Print Page | Close Window

Never seen before

Printed From: The Fishing Website
Category: Saltwater Fishing
Forum Name: The Briny Bar
Forum Description: The place for general chat on saltwater fishing!
URL: https://www.fishing.net.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=137907
Printed Date: 10 Feb 2025 at 8:17pm


Topic: Never seen before
Posted By: Kandrew
Subject: Never seen before
Date Posted: 24 Oct 2023 at 8:04am
I was out yesterday morning down the bottom of the Firth having a fish out in the middle off Tapu.

On the way back I noticed what I thought was a large black tree trunk floating in the water. So I thought I’d stop and have a look and to my surprise it was a big seal just swimming around.

I’ve been fishing the Firth for 50 years and I’ve never seen a seal down that far.



Replies:
Posted By: MB
Date Posted: 24 Oct 2023 at 9:54am
Different area entirely, but I often see them sunning themselves on the surface in really deep water out of the Kaipara and Hokianga. Would seem like a great way to get eaten by a great white or an orca, but they don't seem to worry about it!


Posted By: Pcj
Date Posted: 24 Oct 2023 at 10:21am
Saw one last year between kkb and Wilson's.Thought it was a log till the flipper moved.Wouldnt want to hit one .

-------------
"Times up"


Posted By: smudge
Date Posted: 24 Oct 2023 at 10:37am
I've seen them right up the far reaches of the Tamaki River where Gt South Rd passes over it in Otahuhu and I've heard of them out at 100m off the coast of the Manukau Harbour which is maybe 15 miles off shore. They are certainly building in numbers

-------------
Best gurnard fisherman in my street


Posted By: Bertiesdad
Date Posted: 24 Oct 2023 at 1:48pm
They get everywhere. A small Taranaki ring plain river passes through our place- about ten km upstream from sea. We have had seals in the river ( we are talking steep, rocks and shallow and about 15m wide) and in the trough in the paddock next to the river…..they get bored and head out on their own again soon enough…


Posted By: White snake
Date Posted: 24 Oct 2023 at 10:29pm
I have seen and thought the same thing when fishing wide off taranaki at the mokau trench 100km off shore.I think they must be chasing the squid.The need to feed must off set the clear and present danger of sharks and orcas.


Posted By: Reel Deal
Date Posted: 25 Oct 2023 at 7:47pm
Whangarei has a couple in residence in harbour entrance area 

-------------
The gods do not subtract from the allotted span of men's lives the hours spent on fishing - Assyrian Proverb


Posted By: MB
Date Posted: 25 Oct 2023 at 9:07pm
Originally posted by Reel Deal Reel Deal wrote:

Whangarei has a couple in residence in harbour entrance area 

That's funny, never seen them. We always look out for the ones at Reotahi. Didn't see them last time, so wondered if they have moved on for summer. There is a young seal resident in Pataua at the moment. Pretty cool to see him/her playing under the bridge. 


Posted By: Alan L
Date Posted: 25 Oct 2023 at 9:15pm
They are amazing. We have a bunch of rocks/islands off our beach - about 1 ha size each. I am sure it is the same colony that turns up every year (at least the last 30yrs and prob forever) from god knows where to the same rock to have their pups and winter over. Summer generally gone. Maybe one or two stragglers. How do they find that 1Ha rock every year in a vast ocean? Their gps is as good as mine, for sure. It is great to take kids out to see the seals wih their pups and if lucky, see them teaching the pups to dive in the kelp etc.
Sometimes I will come across one out in the deep, sound asleep. You get attracted to the weird shape - turns out it is a seal fast asleep on its back, with a flipper stuck up in the air, catching the rays. Awesome orca bait. The guy would have died in his sleep , so to say. But they really are out to it at times, you can get quite close and they don't realise.
Amazing creatures.
Alan


-------------
Legasea Legend member


Posted By: smudge
Date Posted: 26 Oct 2023 at 6:06am
There was an article recently in The Herald (I think) that was saying how there have been a lot of dead seals turning up on beaches around NZ lately. The numbers were quite high ...

-------------
Best gurnard fisherman in my street


Posted By: smudge
Date Posted: 26 Oct 2023 at 6:09am
News Hub sorry:   https://www.msn.com/en-nz/news/other/hundreds-of-seals-mysteriously-dying-across-new-zealand/ar-AA1iMML9" rel="nofollow - https://www.msn.com/en-nz/news/other/hundreds-of-seals-mysteriously-dying-across-new-zealand/ar-AA1iMML9

Other articles point at starvation as a cause


-------------
Best gurnard fisherman in my street


Posted By: Reel Deal
Date Posted: 26 Oct 2023 at 10:01pm
Yes orca love them mother had pup in rocks a Whangarei entrance when orca came past, orca must smell them as kept working those rocks. Saw an adult on Saturday came up to the boat rolling around by mardsen point wharf. Fish were still biting but there was a lot of boat traffic so it’s a worry where they choose to live. 

-------------
The gods do not subtract from the allotted span of men's lives the hours spent on fishing - Assyrian Proverb



Print Page | Close Window