PB John Dory & Snapper-Coro Gold Rush

[arpie]

Hi Guys

Well, it's been 10 years since my last trip to NZ when Keith competed in the Triathlon World Champs in Queenstown and both Keith and his twin brother Fran arrive tomorrow & they have their first competition in this year's Triathlon World Championships (the Aquathlon) on Wed, then the 'biggie' race is next Monday, 22nd Oct!! Do you detect a pattern?? I tell you what - it won't be 10 years before I am back again tho!!!

Sorry for the lack of news to date - I've been pretty well 'on the go' ever since arriving in NZ 2 weeks ago!! How time flies! (hopefully, pics will be added soon! These ones below are Rob Fort's)

After arriving in Auckland to freezing cold temperatures (I had to search thru my big bag for a warm top!) I headed to Tauranga as soon as I picked up the hire car and stayed with dedicated kayak fisho, Shelley (who's husband Stuart caught the 35kg Kingie from the kayak at 3 Kings in the post I'd put up earlier .....http://www.fishraide...=1) Both are mad keen fishos & I was keen to pick her brains in the lead up to me arriving in the Coromandel.

Next day, I headed to Thames/Coromandel (a good 3hr drive) and met up with Rob Fort, with whom I was fishing the next day. The weather looked 'dicey' but, we'd give it a go! Justin (the guy who organised the Coromandel GOld Rush Kayak Comp that I had entered) was also coming out with us. Ocean Kayak had arranged for a yak to be delivered to Rob so that I had a yak to use on the weekend and I was really impressed with the paddle yaks, especially as I am essentially a 'pedal yakker'!! Many thanks to Ocean Kayak for the use of it's yak!

My COTM SNapper pack of lots of Gulp & Nitro Jig heads was about to get a serious work out!! Yeehaaa!! Many thanks to our sponsors!

Sure enough, next day, the wind was blowing hard & there was the threat of rain ...... so instead of fishing the Coromandel side 'west coast', we headed across the hill to the 'east coast' and put in at a small bay called Tuateawa Bay (pronounced Toot-y-awa.) The wind was already blowing hard & I immediately put out my drogue, to slow the drift of the yak down. First cast & Rob is onto a terrific John Dory!! WOW!!! I'd never even seen a live one before!! Rob & I were only going to fish SPs (called Softies or soft baiting in NZ) whilst Justin was still hooked on bait!! One of my rods played up, so Rob went back to shore to grab a spare SP rod for me, so I continued fishing with my Tica Yak rod with a Gulp Squid Viscious ...... and then I hooked up to a nice John Dory too!! I was STOKED to land my first NZ Kayak Fish - and to get a Dory was the icing on the cake!! (It seems that they are getting harder to catch, even over there and it tasted VERY NICE for breakfast the next morning!!)

Not long after, using a Gulp Jiggin grub in a 'kiwi' colour of BBQ Chicken (a sort of brown/cream colour) I hooked into a number of snapper up to about 50cm (automatic PB!) and was really stoked to have landed my targetted species on the first outing. The next one I brought up out of about 30m of water was much bigger - putting a real bend in the rod & taking line - my biggest fish to date. Rob could see that it was a better fish & came across to me to talk me thru it .......... It also had its swim bladder stuck out of it's mouth, so Rob suggested that next fish, take your time, let it run if it wants to ...... enjoy the moment ....... as I brought it to the yak, I thought that it was too big to just pull onto my lap like the other ones, & held it ' yak side' whilst I searched for my lip-gripper in the yak, having left the net on shore! Silly me!! In an unfamiliar yak, I couldn't reach the lip gripper & sadly, it shook it's head once too often & got off, before I was able to measure it or get a pic!

Not being really familiar with offshore paddle techniques, it seems that the drogue is one of the most important bits of gear for 'close in' fishing - with the drogue put at the rear of the yak to slow down the rate of drift, you cast ahead of the yak, as it drifts out to sea again. By now, the wind had really picked up & there was some dirty weather about to hit! Sure enough, it started raining, then pouring!! Retrieving the drogue to paddle back towards shore was really 'testing' as I was paddling into a strong head wind, with torrential rain! Not Pleasant at ALL! Ah well, once you are wet, you are wet!! Head down, tail up, I paddled back to shore, reset the drogue & continued fishing. The boys wanted to head back to shore for lunch, but I wasn't keen on that at all! I rarely stop for lunch when on my own, so stayed out whilst they ate, suggesting that they bring my lunch out to me!! This they did, thinking I was TOUGH!! The truth was, I really couldn't face the paddle back to shore, just to head out again after lunch!! I hooked my 'pb' snapper not long after.

Luckily, before leaving Aussie, I'd made sure that I had really warm, weatherproof gear to wear, including 'neofleece' tights under my waterproof trousers & also a neoprene long sleeve top under my fishing shirt & waterproof top!! I'd have frozen out there with out that gear on! That day, I also had another waterproof top on, on top of all that, and my 'wonderscarf' ( as you can see on the snapper pic) that really made all the difference with 'comfort' being out on that wet & wild water! My forearms were burning - all my paddle practise at home had not prepared me AT ALL for the ordeal that I had just been thru!! Back on land, we heard that one of the competitors had taken a tumble in their yak but they were OK.

I rested up on the THursday, knowing that I was competing in the Viking Invitational on the Fri & of course, the Coromandel Gold Rush on the Sat & Sun! I headed over to the ANglers Lodge on the Thurs afternoon, to meet up with SHelley & Stuart again, as they were loaning me a yak to fish the Fri with ....... and the forecast for the Fri was as bad as the Wed had been! Damn!! Ah well, lots of people would be out there, so I felt safe heading out. This was really only my 2nd offshore fishing expedition & I was ever hopeful of a good outcome!!

Once again, with the windy conditions, there was a convoy heading over to Tuateawa again. Most of the competitors still use bait & I was still determined to only use SPs ........... and pretty quickly, I got into my first snapper of the day - a pan sized one of about 30cm. I put him back. The wind was blowing & it was hard work pulling in the drogue & heading back to shore, to start the drift thing all over again ....... and again & again ........ Then I got a Kawahai (Aussie Salmon) and kept him, as I knew that someone would use him as bait!

I thought I'd 'troll' a lipless crank lure back towards shore before setting the drogue out again ....... and as I turned to bring the lure in, I realised that it must have snagged on something & I was just about to be spooled!! Only about 2 turns of the backing was showing on the reel!! I nearly panicked! OMG!! I've 'lost' my line!!! Grabbing the reel, I started winding & slowly regained all the mono & then (thankfully) the braid started filling the spool again ...... until I reached 'the snag' ......... a quick tug & it was released as well ........ so I sped up the retrieve to get the lure back & blow me down if a fish doesn't jump onto the lure that was being retrieved at speed! A few good head nods along the way & Yeeehaaa! I had a nice 53cm snapper on board!! YAY!!! Another PB!! Hmmm, I thought!! I'll try that retrieve again! So I upped the drogue & fought the wind to get back into the shallows .........and started drifting out again .......... and his cousin jumped on board on the next cast!! I was stoked that I'd caught quality fish on both my days on the water!! I was feeling more confident of the weekend's comp now!! It was still pretty windy, so I headed out again with a gulp & landed my last fish of the day, a nice 30cm (the other three fish going on to my fish stringer, to go back for 'weigh-in'!) Back on land, we heard that a fellow competitor had got into difficulties & capsized, losing a rod & tackle, but they were OK apart from a bruised ego. The rumour went out that it was an Aussie, but luckily for us, it wasn't!

Shelley had one really nice snapper who's tail was sticking out from the 10L pail ....... so I submitted my 2 fish for measuring & was also asked to submit the Kawahai as well (it was one of the target species too) and it was the 'total length' of the fish that you submitted that gave the final points!! It was only after Shelley had put her fish in that I heard that 3 snapper had been the target for the day ..... and I'd put my 3rd decent fish back!! Silly Billy!! I hadn't read the rules!! If I'd submitted THAT fish along with the other 2 snaps & the Kawahai, I would have taken out the Women's Section!!! As it was, Shelley won the day & received a brilliant fibreglass 'fish pod' that sits on the rear of the yak, for her fish to be stored in when out on the water (instead of just on the stringer!) I came in 2nd in the ladies! I was MORE than happy with that result!! I was also confident of landing fish the next day! This time, my forearms were still sore, but now, my NECK muscles were also aching like hell - if I shrugged my shoulders, I was wincing in pain!! Ah well, I hadn't 'given in' - I'd really pushed myself in some really unfamiliar & at sometimes, uncomfortable conditions ....... later, I heard that some people had refused to put in at all in those conditions. If I'd been there on my own, I wouldn't have put in, but with all those experienced fishos out there, I felt fine about going out.

What a difference 24hrs can make!! So, altho the previous day had been 'testing' - at least it hadn't rained!! I headed back to the holiday shack, where I was staying with Justin & his family - to prepare for the big comp that was starting the next day!!

Once again, the weather was really blowing & once again, the conga line headed over to Tuateawa (a good 1hr drive 'over the hill' from Coromandel.) My offshore fishing experience (all 2 days of it ......) was about to be tested to the MAX!!! The wind was blowing a gale & very soon, torrential rain started as well. First fish on board was a rock cod, which I took a pic of & chucked back, then minutes later, I hooked a bigger one, so just chucked it back!! Minutes later, I was thinking, hang on, that was a bit different from the Rock Cod ......... I had just chucked back one of the best eating fish in the NZ sea .......... a Blue Cod!! DUH!!!!

Once again, I was really pleased that I had planned well for the wind & the rain! Pulling the drogue in was a real art in itself ....... if you did it wrong, there was a good chance of capsizing - so I was being very careful indeed!! Heading back into the wind, to reset the drogue was particularly hard - I was leaning into the wind at 45 degrees, head down & not even looking where I was going, as you'd just get a faceful of sleeting rain - and once in 'close enough' set the drogue & do the drift again ........ sometimes, when comparing myself to the headland, I was even going BACKWARDS even tho I was paddling forwards - the wind & rain was just SO strong! I was getting no hits & apart from being very sore & sorry for myself, I was now wondering why the hell I was out there at all!! I was NOT enjoying myself much at all, but I still WANTED to catch something for the day!!

I was trying to get back to the spot where I'd caught the fish on the lipless crank the day before, but was beaten back by the wind & rain - and was having no joy tossing it other areas! I forced myself back towards the shore, to set the drift again. Then, I'd noticed a few cray pot floats & thought I'd allow the yak to drift between the 2 pots that were furtherest apart ........ I was casting a 7" Gulp shad in Nuclear Chicken out ahead of myself & started retrieving. Right now, almost horizontal rain & wind was belting onto my back and I was feeling quite dejected ..... and put a call over the radio that the weather now was officially worse than it had been the Wed before ........ then....... just as I drew level with the floats, my Shimano Starlostix rod & Daiwa Certate 2500 reel buckled over & 12lb braid started peeling from the spool!! Bzzzzzzzz ....... BZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ.....bzzzzzzzz I managed to retrieve a couple of winds of the spool & it took off again! This was a SERIOUS fish & nowhere near the size of any of my previous fish landed so far!! I was ecstatic!! The rod was bent in half as the fish powered towards the bottom!! I recalled Rob's words from the other day - let it run if it wants to run - enjoy the moment - don't bring it up too fast .......... but I was in much shallower water than previously & there was also some foul ground below me ............ and as I was 'enjoying the moment' ............. the line went 'ping' and the fish was gone!! I could have spewed!!! NOOOOOOOO! The air was blue with foul language as well as the foul weather. The guy next to me commiserated me on my loss - he had only just 'fought' the fish of a lifetime, only to find out that it was a stingray! So he knew well, how I felt!

I continued fishing for another hour or so, but my heart wasn't really in it - I was cold, wet & hurting - I'd given it my all & came up lacking fish! This was not what I had anticipated happening!

Heading back to shore, I found that many of the 40 yakkers had already called it a day - I was really proud of myself that I had stuck out the really abysmal weather conditions & still at least hooked a fish even if I hadn't landed it ...... I was not alone not bringing in fish - but I was still disappointed with my own performance! Why hadn't I used the 30lb braid rod??

Justin, in the meantime, had caught his first snapper & kawahai on Soft Plastics and was really stoked - I had given him a packet of Gulp pink minnows & had given him a quick lesson on how to use them & all his fish of the day had been caught on them! So he was SO happy! I was really pleased for him. I think that he may almost be swayed away from bait now, too, as he caught nothing on bait that day!!! His Kawahai was to eventually take out 2nd place in the comp! I was SO stuffed, I didn't even make it to the 'weigh in' that evening - I just needed some rest, to get ready for the next day's fishing!! I'd been up at 5am and fished for 3 days out of 4 at this point in time & it was beginning to take its toll on me - and the crap weather didn't help either!

Given that that one spot had been hammered over the previous few days by up to 50 kayakkers at a time - I was amazed at the size of some of the fish that had been caught out there in those terrible conditions!! The Sunday wasn't supposed to be anywhere near as bad as the Sat weather - so I went to bed, ever hopeful of a pleasant outing for the final day of the comp & of course, landing good fish! IN MY DREAMS!!

The next morning loomed & it wasn't too bad - I would have liked to return to Tuateawa again (I thought I really had a good handle on it now, after 3 days of fishing it .......) but my buddy (you had to fish with a buddy, not alone) didn't arrive til mid morning, so I was stuck shore side, as Justin (event organiser) wasn't able to transport my yak as he was preparing for the final day's 'weigh in' and prize giving ........... so it was too late to head to Tuateawa, so eventually I just put in at Omaru Bay. There were some mussel farms just beyond the Island ......... and 2 of Justin's helpers were keen to go to the furtherest ones to burley up & fish ..... and in hindsight, I should have followed them (for more than one reason, as it eventuated ........) but in my mind, to avoid the big paddle, I headed to the closer ones and tied up at one end. Now ...... fishing Mussel farms is actually totally different to fishing oyster leases ........ I found out .......... apart from anything else, there was MUCH more current & swell than I was used to - and my yak was pushed around to the other side of the buoy & I had difficulty pulling myself back around to release myself. In the mean time, the dangling lure on my rod got caught up in some growth on the buoy & I thought the tip was going to break off!! I had to release line but couldn't reach the lure to release it. I had to unclip the paddle to untangle the various leashes that had twisted over themselves & just minutes later, I realised that my paddle was now almost 'off' the yak up the front, just being held on by the bit of bungee that I had had the presence of mind to slip the front paddle under, prior to undoing the leash! OMG!! If that falls into the water (the leash was already in the water) then I am in DEEP DO-DO!! Oh Darn!! I should have stayed with the boys!! Sliding up to the front of the yak to retrieve the paddle, I knocked my Starlostix rod into the drink! Thank GOD it was tied on still (and still attached to the buoy by the lure!!) I retrieved the paddle but it was now twisted in the bungee & I still couldn't pull the paddle thru! Inching myself up closer still, hoping that the yak wouldn't capsize - I managed to undo the paddle twist & immediately clipped the leash back onto the yak! PHEW!! One problem sorted!! I pulled the rod back out of the drink & finally managed to pull the yak back around the buoy so that I could retrieve both the lure and the rope & untied myself, so I was drifting again! I chucked some SPs up between the rows of mussels - with no hits & I now realised that I made a BIG mistake in not following the boys to the other Mussel Farm! They were bait fishing & if I'd gone with them I would have been fishing their berley trail & most likely getting into some good fish! AND, in reality - they weren't THAT much further away from me!!

Ah well - them's the breaks!! I headed back to shore with the boys & once again the wind had come up, causing lots of waves & I was almost 'surfing' some of them back! Funnily enough, I felt more 'uncomfortable' in the 10 min paddle back to base than I had in the previous 3 days of tough fishing!!! I made sure that I had one of the boys on both sides of me, for safety!

Heading off to the weigh in - I was amazed at the quantities & size of fish being weighed in. Some Awesome snapper, john dory, trevally, kawahai and the lone kingfish!! My buddy from the first day, Rob Fort had brought in the ONLY kingie of the tournament and also won Biggest Snapper, with a superb 10.4kg beast being weighed in!!! Go ROB!!! He had had a massive day on the water - paddling 30kms in difficult conditions to get both fish!

I have a stack of photos of some of the good fish that were weighed in (and my other outings) & hope to add them (if not tonight, then next week) so that you can see what is caught in NZ waters!!

I am really looking forward to getting back here (possibly in March next year for the Taranaki yak snapper Comp) as I really do think I have unfinished business here!!! Shelley won the Woman's section there last year & has a spare yak that I can borrow so that would be really terrific if I can arrange it!!

In the mean time .......... I keep replaying that big fish & in my mind's eye, if only I had 'given it a bit more stick' earlier on, instead of 'enjoying the moment' ......... there may have just been a different outcome!! The biggest Lady's snapper was over 6kg by Aileen - a tiny lady weighing in at about 52kg & shorter than me - and a BIG paddler!!! Both her & her husband took out the Male & Female wins up north earlier in the year at the Bridge to Cape Yak comp ........ and I am in awe of her fishing ability! She also nearly landed a kingie, but it sadly bricked her.

I am now back up in Auckland after a couple of days with Buddies in Rotorua (no trout there either, sadly as the weather once again has been inclement & we are currently having galeforce winds again this weekend with heaps of rain!) This crap weather is following me around, seriously!!

As I said earlier, Keith & Fran arrive tomorrow & I can't wait to see them! I may be able to wet a line sometime in the next 2 weeks - but if I don't - I am not too worried, as I've had my fun - now it is their turn. I've had a real blast so far & can recommend everyone to come over here & have a go at snapper & dory, whether from yak or boat!!

Take care, thanks for reading & I'll put up the pics (hopefully) soon

Cheerio

Roberta

Edited October 14, 2012 by Roberta

[adjustedpete]

What an adventure Roberta..That is some difficult conditions you had to endure. I would love to go back to the coromandel and fish. That big fish is always just around the corner there,I hope you get one before you come back.

[bassboy888]

What an AMAZING report roberta! Congrats on the first comp results and many PB's! Good to hear you sticking it out most days through the trying conditions, I know how painful they can be in NZ, especially when the wind current and rain sets in! Cant wait for all the pictures now and good luck for the rest of the trip

[Guest]

Wow I am tired just reading this awesome adventure...congrats Roberta on some superb fish

Regards Stewy

[Jewhunter]

That is an amazing trip Roberta!

I think Keith & Fran are taking the 'soft' option with triathlons.

The effort you put in was amazing in those trying conditions. I bet your wonderscarf was bloody wonderful.

To back up day after day would have made you feel muscles that you didn't even know you had!!

A big congrats from us on your P.B's.

I think you are are blurring the lines between "adventure before dementia".

I've always told you you're crackers!!

Well done & thank you for such a fantastic report.

Cheers,

Grant.

[arpie]

Thanks guys! It has really been just an amazing adventure & I really am keen to come back again next year & give it another go!! The fish are just EVERYWHERE (and we get a good exchange rate just now, which takes some of the pain away re spending money! )

I've really pushed the boundaries of my fishing experiences and am the tougher for it ........ and i look forward to knocking off the odd Aussie snapper now, too!

In the mean time, here is a video of one of the guys fishing a similar spot to me on the Fri ..... it gives a fairly realistic view of the conditions on the day!!! Utter CRAP!! I think he has one up for Day 2 now, too,but I haven't seen it yet - Day 2 was marginally better weather than Day 1!! Even the Kiwis are 'over' the crap weather!!

Day 2 by another yakker, Lensman

Looking forward to putting the pics up, but just need the time to do it!! I am currently using my daughter-in-law's computer & will be here again from Tues week for a few days before heading home at the end of the month, so hope to put them up then!

Did I tell you that I brought 30kg of fishing gear & only 7kg of 'civvy' gear?? LOL!!

see ya

Roberta

Edited October 14, 2012 by Roberta

[rjc123]

WOW!

What a report! Some great fish there Roberta! Even though you lost a few nice fish i guess that will be even more of a reason to head back soon!

I thought i was hard done by paddling (foot pedals) into 20 knot winds in middle harbour for 3kms but i can only imagine how hard it was for you!

Great read!

Cheers, Tom

[Hodgey]

An amazing experience under very arduous conditions!

A great report as always Roberta. Congrats on your many PB's, firsts and memorable moments.

I look forward to seeing more photos soon.

Cheers

Ian

[arpie]

Thanks guys

.....Wow I am tired just reading this awesome adventure.... I am not sure I have ever felt so stuffed before, in my LIFE, Stewy! I am sure my eyes were 'vacant' in the hour or so before I went to bed on the Sat night, from sheer exhaustion!

......I think Keith & Fran are taking the 'soft' option with triathlons...... I am praying for fine weather next Monday! Still crap weather today with big slips & major damage over the weekend from the wind! They are flying in this afternoon & will need their woollies on!

.....To back up day after day would have made you feel muscles that you didn't even know you had!! ..... You are not wrong there, Grant! I had a bit of a dodgy shoulder before I went over but I am feeling MUCH better after all that XXX paddling!!! More fun than physio, too! Sort of!

.....I've always told you you're crackers!! .... he, he, gotta live up to my reputation!

...... Congrats on your many PB's...... Thanks everyone - at one stage, every fish I pulled out was a PB!! I also have a PB BUSTOFF now, as well!!

....I thought i was hard done by paddling (foot pedals) into 20 knot winds in middle harbour for 3kms ..... I am thinking I wouldn't have been so stuffed if I'd been in the pedal yak! The force of the wind combined with torrential rain was just horrendous!! No way would I have gone out on any of the days if I'd been on my own!! But I AM a bit of a wooz!

Looking forward to put some of the tips I learned into practise back in Aussie now!

I am packing my gear all up again for the trip to the airport to meet up with the boys & have just busted the lower runner off the Starlostix! Probably still fishable tho if I get the chance. I may search for a newie & just use the braid to tie it on.

Cheerio

roberta

[pmak]

What an epic report. Congratulations on those great captures and sorry for the ones that got away. You were fishing pretty extreme conditions! Glad you made it back safely on all those days.

[jenno64]

Wow Roberta,

That is an amazing trip....of a lifetime for many. Well done on getting through some interesting conditions and some amazing fish! Great read, as usual!!

[big Neil]

What a gr8 account of ur adventure, Roberta. Gr8 effort and Gr8 experience. Thankyou, Big Neil.