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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Tonto2 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03 May 2026 at 6:29pm
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Nice work Skoti
slowly going where everyone else has already been
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote smudge Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03 May 2026 at 8:08pm
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Very nice Skoti!
Best gurnard fisherman in my street
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote FlawOne Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03 May 2026 at 9:45pm
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Some nice fish from the mighty Snappakura! Great work Skoti.
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (4) Likes(4)   Quote Schecter Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 Jun 2026 at 7:33am
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Last weekend I competed in the Baitmasters competition.  The goal was to fish the Manukau and focus on the strength of the fishery, primarily Gurnard, Kahawai and Trevally, as I predicted most anglers would be focusing their efforts on catching snapper and kingfish.   

Launched at Clarks at 5:30 am.  As I paddled out into the harbour, I had noticed large schools of bait fish in the shallows, which gave me confidence to be prepared for the upcoming morning.


I fished in the shallows, near the schools of baitfish, as I was hopeful that the bigger fish were nearby.   


At this time of year, I like to use ultra-light gear and small hooks with a light drag, as the bites are very sensitive and can be easily missed. 


Overall caught 1 Gurnard, 6 Kahawai and 4 very fat snapper. By the time I had filled the fish bag, the NE wind arrived, and the outgoing tide was in full swing.  It was a good paddle back to shore 😟


My gurnard got me into the top 10 on the first day of the competition. I couldn't be complacent and tried incessantly to catch a bigger gurnard, but it wasn't to be, and I was knocked out of the top 10 on day 2. 


Overall, the catch was very much welcomed.


It was a good test run leading up to the Grunter Hunter this Sunday.   

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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote smudge Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 Jun 2026 at 7:35pm
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That's a great catch Schecter!  Kayak fishers do it so much harder than anyone else. It would be an absolute pleasure to hand over the $5k cheque to you on Sunday. Good luck!
Best gurnard fisherman in my street
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (1) Likes(1)   Quote rusty360 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14 Jun 2026 at 3:23pm
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Waited for the fog to lift enough to see the ramp, sneaked out for a hour. Junior got a beautiful carrot!
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote smudge Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14 Jun 2026 at 3:45pm
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Nice work Rusty! Was hoping to head out today too but yeah it just didn't work out. Great catch for the young guy!
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote rusty360 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14 Jun 2026 at 5:17pm
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Haha our trip was a last minute one. Shame that was the one and only today. Was pretty late in a big tide though.
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Schecter Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 15 Jun 2026 at 8:39pm
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Nice one 👍
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (1) Likes(1)   Quote Snappa Geoff Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 16 Jun 2026 at 12:20pm
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Happy face there Rusty! Thumbs Up
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (1) Likes(1)   Quote rusty360 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 22 Jun 2026 at 10:49am
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While my login is working again!

Shot out sat avo on the big lake, what a beautiful afternoon.
Junior got Trevor this time!



Also got a good carrot and kahawai.

No snaps but we were on the edge of the channel off Pollock.

Maybe ropers channel next time!
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Pcj Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 22 Jun 2026 at 4:20pm
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Originally posted by rusty360 rusty360 wrote:

While my login is working again!

Shot out sat avo on the big lake, what a beautiful afternoon.
Junior got Trevor this time!



Also got a good carrot and kahawai.

No snaps but we were on the edge of the channel off Pollock.

Maybe ropers channel next time!
Secret Burley cat roll,I have eused hound dog and yes it works for sharksLOL
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (3) Likes(3)   Quote Skoti Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 23 Jun 2026 at 8:56am
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Nice one Rusty junior Clap

I too , headed out Saturday arvo about 2ish to fish the start of the out going tide up at the snapakura channel .
Tide height was good and the sweet feeding wind from the Nor West left me with no doubt it would be on !
And on it was ! 
I was hoping to catch a certain weight snapper to beat a fellow angler in our clubs yearly comp that ends at the end of the month , but that didn't happen and with the forecast coming , it's not likely to happen .
Guess I'll just have to beat the crap out of him at prize-giving Ouch LOL
Still , can't complain with the fishing I had .
I was using my much be-loved and preferred bullet tuna baits cut in half and a new baby blue mackeral bait I'd never used before ( Blue mack yes , in normal sizes , but never baby blue mack ) 
About the same length as the bullet tuna , but sleeker .
Cut and hooked in the same manner as the b/tuna , they were the preferred baits of the day .
I threw back 1/2 dozen in the 350 to 400mm range and kept 7 in the 500 to ( biggest of the day ) 650 mm as I prefer to keep fish in the smoking range as I give most of my fish away .
I mean , how could this thing fit in a pan ? LOL




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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote smudge Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 23 Jun 2026 at 3:21pm
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You're a legend Skoti! Poor Brock going to get a good hiding alright!
Best gurnard fisherman in my street
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote smudge Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 Jul 2026 at 6:45pm
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Tough day at the office for me today. Fishing the CSFC Icebreaker targetting gurnard as per usual. Have had my share of luck over the years but not today. A50cm snap from 4m while targeting gurnard. I also lost a silmilar sized snapper when the braid just parted, I don't know why? 6lb braid should last at least 12 years right (I think it was even older than that Smudge). I also managed two 1.5kg kahawai and a 30cm snapper in 22m while targeting big snapper. 

Biggest gurnard from the comp was 0.95kg, not huge but yeah, I didn't get a single one. I was gifted a real nice gemfish from some mad bugger that fish out off Mayor Island in 20knots, that's on the smoker tomorrow!
Best gurnard fisherman in my street
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote BananaBoat Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 Jul 2026 at 8:55pm
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Very good Mr Smudge
I was on the muddy Friday morning in the fog, 4.5hrs not a single bite
Looked around new grounds for gurnard, found a few nice-looking snapper spots of channels & structure for the summer run... way up on the sand, but that's about it
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