Great inshore and offshore action

We have had some great days of weather and some as usual not so good but we must all take the good with the bad and think ourselves damn lucky.

Last weekend we had our first time out on the Mayor Knolls for months and with beautiful conditions including 5 knot variables and then only a slight breeze right up to 2pm. Such sea conditions help one hell of a lot when you don't have an electric trolling motor or other system to hold you over the fish sign. I always regardless do a ‘test’ drift to get to the target area when fishing in 300m or more.

This time after some extra efforts and great attitudes by the anglers we finally got a good run of bluenose getting close to the low tide times. Although these were not big fish around the 7 to 8kg mark, they made a beautiful meal or two leading up to Christmas.

In shallower there was a great run of snapper and some trevally during the week around Motiti when the baits did not even reach the bottom and were hit hard with some very nice-sized fish. It seems that if you are patient (even when not using berley as in our case) you can still be successful.

The harbour fishing has still been okay for trevally and some nice snapper and don't forget a livie in the entrance near the change of tide for those great greenback kingfish or even a jig or two thrown around – of course, be aware of all those other passing vessels in a fairly narrow and busy channel.

On the diving front, please note that the packhorse females were actually still in berry on my last trip to Mayor Island middle of this month. Just make sure you check before you make the attempt if possible or at least have another good look before attempting to put in your catch bag.

On the diving scene, it always annoys me that some divers will dive right in the Tauranga Harbour entrance and sometimes do not fly the ‘A’ Dive Flag. This is as we know a major shipping channel and very busy 24/7.

Many years ago I actually hit a diver in the entrance at the busiest time of the year( 2nd January). They did not even have a float or flag to indicate they were even there and right near what we call the Tania Shelf well out in the channel plus they were freediving so no obvious bubbles to be seen.

I noticed a black object appear ahead of me and immediately slowed to less than five knots and looked ahead for any other divers. I had turned to starboard to go further out into the main shipping channel and a slight thud under the stern gave me one hell of a fright.

A diver appeared with a gash on his head and was lifted aboard and given first aid while we arranged for the ambulance. Thank God he was ok after a short hospital visit and also that I run a Hamilton Jet unit on my vessel so there was no prop or keel hanging down. Had I had a stern leg or outboard, apart from being extremely upset there would likely have been a fatality or very serious injuries. I would have been in court even though these divers were plain stupid. I rest my case after all the MNZ reports.

So please make sure you fly that ‘A’ flag (make sure it is the correct size – 600x600mm) and also hope that other boaties know what it means! Sorry about that but I have dived for over fifty years and still do but there are far too many ‘skippers’ that don't either observe the diver keep clear or slow to five knots within 200 meters of the vessel displaying the flag.

Right, off the soap box now. The yellowfin tuna fishing has been great with plenty of fish and some up to 60kg. One vessel had a quadruple hook-up of smaller fish and managed to land all four! It is sure looking like a bumper season for the gamefish.

All the best for the holidays and, you guessed it, stay safe and keep a damn good look out for everyone in or out of the water.

Cheers and have a great Xmas and fishing summer.