inside.

 

Less than a km from home there is a delightful clear running stream that runs though native forest that has a healthy population of eels  some of which are tame & can be hand feed.

 

Am hoping there will also be a population of koura (freshwater crayfish) & if I stuff suitable bait into the foliage they will climb in overnight nestling into the security of the Manuka remaining there until the "pot" is pulled early tomorrow morning.

 

Reckon the venture, successful or not ticks all the boxes re  such as :-

 

Is less than 1 km from home & will be walking.

Will be a solo mission & highly unlikely to even see anyone else.

Will be fishing from the shore albeit a stream bank.

Water is relatively shallow therefore risk level virtually zero.

 

If I draw a blank then nothing lost but if rewarded with success it may well become a regular activity even after lock down is over as they are undeniably delicious lightly steamed even more so than prawns imo. 

I have dropped a chicken mesh version of a cray pot/hinaki - about 300mm sq in our creek - with some fresh meat.

That worked. But so did a bamboo pole and a sprat hook with a bit of chopped liver. You could fill in a lot of time - takes a few for a feed.

Alan

Put a handline out overnight with a circle hook and catch an eel Bazza, great smoked or charred on the BBQ...

 

No need to even use a line Al as a lot of them there once trust has been established they can be hand fed as I witnessed (from a safe  distance ) an adventurous young girl about 3 or 4 yo doing this arvo.

 

Like most kiwis I used to hold eels in low regard until beginning to discover what incredible creatures they actually were, consequently where ever there is an opportunity to protect them, I do.

 

BTW did you get the e-mail on Wuhan I sent you ?

 

If so, being such a clever IT genius, is it at all possible you could somehow or other post a link to the forum ?

 

I managed to get sharks out of our fishing comp - hauled ashore and weighed then dumped. Finally manged to get eels out too (kids). They get judged on herrings and any small kahawai.

Regards

Alan

Baz if you score and eel or two to spare and don't want, I'll get Hone Harawira to swing buy on his way south for his next adventure to pickup and deliver.

You nail the head at the zero end of the tape and nail the tail at the other. Easy.

Alan

 

Yep indeed ... how many fishos would be aware we have the worlds biggest eels & one variety at least that are exclusive to NZ.

 

However is their spawning / breeding process that is really amazing when at a certain age ( think it is 5 yo ) they set off en masse towards Tonga with most of the males changing sex to female on the way (much like a couple of fishing buddies I have known) & on arrival at Tonga the spawning & fertilising of the eggs takes place after which the adults die. The fertilised eggs transform into hatchlings about 12 to 15 mm long & are called glasslings whereupon things get really interesting.

 

These tiny creatures not only instinctively seek out the currents that will take them back to NZ but on arrival most manage to find the water their parents came from ... then the oncoming generation prepare to repeat the process.

 

The grossly overweight specimens usually caught in the school holidays & feature in local newspapers along with their proud juvenile captors are barren females that have remained behind to grow old & overweight.

 

They are proven to be highly intelligent creatures & sadly stocks suffered irreparable damage in the 70's & 80's when it was discovered a very lucrative export business existed in much of Europe, Asia & the US. 

 

So much damage in fact that catch rates became uneconomic & harvesting was heavily restricted by which time average size & weights of individual specimens had been dramatically reduced & may never recover. 

Do tell the class "Bazza" how you got on.Remember when letting eels go do not transfer them from one stream to another apparently they do not like unfamiliar terrioty,found that out when we brought one home ,hunua,stuck in bath to give the old a girl a fright,went down to local creek and this old fella told me all about it.

Alan

Nah, nothing to it. When we got peeved trying to fly fish trout for nil result, we'd scoot upstream with a packet or two of cement dust in our pockets.

Get around a small pond and past the rock strewn inlet stream, spread the cement out over the water.

Dust floats down, fish ingest it through their gills, gills gummed up and the trout end up dead easy to just pick up.

Not so noticeable as a Tuna bomb see.

Alan

 

Was kinda hoping no one how it went bit as several have am obliged to make a declaration.

 

In short nada, zero, nothing apart from a by catch of mushrooms which were tasty enough but not the targeted species.

 

Am inclined to think I may have stuffed to much ti tree foliage into the trap which blocked the entry holes so will have another go tonight with minimal or no foliage.

 

Nevertheless I did witness something incredible that more than made the whole venture worthwhile.

 

Upon emptying the smoked trout scraps used as bait from the trap tossed a couple of bits into the water & a couple of eels ... one quite large made an appearance.

 

Was fascinated by their reactions when a black & white sheepdog breed came on the scene, peered into the water at the smaller eel

about a mtr. long then jumped into the water on top of where it was. Was thinking "that will scare off the eel" so will be the last we see of him for awhile ... but no ... they began to interact like long time playmates which I eventually had to conclude was the only viable explanation because whilst his canine friend pranced about the eel swam in a figure eight pattern around his legs, an activity they both seemed to enjoy. A couple of times the dog plunged its' head underwater, prompting me to think "there goes lunch" but to my amazement merely gave it a friendly lick.

 

Am certain that after 10 mins or so of interaction they bid each other fond farewell with the addition of "see you tomorrow, same time, same place ... in the meantime take care my friend"

 

The eels would be so easy to catch on a hook & sadly that is what is bound to happen particularly with the ever increasing numbers of a certain ethnic group that often seem to have scant regard for aquatic conservation other than on a plate. Anyone of course is legally entitled to fish for them ... just a pity their true value is not always fully recognised.

 

 

2nd version of a new plan usually works better Bazza. I'm giving you better odds this time around.

Otherwise a sprat hook and liver will soak up half a day. They will come out in daylight.

Regards

Alan

Can I have some of that weed you're smoking dude?

What I do these days when writing a big post is to write it in notepad or wordand then copy and paste into a new forum post. Has happened to me many a time that typing into a forum  webpage has vanished too many times...

https://niwa.co.nz/our-science/freshwater/research-projects/all/restoration-of-aquatic-ecosystems/monitoring_koura/protocol" rel="nofollow - https://niwa.co.nz/our-science/freshwater/research-projects/all/restoration-of-aquatic-ecosystems/monitoring_koura/protocol

 

No Paul not there but not far away from there ... in fact there are lots of ponds, streams etc. in the general area most of which hold fish & some surprisingly large such as Koi carp that have been illegally released over the years & now are the size of rat kings ... making a mess of the habitat of other species tho.

Legend. keep that a secret. 

Alan

 

   awaiting the arrival of his canine counter part.  

You sure there are some in there?

Could try dangling a bit of liver by a ledge or rocks, shelter and see what comes out. I have caught them in the day on hooks.

Alan

 

Good question Alan & one that I am beginning to ask myself.

 

Not aware of anyone having caught any, but it looks to be such a perfect environment for them, so assumed there would be ... after all have come across them in the most unlikely locations such as when hand digging in a patch of damp soil on the Coatesville rural block where we lived for 40 odd years before moving back to suburbia.

 

Never mind .... nothing ventured nothing gained & was an interesting

exercise.

 

Thanx for your ongoing interest.

When we were kids we used one of Mums forks tied to her broom handle , tasty but not filling lol.

 

Likewise remember reading about something or other attributed to having come from NZ that was infesting areas of freshwater in the USA

& millions of dollars was being spent trying to contain & halt the spread. Wish I could remember what they were but can recollect thinking "sure they are indigenous to NZ but are not a problem here!

 

Much the same re mantis shrimps which are a premium priced much valued delicacy in many countries around the world ( can attest to them being delicious ) yet are shunned here in NZ despite being huge readily caught population in places such as the Kaipara where the com fishos loathe them with a vengeance as they get caught in their nets whilst feeding on any trapped fish.

 

Maybe it is a case of nature over the centuries adjusts things so they can live in relative harmony but things tend to go pear shaped with human intervention when certain plants, insects & animals get transported out of their natural environment to one that has no built up resistance to a foreign invader.

 

In any event ... guess it could be considered rough justice in revenge for the introduction of gorse, thistles, koi, ragwort, rabbits, stoats, possums etc. etc. to Gods' own !!!!!!!

 

 

 

So that is where all my koura went ... might have known ... thanx a lot mate

Alan

 

Yep Al ... a fact confirmed from a conversation with Ernie the eel I have just return from & he said an hour before I arrived a suspicious looking individual with a northland accent turned up on both occasions & emptied my trap.

 

Hmnnn ... would be fairly conclusive evidence imo other than the fact he went on to further describe the perpetrator as being a good  looking individual, thereby providing catchelot with an iron clad alibi !!

 

Alan

 

If so, with  time postage averaging 10 days at best, will be able to smell the postie coming from umpteen blocks away.

0800 476 224

(0800 POACHER)

Alan

 

Actually Allan, before I lay a complaint I am actively petitioning for a law change making koura theft a capital offence or even worse namely :- forcing offenders to listen to a 3 hour videoed speech by Simon Bridges !!

 

I know I can rely on you will sign the petition but have an inkling catchelot will decline. 

Bazza, I must protest, because Hone Harawira said I could have them, and gave me a permit to exercise my treaty of waitangi rights.

Catchelot wrote: bazza wrote: Alan L wrote: If they don't turn up - phone this number  0800 476 224 (0800 POACHER) Alan   Actually Allan, before I lay a complaint I am actively petitioning for a law change making koura theft a capital offence or even worse namely :- forcing offenders to listen to a 3 hour videoed speech by Simon Bridges !!   I know I can rely on you will sign the petition but have an inkling catchelot will decline.  Bazza, I must protest, because Hone Harawira said I could have them, and gave me a permit to exercise my treaty of waitangi rights.   I have just spoken to him to confirm your claim & he was adamant the permit was for whakkky backkky & NOT koura.

-------------
When you cry, feel pain or sadness, no one notices your sorrow .... BUT
fart just ONE time !!!!!!!!!!!

Alan

 

A bit late for that as pics show they have been cooked & furthermore probably eaten !

I think he should put them back.On your plate.

Alan

 

Better still in the dead of night a could covertly hide a sack full  of pre eaten leftovers under his house then gleefully wait as they become more & more pungent day by day.

Sweet meat.

Alan