Holy BASS

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    Posted: 05 Apr 2016 at 2:29pm
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Hi All,

Been having some fun times boating, snorkelling and fishing with the kids lately. In previous summers they'd only last a few hours, whereas now they're coming out on big missions and lasting the whole day. Really rewarding seeing them develop their fishing skills and taking an interest in the ocean.  Just cool days on the water, anything else is a bonus.

Well, last week we got a big bonus! Took the young fella, Oscar for a mission out wide. Was stoked how he coped with the sea. Good solid 2m easterly swell with a bit of sw chop on top and he was buzzing at the chance of hooking a marlin. In saying that interest started to wane, and at about the 2pm mark the call was made "Dad lets pull the lines in and go catch a hapuka" 

Lures were pulled out, spot lined up on the trusty old Furuno FCV600L in bottom zoom, and droppers rigged with some fresh skippy cubes, one for him and one for me. First drift he got some attention straight away and brought his line up from 200m, rebaited and he was nearly back down, when my rod got bumped, I wound into it and my 37kg CD bent butt tournament rod buckled over hard, the swell lifted the boat up and man….there was some serious weight there. Is that the bottom? Few more winds and there was a nod and a slight change in angle. "Man that looks like a huge bass to me" I said to the young fella. He started winding all the way back in while I had a bit of a tustle on my hands. Eventually got it up and it hit the surface with a BOOM like a submarine "HOLY S****" from the young fella, had to turn a blind eye to the language in the circumstances…. He will never forget the sight of that thing hitting the surface.

Thought it was a solid fish, maybe 50 or so, bit tried to lift it in and Naaaaa. not enough Weetbix aye.



Am i getting weak or is this a biggin? Man, I've got bigger marlin over the side by myself, but all the weight is in the head aye, time to have a think about this….


Bit of a hand from the young fella…naaa…


Round the back of the boat, over the transom and finally got em…


Tried to lift up for a photo but not a shot




Been to the Three Kings three times and seen a 60kg by my Dad and a 66kg to both Boulder and Drew, so well stoked to pip those on home turf. Back at the weigh scales, and a new club record at 68.95kg.



Into the chiller for the night at Tairua Butchery for the flesh to set, then the big mission the next day to cut up. Guts disposed of, everything else, head, wings, frame and lots of fillets got divvied up and shared out around town. Couple of nice feeds kept for us, Fogdog Panko crumbed Bass on top of a nice leek risotto…you beaut!

Now, time to plan the next mission….



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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Clifftastic Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 Apr 2016 at 2:59pm
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Holy awesome! Congrats on the record.
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote BigMike Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 Apr 2016 at 3:11pm
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Clap

Nice fishzilla!
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Lethal Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 Apr 2016 at 3:16pm
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far out, that is a goodie. well done to both of you.
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote MATTOO Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 Apr 2016 at 3:41pm
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That's a helluva fish.
Great father and son mission there.
Memories for both with stories to tell for life.
Almost fishing ya feet there eh
Just cruising in my now sweetas pimped out Southern 755 HT0!
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Mars Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 Apr 2016 at 3:44pm
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That's massive! Well done! Memories for the ages for the young fella too
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote of2fsh Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 Apr 2016 at 5:24pm
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Awesome, that's a donkey
2009 and 2010 BERKLEY SOFTBAIT COMP CHAMPS,Runner up 2013 ( solo),winner 2013/14 longest kingfish nz fishing competition
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Potty Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 Apr 2016 at 5:46pm
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Awesome fish and report
Love fishing, love my job. It's a bloody shame that they clash.
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Muppet Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 Apr 2016 at 6:07pm
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Thumbs Up Brilliant
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote brmbrm Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 Apr 2016 at 6:25pm
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Well done and thanks for the report.  Some fish
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Capt Asparagus Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 Apr 2016 at 6:29pm
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Used to use fish that size as livebaits for the real big ones.
No. No, I am not jealous as hell at all. No, I am not.
Well. A little perhaps. Oh alright then, mi wan fella jelus tumas!
Well done!
It is only my overwhelming natural humility that mars my perfection.

Captain Asparagus, Superhero, Adventurer.
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote strx7 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06 Apr 2016 at 9:50am
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Isn't that a Puka rather than a Bass?
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote carlostairua Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06 Apr 2016 at 10:33am
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It's a bass mate.  


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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote sid fishus Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06 Apr 2016 at 11:13am
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Nice Fish Carl!  :)
I always tell the truth about things that never happened
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote DenimViper Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06 Apr 2016 at 11:36am
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Thats a true monster. How old would this fish be just out of interest? Well done on the capture Carl and your boy
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote strx7 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06 Apr 2016 at 11:50am
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funny cause shape of tail, fins and undershot jaw all point to a hapuka in my indenification source

perhaps the weight having hung on the lower jaw distorts the length of it?
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Gowest Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06 Apr 2016 at 12:27pm
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Yeah I thought the same when I saw the pics to....... especially the lower jaw in the 4th pic
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (1) Likes(1)   Quote carlostairua Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06 Apr 2016 at 1:02pm
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Here's another shot. The proportions of the fish tell me its a bass.


Even on a bass the bottom jaw protrudes, but it protrudes in line with the angle of its head. A puka protrudes further with a bit of a hook on the lip.

puka look like a completely different proportioned fish (even though i've only caught them to 50kg) A 68kg puka (if one existed) would be well off the sides of this table

If you look at the fish while it was still slightly alive in the water it had the slight bass type pattern on its skin

Bass this size are pretty hard to tell from a puka at times and i must admit sending pics to a few people included Boulder the bassterd to double check before i weighed it. But puka are unmistakable as a puka.

Tasted like bass to me too.


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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote carlostairua Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06 Apr 2016 at 1:25pm
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Here's another


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Post Options Post Options   Likes (1) Likes(1)   Quote carlostairua Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06 Apr 2016 at 1:40pm
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This, on the other hand is a puka (old photo, 45kg from memory) 23 kg lighter and about the same length, so completely different dimensions. Jaw comes out a lot further, different gill plate, skin coloration is different, i.e. very dark above lateral line and distinct change in colour below. But other than that, pretty similar fish, same family.


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