.3 20:39 2.402:47 0.4 09:05 2.4 15:18 0.4 21:32 2.303:40 0.5 09:57 2.3 16:10 0.5 22:23 2.304:34 0.6 10:49 2.2 17:02 0.5 23:15 2.205:28 0.6 11:40 2.1 17:53 0.600:06 2.2 06:22 0.7 12:31 2.1 18:43 0.600:58 2.1 07:15 0.7 13:21 2.1 19:31 0.601:49 2.1 08:04 0.7 14:09 2.1 20:19 0.602:37 2.1 08:51 0.7 14:55 2.1 21:05 0.603:22 2.2 09:36 0.7 15:39 2.1 21:50 0.604:04 2.2 10:19 0.6 16:21 2.1 22:34 0.604:45 2.2 11:00 0.6 17:03 2.1 23:16 0.605:25 2.2 11:42 0.6 17:46 2.1 23:58 0.506:07 2.3 12:23 0.6 18:30 2.200:41 0.5 06:50 2.3 13:06 0.5 19:15 2.201:24 0.5 07:35 2.3 13:50 0.5 20:02 2.2

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Tide CharTJanuary 2013

Marine WeaTher 24/7

To find out what’s hot and what’s not and whose rod has a in it.

Join Crimpy and Reagan for fishing mayhem, madness and much more!

Tidal data supplied by OceanFun Publishing Ltd www.ofu.co.nz Note: Tides in chronological order. Lower daily depth = low tides. Higher daily depth = high tides.

Sudoku

AN

SW

ER

S

Harbour Views By Dave DuncanBuoyancy, Bloody Idiots and Big Bucks!

It is now after the Jolly Santa in his red suit has come

to visit and I trust he brought to all you good swimmers and fisher-folk the buoyancy and tackle you all wanted for Christmas.

Speaking of buoyancy, there is the type that helps you float and then there’s the spiritual feel-good type. Both types are extremely important to the person in the water and it is really hard to enjoy or experience either if you are now overboard, your vessel drifting away in the wind and you just know you can’t get back to it. Worse still is the sinking feeling right through the skipper of the vessel who finds himself in the water with his mates knowing their survival chances are slim.

If only he hadn’t been so confident, so casual, as to believe it couldn’t happen to them: the runabout out of fuel, the small launch capsized by a little wave, the yacht that was flattened by the sudden gust, the paddle boarder who was too cool to wear one. Man how heavy this clothing is once it gets all wet. How tough it is to see a son or daughter or young friend fade away because of the cold.

The Christmas Grinch becomes a reality when the good bloke the Harbour Master pulls up alongside and asks to see the lifejackets for each person. Of course, if they were being worn he probably wouldn’t have pulled up. It is only out of genuine concern for the passengers that he

writes the infringement of $200 per lifejacket missing, because, if the skipper hasn’t got the message by know, it’s only through punitive measures that he is ever going to get it.

(Lifejackets can be purchased for around $80.00 each, or inflatable ones for $100).

Here is the stinger, don’t you hate taking the kids out boating. I know, I Know, they don’t need to learn from responsible parents, why would you want to teach them the rules and most of all why would you want to buy them a lifejacket that fits them. Why wouldn’t you buy one they can grow into … well, with the infringement notice I can give you two hundred good reasons but let’s start with the real one.

If the life jacket is too big, it may assist in drowning the wearer, or the wearer could fall out of it.

If you care enough to purchase a life jacket in the first place, then care enough to get one that fits on the day. They do retain good value for resale, if they are looked after.

At the Harbour Masters Office , we care for you. Be good enough to care for yourselves.

Safe boating this summer and have a great New Year

If in doubt … don’t go out!

The New Zealand seafood industry welcomed the joint agreement between United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) recognising each other’s food safety systems as comparable to each other.

“The agreement is a vote of confidence in New Zealand’s food safety system and in the high quality of New Zealand’s seafood products,” says Lesley Campbell, Acting Chief Executive of Seafood New Zealand.

Ms Campbell says the agreement will mean greater commercial certainty for the seafood industry, as well as providing US consumers with even more confidence in New Zealand seafood.

“At a practical level it will reduce compliance costs and with less inspection and oversight of our products at the border we can expect those products to move more quickly into the United States.”

New Zealand exports around 10% of its seafood directly to the United States, with a value of NZ$147 million for the year ended 31 October 2012. It is our number one market for Greenshell™ Mussels with 2012 exports valued at NZ$59 million.

“The agreement is a significant achievement for New Zealand and we would like to thank both the FDA and MPI for their commitment in bringing

this historic agreement to the table,” says Ms Campbell.

The Food Safety Systems Recognition Arrangement was signed at a meeting in Washington DC by delegations from the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) and FDA in December.

“The arrangement with New Zealand is part of an overall strategy for strengthening the global food safety net through closer collaboration with regulators around the world, highlighted in FDA’s report Pathway to Global Product Safety and Quality,” FDA’s Deputy Commissioner for Food Michael R. Taylor says.

Ministry for Primary Industries Deputy Director General Standards, Carol Barnao, says both countries have done a huge amount of work ahead of this week’s signing, including a comprehensive review of each country’s relevant laws and regulations, inspection programmes, response to food-related illness and outbreaks, compliance and enforcement, and laboratory support. In one calendar year FDA and New Zealand officials spent an intensive period together, visiting production plants, cold store facilities, verifiers and accreditation authorities, looking at the effectiveness of how each others preventative controls and verification systems worked. The agreement covers all foods and animal feeds regulated by the FDA, which equates to $1.5 billion of New Zealand’s current exports of

primary products.“Systems recognition

agreements are very important for MPI to help us achieve one of our key strategic goals of maximising export opportunities through other countries’ recognition of the credibility of our food safety controls,” Ms Barnao says.

New Zealand Seafood Industry Welcomes NZ and US Food Safety Agreement

Ministry for Primary Industries Deputy Director General Standards Carol Barnao (left) and US food and Drug Administration Deputy Commissioner for food Michael R. Taylor sign a systems recognition agreement at a meeting in Washington DC.

"'I've seen George

Foreman shadow

boxing. And the

shadow won."

Muhammad Ali Quotes

Marine WeaTher 24/7

Tidal data supplied by OceanFun Publishing Ltd www.ofu.co.nz Note: Tides in chronological order. Lower daily depth = low tides. Higher daily depth = high tides.

ThE fishiNg PAPEr 27www.thefishingpaper.co.nz

Published by Coastal Media Ltd

7 Kotua Place, Wakatu Industrial Estate,

NELSON PO Box 9001,

Annesbrook, 7044, NELSONPh 03 544 7020

Fax 03 544 7040www.thefishingpaper.co.nz

EditorDaryl Crimp021 472 517

[email protected]

Sales & AdvertisingAnnette Bormolini

021 996 [email protected]

Reagan [email protected]

Graphic DesignPatrick Connor

[email protected]

PrinterGuardian Print

Deputy EditorRon Prestage

[email protected]

Contributors

The Fishing Paper & NZ 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.The Fishing Paper & New Zealand Hunting News encorporates the Top of the South Edition and The Canterbury Edition.

Daryl CrimpAli KennardIvan WilsonPoppa Mike

Ron PrestageDave DuncanMark RodenKim Swan

Steve DixonChris WestJim Jobe

Malcolm HalsteadAdam PeatSteve Terry

Ron MillichampLeo ThomasRys Barrier

Ashley CookKathy PantlingJohn DonovanScott McMillan

Paul ClarkBrad McMillan

Brett BensemannMish Sullivan

Donald SearlesGreg Gilbert

Sabrina Abdelaal SelimDwayne LawsonStuart Graham

Peter HydeDave Dixon

Cathrine PeterKarina LiveseyPeter Harker

Rachel BroughtonScott Carpenter

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Kids Soak Up Fish-out FunBy Rhys Barrier

The newly created children’s fish-out ponds in the Waimea

River Park attracted 146 eager youngsters on the official

opening weekend in December. There were smiles all

round from children and parents on the first day, with 60%

of children, assisted by experienced anglers volunteering

their time for the day, landing a fish to take home. Sports

Fishing for Youth Charitable Trust members, Nelson Trout

Club, Marlborough Freshwater Anglers Club, Jimmy’s Bait

Company, Fish & Game staff councillors and rangers,

and various other helpers all contributed to an excellent

weekend of fun.

Each child had an hour to try and catch a fish under the

tuition of volunteer anglers and was shown how to ethically

prepare their fish for the dinner table after landing it. The

weight of the fish was then recorded on a certificate issued

to each child to take home with their fish.

Sunday fishing was a bit harder, with fish being a lot

spookier after a full day of fishing activity on the Saturday,

meaning only 39% of children on Sunday landed a fish. The

next fish-out day will therefore only be run over one day, but

will start earlier in the morning to capitalise on peak feeding

activity times. The next planned event is on 26 January,

but additional fish-out days will be held this summer and

autumn. Phone Fish & Game on 03 5446382 to book your

child into one of these events.

NelsonMarlborough

Harrison Kroos with a feisty rainbow.

Canterbury’s King of KahawaiBy Sabrina Abdelaal Selim

Anthony Westerlund is a keen Canterbury fisher and a regular at the Waimak’. He particularly loves the fight kahawai put up and his extended family love eating them.

People at the Waimak’ call him he ‘Kahawai Slayer’, as he always seems to know when the right time to catch them is and where to stand in the water. When the other fishermen see him standing out in the waves they all follow him.

He also salmon fishes and generally catches about 7-10 a season.

ThE fishiNg PAPEr www.thefishingpaper.co.nz28

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with Mudgway Trailer & 90hp Mercury Outboard

www.frewzaboats.co.nzFrews Marine Ltd, 193 Bond Street- INVERCARGILL

With thirty-odd years experience fishing from the old 12ft tinny, I consider myself experienced. I don’t take risks, but have had the odd scare getting to this point.

One incident still chills me when I think of it. I was camping with friends down the Sounds and slipped away for a solo fish early one morning while the others were sleeping. I never thought to leave a note, because I was just whipping round the corner to get a feed as the sun came up.

I went a little further than I planned, on account of the sea being so flat and it just feeling good to be out there. In fact, I went right out to the entrance and fished happily for a couple of hours until the tide turned. There was a bit of a swell, but by the time the tide had really started pushing against it, it was sloppy and time to leave.

In those days I was a little cavalier and wasn’t wearing a lifejacket. I had one on board, but didn’t deem it necessary, so had it stowed. I had on jeans and because of the autumn chill, a loose fitting woollen jersey.

As I came round the point, I dropped into a hole and was thrown forward as the bow thumped into the oncoming wave. The sudden jarring caused me to lose grip on the tiller, but in doing so I accidentally twisted the throttle to almost full noise. I tried to regain my balance but the tinny was now bucking against the slop like a Mustang possessed and all my fishing gear had spilled over the deck, so that my feet felt like they were scrambling over gravel to gain purchase.

After suffering a few knocks and bruises, I managed to half stand and turn, and that’s when the next wave sealed my fate. The tinny rose up on its hind legs and canted to one side, causing me to follow through my turn and pitch headlong over the

side. For a while I was in a blind panic and struggling to make the surface. My lungs were bursting and I was thrashing blindly and using up valuable energy and oxygen. I broke the surface a couple of times and took on saltwater, which caused a coughing fit and I thought I was going to choke to death.

It was then I realised the sodden jersey and jeans were restricting movement and dragging me under, so I wrestled manically underwater to free myself from the entanglement, losing more energy. For those who have never been in such a situation, it is absolutely mind-blowing how quickly you become exhausted when struggling for survival. I was spent after minutes, but the will to live is strong and I fought to broach the surface again. I’ll never forget that haunted feeling when I realised there was worse to come. The boat was now hunting me!

Without me to steer it, the tiller had flopped over and now the tinny was on a path of endless circles – at least until the fuel ran out – and was prowling around me like a big cat. With each pass, horror of horrors, I noted that the circles were getting tighter. The tinny was homing in on me. I was buggered and it was taxing enough just treading water in jeans, but having to keep spinning just to track my predator tinny was a killer.

Eventually the tinny had a go at me, which required an explosive burst to clear its path. But it came back and again I kicked free, swallowing water as waves slopped over me. I knew it was only a matter of time now and time was rapidly running out.

Then I noticed a snake in the water. Unbelievably, the painter had come loose and was trailing the tinny – on the inside of the circle. It took two aborted attempts before I was able to clutch the rope in the right spot so that I swung against the gunwale near the stern. I think it was pure luck, but I timed it right, lunged at the throttle and managed to flick it to idle before twisting and rolling away from the prop.

It seemed an age before I was able to summon the strength to drag myself over the stern and to safety, but it was a beautiful feeling.

This story was prompted by last month’s story from Lindsay Molloy, who made the point that an accident is seldom an isolated incident but the culmination of a series of little events. Can you go back and underline those events that almost led to my demise?

The Predator Tinny and a Snake in the Water By Stuart Graham

Specialist in commercial and domestic electrical work but also he enjoys the industrial side of JLE’s operations.Originally from Nelson, Paul went to Waimea College but spent 30 years in Australia where he ran his own business. He missed New Zealand and decided to go against the trend and return home.

Martial Status – married with adult childrenHobbies – fi shing and fi shing Biggest Fish – 18-kilo kingfi sh Favourite Drink – anything in a green bottleWife’s biggest gripe about him – spends

too much time at work and not enough time fi shing with her.

Best thing about JLE – a great team who all look after each other. It’s probably one of the best companies to be working for in the electrical industry in Nelson.

Ph: 03 547 0526 – www.jle.co.nz JLE Tasman, 27A Forests Road, Stoke, Nelson

For a complete marine electrical service

PHONE US FIRST!

MARIN

E

STAFF PROFILE Paul Webb

There aren’t many men out there who were allowed to spend the day after their wedding on a overnight fishing trip with the boys. Well I was!

I ventured out with my Pommie mates for one last fishing trip at Birdlings Flats. The trip started off with a few beers and into my second beer, I saw my rod bend. So with beer in hand I struck, expecting a big one. However, my trace snapped, so I cast out again with a replacement trace.

The fish were quite unlike the Poms, not being at all sociable until round midnight, when there was another bend in my rod. I stuck once again and it was all go, with the fish stripping line. After a quick fight I thought I was ready to beach it, but she still had a bit of a fight left in her, like my wife. In the end I was able to tame her and she weighed in at 18-pounds.

Within minutes of recasting it was all go again and I caught another rig weighing in at 15-pounds. All in all it was a good weekend, marrying the perfect catch and a few rig to take home. Start marriage how you expect to carry on, I say. Fish On!

The honeymoon SweetBy Dwayne Lawson

ThE fishiNg PAPEr 29www.thefishingpaper.co.nz

Sprig & Fern Milton St

134 Milton Street

Nelson

Ph: 03 545 7117

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280 Hardy Street

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13 Beach Road

Tahunanui

Ph: 03 548 5692

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342 Tinakori Road

Thorndon Wellington

Ph: 04 499 1390

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Tahunanui Sprig & FernNOW OPEN

www.sprigandfern.co.nz

WHA

T, S ON

AT

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SPRI

G?

Smoked Fish Pie

Melt butter in pan and stir in fl our with fl at wooden spoon.Continue stirring for 1-2 minutes until the mixture is bubbly and lightly cooked without colouring the fl our (roux).Remove and allow to cool a bit.Pour milk into separate pan and bring to boil – add seasoning.Add a third of the milk to the roux and stir over heat until thickened and smooth.Add the rest of the milk a third at a time and bring to the boil each time.Turn down to a simmer and cook a further 30mins. Press one sheet of pastry into a pie dish and spread mixture of fi sh, chopped boiled eggs, peas, cooked onion and spinach evenly about the base.Pour over white sauce until covered.Top with remaining sheet of pastry and trim.Poke a couple of air vents in the pastry with a fork and baste top of pie with milk.Bake in an oven preheated to 200º C until pastry is cooked golden – 20min.

&

This is an excellent and tasty way of using up leftovers.2 sheets short crust pastry

3-400g smoked fi sh1 small onion roughly chopped and cooked4 boiled eggsCooked spinach (optional)1 cup frozen peasWhite sauce

White Sauce50g butter50g plain fl our600ml full milkSalt & pepper

Live Music

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Beer gardens

Good Feeds

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Sprig & Fern for 2013!!!

“Emmmm, smoked fi sh pie! The richness of this recipe screams Tasman Reserve Lager with its complex array of hoppy fl avours and the perfect weight to cut through the creamy white sauce & eggs. Most fi sh is well matched with lager, the rule being the more fl avoursome the fi sh, the bigger the lager required. If using smoked fi sh go for a Pale Ale. Cheers Dave.

Tasman Reserve Lager

ThE fishiNg PAPEr www.thefishingpaper.co.nz30

With Mark Roden

SpearfishingTurbidity, Carnage & Christmas Kingies

www.mpi.govt.nz

Changes to recreational set netting on the top of the East Coast of the South IslandAs of 3 January 2013 recreational fishing using set nets will be allowed in a defined area at the top of the East Coast of the South Island, subject to the following conditions:

1. Recreational set net fishing is restricted to between 3 January and 30 April 2013.

2. Fishers must stay with their nets at all times once the net is set.

3. Fishers must not set nets more than 200 metres from the high-water mark.

While the restricted time period is from 3 January to 30 April 2013, from 2014 the restricted period will be 1 January to 30 April.

For more information and a map of the defined area please visit the Ministry for Primary Industries website: http://www.fish.govt.nz/en-nz/Recreational/Fishery+Management+Areas/Challenger/Closed+and+Restricted+Areas.htm

Right on cue, the warm clear water has arrived in Tasman Bay; the ocean currents push it in from the Tasman Sea and it sits on top of the normal greenish brown water that we get for most of the year. Recent swims off the Boulder Bank and the spat farm out from Motueka show that the horizontal visibility near the surface can be up to 20m and there is a dirty layer that sits about 5m up from the bottom. It’s a strange feeling swimming down through clear water, wow this is awesome, losing buoyancy as the depth increases, then suddenly, yikes, I can’t see. The scientists call the murky water ‘turbidity’ and it’s suggested that it’s a factor in the collapse of the scallop population in Tasman Bay. It is suggested that generations of fishermen dragging dredges, nets and even purposefully ‘chaining’ any bottom structure to destroy it, has created a barren sludgy desert that nothing really wants to live in and from what we see that makes sense.

It’s not all bad news though, the murky water doesn’t seem to bother the more mobile visitors such as snapper and kingfish, however, you

do wonder if there is nothing for the snapper to eat, how long will they keep visiting? But right now there seems to be a few in the bay, although most of the snaps seem to be taken on set lines – not sure if you can even call that fishing? On our way back from the spat farm we passed down current of a fisho who had just lifted a set line and spotted a dead john dory and several small sharks floating on the surface, that’s not counting the plastic wrappers from berley bags and other detritus floating around the bay, so recreational fishers are also causing their fair share of carnage.

We’ve seen kingies off the Boulder Bank and around the spat farm, but they don’t hang around any one place very long and aren’t particularly interested in us when we’re in the water. My thinking is that if you want to troll for one, keep the lure reasonably deep and early morning, when they are still in feeding mode is probably best.

Good luck.

Kingfish in Tasman Bay just before Christmas – the one in the middle has a tag.

The Motunau community has launched an initiative to promote a voluntary bag limit of six blue cod per person per day off the Motunau coast. The legal limit is presently 10 blue cod per person from the Waimakariri River to Clarence Point, north of Kaikoura. Regular fishers off the Motunau coast have noted a decline in the number of larger blue cod and on some reefs it is becoming difficult to find blue cod above the minimum legal size limit of 30 centimetres. While some people are putting this down to the effects of earthquakes and the previous two cooler summers, others are more realistically pointing out the significant increase in the number of recreational fishers launching at Motunau.

Last summer the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) commissioned an At Sea Potting Survey, the third in the past six years. While the results are still to be released to the public, there are some concerns over the size of blue cod and in particular the lack of larger female fish. This summer will also see a Ramp Survey being conducted at the Motunau Ramp, the third over recent years. With this data, Fisheries managers from MPI are now building a good picture of the state of the Motunau blue cod fishery and, if required, will consider changes to the legal bag limit for blue cod.

Honorary Fishery Officers will again be active on the Motunau Ramp this summer. We have noted some fishers are taking blue cod closer and closer to the minimum legal size limit of 30 centimetres. I don’t have a problem with this if the cod are carefully measured and are above the legal size limit. Unfortunately, some are taking fish below 30 centimetres. If you do take undersized blue cod, even by a small margin,

you face an instant fine of $250.00.The most common instant fine issued over the

summer period is for taking undersized paua. Inexperienced paua gatherers tend to go to heavily fished areas, like the north side of the Motunau River, Wainui Bay in Akarao Harbour and the bays close to the tunnels on the Kaikoura coast. If you wade out at low tide in these areas you will find paua, but it is likely to be below the minimum legal size limit of 125 millimetres. You shouldn’t be tempted to take even a small number of these undersized paua. You need to change your location, or better still, if you are competent in the water, get yourself some dive gear and dive down a couple of metres – you will greatly enhance your chances of finding legal sized paua.

MPI have plastic paua knives with a built in paua measuring gauge. These are available free of charge from an MPI Fisheries officer.

Play by the rules and have a safe and enjoyable summer.

By Peter HydeCanterbury/Westland District Compliance Manager

Motunau Voluntary Bag Limit Promoted

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Happy New Year

Turbidity, Carnage & Christmas Kingies

During a trip back to the UK recently, I took the opportunity to go carp fishing with a good friend of mine in Somerset.

John, a fanatical angler, travels all over the world to fish for exotic species in dramatic locations, but this time we drove just a few miles down the country lanes near his home to a small lake nestled in the beautiful Blackdown Hills.

I was keen to catch my first carp over 20lbs and John felt he had just the technique for the job. He set up two powerful leger rods, rigged them with bolt rigs and secret “boilie” baits, then carefully dropped a pile of soaked pigeon seed into a narrow channel on each side of a small island by using a radio-controlled bait boat! The baited hooks were dropped in over the top and we sat back to wait. I’d read about this method in magazines, but to see it in action was quite entertaining. However, this is not really my style of fishing and after noticing a few dark shadows on the surface at the opposite end of the lake, I wandered off to investigate.

Here I found a number of big carp basking lazily in the warm sunshine and when they showed interest in the floating dog biscuits I threw towards them, I felt this was my best chance of catching a fish.

I set up a light rod capable of casting a single “Chum Mixer” without any weight or float attached and hooked on the hard bait via a hair rig. This involves tying a loop of fine line to the bend of the hook then passing this loop through a hole drilled in the biscuit. A small grass stalk is inserted into the loop as it pokes through the biscuit and the loop is pulled back trapping the stalk to stop the bait from

falling off. This leaves the bait dangling freely from the bend of the hook allowing for a good hold as the fish sucked in the bait.

Creeping quietly along the bank I cast the bait towards the nearest carp and watched with pounding heart as it glided forward and engulfed the offering with big white lips. The water erupted into foam as the furious fish tore off across the surface and my

reel screeched in protest. The first run was halted and the fish turned but now lunged for a nearby weed-bed. The rod creaked under my hand as I applied side-strain. Stopping just short of sanctuary, the carp rolled back and circled around towards me. With a little more wallowing and slapping of its tail, it was drawn into the landing net and lifted triumphantly onto the bank. At 11lbs it was a nice

‘double’ and quickly returned to sulk under the lilies.

The commotion didn’t seem to bother the other fish and three more followed all of similar size. This was good fun but it was time to let my partner Sarah catch one. I noticed a fish around 12m away with its back breaking the surface and lying directly facing me, making it difficult to gauge its size. My cast was straight but slightly long and the bait plopped gently near the tail of the fish. I expected it to spook, but it remained in position and I carefully inched the bait back until it floated ever so enticingly in front of its nose. A pair of big lips parted and with a quiet slurp the biscuit was gone. The rod swished, the carp

crashed and another bout of

watery chaos ensued. I thrust

the rod into Sarah’s hands

then just managed to grab her

before she was pulled into

the lake. The carp carved a

huge semicircle to the left and

plunged into a mass of lilies.

The pads heaved and rocked

as the fish tried to break free

but suddenly it popped out

and was heading towards us.

Surprisingly it glided straight

in and I was able to scoop it

into the net at the first attempt.

Immediately I could see it was

a ‘twenty’, big and round like a

baby pig! The scales registered

27lbs, a massive fish and very

special to take off the top.

Coarse Fishing By Dave Dixon

Carp off the Top

Sarah with a 27lb carp.

By Peter HydeCanterbury/Westland District Compliance Manager

ThE fishiNg PAPEr www.thefishingpaper.co.nz32