It’s very easy to become a one-dimensional spearfisherman who only targets a couple of species, writes Darren Shields. But with summer around the corner, there are plenty of less talked about fish in close which shouldn’t be overlooked. Darren explains…

The upper North Island is kingfish and snapper country, and lower down New Zealand it’s all about blue moki, butterfish and blue cod – and for many, the list ends there.

However, I prefer to target a few less common species on a day out and our NZ spearfishing competition scene is focused around spearing a range of fish. Below is a quick guide to some species I like to target which don’t feature on many spearfisher’s hit lists.

Trevally

My absolute favourite fish to eat is trevally. By spending time in the shallows hunting snapper, I tend to pick up the odd one, but if I don’t, I will head off to a weed line or a surface school to try find them.

The technique I use on the weed edges is to dive to the sand, lie dead still, and then wait and watch. Trevally are very inquisitive fish. They will zip in and out in small schools to see what you’re doing. When they come into view you, they won’t hold long enough for a shot, so one option is to dig your hand into the sand and flick some up. This mimics a stingray feeding. Trevally love to follow stingrays and feed on any offering they flick their way. I’ve watched trevally feed in sandy gutters in the shallows. With their small mouths, they sift through the sand for small crustaceans. When they have their heads down like this, it’s a good time to strike. They obviously are looking down so if you’re quick with minimal movement, you have a great opportunity to get a shot away.

Blue mao mao

Blue mao mao are often found in the vicinity of trevally and should not be overlooked. Seeing fishos use these for bait in the past has been hard to stomach. They are so tasty and are the best fish I have eaten smoked. They are, however, quite tricky to shoot at times. They race in for a look, slow down and just as you are about to pull the trigger, flick the other way. Get a bead on them and fire as soon as you get a chance. I try and let them swim in front of my gun rather than track them. This way you are still and ready to go. Kingfish will be attracted to any activity, especially if there are smaller fish like mao mao around that they predate on. Being a ‘species hunter’ has a number of benefits and will often lead to the unexpected.

Kingfish are often attracted by the commotion of spearing smaller fish, which is a great bonus of species hunting.

John dory

John dory can turn up anywhere but are also mostly found on weed edges. Generally, they are with bait and will look like a piece of weed. They will turn tail-on to you, making for an extremely hard shot, so you should keep moving around to get a better angle. If the dory takes off and you have enough breath, chase it down and get over the top of it. As a rule, they will stop and try hide again.

On a side note, boarfish can show up in similar spots to john dory and are beautiful eating. Red mullet (or goatfish) should not be overlooked either and will also be found in the same areas.

Goatfish are found on weed edges and make for great eating.

Another good time to look for john dory is when you are ground baiting. Sometimes they will glide in to try catch fish feeding on the berley.

South Island species

Down south, tarakihi are a favourite of mine. They are plentiful in places but require a little bit of bottom time to get them. Blue cod and moki like the same spots, making it easy to take a couple of each to give you a mixed bag.

Darren Shields and Mark Mitchell with a haul of tarakihi and porae.

Trumpeter are another great species to add to the southern bag. They can be very inquisitive, and the flopper on your spear can really get them excited. It glints, so try wriggling your gun to make the flopper move. I have also used my knife on several occasions in shallow water to attract a wary trumpeter. One time while on the surface, I pulled out my knife and threw it in the air a couple of metres in front of me. The knife sunk in an erratic way, looking like a wounded fish. A trumpeter zoomed in to inspect it, making for an easy shot. This technique will work on most inquisitive species that hunt smaller fish but could get expensive if you aren’t good at finding your knife after!

After a day out ‘species hunting’, I find it interesting to cook a mixed bag of fillets and then see which people like the best. Often, someone will pick a fish that wasn’t their favourite before the meal.

With summer nearly here, try a species hunt. Write down a list of the fish you like and see if you can spear them all in a day – you will probably really enjoy the different approach and the range of flavours!