Fishin' for White Bait
October, 2001 � Oh Yah - What a treat - up at 5am to net for 'White Bait' in my favourite local river. I ended up being the 'gopher', but could hardly complain as I lay on the crest of a waterfall, watching a pair to Tui's in a love dance, and the smell of the river flowers intoxicating my senses. I'm in Love!
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�Drift Fishing off Little Barrier - September, 2001
What an amazing day, week - clear blue skies - flat clam water and it's warm. A prelude to Christmas. After witnessing this wonderful weather for 5 days I decided that I had to force Dad to take me fishing. So it was. We flyer out to little barrier - 20 minutes and after much debate about how and where, I let Dad win and we drift fished off the east of Little Barrier in about 160 feet of water. After 20 minutes and no bits, I hauled up to find a very nice snapper dangling from my line. "what I said..." down went the line again. Same happened, and again and again. I caught 3 perfect snapper and a great Gunard - Dad caught 2 snapper and a very large Gunard. What a perfect day.�
"The Curse has been broken..."
Yes, much to my relief I have caught a fish for the first time in a year or so. Off Tapora in the Kaipara harbour, I hooked a 5 foot Hammer Head Shark. Nice fishing experience - played well and hopefully will continue to live a long and healthy life. April, 2001
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� Mitimiti - Northland, March, 2001
Just love this place - isolated, no tourists, no people, wide open spaces, expanses of beach and water. We camped on a head land, fished on the rocky outcrop below and watched the magnificent sunsets. I, of course didn't catch a thing, but instead gathered the mussels and poured the drinks.
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Anniversary Weekend - January 2001
Fishing off Takatu Point Beautiful Day - cloudless sky, 10 knots of breeze Fantastic. A middle aged John Dory bent on suicide came aboard 'El Camino' for lunch.
Pinnacle of a life time of fishing
� �"The pressure is off ... I never have to catch another fish" said Ewen Grant, of Greenhithe, after catching his 22 pound Snapper. "....caught on a 'craggy' old piece of squid on the north end of Little Barrier in 19 feet of water". � December, 2000�
November, 2000
Jonathan arrived back from an early evening fish with two beautiful Snapper - just the right size. His recipe for cooking snapper is - immediately after catching - place the fish on ice and keep on ice for several days, then cook your preferred way - fry, grill, poach, bake. � The Snapper have arrived!
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Labour Weekend - October 22nd, 2000
100 lb Kingie
Caught off Great Barrier Island "It was like a Horse and lead me a merry treat for 3/4's of an hour". The snapper are still not around in great numbers or size, we are still throwing them back.�
�August 27th - Pink Beach
What a great fishing spot - everyone catches fish at Pink Beach (accept me, of course). It's the good old reliable fishing spot that we all love and adore
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August 22nd - Good News Week
The Snapper seem to be back in Omaha Bay after an unusal dry spell. Use that berley bin. The Kingfisher spring run may have started early. Don't forget to use that 'Live Bait'. One or two Barracoutta seem to be around in deep water.�August 20th - Grop for Groper.
Just in - there has been an unusual run on Groper this week. Everyone is catching them and they're Big.
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�August 3rd, 2000 - Omaha Bay
Well, it happened again! � The most fantastic day for weeks - blue clear skies, warm sun and the sea was flat calm. We cruised out to Leigh Reef, dropped the 'pick', baited up and waited. 10 minutes later we changed our bait .... no bites .... and doubts start to form. We nervously chatter - the weather - the state of the nation - health - the Queen, you name it, we talk about it ... still not a bite. � Oh Dear - I wanted to throw myself overboard, the shame was getting too me. Yes, it must be me - I am the Jinx! It's not the colour of the boat, there are no Bananas on board and we have all the correct equipment and bait. I was going to have to forsake these little fishing trips with my father for the good of his sanity. � We moved, not too far away, because Dad had caught fish at the Leigh reef many times - we must be just not quite in the right spot. My line was on the bottom before the engine stopped, I was determined to shake off this Jinx. � No bites ... I'm depressed. � We move again, this time to Pink Beach and the Fish Finder computer lights up like a Christmas Tree. We are in Luck, down go the lines, we burly, we remain silent, the pressure is on. Bites, Bites, yes we have bites, fish everywhere ..... but they don't want to come aboard. � I'm depressed ... we make our way home in a somber mood, with a chill in the air and the sun going down. My thoughts are no more fishing for me for a while, I'll leave it too the boys.�
�June 29th, 2000 - Omaha Bay
Well, finally the fish are here! After a summer void of a decent catch we had snapper for lunch and dinner. Caught at Leigh Point � It's been a frustrating season, with the odd report of a big haul in Kawau Bay, the local commercial fishermen from Leigh complaining of low catches and then you get a 'townie' raving about pulling them in off the back of Little Barrier. Who Knows. � In April, Dad and I visited every single fishing spot that he knew of, in his 50 years of fishing the Hauraki Gulf and all we pulled up was 2 throw backs. � I don't have the knowledge to take a guess as to why this was - one friend told me it was because our fishing boat had some red on the top sides. Then another friend told me it was because Dad took bananas for lunch. Who Knows. Then I read an amazing tip from the local 'Point Wells Village Crier' - if you cover your hull with vasoline - the sun reflects off the white paint, attracting the fish. � I look forward to lots of entertainment at the Omaha Ramp, when all these boats start to launch covered with vasoline.
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June 20th - Leigh� Harbour
Walked the net out in the Leigh Harbour this morning and with one drag, caught 400 Piper - Yum Yum. The best fish in the sea, what a treat.��
May, 2000 - Omaha Flats
One of the local fisherman from Leigh dropped off a 'Breem' for my dinner. What a fish. Similar to John Dory in shape, but bigger and darker. Apparently caught 50 miles out from Leigh in deep water. Poached in mandarin juice with a sprinkling of fresh herbs, from the garden. Yum Yum - best fish I've tasted in a while
