The trip last year to Westport ended with the tuna coming out on top. We hooked 3 and busted all 3 off with 1 big boy rolling under the boat and busting the leader. The plan was made pretty much then and there to return and do battle again.
Leaving Westport.
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Hoki boats doing their thing.
Hooked up last year. About 14 hrs fighting 3 fish for nada in 1 hard core fishing session.
After some 2 weeks of weather watching, trailer refurbishment and general organizing of ferries bait and gear, we were ready and amping to go.
We left the King Country Tuesday about 6pm to make the freight ferry at 2.30 in the morning. The trip down was a good one with little traffic and no real hassle. We met a house on a truck that had us up on the footpath for a while and we were spectators in a truck vs truck episode at the ferry terminal which was an interesting sideshow. But we were on the ferry and heading closer to Westport. Another good run had us in Westport for lunch on Wednesday.
The plan was to see Cherie at Talleys, grab our bait that we had pre-arranged. The people at Tallys have been really helpful on both of our trips with bait, ice bins and storing our fish in the chiller. That done we shot down to the servo and gabbed 460 litres of fuel. Next stop was a quick look at the bar. The bar was fine but the sea was crap 15+ knots of south-wester and whitecaps galore. A call to Steve on the Cova-Rose and the call was made to leave Thurs morning.
Thursday comes fast and in no time we are hunting the Hoki fleet. A check on AIS confirms the worst- the fleet is well south, below the hokitika trench. We decide to try a couple of Korean vessels that are close. Short and long of it was 6 hrs for no sign of tuna and dark setting in.
Its time to go all in and head South on a sea that is getting better by the hour. We find the main fleet and kiwi boats some 150kms from Westport on an oil-slick flat sea about 9.30pm.
After trying a couple of boats while they were hauling for no sign a call comes on the radio from Seabird- "There's a Russian boat about to haul are You coming". So hammer down to catch him we slide up 10 feet from the trawlers stern just as the bag is going in. Bait in and instantly we are into a fish. Seabird hooks up as well and life on the sea is suddenly very good.
Having only 2 people on board makes the hook-up and the end game very hectic, but we know what to expect and soon settled into the fight. These fish are tough but probably their cunning fight style causes the most trouble. They happily go from pulling out 20kg of drag to chasing you as you try to gain control. They bee line for other trawlers and boats, dive 400m then come straight back to the top- You name it they try it.
After 3 and 1/2 hours we are at the business end. I get a hold of the leader, Terry backs of the drag and puts the rod in the holder. When's he's sorted with the flying gaff I start lifting the fish to within range. ****loads of pressure has me praying my crimps are good and the end is near. The fish pops up and the gaff is in.
Instant elation is tempered by the fact that we need to get this fish in the boat and closer to home. I've forgotten to mention we are now in some average sea with the Rehua reporting 20knot easterlies.
Cova-Rose calls up to see if we are floating still and offers to take our fish home as they are keen to get out of dodge as well. The dangers of pulling a big fish into a 6m boat in what now is a really crap sea makes it easy. Yeah come and get it. 7 hours of punching a Nor-easter and we are back home to westport very happy to be in the calm of the harbour.
271 kgs of plans, dreams and memories. Thanks Talleys, Cova-rose, Seabird and skippers on the hoki boats.