The Far North delivers

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    Posted: 22 May 2022 at 8:31pm
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Titanium
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We’ll never know what chomped Chris’ normally virtually indestructible 7” Bruised Banana clean in two in one savage hit. We’ll never know what grabbed my home-tied squiddy ‘skute’ in 13m beside a rugged island and went on a long, screaming run before the normally robust jighead hook straightened – leaving me both amazed and gutted.

Yip, that’s the Far North.

I ran the full gamut of emotions during the trip: from buzzing with adrenalin after doing battle with another big red, to nightly anxiety about the next day’s weather forecast; from disappointment over lost fish and what might have been, to the pleasure of eating beautiful fresh seafood daily.

Amid winds ranging from moderate easterly to ripping westerly, I managed to get out six days running in my trusty FC465 Te Korora, equally split between Rangaunu Harbour, the crescent bay outside, and the coast north of Houhora.

Thankfully summer’s easterly heavy La Nina conditions had started to dissipate by mid May.

It is a true softbaiter’s paradise. Between me and my mate Chris, who joined me for the second half of the trip, we caught nine species: snapper, kingfish, john dory, trevally, kahawai, golden snapper, granddaddy hapuku, gurnard and blue mackerel.

My first fish of the trip was a donkey 21lb snapper on a Z Man Doormatadorz grub that was unfortunately embolised, but made delicious panko crumbed fish cakes. That fish set an impossibly high bar for the rest of the trip, but we got several other snapper well into the 70cm+ range that we released successfully. Chris had great success on Bruised Banana, flicking the switch when other colours weren’t working. I found the Gulp 5” Crazy Legs Jerk Shad dynamite over the sand in 9-15m, and Z Man grubs the go in big fish territory.

The blue mackerel – which is actually a member of the tuna family – was a new species for me. Incredibly silver in the water and with beautiful markings, I had no idea what it was after expecting to see a kahawai come to the boat. They were feeding on the surface and readily hit a 4” baitfish imitation; but I also got one on the drop in the outside bay where there was no visible activity.

Chris got the golden snapper in deeper water up the coast – a first for either of us; the granddaddy hapuku were stunning bright colours and seemed to love big grub softbaits. Unfortunately after an initial hard thump that raises hopes of a big snapper, it’s like winding in a sack of spuds.

I kept a promise to myself to have the confidence to try out some of the ‘skutes’ I’d tied up for the trip, and while my lovingly tied paddle crab imitation was a bust over the sand, the squid pattern definitely appealed to the snapper along the rocky coast, and to whatever giant – we were thinking kingie based on its initial run and the maomao schools around us – that straightened the hook to my bitter regret.

Chris brought his smoker and a vacuum packing machine with him, which transformed our fish processing and was surprisingly convenient for bringing some of our hard-earned catch home in pristine condition.

It’s the ones that got away and the stunning fish we landed, that will draw us back do battle again with those mighty fish of the Far North.








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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Fish Addict Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 22 May 2022 at 9:13pm
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Nice report and pics TTK.  Those wtf was that moments certainly get the adrenalin running.  That rainbow pic is a cracker.
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote smudge Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 23 May 2022 at 10:51am
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Great report TTK, thanks.
Best gurnard fisherman in my street
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Redfinger Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 23 May 2022 at 10:57am
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Nice Lester - great trip and report
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Pcj Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 23 May 2022 at 11:01am
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nice report
The blue mackerel – which is actually a member of the tuna family – was a new species for me.

Makes excellent bait,unlike other tuna species is not soft and stays on hook,use to use salted when surfcasting
Amateur's built the ark. Professional built the Titanic
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Sufishent Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 23 May 2022 at 11:30am
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Great report Lester - thank you :)

Do you launch at Rangiputa beach? 
You can never have enough fishing tackle
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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: 23 May 2022 at 12:42pm
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Originally posted by Sufishent Sufishent wrote:

Great report Lester - thank you :)

Do you launch at Rangiputa beach? 

Thanks Steven. Yes, the pic of the boat in the water was after a solo dawn launch one morning. A strong SWer coming straight in makes it a bit hard to retrieve solo (as I found out one day!) but as a launch point it opens up so many options for small boat fishos. 
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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: 23 May 2022 at 5:37pm
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Originally posted by Redfinger Redfinger wrote:

Nice Lester - great trip and report

Thanks big man. I know I'm preaching to the choir, but the boat handled some pretty lumpy stuff really well. I have complete confidence in it, but always adapt to the conditions (the forecasts are rarely accurate up there) and have safety top of mind. 
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Kandrew Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 23 May 2022 at 8:06pm
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Great report and results and great to see still rule 👍
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Alan L Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 23 May 2022 at 8:16pm
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Thats an epic trip we all dream of. Awesome.
The Far North rocks.
Alan
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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: 24 May 2022 at 8:30pm
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Thanks Kerry, Alan, Smudge and Fish Addict - appreciate the feedback. i haven't posted much lately, just haven't had any trips of note to report on. 

Pcj, I read that the blue mackerel are also decent smoked, though because I don't really bait fish and didn't know if they eat well, i returned the ones I caught.
After I knew that, I didn't catch another one!
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Turnright Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24 May 2022 at 9:11pm
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I managed to get out from rangiputa this morning after a long drive yesterday from the south waikato, what a epic place to fish Allright, very lucky to have had the opportunity and will be back soon for sure, we binned up on good snapper and trevs in no time!!!! Home time first thing tomorrow
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote John_Ra Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 25 May 2022 at 3:34pm
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Sweet report TTK, know the feeling well, like most of wtf was that... We just re rig & get on with the task at hand...

cheers
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote MB Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 25 May 2022 at 7:21pm
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Great report Thumbs Up

Blue mackerel are a favourite in our house, so always excited to see one. Sashimi, grilled or smoked, very good. Lots of European recipes as they are a very similar fish to Atlantic mackerel.  
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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: 27 May 2022 at 2:15pm
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Originally posted by MB MB wrote:

Great report Thumbs Up

Blue mackerel are a favourite in our house, so always excited to see one. Sashimi, grilled or smoked, very good. Lots of European recipes as they are a very similar fish to Atlantic mackerel.  

Thanks MB. 

My loss on the mackerel/tuna front and great to know. I've actually seen recreational 'mackerel' fishos in the UK, when I visited Devon/ Cornwall, with very similar fish. From memory, they were using flasher type rigs.

I was tempted to keep these ones, but rather than unnecessarily waste fish if they weren't good eating (because i rarely use bait), I put them back.
Murphy's Law, once I'd looked them up online, they seemed to have left the harbour.
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote MB Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 28 May 2022 at 7:34am
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Originally posted by The Tamure Kid The Tamure Kid wrote:

[QUOTE=MB]
I was tempted to keep these ones, but rather than unnecessarily waste fish if they weren't good eating (because i rarely use bait), I put them back.
Murphy's Law, once I'd looked them up online, they seemed to have left the harbour.


Good on you. If in doubt (and it's going to survive), put it back. I wish everyone treated the fish/environment with such respect. Mackerel aren't to everyone's taste. A fishy fish for sure, but with the right preparation... I got a donkey last week, as in good kahawai size. Wish I'd taken a photo, but the fishing was hectic! Went on the smoker and it was awesome. Mackerel schools are very fast moving. Gone in 60 seconds LOL
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