The Marlborough Sounds has been known as one of the South Island's best blue cod fisheries.

However, due to one of the most drastic changes to fisheries regulations ever to affect recreational anglers, this changed October 1, 2008 and fishing for blue cod will be banned until 2012. [This is currently under review by the new Minister of Fisheries - Phil Heatley - April 2009]

One of the main reasons why blue cod can became overfished is due to their relatively sedentary habits; most fish do not move outside of a 600-metre home range during their lifetimes.

However, whether the ban was justified in this instance or not, recreational fishing is still allowed in the Sounds, so anglers simply need to adapt to this change to still have a great time and come home with a legal and tasty feed. This article therefore looks at the alternative species and how to target them.

The Sounds is a vast area covering several thousand kilometres of coastline. There are many marine habitats within that space and, accordingly, a diverse range of species, many of which are desirable from the recreational anglers perspective. Specialty tackle and baits, combined with knowledge of the fishes' distribution and seasonal movements, are the keys. Also, many anglers will be pleased to know that soft-plastics work very well on many of these species!

Snapper

Snapper are one of the main alternative species, with the shallow waters of Kenepuru Sound being the primary location for them. The waters covering the large mudflats here are slightly warmer than the rest of the sounds, so from October until early May snapper move into Kenepuru Sound.

Stray-lining is the favoured method; a fresh whole yelloweyed mullet or piper is best - and believe me, fresh bait is the way to go, so make sure you take some small sabiki flies to catch it. A berley trail will help to attract them.

In the summer, good numbers of snapper move into very shallow water at the head of Pelorus Sound in the vicinity of Havelock. However, large snapper can be found in Pelorus Sound throughout the year, so stray-lining from the rocks may be exciting.

Mahau Sound is an overlooked location for targeting snapper in shallow water, and although fewer snapper occur in Queen Charlotte, those that do are often large fish. Finally, the mudflats around Anakiwa are often worth a go during the summer months.

Flounder

Another fish found in the Sounds around mudflat areas is the flounder, including sand, yellow-bellied and, on occasions, greenback flounder.

Drag-netting is the best way to target flounder, and is also a fun, sociable, productive and environmentally sound way to catch them - what more could you ask for?

There is also the option of line fishing for flounders. Primarily a crustacean feeder, they can be targeted using light tackle on the channel edges as the tide rises.

Mullet

Large yelloweyed mullet thrive in the Sounds. In addition to being ideal as snapper bait, they are superb eating when fresh. Put some large mullet in the fish smoker and you will not be disappointed ('Marlborough Sounds kippers').

Other baitfish that thrive along the mudflat areas are piper or garfish. These are great fun to catch on small hooks and a bubble float, and a bread berley will really help your chances of success. Catch half-a-dozen per person and you have a good feed.

Gurnard

Gurnard thrive in the Marlborough Sounds' open sand in deeper waters away from the shore. Use either flasher rigs baited with shellfish or small strip baits cut from an oily fish (such as jack mackerel). Small soft-plastic lures are dynamite on gurnard. Berley works, but I have found jigging baits from a slowly drifting dinghy to be most effective.

Gurnard can be caught in the Sounds all year round, perhaps even more so in the winter months, but the good thing about summer is the welcome by-catch of school snapper often caught while targeting them.

Red cod

Another species found over the open sand, but more often in the winter months, is the red cod. Large red cod are great eating when freshly filleted and salted. Fish the deeper channels for red cod and use luminous beads to attract them in.

Sharks

Often other species, such as school sharks, are caught. These are fantastic fish for deep-frying, so no wonder they are one of the more popular fish and chip trade species. They are often caught on large, oily fish baits - baby salmon are great.

However, in the summer months a large stray-lined crustacean bait, such as a crab, will take rig (spotted dogfish) in the upper parts of Queen Charlotte and Pelorus Sounds. The rig is also a top eating fish and well worth targeting. Snapper are a likely by-catch.

Tarakihi

In deeper water close to reefs, large tarakihi can be caught. Tarakihi are widespread in the Sounds, but are most often caught in the mid to outer Sounds, especially around rocky headlands. They're very partial to small soft-plastic lures and shellfish baits. Use small hooks for tarakihi.

They are a schooling fish, so once you find them, anchor up in the current ahead and deploy some shellfish berley.

Blue moki

Blue moki are a prized catch in deeper waters and favour the more exposed parts of the Marlborough Sounds coastline, especially around headlands. Moki love the edge zone, where the reef drops away to a sandy bottom. Shellfish or crustacean baits work well on moki. They are a prized catch for spearfisherman in the clearer waters in the outer Sounds.

Butterfish

Large butterfish also thrive in areas where there is some kelp, along with good currents and a little wave action. They are a top target for the keen spearfisherman.

Warehou

Warehou can be caught in open water. Like tarakihi, they are a shoaling fish and will feed in mid-water. Again, soft-plastics, flasher rigs and metal jigs will all work on this species. Look for areas where there is a decent current going by.

Kahawai and jack mackerel

The presence of these schooling fish is often marked by flocks of shearwaters. Kahawai move large distances throughout the Sounds, and when sighted are well worth targeting. The fish often average around a kilogram - an ideal size for the smoker.

Trolling a 40g hex-wobbler or small streamlined jig will often catch the odd stray fish, even when there is no apparent surface activity.

Another pelagic fish, juvenile jack mackerel, thrives around the Sounds wharves. Like mullet, they are great eating when fresh, and smoke up a treat. Serve with some feijoa chutney on a summer's evening.

As you can see, there is certainly more to the Sounds than blue cod, so the upcoming ban will allow us to explore and utilise some very worthwhile alternatives. After all, even large spotties - when carefully filleted out and very fresh - are a perfectly acceptable fish to fry up.

However, we have to progress beyond the 'two-hook and large sinker dropper rig' frame of mind and open our eyes to using other techniques to catch other species in this hugely productive marine environment. For example, soft-plastics have shown a lot of promise on a wide range of fish species with specialised feeding behaviours.

So take the time to do some research, move around, cover the water and use a range of tackle. With a little experimentation you will, I think, be pleasantly surprised by the bounty on offer.?

	This article is reproduced with permission of New Zealand Fishing News September 2008 - written by Peter Langlands RE-PUBLISHING ELSEWHERE IS PROHIBITED