Kiwi

Here you go. Remember biiig baits, bonito and squid. Livies of 2-3 kg Kahawai are NOT to big. http://waterfrontlodge.co.nz/

Hi Tim, If you are staying at Bob & Tipi's (southern end) I believe they have tinnies for hire. Otherwise I will send you a pm with some of the better blokes to contact. Do you want to go from GB or from the mainland. Landbased is awesome and if you get a rental and go over on the car ferry or get a taxi on the island there is mind blowing fishing off most ledges. Cheers Rowan

I run mono on the Tiagras but have braid on TLD 30's and my bottom bouncers. All get the same treatment and I have not had an issue with corosion on the spool.

I stop the corosion on the reels by applying a liberal amount of vaseline or petrolium jelly on the spool and sides before spooling the reel. This seems to stop the salt eating the reel. My 50w tiagras are 18 years old and the spools are as good as new. Maybe try a heavier grease like trailer or marine grease or lanolin to work as a barier.

I had a similar problem and solved it by getting a short length 2.0m of 30mm alloy pipe. Drilled holes in and set up a pulley and release clip and line through ss saddles. Put the pipe up in the rocket launcher and feed the line from the rod placed in a rod holder down on deck level or in the gunnel up to the release clip. You can then clip the line in to the release clip/ peg and run it up the pole like a flag. Fish hits, line releases and simple to pick up rod from gunnel holder. Or rod holder along the stern. Total cost about $80.00 all up.

Not a problem Stan. Only too happy to be able to give a bit of help. Would love to come for a ride when you are closer to the deal. Cheers Rowan

Hi Pred ator, I had an 8m custom circa built for charter in 1995, I ran this for 8 years. It was a toss up between that and the White Pointer. I went Circa due to the proximity of where I lived compared to where the WP are. I spent many years on a WP as skipper and had a ball. They are the most over built boat I have been on, the only other kiwi boat that could compare in build structure would be AMF. They use 6mm alloy every where and weigh a hell of a lot more than others and cost accordingly. Stabi are the bees knees as far as stability but I found the WP was like a small launch but with the speed. You have more internal room due to the standard construction rather than losing room to the pontoons. I recomend you organise sea trials and make an informed decision on rough water trials with either the financial controller or very experienced friends. I found WP only too happy to customise to pretty much what you want and are prepared to pay for. The 620 and 720 hard top Stabi's I have run around in were very well customised as well. Just depends on the $$$$$$ you have to throw at them.

Hi Predator, No budget then I would go for a 720 or 620 Stabi with hard top. Twin 4 strokes or if a bigger Stabi then with a 200-250 hp diesel stern leg. Only if pulled out of the water each day. Legs hate salt. Glass then something like the 8 m trophy or similar walk around. 720 Buccaneer or something along these lines. No budget but size restrictions I would start at the Stabi then go to the Barcrusher as big as possible in hard top, or hard top walk around. Damm good to keep the weather where it belongs and stay dry and comfortable. The tabs have got a good name and also the White Pointer another big name in NZ built like a brick out house. Cheers Rowan

Mr Sheen is the bees knees. Spray on then polish off with a soft cloth. Will also bead the water.

No problem. The Stabi didn't feel rigid as such but has an unsual feeling as you come onto a wave. The standard v hull cuts into it but as the round pontoons come into play there is a slowing down. The biggest draw back was the loss of internal room with the oval gunnals. This has been lessened by making them rectangular I believe. There was no slamming as the round top sides take the flat face impact off the wave. My own humble opinion would be a toss up between a Stabi or Barcrusher in tin. Glass is another whole ball game. I must note that they are not the easiest to push with the rounded nose and hull but being 30miles off shore with a big beakie in a 16' with 2 big blokes in and all the gear it handled some nasty stuff with ease. Best advise I was ever given. Narrow the hunt down to a hand full of boats and get them out in the worst sea you are comfortable in. You can guarantee you will be out in worse and it is nice to know what possible issues there may be. Some with a deeper v are great in bigger seas but flop from side to side at rest-bad karma for sea sickness. Others may broach in a following sea -coming in over a bar = bad news. some lean into the wind while steaming-need trimtabs. Some have all the bells and whistles and look smick but are dogs on the water.

I love the Stabi. I have fished in a 16' for several years in NZ in some pretty nasty stuff and felt safe. We have got plenty of marlin and tuna from her. I have also done plenty of miles in a 20' Stabi and love the ride. It does seem strange as the flared tubes will seem to catch the waves rather than slice through like a standard V does. I would buy either a Stabi or Barcrusher in a heart beat depending on the cash in hand. Best bet is to draw up the wish list. Length, storage, family facilities needed (toilet, bunks,cooker, radio), type of fishing and crew numbers, available cash to feed motor, size of car to tow. Glass and care maintenance required, Aluminium. Half cab, full cab with bunks, Centre console. I like tin as it is more forgiving if pushed against the trailer in a cross swell at the ramp, lighter to tow needing smaller tow car, lighter to power needing less of a motor needing less fuel. Glass is nice as it is heavier and will give a softer ride and is warmer. Happy hunting. Cheers Rowan

Have a great trip. Plenty of big blue cod from shore and also reasonable snapper. Wade at low tide for Paua/abalone but check legal size. A few good charter boats run from there Pete Lamb is a well known and sucessful bloke both boat and land based. You should get onto some great Hapuka, Blue nose and maybe jig some kings in the straight. Cheers Rowan

In the mean time if you want to go out but do not have a key. Tap out pin or unscrew the cover over where the key goes in. Take off cover and use a scrrew driver to turn the ignition switch.I had to do this a few years ago when I lost my keys miles from anywhere.

This is a Game Fishing section where a strong supporter of this site offers a special deal to members. How is he supposed to let us know we can go with him?? Hold a piece of paper in the wind in the hope we see it? The happy members that are lucky enough to get a spot on his boat then come back on line and report on the days outing. The supporters also place reports here as well that advise us of where and when they are getting what game fish.

The last one has my vote. I have been running the kevlar hooks for a few years on my hard bodies. I place them so that the point runs up. If you drag a hook through the water it will run shank down and point up. Less chance of the hook trying to over ride the running of the lure.Similar to marlin lures- most are positioned to run point up or 60% with both up to hook into the top of the fishes mouth.

One other thing that the tight arsses in insurance try not to pay out on is if the outboard is NOT secured (padlocked) to the boat. Even if it is a damm big heavy thing. Ask or check this out. I got stung by this a long time ago. Hopefully it has changed since then. The last time I poured a concrete pad for the boat to park it got some D16 and slid some of the super strong chain on it and buried in under the mesh. I then used the super strong padlock to chain up the boat and trailer. I also had a length of the hardened chain padlocked between the trailer and around the outboard leg. Be a lot easier if it was just open season on the scumbags!!!

I knew a gentleman (in the true sense of the word) who would swear that the best bait for big kings was a small king. He had several world records for some time many years ago.

With a bimini I would tie on a sampo/swivel with a cats paw. Then you can change the traces/lures without having to cut anything Or with straight braid to mono tie an albright with the sampo tied with uni knot or crimped. The albright will enable you to have a reasonable lenght of shock leader.This will give a bit of spring and give when a fish hits. Cheers Rowan

Hi Little Hooker, I sent you a pm with a heap of info to keep you busy for a while. Cheers Rowan My favorite marlin lures are Pakula Lumo sprocket or illusion Black Bart purple black Joe Yee Apollo Evil Zuker 5.5 Purple Black Tuna love 100-150mm tuna clones- blue/white, yellow/green, purple black and also christmes trees from 50mmup to 150mm

Well this is a can of worms opened! Tackle is personal preferance depending on line weight and brand loyalty. I am a Shinano addict so I vote Tiagras all the way 30 wide for 30lb/15kg line and 50wide for 50lb/24kg. I tie a short double with a Bimini knot then use a wind on leader to attach to a 3 metre trace for both lures and livie rigs. A lot of people are using the stellas etc for livies rigs but as far as I know over heads for trolling lures. Thats a start. Cheers Rowan

Hi Alberto, I sent you a pm re Auckland fishing. Have fun. Cheers Rowan

I tie a spiders hitch for bottom bashing then the improved albright for the mono to braid. With kings and heavier tackle I tie a bimini then the albright. No fail over many hours and stresses. Just tie it carefully and wet the knot as you tighten it. Cheers Rowan

Hey Alberto, Hauraki Gulf is chokka full of good snapper and kings at the moment. The area between the north shore and Rangitoto along the edge of the shipping channel is full of good fish. You need the tide run to get into them. Drop a live yellowtail/yakka nose rigged for the kings to about 30lb. Also heaps of big Johndory around the bait. More so on the slower part of the tide. Kings will hit and run where JD's will just be a heavy weight. Big slab baits of bonito, mullet will get you into bronza whalers to 140kg. Flick baits soft plastics off Orakei wharf for pannie snapper, kahawai,trevally. 75-100mm pearl squidgies and the famous nuclear chicken are killer on snapper. Tight lines and can't wait for the stories Cheers Rowan

Hi Alberto pm sent. Cheers Rowan

PM sent. Good luck. There are some bruisers around the shallows at the moment.