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here is one for you Tonto

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    Posted: 10 Feb 2026 at 8:25pm
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Titanium
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Caught today - solo.
No one else went out - bit choppy/****ty. But I had a 2 day window to hunt for a YF - starting today. And as I said previous, choppy days are best for tuna.
Only saw one, and very little sign.
Didn't take the two lures I had out. (Was too challenging to run 3).
But it did fall for the deadly popper.
41kg.
Good luck
Alan


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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Fish Addict Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10 Feb 2026 at 9:39pm
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Good fish, nice work Alan.  The popper does the damage once again.
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote smudge Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11 Feb 2026 at 6:15am
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Nice.
Best gurnard fisherman in my street
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (1) Likes(1)   Quote Alan L Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11 Feb 2026 at 7:56am
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Originally posted by Fish Addict Fish Addict wrote:

Good fish, nice work Alan.  The popper does the damage once again.

I keep telling the guys here, the popper is hard to resist. Not as lazy as towing lures, but.........
A bunch of guys went out a couple of days ago and found a big work up - reckon they were jumping, but no one could hook one.. They towed lures around and thru them, endlessly. Duuuuh.
This is the first YF landed from our beach this summer - and I spent 3 hrs and 18 l of fuel looking for it.
Alan
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote MJ Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11 Feb 2026 at 8:03am
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Great to see.
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (2) Likes(2)   Quote Alan L Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11 Feb 2026 at 12:20pm
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Titanium
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I'm happy - thats me for the season. Made the most of the opprotunity. I don't mind if I don't chase another (this yr). Will prob team up with my mates from here on. They are out this arvo heading for where I was. Much nicer day. But it does make the hook up a bit more difficult. We shall see.
Nearly disposed of all the fish - the last will be gone by tonight.
Took an hr to land and wasn't sure for the first half hr, what I had. Thought maybe a mako. I am used to them (Vtu) diving deep - hundreds of meters in a blistering first run. I was in 130m and this fish behaved quite differently. The last half hr it was doing it's best to skunk me on the boat/motor, in very choppy sea - I couldn't really drive the boat. So it had me running around trying to wrong foot me. A couple of close calls, and fears for a broken rod. 
I was dry reaching when I finally got it in the boat. No harness on the popper rod.
Back to gurnard now I guess Smile
Alan
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Fish Addict Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11 Feb 2026 at 3:47pm
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A bit of a heads up for those who may be considering trolling poppers.
Having fished with Alan L a few years ago in Vtu I've seen his tactics first hand.  When Alan says he tows poppers around it's not the same as towing lures where one positions the lure behind the boat and drops the rod in the rod holder.  Alan works the rod continuously in a lifting, sweeping motion to get the popper working.  The rod is around 8ft long, probably a little more.  The results speak for themselves.
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote MJ Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11 Feb 2026 at 7:13pm
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Great reading guys. I have been told by others that YF fishing is better when the sea is up a bit. Unfortunately, those of us wth 6m tinnys are a bit wary of rough seas. What size is your boat Alan L?
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Alan L Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11 Feb 2026 at 8:29pm
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5.3m Fyran
To be honest, I woke up, looked at the sea and went back to bed. Plan cancelled. I still had a day up my sleeve. Then I lay there getting p....sed off with myself, and finally made myself drop the boat in. The sea wasn't that bad - 10knts at 6 am, and rising to 15 over the morning.  Just crappy chop on a 1m swell. I wasn't going to be in any danger (but no one else thought it was a good idea to go out that day) , just wasn't going to be the nicest day. Tomorrow was. But my plan was to target a YF in this window. I have plenty of days -  but not many when I am not trying to accomodate someone else. Well school is back, and so the neighbours kids are gone, others are back at work etc etc. .   So I had a 2 day weather window to myself.  Rare. The first day was looking scruffy and 50/50 when I went to bed that night. I nearly talked myself out of it next morning.
The rest is history. My mates (2 x 2 boats) only got 2 mates, went out today for zilch.
Alan 
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (1) Likes(1)   Quote Tonto2 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11 Feb 2026 at 9:38pm
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Congratulations, what a ripper fish. Me on the other hand, still trying. To be fair i have only managed 4 days game fishing this summer but no luck , havent seen hide nor hair of a tuna. Never know might be next week. Been catching some not to bad kingis though.
slowly going where everyone else has already been
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Alan L Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 12 Feb 2026 at 6:43am
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Yep, next trip could be the one.
You won't get one sitting on the verandah. Keep going.
Alan
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote smudge Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 12 Feb 2026 at 7:29pm
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Any advice on poppers Alan? I have a Saltiga that I'm itching to try
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote smudge Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 12 Feb 2026 at 7:30pm
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Originally posted by Tonto2 Tonto2 wrote:

Congratulations, what a ripper fish. Me on the other hand, still trying. To be fair i have only managed 4 days game fishing this summer but no luck , havent seen hide nor hair of a tuna. Never know might be next week. Been catching some not to bad kingis though.

Four days more than me Martyn! 27 to 80m straight out is what I'm hearing. Look for birds
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Alan L Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 12 Feb 2026 at 9:11pm
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Originally posted by smudge smudge wrote:

Any advice on poppers Alan? I have a Saltiga that I'm itching to try
I have a Saragosa 20000 for a reel, with 80lb braid. I run a 100lb leader I think. The popper on the day was one I bought at Burnsco for $35. It is about 160mm - slightly bigger than the small one I normally run. But I bought it for the choppy seas. The small one is tricky in choppy water - tends to load up and fly out. You want one that will carry a bit of weight and be a bit more steady. The issue is when they fly out and wrap the line with the trebles. You waste a lot of time.
The rod is approx 8ft Shimano casting rod rated up to 80lb. Don't know exact specs - not with the rod right now.  You want a reasonably stiff rod - otherwise the flex just absorbs the effort you are putting in to the popper. These are just my thoughts - I am self taught. All I know is what I have tried and what seems to work and not work.
Alan

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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote smudge Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 13 Feb 2026 at 6:22am
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Thanks, you're experience is vastly superior to mine. I appreciate your thoughts
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Alan L Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 13 Feb 2026 at 9:52am
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Titanium
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That rod/reel combo has been sitting unused in the shed for the last 2-3 yrs - when I set it up. But it is similar to what I run in Vtu.
I haven't done any popper fishing here, til the other day. I don't do much gamefishing here. Then I lent the rod to a young bloke who signed up for the Napier Mega fish comp - waitangi w/end. A few YF were caught - north of us, and the 2 day window appeared. Suddenly - after not using it in 2-3 yrs since setting it up, I needed it back. I wasn't going fishing for a YF without my popper rod. So it has done all of 5 mins popper fishing here.
There is a bit of a technique - depending on your rod /popper setup. Not getting it flying out of the water is a key part. Practise on a calmer day for starting would prob be a good option. The choppy water adds another layer of difficulty.
You need fairly strong gear - rod/reel  , otherwise it is a pocket knife to a gunfight. At least make sure you have a machete, if not a gun. The taller rod makes you more vunerable to rod breakage - high sticking - compared to standup game rods. So the rod technique becomes important too. I have broken a few on fish like this - particularly when near the boat - the angles get a bit more acute - so pay attention to how hard you are working the rod. That was my biggest fear when the thing was running me around the back of the motor, under the boat etc. If you need to, back some drag off to get out of a sticky situation.
Alan 
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