Not up to the standard of most of the 'hall of famers' on here but it was my birthday and my biggest kingy and snapper to date. Got the Kingy back from Taratara smokehouse today, very professional service, I highly recommend them, hope it tastes good too!!! :)

 

herby wrote: There's 2.2 pounds to a kilo, not 4.

Rolled out for a film at GBI last sunday hoping to find some clean water.

Found some ok vis (15m hazy) on the mainland side so jumped in only to have the camera sh*t itself on me. Got the reel gun out and had a play on a reef while the crew was targeting crays. The eastern side of the reef produced two good boarfish on a shallow weedline (8-12m). The western side had some good ledges that produced a couple of good snaps snooped within 5 minutes of each other. Saw a few more good ones over another ledge on the way back to the boat but had fish in both arms with no floatline. Haven't had a spear in a while so was pretty stoked. Fish on right was 19LB.. unsure of left. 

Saturday morning quick dip at Mussel Rock - no luck.  We then cruised around the BOI until anchoring up near some islands (which shall remain nameless)! 

Workmates went ashore to explore and I swam the approx 400m to the nearest rocks I could see around the island.  Viz was approx 7m so I cruised around in close to the rocks and decided to burley up and attempt to get some snapper.  This is where it is important to note that I have NEVER shot a snapper before!!  Anyway after about 30min in the water the snapper came a calling - took a shot at the biggest one I could see - hit it but unfortunately it was a gut shot and it tore lose of the spear!  Disappointed I continued on my mission to get something to eat (plus I had talked up the fact that I would shoot something on this trip that if I didn't the shame would have forced me to resign!!).  About 30m from where I had set my first burley I found what I thought looked like a fantastic spot to hunt bigger snapper so again the kina burley was set and I lay in wait.  My patience finally paid off when about 10min later more snapper moved in - most of them smaller than legal, but on the edge of viz loomed a larger snap.  I waited for him to come closer and the struck!  Nailed it near the top of the head in a good holding shot - problem was like the newbie that I am I had shot down and my spear was now imbedded in the sand at the bottom with this snapper going ballistic!  He made his way all the way up my shooting line where he was promply ikied.  Satisfied that I had shot a great snapper I continued the hunt and after about 30min I came across a nice gully approx 8m deep, saw a snapper below me, but rocks everywhere so no shot was on.  Decided it would be a great idea to chase this snapper out of the gully into more open space so I could get a shot off.  Did exactly that and once in open water, approaching from behind the fish I dived down and levelled off at about 5m to line up my shot.  As I did this the fish turned broadside presenting a nice target.  Fired off and nailed it just behind the gill plate.  The snapper then proceed to got ballistic - as expected, but unfortunately for me it dived straight down and managed to get the flopper caught on a rock at the bottom - about 8m, which just happens to be about my current diving depth limit!  Well sure that the fish wasn't getting off the spear, and determined not to leave it behind I pulled out my knife, breathed up and headed down to get my fish and my spear.  As I am writing this storyit's obvious that I made it back up ok, if a little out of breath!  All in all a great dive for me saw heaps of massive red Moki glad to know the spearos up there are leaving them to live : and heaps of other fish, which i don't know the names of so didn't shoot them. - ).  Pic below is me with my first two snapper.  To put things into context, for those of you that have met me, you will know I stand 6'5" so fish look small in comparison but I'm happy to estimate the bigger of the two at over 5lbs :)  Not big fish but my first snappers so thought I'd share my excitement with you all :)

 

Probably not the biggest for some people but this is the second JD I have speared in a week on the west coast Wellington. Didnt have scales so no weight