A lot of stuff surrounding the AGM in this month’s Newsletter. This is your opportunity to get things in your Club altered, get on the Committee, have a constructive moan and have a say on how the Club is run. We need as big a turnout as possible so make sure you are at Dive HQ, 5 Portage Road, New Lynn at 1930 on Thursday 7^th August.

Let’s not forget this is a fishing Club. I thought that, in the depths of winter, it would be a good idea to get AJ to give us a resume of his very successful game fishing season. He duly gave in after an hour with the bright lights and socks full of sand – thanks for your contribution Mr. Singh.

I’ve included the latest update from the Striped Marlin Satellite Tagging program – interesting stuff. There is also a reminder that the marine reserve/marine park issue should still be in our minds.

May I remind all members to return any trophies they may have in their possession. You may have won again this year but we need them back in the meantime. We also need any outstanding weighsheets from last season. This is for your benefit as well as keeping the club’s records up to date.

AGM Stuff

Discussion on proposed Club Rule changes for the AGM

The following three items will be discussed and voted on at the AGM

All rules are in Italics

Rule 4: Kingfish rule update

The rule as it stands is…

Minimum qualifying weights for club records, trophies and pins.

The ”must exceed 100cm”  was added a couple of years ago as a conservation measure and as a sign to MOF that the club, along with many other clubs were in full support of the minimum size being raised to 100cm. 

The issue arises that the min size is still not 100cm and there are a number of light tackle records which would be broken if a kingfish under 100cm was caught.

The options are

1: Do Nothing.. Leave it as it is

2: Remove the 100cm club limit and revert to the 65cm limit

3: Allow a record fish to be entered into the clubs records,  but if it is under 100cm then it will not be eligible for club points.

Rule 9: Charter Operators

9:        Charter Operators (skippers and deckies).  Fish caught by charter operators while engaged in professional duties will not be eligible for the clubs points system.

This rule was added to stop commercial operators from cleaning up the points system with the fish they caught while engaged in charter activities.  Charter operators can still present their weigh sheets for club records but these records do not accumulate points.  A Charter operator can also submit weigh sheets for points if the fish were caught while the operators vessel is not under charter.

The options are

1: Do Nothing.. Leave it as it is

2: Remove the rule

Club Pins

A Pin will be awarded to each angler who catches the first of each species as detailed in Rule 4, and in accordance with all rules.  As the season progresses, each heavier fish of each species as at the first Monday of each month, earns a Pin.

This literally means…

1 pin for first fish on the season

1 pin per month per species but only if the heaviest fish of the month is heavier than the previous months fish.

Question:  This needs to be clarified..  Should a pin be given for..

1 pin for first fish on the season

1 pin for each heavier fish caught.

The options are

1: Do Nothing.. Leave it as it is

2: Amend the rule

The 2003 Gamefishing Season, one I will never forget – A J Singh

In January I fished the Tutukaka Small Boats Comp with Terry (of Redskin). After four days fishing with no marlin we took the long way home via the Mokes. Out of nowhere in 250m the port rigger went off. Solid hook-up and 35 minutes later I boat my first marlin for the season. It went 106kg at Fitzroy that afternoon.

Mid February I went out with Peter Jackson on Kneecapt. The Manukau Bar was flat and conditions were perfect. At 140m we saw our first tailer and then there were fish everywhere. We had two double strikes and none stuck. Later in the afternoon a strike resulted in a nice 145kg stripey for Pete Jackson. This was the first marlin I have ever traced. A top day.

Late February and out of the Manukau again. I had Dave Woon with me on Miss Behave. We had blue water at 40m and put the lures in and headed out. At 80m we had a strike but no hook up. Dave dropped a livie in and it was taken straight away. The gear was cleared and the fight was on. However bad luck struck after ½ an hour as the fish threw the bait. I’ve never had this happen with a J hook before. Pete Jackson had better luck the same day with one tagged and one landed marlin.

A trip to the Ranfurly Banks on Pursuit provided some excitement for me. On Wednesday March 6^th on our way to the Banks a strike resulted in a striped marlin for me. 20 minutes later a fish estimated at 100kg was tagged and released. The next day we saw what looked like dolphins jumping. They turned out to be huge Yellowfin and when lures failed to raise any interest baits were used. Mark Kitteridge of NZ Fishing News hooked up and after 6 hours on 15kg tackle a Yellowfin of 59kg was boated. Thursday the wind comes up and trolling in 1200m in rough conditions my 80W goes off. After 40 minutes of hard work we see colour. It is a huge tuna and the gaffs go in. I am one happy angler. The fish was a Bigeye and went 69kg at Whakatane three days later. A Yellowfin of 20-25kg the next day rounded off an awesome trip for me.

A trip up North was arranged for after the Furuno Comp. I met Terry at Sandspit and off we went. The next day in 400m off the Bay of Islands we had a quadruple strike. One fish stayed on and after an hour it was close to the boat. Unfortunately the hook pulls out. We stay the night at Whangaroa