Chasing hapuka has to be one of my favorite fish to target and not just because of the eating quality but because for me its a challenge of positioning the boat 200m above a rock ledge and then try get your baits in front of a fish which can be there and just not hungry.
but also they taste mean and the big ones really do put up a mean scrap!
yesterday saw a gap in the weather to shoot out behind the barrier to some marks i like to fish and on arrival the sign looked good
first drop and small bites but no hook ups...
I know the place i was fishing is coming to the end as they seem to leave once they have spawned so was a little worried they weren't there.
When the boys wound up and noticed all there livebaits gone they had just missed the bite and let the pukas have a free lunch!
So back around and fresh baits down.......
full rail hooked up
always a good sight when you have a tangle and while your untangling the mess of braid and leaders your prize starts popping to the surface
Warwick with his PB puka only to be beaten on his next drop
Francois with a nice double
I thought i could let the boys have all the fun..
Warwick's new PB
the fish were all skinny and had just spawned with only 1 or 2 little males still around
Then rob starts making some funny noises from the other side of the boat..
A lot of line leaving the reel
After a mean fish a beast breaks the surface!
The fish was huge with a massive head but no gut to it!
It does feel much better when you catch a beast like this and to know its already spawned and released all its eggs for future generations
once back in we weighed this beast at 37kg but if it had roe i can only think how big it could have been
Back in under the shelter of the barrier we got to processing the fish and trust me the nothing is wasted but the gills and guts.
All the rest is cleaned with the frames going to Warwicks workers and family and friends and the fillets been shared around!
Warwick cleaning up the frames
rob working on the beast
Yesterday are the days i dream of..
good mates with some awesome fishing and a couple
in the sun makes you realize New Zealand is such an awesome place to live
Bring on summer