oh man, thats a top offer however, my unit should will be back this week. gotta say missing the thing... ginger will ring them tomorrow to check status.

Flyfisher - I will babysit your GPS whilst you are away

Another hard day at the office Ritchie

Trench was totally flat, no wind for 4 hours. Very small current as well. We fished off the headland for blue cod and the lines went straight down (while drifting).

Probably 10 drops or so 200-150m. Big schools of fish showing on the sounder, 10m off the bottom and 20-30m thick. Dropped a jig and pulled up a rays bream out of the school. Unfortunately it dropped off the hook at the surface with a wiggle of it's tail. That's now my first jigged bluenose and rays bream both dropped at the boat

Chatted to a big steel hulled yatcht and they weren't catching anything either. Took home a dozen large sea perch and a few blue cod for the table. Saw seals, dolphins and albatross but the weather was too calm for the wellies fish to be biting.

Water temp was 13

edit. few pics of the mint (weather not fishing) day

Scarpies on!


Dead calm at the trench all day....



Blue cod fishing in closer

Anyone heading out the westcoast tomorow?

I reakon it will be flat.

Dad's school holidays continue today with a cheeky dash to Mana wide. Forecast 15knt n followed by 15knt s meant a small window hopefully?

Armed with trusty fishing companion, Scott (he who bears bananas) I ventured out west on the last available day of gardening leave. It has been an awesome time with much work on the house, playing with the kids and fishing.

We arrived at Mana with a super full tide coming all the way up to the concrete. A stiff breeze passed through the flax. Launching was a little tricky but managable. Only two other trailers in the car park, mainly gym members getting a workout. On the water it was 15-20knts northerly.

We ran to hongieke bay (sp). A fish on the sand for a bit to wait for the wind change. Burley on the anchor and burley in the wobbley pot. Cray bodies, kahawai, Yellow tail macks, bomb, squid, old pillies.  In 10m. Gurnard for Scott first drop. A dropped ky for me and watch the southerly clouds come over the hills.

As the wind dropped we made the call for a dash wide. 5m fibreglass 60hp meaning a quick dash and back asap was the mission. It was lumpy heading out with a strong current line (strong tides). Getting to the spot (23 about 2km west of north mana) we managed about 5 drifts in 150 -170m.  A couple of red cod, no scarpies and a couple of strong bites hooked up for a couple of minutes. A braid around the prop and one decent puka.

After my PB fish (14.2kg) I also rated highly as an experience the extraction of a spiny dog spine. Taken from my finger after about 2 months (D'urville wound).

Wellington fishing rocks.









Looking forward to the weekend after easter for the next shot out wide (ish).

Damien

Many a meal for the Brentons and the Kellys.

Hapuku stir fry & pan rroast hapuku.

Pan roast hapuka
Preheat oven to max on fan bake.
Scaled, skin on, fillet pieces. Pat dry with paper towels. Season well. Flour skin side.
Heat cast iron pan (or other oven suitable heavy based pan) to very high with high temp oil smoking.
Add fish skin side down. Fry till browned (2-3m). Turn over and put into the oven for 3 mins. Take out when not quite cooked (fish will finish cooking on the plate). 
Serve skin side up.

Nice dekay.... Hopefully in a couple of hours I will be experiencing the need wonder drug F.

Awesome fish mate, what rig did you use?

we had a wee dangle today...