Who's been saltwater fly fishing? NZ

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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote WillP Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 09 Feb 2021 at 8:25pm
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This weekend is going to be a cracker, its all coming down to this. lets keep the beat up boys and keep getting out. you got to be in it to win it.

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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Snuffit. Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 09 Feb 2021 at 8:46pm
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Agreed. Burn gas if you have to. Have seen far fewer fish around Ak and far more in other areas this season. And soon the snap fishing will be off the clock. 


You cant eat my toast fish
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote FishMan Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14 Feb 2021 at 6:40pm
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Went off the rocks to get a quick fish in before the storm. I was mucking around trying to catch a kahawai for my lunch when I noticed a suspiciously large baitfish hit back in the bay. I picked up my big rod and cast out a 4/0 baitfish clouser. It was a big cast and I let the fly settle right down onto the bottom. I was fairly confident that there was a large area of sand right there. My intention was to do a fast hand-over-hand retrieve from the bottom up. But something heavy hit the fly before it could settle.

I expected the gill rattling jump of a big kahawai. Then it dug down towards the bottom and I called it for a snapper. Then it started some wild head shaking and I realised I'd hooked a king. That wild head shaking I get on hooked kingfish sometimes. It's very distinctive.

Anyway, a nice 75cm kingfish came to the surface and started throwing its head around wildly on the surface. I'd seen this before too, generally when a king is hooked in the very front part of its top lip. Sure enough the fly was sticking straight out in front of its nose.

Given its size and the mad head shaking at the surface I figured I was in with a chance. This was a very reefy spot. With most kings here you don't have any chance at all, even on heavy gear.

Consequently I gave that fish as much pressure as I could and totally flattened my old trusty Xi3 10wt. I had good control of the fish when it swam in close to the ledge I was standing on. Another bigger fish over a metre appeared beside it and I tried to muscle the hooked fish into a wave washed pool. My extra effort was rewarded with a sickening 'snap' In my excitement I'd forgotten to watch out for a high-stick situation off this elevated rock.

The fish was still hooked. Quickly I grabbed the line, but the fish had its head down now and managed to get its nose under the rock edge. The leader broke very quickly on an oyster.

Bloody kings I went home with wounded pride and a broken rod. Just yet another way to lose a kingfish

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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote WillP Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14 Feb 2021 at 7:41pm
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Haha Awesome m8, better to have a story to tell than none at all. Good fight I bet.

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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Snuffit. Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 15 Feb 2021 at 8:31am
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Haha you guys should start a new thread on the best rod breaks of summer 20/21Wink

Better to hook up and lose than to not hookup at all. I've heard it said and totally agree that a king off the bricks is worth 10 from the boat.
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Fraser Hocks Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 15 Feb 2021 at 8:32am
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God dam!! Great story though Craig.  Love it when you get those surprise fish Clap
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Jofly Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 15 Feb 2021 at 7:53pm
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That's a bummer Craig, it's not a nice feeling when you hear that snap.  Did it in the backcountry with a trout the other day. It tried to swim between my legs and in reaction I high-sticked it. Snap! Thankfully had taken a backup rod.
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote FishMan Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 15 Feb 2021 at 9:00pm
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Yep In the heat of the moment it's hard to think clearly and calmly. Fish losing mistakes become completely obvious only after you've stuffed up.

I need to go catch some good fish in order to make myself feel better. Not a lot of chance right now though with the way this weather is going. I love tropical low pressure systems
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote FISHBYFLY Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 21 Feb 2021 at 7:41pm
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As others have noticed, the usual hotspots in Auckland for shallow kings have been holding less fish  so ive been venturing around out of town, exploring some new and triyng differnt tide cycles at others ive had sucess at,

Been bit of a journey, the funiest [and also a tad tragic], was a n area i thought bugger all people would bother travelling to only to find the place riddled with Motorhomes each carrying a set net kit!. I counted 20 nets over a 2 kilometre stretch!.

But the most fun and productive spot has been a real eye opener,It suits the Nucanoe perfectly, its a complicated terrain with gutters and bars and all sorts of varriation that would get any standard boat owner in areal tissy, constently changing depths and currents.[im constantly having to tilt up the honda and pole or drag myself out of the s#$%t !]
So after 3 trips there, Trip1 resulting in Nada,So i changed my choice of tide and Trip 2 resulted in sighting 3 kings in 0.5 metre, a solid eat that pulled hook[I was so happy to just see some fish, i really didnt careLOLYin YangCool ].,
Trip 3[Today]  sighted  two shorttails  with riders!! wohoooo,
1 ray with5 kings,
1 ray with 3 kings,

But get this, after multiple fly changes and observations,[the closest i got to a eat was on my old trusty small brown crease fly] detirmined they were keyed on to Crab or flounder, tyed on a pattern, got up to cast, and pooof, theve disapeared!!
went looking down gutters and channels for an hour but nada, gone burger.
Bugger,
all good
ill be back!
After a pretty slow season, with just a couple of bustoffs and few sightings, i was thinking 'maybe just stick to Tauranga', then i thought, Na, go have some fun, unravel some suspicions etc, im glad i did . 

I havent completly written off some places,[ that look likely but havent produced] just need to try them again on a different tide.
I realise there will be those that already no this, But Hey, Its my Journey.
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Jofly Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 21 Feb 2021 at 10:02pm
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Always impressed with you guys putting in the hours to find these places and fish and work them out. I'm such an impatient bugger. I struggle to stay focused on the flats task when I know there are easy pickings in the surface schools etc.  I love reading the reports though and always think of doing missions like that but never do them in the end.
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote FishMan Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 22 Feb 2021 at 5:52am
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Fantastic Adam! You'd think you couldn't miss with multiple kings Ray riding. I get excited if I see kings in any group greater than one but kings will be kings. That's what makes them so fascinating.

We're seeing bugger all kings in the BOI's. I'm spending my time casting microflies flies to kahawai feeding on microbait. I'm actually really enjoying it. The fry feeders are so fussy I get a real buzz out of each successful hook-up. But the fly changes have been frantic.

The theory is that if I sort these fry feeding kahawai out I will be ready for our equally fussy BOI's skippies when they finally show up.
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Snuffit. Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 22 Feb 2021 at 7:36am
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Sheez Adam, motorhomes with set nets, it almost sounds like some weird episode of star trek where they run into a hive of the most annoying & destructive things known to man! Good work on the scouting. I havent fished for a few weeks, local farmers have needed help dispersing Canada geese which has kept me occupied. This weekend I'll get out. Thinking of heading nth...
You cant eat my toast fish
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote m.d.hoffman@xtra.co.nz Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 22 Feb 2021 at 5:56pm
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Have you pm'd Tore to let him know there's a problem heading his way ... Wink
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote jac Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 22 Feb 2021 at 6:04pm
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1 for my new set up. Next 2 reefed me and lost a fly line on est 18kilo model. Not so easy off the bricks
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote FISHBYFLY Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 22 Feb 2021 at 6:18pm
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you can say that again, not easy at all from the bricks!
bloody good and brave effort!Thumbs Up
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote FISHBYFLY Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 22 Feb 2021 at 6:19pm
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Hey Craig, how Micro these flys? Krill?
Photo?
Probably a light leader to id expect.
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote jac Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 22 Feb 2021 at 6:25pm
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Originally posted by FISHBYFLY FISHBYFLY wrote:

you can say that again, not easy at all from the bricks!
bloody good and brave effort!Thumbs Up


Thanks👍🏼Fishbyfly😊
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote FishMan Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 22 Feb 2021 at 8:42pm
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Wow Jac! That is a great effort off the rocks. You've obviously got a good spot. But fly off the rocks for kings sure is brutal. Good luck!

Adam, the kahawai are on tiny whitebait - probably juvenile anchovies and pilchard. They reject everything until you get down to a size 8 hook with a few scraps of tinsel attached. And then for some strange reason they keep on missing the fly on the strike!

My experiments are centred on finding a slightly bigger hook/fly that they'll accept and maybe something with a bit more bulk that they can connect with a bit easier.

The fixation they have for the small stuff though is remarkable to see. These are some of the toughest kahawai I have cast at, but I'm really enjoying the mental challenge. It really highlights to me why skippies can be so difficult up here. They've got exactly the same hang-up about tiny bait and they're moving at three times the speed! I look forward to extending what I learn off these fussy kahawai into skipjack attempts when they finally show up inshore.

I'll post some pics of the flies I'm working on tomorrow
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Jofly Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 22 Feb 2021 at 11:07pm
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Amazing fish off the rocks Jac!

Craig I have had good success in the past with fussy kahawai with a size 2 clouser style fly tied sparsely with white and blue SF Blend with white or red small to med dumbbell eyes.  Often on the drop as well with no retrieve.  I have tried plain white as well and smaller sizes but the light blue and white seems to work best. That fly has accounted for a few kings as well. Worth a try and let me know if it works. Reminds me I need to tie some urgently.

Here is the video for it I made ages ago:





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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Jofly Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 22 Feb 2021 at 11:14pm
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Btw don't use the lateral scale, it turned out horrible LOLjust use 2 strands of pearl flash
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