Rays bream an unusual find

The cold winter weather has kicked off, and there’s no time more apparent than when you arrive at your fishing spot and have the beach to yourself! Who can blame them for staying home when the alternative is exposing themselves to the wet and cold west coast conditions that I have been enduring recently?

The day started at 7 am when I arrived at the beach to discover an unusual dead fish: a rays bream. Luckily it was still fresh, so a tasty free dinner for me!

I had heard that down at the Bay of Plenty, rays bream are regularly found washed up. The tuna chase them inshore, so it had me thinking. Could there be a giant tuna out there in west Auckland waters?

Being winter, I focused on using dead and bloody baits to get some big fish from the surf. I landed two good-sized school sharks – both safely released after inserting a Tindale Marine Research tag. You may think that using big, bloody baits in shark-infested water may be a waste of time, but if you put the effort into it, you may be lucky enough to land a big edible species instead.

Surfcasting in winter is tough, and there’s one thing you should always remember: wear something warm! The last thing you want is to catch a cold. In these mad times, a harmless cold could turn into the flu, reducing your immunity, and ultimately leading to COVID-19. You should also always take your rubbish home with you, and respect the local areas. The last thing you want is to annoy the locals who might prevent you from visiting your favourite escape zone.

Peter Hwang

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