Fishing Reports

Petty and Prince

Tom sang in his own unique way “you take on faith, you take it to the heart, the waiting is the hardest part”. He’s spot on when it comes to enduring winter fishing but Prince prances in at this time of year and sings his own famous lyrics “Sign…o’ the times”.

But the signs are good, they are very good. The water temperature is on its way upwards out there, slowly but surely the fish life is responding to the thaw and even though there will be tall tales of a massive Snapper influx to titillate at this time of year, such stories are a little premature, however we are on the cusp of plentiful Spring Snapper within the reaches of the average Fisho. The morning assembly bells are a-ringin’, the school Snapper are already responding to the vibes…Finning their way towards us, slowly and somewhat begrudgingly but nevertheless they’re heeding the call. Music to the Fisho’s ears.

Throughout winter there has been baitfish galore all around the Gulf. Right now the big monster Kahawai are smashing up Pilchard schools out there, gorging themselves silly. Gannets are free diving all over the Gulf again, a welcome return sight, dive bombing and engulfing whole Mackerel almost at will. Of course the Darth Vader of fish, the ‘Couda are still in abundance, but their dark force will not endure. They’re getting the unmistakable lights-on hint of summer to leave the party, although they’ve still got a bit of breeding to do if the big males all milted up are anything to go by, like this one (among many) caught earlier this week. It’ll soon be closing time and their parade will be completely awash, outward bound, au revoir!

Mother Goose

What are little boys made of?
“Snips and snails, and puppy dogs tails
That's what little boys are made of!”
What are little girls made of?
"Sugar and spice and all things nice
That's what little girls are made of!"

The male Snapper are lurking and a hard core few are turning up to the party to get things underway nice and early as usual (the Snapper on the right in this picture) . As the breeding temptations intensify over the weeks and months ahead, it becomes easier to pick the boys from the girls generally speaking. Since all Snapper are born female (and so I’ve been told) only the smart ones turn male after a couple of months, the tell tale sign of 5 o’clock shadow becomes even more apparent.

The girlies with their highly attractive clean and pretty white lower jaw-line lure their mates for close encounters. Sure to look so good for the boys they’ll take their time with preparation – so they’ll be a little longer before they show up for the party. No doubt once the party is near full-swing they’ll arrive in force, but this is a wee ways away yet. Personally I tend to throw the breeding females back when I can anyway – to help my son and his offspring enjoy catching Snapper too.

The Red or Blue Pill?

“Open your mind” said Morpheus to Neo in The Matrix.

Take the red pill and opportunities are immense this fishing summer. Soft Plastics (my favourite), new deep water rigs, slow jigs…like this nice fish caught during zero bite, zero interest the other day on a Daiwa Octopus slow jig – but hey it worked!

People question and enquire, most of them have not been scientists or doctors or philosophers, but simply ordinary people asking 'what if?' or 'why?' Asking these questions ultimately leads us to a choice. Do you continue to ask and investigate, or do you stop and never ask again? This in essence, is the question posed to Neo in the film.

So what are the advantages of swallowing the blue pill? As a character in the film says, "ignorance is bliss". Accepting what we are told can be easier, especially with the social pressure to fit in. Morpheus says to Neo "You have to understand that many people are not ready to be unplugged, and many of them are so inured, so hopelessly dependent on the system that they will fight to protect it."

Maybe learn something new this summer, not only a heap of fun but it adds to your personal fishing arsenal at very least. In this vein I’ve been up to all sorts of things – and a couple of excellent, real world successes have emerged, and with some good oil on why they work so well, an underlying philosophy. Stay tuned.

The Auckland to Queenstown Cure Kids Challenge is on now, something I support. Another cancer related reminder recently was going to a funeral of a friend in his thirties who died from melanoma. It’s sunscreen time already, well if the heat of the sun while out fishing on Monday and Tuesday this week is anything to go by. To me sunscreen is at least as important as a lifejacket – it’s a long term lifejacket but can save your life, if used. Sunscreen is now just part of the standard routine leaving the ramp on our boat.

Spring has sprung, the fish are near, now is the time to prepare your gear.

Cheers!