The mackies' sacrifice wasn't in vain!

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    Posted: 12 Apr 2021 at 9:19pm
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Titanium
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It was the calm after the storm as Saturday's raging cappuccino cauldron on the Tamaki Strait flats gave way to Sunday's surreal stillness, and I decided it was prime time to take my two youngsters on an afternoon old-school bait and berley mission.

It was the 5-year-old's first proper fishing trip alongside his comparative veteran 7-year-old brother in our little blue FC465. Exciting stuff.

Keeping an eye out for storm flotsam in the green water, we zoomed across the light SW chop to the vast 8m-deep zone out from Beachlands, chose a spot with a bit of sign on the Garmin, deployed the anchor and the boat swung nicely into line with the incoming tide. I set a berley basket near the bottom and cast out half pilchard baits on simple light strayline circle hook rigs on my trusty Ugly Stik rods and mono-loaded spin reels (perfect forgiving outfits for this kind of small boat action with kids).

The first tentative customer was about 25cm, but not long after one of the rods in the holders bent and was our first keeper. The next three hours went by in a blur of the boys taking turns to wind in fish - while Dad tended to the berley basket, remembered to feed some chopped pillies into the current as ground bait, re-baited with pillies, sorted a doozy of a tangle when a kahawai grabbed the sabiki rig and took a quick circuit through the rod spread, and tried to supervise the consumption of bite-sized Picnic bars going on behind me. 

As usual, a drop of sabikis into the berley trail showed jack mackerels had zeroed in on it and we plucked them out as required to be deployed freshly chopped and wriggling on the 8kg set up and a 1 oz ball sinker, cast way out the back. And as usual, they sat seemingly untouched until wham, a good snapper took off towards Ponui and the rod bent over alarmingly. 

The best mackerel muncher pulled line like a freight train in the shallows: "Dad's turn to wind in, boys". It was definitely giving off snapper vibes, rather than ray or bronzie. The 7-year-old volunteered himself for net man duties, and we were all incredibly excited when a cracking fish for the flats - 61cm, 9lb - finally emerged from the murk and was lifted aboard. The boys were fascinated later when an autopsy showed two small decomposing flounder and a crunched up big crab in its bulging guts.

Strangely, the action slowed as dusk approached, but with youngsters on board it was time to head for home anyway. The sky turned pink and the sea flattened out even more. The big smiles on faces and the excited story telling to mum on the beach was well worth the clean up long into the darkness (I'd forgotten how bloody it is chopping up freshly caught kahawai and mackerel - with the deck and sides of the boat looking like a B grade horror scene through a bright head lamp). 

But unlike most slasher movie victims, those unfortunate mackies definitely didn't die in vain.





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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote shaneg Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 12 Apr 2021 at 9:30pm
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Titanium
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Vintage fishing report and great to see you sharing that with your boys.
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote terrafish Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 12 Apr 2021 at 9:34pm
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F N brilliant. Hats off to the three of you
Part time Devils Advocate, Fulltime procrastinator
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Uncle Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 12 Apr 2021 at 9:41pm
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Moderator - Black Belt
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What memories are made from.
The boys  will remember that day for a long time.
liked.
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote smudge Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 12 Apr 2021 at 9:43pm
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Moderator - Ninja
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Nice work TTK
Best gurnard fisherman in my street
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Far Quirk Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 12 Apr 2021 at 9:54pm
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Moderator - Brown Belt
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Liked.  Great first mission for the youngest.
Far Quirk - I'm goin' fishn!
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Muppet Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 12 Apr 2021 at 10:01pm
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Titanium
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Super again Lester
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote spin king Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 12 Apr 2021 at 10:20pm
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awesome day out! good **** mate
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote cirrus Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 12 Apr 2021 at 10:21pm
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Titanium
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Top fishing. Boys would have loved the day,just as you did.  And a very nice snapper on a beautiful autumn day.  Lasting memories come from days like that.

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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Transformations Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 12 Apr 2021 at 10:23pm
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Awesome, those boys are hooked for life....and the pressure is on dad to keep stepping it up

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We don't know what we don't need till we've got it
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Catchelot Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 13 Apr 2021 at 10:30am
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Titanium
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Well done TK and good to get the youngsters amongst it.ClapClap
"The sea, once it casts its spell, holds one in its net of wonder forever." - Jacques Cousteau
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote The Tamure Kid Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14 Apr 2021 at 12:27pm
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Titanium
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Thanks for all the positive comments, team. It means a lot, especially from some of the Forum's most respected members.
I'm looking forward to many more fishing trips to come with the boys - creating that very special bond between fishermen.
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Redfinger Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14 Apr 2021 at 2:06pm
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Titanium
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Thats what it is all about Lester - liked - great post and you are a good bugger too.
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