Gamefishing secrets revealed

With more and more Kiwi anglers chasing billfish from trailerboats, there is a demand for cockpit and crew skills, especially with the growing interest in ‘tease and switch’ and live-baiting.

Geoff Lamond, skipper of Arenui and acknowledged as one of the country’s top gamefishing skippers, especially when it comes to fishing baits, is offering a weekend-long ‘deckies’ school’ - in conjunction with NZ Fishing News - for anyone wanting two days of full-on tuition.

This follows on from the Marlin Master Class programme Geoff has been running in recent seasons, where readers have been on board Arenui for a five-day Far North/Three Kings trip and are invited to be as ‘hands on’ as they want to be.

The school will be held on Arenui, based at Auckland’s Orakei Marina, and will include: basic instruction on rigging and preparing terminal tackle; bait preparation and rigging; boat handling and rope skills; handling gamefish at the boat (leadering, tagging and gaffing); cockpit management, set-up and preparation; big game techniques (chair fishing); and cleaning toilets, scrubbing decks and doing dishes (this last section is optional!).

“The school offers a hands-on opportunity to learn the finer points of gamefishing and using baits in particular,” Geoff says.

It is ideal for both launch and trailerboat fishers who want to make the most of their angling opportunities this coming season.

The cost is $400, and includes catered lunch and coffee during breaks, along with Arenui clothing and handout material. The first school takes place over the weekend of October 3-4 and places are limited.

For more information, contact Geoff 027 239 2744 or [email protected]