Sounds host Senator Boats  contest

The weather has not been kind to us lately in the top of the south over a period where we generally get calm settled days in the middle of winter. 

June would have to be my favourite month of the year in the top of the south for catching big snapper and kingfish but this year the weather conditions have made this very difficult.

I was lucky enough to fish in the Senator Boats fishing competition last weekend that was held out of Te Rewa Lodge in Pelorus Sound.  It was a well-organized competition that saw boats travel from as far as Auckland and Hawkes Bay, crossing the Cook Strait under their own steam to fish the three-day event.  Unfortunately, the weather conditions really limited the fishing, but despite that, all boats still fished each day and certainly made the most of the conditions and tested out what the Senator can do in a rough sea.

I was lucky enough to catch a very well-conditioned kingfish on day two that managed to hold on for the biggest kingfish of the competition to win that section, and it would have to have been one of the best-conditioned fish I have seen.  It put up a very good fight as you expect from these superb sports fish and at one point I was not sure I was even going to be able to stop him before he found the reef.  However, in trying conditions and teamwork on the boat, I managed to turn him and get him up to the surface.  It was a very short fish for its weight, but it just shows what eating good tucker can do. 

There were a few snapper caught at the top of D’Urville by those boats that ventured over there from Pelorus Sound.  Again, weather conditions made it very tough for fishing effectively. 

For those boats that fished within Pelorus Sound the spikey dogfish made it very difficult.  We stopped in a couple of places and had a fish and within one minute we were into the sharks.  I would have to think are actually within the Sounds at this time of the year, but they make it almost impossible to catch anything when they are like that. 

Despite the very cold conditions and the middle of winter, a few snapper are still caught in Tasman Bay near the mussel farms.  That is very late in the season for these fish to still be in the bay, but it is almost at the point where they might actually stay for the full year which would be good; however, you need to be prepared to wade through the spikey dogs to catch them!

Anyway, let's hope for some more settled weather that allows us to fish where we want to and not be dictated by the weather!

Cheers

Dan Govier

Follow Dan’s adventures on Instagram at @dan.govier.fishing.nz