Social 🎣 Fishing thread

[sup42]

Hi all,

Being a fishing thread, off topic banter welcome.

The old forum had a thread (I started it lol) and no one used it.

Here is hoping....

 

[sup42]

@dean asked in the Cooking thread if I had been out lately for a fish, turns out I have, did one trip to the Weiti river (Northern bank) another to the Gulf Harbor breakwater, and a blast up Waiwera way.

Nothing legal size to report from those trips.

Did a quick sesh off Devonport (Victoria Warf) going for Parore, no joy.


Fishing can be hard around Auckland this time of year with all the boat traffic, especially if you can only go in the middle of the day.

Dean asked if I know the rock fishing possies on the Northshore?

Short answer is not really, I tend to fish close to home (Birkenhead Wharf = Snapper - Kahawai - King fish via slide baiting method) and Parore from the Wharves using mussel baits from countdown.

I would be keen to know about peoples experiences of any relatively easy access rock and or beach spots on the shore.....

 

[sup42]

You been out @dean ?

 

[dean]

You been out @dean ?

I have almost recovered from shoulder surgery, so my first rock fish was a couple of days ago. New spot near the Te Puna inlet BOI. one small snapper, lots of bites. I need to get a few kahawai or jack macs for bait, something harder than mullet. I was using big baits and #10 hook.
Sold my boat before surgery as I expected to be in rehab for a year but that hasn't been the case so I'm looking for one now and have my eye on something at present. Have the house on the market with a view to moving to the Hibiscus Coast, so if you are keen, happy to take you out to the 40m mark when the snapper are in.
In my youth I fished a lot around Beachaven, the sandstone banks along Aeroview Drive. Access was easy because there were not that many houses, always did well even in winter. At low tide it is muddy but if you can find a shelf close and cast into the chanel the fish are there at dusk in shallow water. Not a fashionable place to fish and access now might be difficult.
The headland between Narrow Neck and Cheltenham produces snapper. Best at low tide, morning or evening, starting to run in and best during the week as you don't want to be jostling for a spot.

 

[sup42]

I have almost recovered from shoulder surgery, so my first rock fish was a couple of days ago. New spot near the Te Puna inlet BOI. one small snapper, lots of bites. I need to get a few kahawai or jack macs for bait, something harder than mullet. I was using big baits and #10 hook.
Sold my boat before surgery as I expected to be in rehab for a year but that hasn't been the case so I'm looking for one now and have my eye on something at present. Have the house on the market with a view to moving to the Hibiscus Coast, so if you are keen, happy to take you out to the 40m mark when the snapper are in.
In my youth I fished a lot around Beachaven, the sandstone banks along Aeroview Drive. Access was easy because there were not that many houses, always did well even in winter. At low tide it is muddy but if you can find a shelf close and cast into the chanel the fish are there at dusk in shallow water. Not a fashionable place to fish and access now might be difficult.
The headland between Narrow Neck and Cheltenham produces snapper. Best at low tide, morning or evening, starting to run in and best during the week as you don't want to be jostling for a spot.

Ouch, that shoulder reconstruction or clean out must have been decent.

Yeah those are good baits for big hooks eh.

Thanks for sharing those spots.

Last year I was slide baiting off Birkenhead Warf in the middle of winter for the hell of it and since no one really fishes much there that time of year.

Caught about four or five massive Kahawai each time which was a lot of fun, no Kings then but hey you have to be in to win and what else is better on a winters day.

What sized boat did you sell out of interest bro? I haven't owned boats since my last one in Wellington.

Used to fish off Mana Island Porirua way, good Hapuka and Terakihi at the right time.

The other place I go is Matarangi from time to time, mainly fished local there (not the best part of the coast but I had a few successes on Kingys in that harbour live baiting of Matarangi Warf, night fishing on the beach down near the pines is good for pannies at the right time).

I read you say that Whangapoa up is your old backyard / spot X's

 

[snake77]

My father was a keen fishermen. When I say was he's still alive just as he's now 85 he's lost interest as getting out and some health issues was making it difficult. He's now restricted to watching videos, tying flies or walking to the local river to spot some fish. It is cool the few times he's taken my kids out. Although he doesn't get as prepared as he used to, so we've been out and not had something we needed.

I always thought it would be a sad day when he couldn't go out fishing.

Saying he was a keen fishermen was probably an understatement. This is someone that would finish a shift at work or get to his day off and even after finishing a run of night shifts the first thing he'd do would be head out fishing. He's been mentioned in books. Most marriages drinking or money is the cause of arguments. My parents fishing would often be a cause as he'd be out too much or had gone out when my mother was wanting him to take her out somewhere.

He was into trout fishing mainly. Sea fishing was reserved for holidays.

Our holidays were often out on charter boats, wharfs. We got a new car one holiday where most people pick up their car and go for a drive in their new toy. My father stopped half way across the Tauranga harbour to go fishing.

I will end up inheriting a lot of fishing gear and books. A lot of memories. I enjoy it but haven't gone out much since being an adult. My childhood was more than most do in a life time.

Seeing his passion I see where I get mine for various things like rugby league or other topics.

 

[sup42]

My father was a keen fishermen. When I say was he's still alive just as he's now 85 he's lost interest as getting out and some health issues was making it difficult. He's now restricted to watching videos, tying flies or walking to the local river to spot some fish. It is cool the few times he's taken my kids out. Although he doesn't get as prepared as he used to, so we've been out and not had something we needed.

I always thought it would be a sad day when he couldn't go out fishing.

Saying he was a keen fishermen was probably an understatement. This is someone that would finish a shift at work or get to his day off and even after finishing a run of night shifts the first thing he'd do would be head out fishing. He's been mentioned in books. Most marriages drinking or money is the cause of arguments. My parents fishing would often be a cause as he'd be out too much or had gone out when my mother was wanting him to take her out somewhere.

He was into trout fishing mainly. Sea fishing was reserved for holidays.

Our holidays were often out on charter boats, wharfs. We got a new car one holiday where most people pick up their car and go for a drive in their new toy. My father stopped half way across the Tauranga harbour to go fishing.

I will end up inheriting a lot of fishing gear and books. A lot of memories. I enjoy it but haven't gone out much since being an adult. My childhood was more than most do in a life time.

Seeing his passion I see where I get mine for various things like rugby league or other topics.

Trout fishermen as you are probably aware are artists in the sport of fishing.

A lot of the better innovations in the fishing world in the use of light specialized gear and lure fishing comes from the Trout guys - especially the US.

I am a salt guy but I did cross off trout fishing in the Ngongotaha with an American Fly fisherman friend that went there every season.

We stayed at the Paradise lodge.

There is a hole an easy walk below the lodge that has produced big fish over the years, it might be within Dad's physical capabilities and a nice place to have a weekend get away.

Fishing and other obsessions certainly do cause rifts.

I took my ex out fishing off Kawakawa bay one evening, motor broke down, I am not marine mechanic, some bad ass weather started rolling in as it grew dark (dunno where it came from, was not in the forecast).

My ex say's "you better not make me late for night shift


In the interest of calm I did not tell her the being late home is the good news.....not getting home.....ever....the bad.


Obviously the motor started.

That trip got me into using radio and having a Coast guard membership.

I still don't really know my way around boats even though I have owned and used them in the fashion I should.

 

[snake77]

Further to my last post. I'd often meet people who would say their father is a keen fishermen or into trout fishing.

I'd then mention things like it my previous posts where pretty much any day off was fishing or holidays were a different form of fishing.

I'd then mention a few stories like these. Then get the reply yeah my father goes fishing a little bit.

When I was young we'd go shopping for the day. When in Tauranga we'd park at the bottom of town in the car park down by the harbour. One time my father and I we got there before my mother and sister. My dad spots a school of king fish and says he has the spinning rod in the back I could kill some time and try and land one of those. He puts the rod out and hooks one. The issue is the fish is too big for the line so he's trying to tire out the fish. A guy comes past and asks why he doesn't just reel it in, my father explains about the line he is using and the size of the fish. No repeat this with a few more passes by to the point a huge crowd starts to gather as my father and this crowd is going up and down the car park. All while my father is trying to baby sit me next to him with the Asterix book he brought me earlier. My mother and sister eventually turned up wandering what the big crowd is looking at.

He went to the world fly fishing championships held here in the 90s. He was a referee. I was joking about this before he left but he didn't like the competition aspect too much. When he came back he was complaining about all of these world class anglers and all of the mistakes they'd make. My response was "Did they not let you participate as it would be unfair".

Unfortunately getting older I've forgotten a lot. Later years he left his fish either by the car or away from where he was fishing and another angler he was talking stole it. My father who fished for sport thought that wasn't cricket.

 

[snake77]

Trout fishermen as you are probably aware are artists in the sport of fishing.

A lot of the better innovations in the fishing world in the use of light specialized gear and lure fishing comes from the Trout guys - especially the US.

These change of techniques is probably why I found fly fishing so hard to take up. When you have someone that knows something so well it can be a bit hard to learn off. My father would often teach me different techniques instead of getting the first one mastered first. I've been the same when I was a gun cricketer trying to teach someone to bowl. Your passionate about something and keen to pass something on you go a bit overboard.

Fishing, especially trout fishing is something I'd like to do when I retire and have more time. Hopefully I live somewhere convenient. If I end up back down in the Bay of Plenty it would probably bring back a lot of memories.

I'll probably need to reach out to someone to teach me.

A guy I went to school with is a fishing guide in Rotorua. Check this page out. Guy catches some absolute monster trout. He's also had some famous people he's taken out as well.

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[dean]

Ouch, that shoulder reconstruction or clean out must have been decent.

Yeah those are good baits for big hooks eh.

Thanks for sharing those spots.

Last year I was slide baiting off Birkenhead Warf in the middle of winter for the hell of it and since no one really fishes much there that time of year.

Caught about four or five massive Kahawai each time which was a lot of fun, no Kings then but hey you have to be in to win and what else is better on a winters day.

What sized boat did you sell out of interest bro? I haven't owned boats since my last one in Wellington.

Used to fish off Mana Island Porirua way, good Hapuka and Terakihi at the right time.

The other place I go is Matarangi from time to time, mainly fished local there (not the best part of the coast but I had a few successes on Kingys in that harbour live baiting of Matarangi Warf, night fishing on the beach down near the pines is good for pannies at the right time).

I read you say that Whangapoa up is your old backyard / spot X's

That is a good haul of Kahawai of BW.
My last boat was an Osprey 450 centre console. Great little boat but very small internal space. I went down to this size while awaiting surgery so I could launch and fish solo. Before that I owned a 620 Senator, Stabicraft 2400, Kennedy launch and a 610 AMF.
I am looking at another alloy pontoon boat, sub 5m. My days of hapuka and bluenose fishing are over, I just need something I can manage by myself and will get me home safely.
That Wellington coastline and Cook Strait are great hapuka territory and terakihi territory alright.
I have some good spots around Whangapoua, happy to share with you but they are long or steep walks.
If you try the Narrow Neck-Cheltenham spot, always enter from Narrow Neck, much easier.

 

[3rdstriker]

Must've missed the thread on the old forum, love my fishing any form, from surfcasting, to sight casting to trout with the fly, softbait with light tackle for snapper.
Good place to share some tips tricks and recipes nothing beats bringing home a fresh feed for the whanau.

 

[sup42]

Must've missed the thread on the old forum, love my fishing any form, from surfcasting, to sight casting to trout with the fly, softbait with light tackle for snapper.
Good place to share some tips tricks and recipes nothing beats bringing home a fresh feed for the whanau.

Do any softbait fishing from the rocks/land based bro? I have been trying it but only at the start of a bait session coz if there are no hits I switch to sit and watch the rod do all the work.

 

[sup42]

That is a good haul of Kahawai of BW.
My last boat was an Osprey 450 centre console. Great little boat but very small internal space. I went down to this size while awaiting surgery so I could launch and fish solo. Before that I owned a 620 Senator, Stabicraft 2400, Kennedy launch and a 610 AMF.
I am looking at another alloy pontoon boat, sub 5m. My days of hapuka and bluenose fishing are over, I just need something I can manage by myself and will get me home safely.
That Wellington coastline and Cook Strait are great hapuka territory and terakihi territory alright.
I have some good spots around Whangapoua, happy to share with you but they are long or steep walks.
If you try the Narrow Neck-Cheltenham spot, always enter from Narrow Neck, much easier.

Nice boats bro.

Very nice.

What is your preferred snapper rigs and baits etc out in the inner Waitemata?

 

[sup42]

Further to my last post. I'd often meet people who would say their father is a keen fishermen or into trout fishing.

I'd then mention things like it my previous posts where pretty much any day off was fishing or holidays were a different form of fishing.

I'd then mention a few stories like these. Then get the reply yeah my father goes fishing a little bit.

When I was young we'd go shopping for the day. When in Tauranga we'd park at the bottom of town in the car park down by the harbour. One time my father and I we got there before my mother and sister. My dad spots a school of king fish and says he has the spinning rod in the back I could kill some time and try and land one of those. He puts the rod out and hooks one. The issue is the fish is too big for the line so he's trying to tire out the fish. A guy comes past and asks why he doesn't just reel it in, my father explains about the line he is using and the size of the fish. No repeat this with a few more passes by to the point a huge crowd starts to gather as my father and this crowd is going up and down the car park. All while my father is trying to baby sit me next to him with the Asterix book he brought me earlier. My mother and sister eventually turned up wandering what the big crowd is looking at.

He went to the world fly fishing championships held here in the 90s. He was a referee. I was joking about this before he left but he didn't like the competition aspect too much. When he came back he was complaining about all of these world class anglers and all of the mistakes they'd make. My response was "Did they not let you participate as it would be unfair".

Unfortunately getting older I've forgotten a lot. Later years he left his fish either by the car or away from where he was fishing and another angler he was talking stole it. My father who fished for sport thought that wasn't cricket.

Etiquette is pretty important in our culture eh.

I never muscle in on someones spot etc.

I always strike up a conversation with fisho's when I go to see who is catching what.

If I get the cold shoulder I leave them to it, after all some go there not to talk with anyone, others like me love talking fishing with like minded fisho's.

When I took my son who is recovering from ill health to Devonport wharf last week, this guy cast his rod diagonally across our rods, then he went and cast another Rod far away, stayed with that Rod and left the one blocking us un attended.

That kinda ignorance from people from other countries where they cut in front of one another because their are a billion of them does not sit right.

But that story about the trout thief is just pathetic, what a loser for not getting their own.

I just realised talking about the Ngongotaha and your Dad was silly, he will know every prominent waterway / famous spot in the country.

 

[sup42]

When I was 7 my mum started letting me and my best friend go fishing unsupervised (there was only one place we could go and we were well aware that if we get too close to the Water we are playing with our lives around the Manukau).

It was a good thing Ma did that, let us get away from the daily shit in the hood as kids, pretty much became my mental escape and therapy.

Not having an old man to teach me, I used to get books out of Papakura Public Library.

We went hand lining at Hingaia bridge (on the way to Kingseat - Waiau Pa, there was a take away there, pretty much the closest spot to Papakura).

Anyway, me and my mate it turns out sucked at the actual fishing part, we made dough baits that would come off in the current or the first bite, the prize quarry on those missions were Yellow eyed Mullet (sprats).

 

[John Nick]

When I was 7 my mum started letting me and my best friend go fishing unsupervised (there was only one place we could go and we were well aware that if we get too close to the Water we are playing with our lives around the Manukau).

It was a good thing Ma did that, let us get away from the daily shit in the hood as kids, pretty much became my mental escape and therapy.

Not having an old man to teach me, I used to get books out of Papakura Public Library.

We went hand lining at Hingaia bridge (on the way to Kingseat - Waiau Pa, there was a take away there, pretty much the closest spot to Papakura).

Anyway, me and my mate it turns out sucked at the actual fishing part, we made dough baits that would come off in the current or the first bite, the prize quarry on those missions were Yellow eyed Mullet (sprats).

It took us years to finally land a sprat, but that is where I learned about the meditative part of fishing over the results part. I think I would have taken it for granted maybe if we had of caught stuff the first attempt.

One time I came home with a massive birds nest in my mono filament landline, I was used to cotton, so I learned that day how fancy lines tangle bad, especially if you try to pull on the end and make it tighter.

Dylan Walkers Great Grandfather (Christie Stan Warren - direct descendant of Fletcher Christian - known on Pitcairn Island as the strongest man on the Island - and the master fisherman) was living with us at the time, he watched me in the lounge trying to cut the tangle out "Noooo he say's" he gestures to me to hand him the line (he had almost no English).

So I watch in amazement as he untangles it in seconds, re-tangles it, then demonstrates slowly the how to part.

That old man had a great story about a Swordfish that killed his mate, a fish that was known and had its own name - Dylan's G. Grandfather set out to avenge his mate and after weeks of hunting it he finally got into a battle of Ernest Hemingway proportions. That fishes sword is still on the Island it took more than a day on his hand line to get the beast.

My first introduction to fishing was when we were very young. 4 or 5.
My parents and my sister and I went to live on Mayor Island for the season.
Dad was running one of the charter boats and Mum (bless her heart) was running the kitchen.
Mum hated it because of the opposums running over the iron roof at night time.

 

[sup42]

My first introduction to fishing was when we were very young. 4 or 5.
My parents and my sister and I went to live on Mayor Island for the season.
Dad was running one of the charter boats and Mum (bless her heart) was running the kitchen.
Mum hated it because of the opposums running over the iron roof at night time.

Bro you must have caught some mad fish in your time out with the old man eh.

I watch a fair bit of vids and Mayor Island still looks tasty for Kingy's

 

[John Nick]

Bro you must have caught some mad fish in your time out with the old man eh.

I watch a fair bit of vids and Mayor Island still looks tasty for Kingy's

Not really in those days.
Strictly for the skipper and his paying passengers.
Zane Grey was once a passenger.

Years later I was crewing on the lighthouse supply vessel MV Colville and serviced lighthouses on Cuvier and Moko Hinau and Tiri.
Caught some huge fish during our down time

 

[dean]

Nice boats bro.

Very nice.

What is your preferred snapper rigs and baits etc out in the inner Waitemata?

I used to net my own bait, so yellow eyed mullet and sprats. Either a half or whole fish, two hooks straylined depending on the current.
If the current required a 4-5 oz sinker to stay in contact with the bottom, then a ledger rig with cubes of sprat or yellow eyed mullet.
Bait is expensive so I've always caught my own.

 

[Boats n Hoes]

Never had the patience for fishing, which was wierd given i worked at Killwell Sports for a couple of years actually making fishing rods (still get the hook ups from their if anyones after anything). Was a kid with too much energy so keeping still was never a thing for me.

However i will go diving and especially floundering.....love them. Bit of flour, salt and pepper, on the barbeque, finsh with lemon juice....yum. Normally go to Pukehina or take the net out to an inlet by Opotoki.