Deep Dropping for Hāpuku, Bass & Bluenose

There’s something brutally honest about deep dropping. Just you, your gear, and a bait disappearing into hundreds of metres of dark, cold water. Then – out of nowhere – the rod loads, the reel groans, and you’re connected to something heavy, stubborn, and prehistoric. Whether I’m chasing ‘puka, bass, or bluenose, I find deep dropping to be one of my favourite types of fishing. The reason is simple – you just never know how big the fish will be when you hook up. It could be 5kg, 50kg, or even bigger!

Understanding the species

Hāpuku (or ‘puka), bass, and bluenose are the ‘big three’ of deepwater species. They’re powerful, found all around the country, and make great kai. You can cook them in so many ways. I love smoking the meat or making panko-crumbed fish burgers – they’re always juicy and full of flavour.