Fishing Gear and Techniques... and all that technical stuff!

taranaki report

Fri, 24 Feb 2012 08:36:47 GMT

Thought seeing that nakis"anyone been out this week"went so well(and way past that actual week)on the message board i would start this thread.

soo...anyone got anything to report from the naki???i havnt been out all week due to the shite weather.

Be good if other people started the same thread for there regions too i reckon, for your locals and for when other people are planning road trips

Forum: Fishing Reports

Lemon Fish / Rig TACTICS

Tue, 22 Dec 2009 23:08:06 GMT

LEMONFISH TACTICS

Lemon fish can be caught year round and are a fantastic table fish when given the right attention straight from the water . They have been eaten by most people at some stage or another through out fish and chip stores all over the country. Known commonly as rig, smooth hound shark and lemon fish they cruise New Zealands waters growing in excess of 35 kilos. As far as sport goes, like most sharks they are very good fighters and use the ocean swell to there advantage in prevailing conditions. Even in huge swells when nothing else is about, the local surf dwelling power house's can be found lurking !!

RIGS

This is one species where distance is not a factor at all, wether casting into a foot of water or five meters of water it doesn't matter. ledger or double hook dropper rigs are ideal, you can fish cray and crab at the same time to see which is hot on the night. Don't make the droppers to short though, you want a bit of clearance from the backbone, 100mm is a good distance. Another great rig is the running rig, this allows the lemonfish to run with the bait without feeling the tension of the sinker

WHEN AND WHERE

Lemonfish are mainly night crawlers, prowling the waters edge under the cover of darkness in search of the elusive paddle crabs. Being a sand dweller they are very rarely caught over rocks. They are most prolific and in big numbers along our coast lines through summer, February being the most dominant month. However through winter lemonfish come into the little sheltered sandy bays to breed undisturbed and out of the swell.

BAIT

Although it is possible to catch lemons on fish bait, they generally don't take conventional baits like pilchard and bonito, there main diet is based on paddle crabs. There are 3 main baits that are excellent for targeting lemons and the first and most obvious is crab, 50mm crabs work well as a whole bait. The bigger crabs with a 100mm plus shell are best used as a cut bait. Crayfish is also an excellent bait for lemonfish, many will cringe reading that thinking what a waste of crayfish, if your serious and you want to target them it's definitely a great option. Thirdly prawn can also catch lemonfish, perhaps not as good as crab and cray but its an easy to get bait via the supermarket.

How do you bait up a crab?

step 1. remove the shell

step 2. cut the crab in half

step 3. remove half the legs so it casts better and is more appealing in the water

step 4. use the leg sockets to thread your hooks through as the shell can be difficult to push a hook through.

step 5. use plenty of bait cotton to secure the bait to the hook.

HOOKS AND DRAG SETTING

Lemonfish very rarely have the tendency to sit there and nibble at the bait, they are more likely to smash the bait and make a run for it like a freight train. This can happen very quickly out of no where, seems to always happen when you are walking away from the rods or grabbing a bite to eat at the truck ! The bend won't stay in the rod, after a good burst, they stop and go again ether heading back towards you or straight out. It's important to be at hand when this happens to strike, because quite often they will spit the hook and drop the bait.

Circle hooks are great because the lemonfish hook themselves on there first run , especially when you cant get to the rod in time. Circle hooks rely on pressure to set themselves, so a reasonable drag is essential. Heavy enough to set the hook but light enough to let them run with the bait and get a good mouth full of it. Should a lemon strike and drop the bait, don't retrieve your line to check the bait, it will be fine, just let it sit for another five minites, they usually come straight back. Gamakazu circle hooks are fantastic on lemonfish, anything from 3/0 to 8/0 is suitable, personally i find the mid range size around 5/0 to be most effective.

CONDITIONS

Although mainly a night species, lemonfish can be caught during daylight hour over the change of light and during overcast conditions in good numbers. The other alternative is fishing dirty water, they do very well in murky water, it allows them to get closer to crabs undetected. Even when the swell is pumping and it seems as though there would not be any fish about, quite often lemonfish are about feeding amongst the rough and tumble, they are very good swimmers and down mind getting amongst the white wash. When the water is calm lemonfish can also be caught, but best results will be found during the night under the cover of darkness.

CARING FOR YOUR CATCH

Most dominant predatory fish or sharks carry a high level of ammonium. With lemon fish ,you can avoid this and keep most of the ammonium out of the flesh, by cutting all the fins off flush with the body, also cutting the head and tail off, this is called trunking . Trunking the fish straight from the water will yield the best result, while the fish is still alive. Lemon fish are very easy to fillet, simply run a sharp knife down the length of the back of the fish on each side. There is a circular backbone which runs down the middle of the fish, other than that there are no bones and the fillets are very large and clean. Try this fish smoked also, very tasty !!

Chad Prentice

Forum: Fish Catching Methods

Blue Moki TACTICS

Tue, 22 Dec 2009 23:05:53 GMT

BLUE MOKI TACTICS

Well we have covered some of the basic species like snapper, gurnard, lemon fish and parore to name a few. Now we will look at a slightly more challenging fish to target. Moki are dynamic swimmers and known for there agility around reefs, always bolting for that extra half an inch of line to wrap the angler amongst the weed and rock. The "moki bend " is very distinct to those that have targeted them over the years. One minite your relaxing on the beach injoying a quite ale as the sun sets, and within a split second, the rod is at ninety digrees and the reel is screaming, your hart skips a beat as you lunge for the rod to stop the fish from hitting the rocks, does it get any better??

Location ,habitat and interesting points

Moki live right through the south island as far down as the auckland islands. To the north, they can be caught on the west coast from cape egmount south. On the east coast, Blue moki are mainly located from cape runaway southwards, this is a good indication they don't like the warmer waters. Spawning occurs through winter, where moki from all over the country migrate between cape runaway and Mahia pinishula in the north island to lay there eegs, where they settle till late spring. By this time the juveniles have reached approximately 4 inches in length before beginning the journey home

Moki have an unusual diet that differs from most other species, depending on where they inhabit weighs heaverly on what they are eating. Moki can be found anywhere and can adapt to most underwater terrains. Where moki are found over sand and mud, there diet mainly consists of worms, crab and shellfish like pipi's and tuatua. From my fishing experience however i find my best results have come when fishing amongst broken reef close to shore where it meets sand, crayfish, mussels and other crustaceans are mokis strong holds in these areas.

Thirty years is a long time for a fish to live, and when moki reach this age they can exceed 90cm in length and grow over twenty pounds, maturity is reached much earlier at the young and vibrant age of just five. Red moki belongs to a completely different fish specie's along side parore ect , Blue moki are closely related to the trumpeter.

(This red moki was caught at east cape - although they are both moki and share similar characteristics they are not related.

Rigs

All the usual rigs and ideas work well, so we will look at another alternative in addition to them, that may come of use for fishing close or on top of reefs

-Rotten bottom rig

This is best suited to a dropper / ledger rig, single or double- keeping in mind it's best to keep the droppers short when fishing around foul areas, less chance of a snag and loss of gear. A rotten bottom rig is affective for casting directly on to a reef, using a sacrificial sinker. Incase the sinker becomes hooked up in the weed or rock, the sinker will brake away freeing the fish without busting the mainline. The idea is to have a break in the rig and attach the sinker to the rig using a lighter line than the backbone and mainline. If you are using a 15kg mainline 8-10kg is an ideal line weight for attaching the sinker.

When to fish

Moki are much more active through the night, they are known to be caught in the day but much like snapper, they tend to get around allot more and feed at night. The most productive fishing time to catch moki is from 5pm through till 10pm, getting up and fishing from an hour before sun rise can also be profitable .

Tides have had an influence on the moki missions i have experienced, the raising tide seems to be favored over the out going. Perhaps that is due to more water flowing over the reefs as the tide comes in, or the affect it has on pushing food around. One things for sure though, one of the best times to fish for moki is directly after a storm has come through, as soon as the sea ease's up, the moki feed on all the loose shellfish that washs in close to shore. After spawning Blue moki return home and feed vigorously, so its a good time to chase them from late spring right though till may. I have found november to February the most productive months.

Where to fish

-Reef from the beach

When fishing form the beach, its best to fish an area the has reef. This can be 500m offshore or braking out of the water right on the shore line, providing the reef has mussels and kinas or pauas on it, there will me blue moki living on the reef. In some cases distance is an issue, more so from surf beachs. However quite often there will be a sand break in the reef just behind the waves, and these are the area you want to hit, at times it may seem like you are casting five meters, but hay- if the fish are there why not?

From the rock

A critical mistake people make when fishing from the rocks is belting the line out as far as possible, not just for blue moki but for all species, providing you are in a remote area for example the Wairarapa coast line, all of the fish are within the low and high tide marks. as the tide comes in, they come right into those rock pools and feed in the crevasses. Just remember that when you walk out to the point and cast out as far as you can, that ninety percent of the food there after is within four or five meters of the ledges you stand on.

-Ports

Ports/Wharfs have many fantastic operitunitys, they offer plenty of shelter and deep water where Blue moki thrive, Mussels usually cover the piles well out of the elements which provide the moki with a stable and all year round reliable diet, these can be great spots for land based anglers to do well with the use of plenty of burley. Sometimes you can climb down the ladders and reach a good amount of bait and burley from the pylons, be safe doing this though.

Suitable line weights

Due to the nature of the areas we fish for moki and the extra stopping power required, 8kg minimum is a good guide. when fishing an area with a clean bottom close to reef where a little distance is required, 8kg is a good start. If you are casting directly onto a reef using a rotten bottom rig, 15kg line is a good choice. This works well around pylons as well, with a little more abrasion resistance.

Hooks and drag setting

The hooks you use relate to your drag setting, there is no right or wrong hooks to use. The two main hooks i use for it are gamakatsu siwash 1/0s and circle hooks up to 5/0. Moki have two types of strikes, some times they sit there and suck the bait very subtly or they pick the bait up and go for gold back towards the reef. Circle hooks are great if you cant get to the rod, they self set with a reasonably tight drag, about two thirds of the drag you would use to fight the fish. The siwash hooks are much better suited for some one holding the rod and ready waiting for the fish to strike, in this situation its best to keep the drag at around a third, this means the fish can run with the bait before any serious weight is felt to get the bait well down ready to strike. Just keep in mind as soon as the moki reaches the reef its all over, they have very big rubbery lips that are strong so the hook doesn't pull out easierly. use as much drag as you can. If it does make the reef and you feel snagged, back right off and give it a few minites with no weight on the line at all. Once weight is regained on the line the fish has come free.

Bait and burley

A good cheep option for most is fresh green lip mussels from the super market, for only a few dollars you get plenty. The trick here is not to smother the hook to much, or over do the bait size. Mussel has a very strong scent and blue moki don't struggle to find it. Before attaching the mussel to the hook, pre wrap the mussel with plenty of bait elastic to make it more durable and much easier to bait up with. Other alternatives are pipis and tuatua's, if you find them on the beach give them a go !!

crayfish tails are an outstanding bait for most species, blue moki are suckers for it and when fishing close to reef it is hard to find a better bait. Again by it self it is not very durable, but with plenty of bait elastic the bait is made quite firm and irresistible. Crayfish has a very strong scent also, so big pieces are not necessary. other alternatives to crayfish are prawns from the supermarket at a tenth of the price and crabs. If the crabs are big, cube them into smaller pieces, dont be afraid to leave a bit of leg on ether.

Blue moki react very well to burley. If you are buying it, look for mussel kina burley combos, Its natural and moki cant resist it. Any burly made from pure shell fish will put moki on the bite if there in the area. Just keep in mind that fish oil is not needed, or other burley like piliies and bonito, moki generally don't eat it, so they wont get excited and feed vigorously. Because were not chasing kingfish, kahawai and other species you cant judge how well your burly is doing by the amount of bait fish in the burly, it's a good idea to keep the burley consistent.

Caring for you catch

Like always its important to put your catch straight on ice, icky the blue moki like you would with a snapper and put the fish in the ice bin. Dont gut the fish, it will keep longer if the gut cavity is left sealed off from bacteria. Once home take the care of filleting the fish along the back bone on each side without piercing the gut cavity. Remember fresh water is a fishs worst enemy, use a paper towel or clean rag to wipe away any blood that may get on the fillet, enjoy !!

key points;

1) shellfish and crustaceans for bait like mussels and crayfish.

2) incoming tide.

3) Blue moki primarily feed at night.

4) use burley.

5) look for reef and foul ground to fish.

6) Dont go to big with your hooks and use a good moderate drag.

7) Heavier line is sometimes required .

8) Best times to fish after spawning, during late spring and summer.

9) Put your fish straight on ice.

10) Most of all, always enjoy what you are doing.

Chad Prentice

Forum: Fish Catching Methods

Is there Tournament caster in Auckland?~

Wed, 06 May 2009 00:28:25 GMT

hello I am new to this Forum.

I am trying to work on my distance casting here in Auckland. I would like to know if there is any caster in Auckland how can practice with me.
I first started casting in Melbourne for a year.
I have not yet hit over 200m yet and planing to work on it at some point.
If there is someone in Auckland how can help me out please contact me at shinheeyi@gmail.com or txt me 021826887
your regard

Forum: Distance and Tournament Casting

Shoot me I'm female and a beginner

Tue, 27 Jan 2009 02:24:07 GMT

Hi I am seriously out numbered here but I need some help with the basics of setting up the line for surfcasting. I have no idea how to attach the shock leader to the line and what the requirements for the shock leader are. I think I have the rig I want to try sussed. If someone could take the time to tell me that would be appreciated. CHEERS

Forum: Welcome!

me, fishing, big kawhai and the elusive snapper

Mon, 01 Dec 2008 01:13:55 GMT

Hi all, I broke my wrist earlier in the year and while on ACC decided it was time to do some fishing. I went and spoke to the guys at Pete Lamb fishing and left with a Pen Slammer a cheap reel and some squid. I didn't catch a lot but became hooked all the same. Anyway so ive broken my arm for the second time this year and have done vast amounts of fishing. Ufortunately im still usually farely unsuccessfull here in wellington apart from the odd red cod and a few small blue ones. Lake ferry @ Palliser Bay was great untill we were harassed by a swarm of red cod, must have thrown back at least fourty! Recently caught the biggest fish of my short involvement in the sport, a Kawhai that was close to 80 cm long, it put up a great fight and was delicious despite their rep. Im still waiting to catch my first snapper and hopefully a Kingy this summer. So ive been fishing about 9 months have lernt a lot met heaps of good folk and am utterly addicted to it (never make a man choose between his fishing rod and his woman!)

Forum: Welcome!

I'm new here but may be able to help

Tue, 30 Sep 2008 20:41:01 GMT

I was in NZ in 2005 for the snapper classic and was a guest at the NZ casting championship.
I was Uk champion twice, European ground castion champ 3 times and gold medallist twice with the England team. I could help with advice on techniques and with a few videos via other websites but do not want to upset moderators or the website owner. If it's ok, let me know and i'll post links that may help.
Roj

Forum: Distance and Tournament Casting

SOFT BAIT PHENOMENON

Tue, 23 Sep 2008 08:48:31 GMT

"SURFCASTING" soft bait phenomenon

In the past twelve months soft baits have really taken off. Great results have been shown from boats but from what i have seen surfcaster's are a little reluctant to use them. soft baits are a great alternative and very handy to have in the tackle box. A wide range of species can be taken while using soft baits from the surf, ranging from snapper, gurnard to the elusive moki and blue cod. There is such a fantastic range of soft baits to counter most species , many different rigs can be used to produce different effects. so here are some ideas to get you on your way to catching fish using softbaits

TARGET FISH

Something i have noticed in the past, allot of people just buy a random pack of soft baits, slap em on and hope for the best? From time to time this may work but most fail with this approach and pack it in. Fishing smart is a much better idea! A combination of location, Target species,rigs and seasons ( current food source ) are all major factors and balancing the four will increase your catch rate. Most of my surfcasting Is fished on shallow sandy beach's , Gurnard , Trevally, and Snapper are the main target. One thing these fish have in common is they are all small crustacean feeders so the smart way to fish would be to use either a one or two inch peeler crab or at night a amber glow grab witch will keep all options open. Other species such as Moki , Kahawai and Lemon fish will also take crabs. "Craw" small crayfish, works well on these fish as too. when targeting kahawai and kingfish ,Shards, pogys, mullet and smelt are a better option depending on location.

RIGS FOR THE SURF

The double ledger rig, This is a favourite of mine, most soft baits are aerodynamic light weight and can be thrown a very long way. One advantage with using a ledger rig is you can quite comfortably throw two baits into the surf and still pull off the same distance as if you where using a single bait. Another advantage is being able to target two different species at the same time. I usually use a 1" peeler crab on the bottom hook for the likes of gurnard, then put a shard on the top hook for kahawai, snapper or what ever else is present. This works a treat . The most important thing with soft baits is movement, in the picture below you will see the loops on the ledger rig are 150 mm-200 mm this is to maximize movement and add a more visual attractant to the soft bait.

Running rig is very effective and can be productive when fishing area's with a good currant, when using a running rig i find using a float about 150 mm behind the soft bait gives it plenty of hight and movement in the turbulence behind the waves. This is a good rig to target the likes of trevally,kahawai and kingfish, the trace is roughly a meter long.

place photo of running rig

caption; handy tip is to hold float in place using neoprene tubing, no line abrasion and holds firm.

Long cast rigs, rigs using an Impact Shield or Imp are a great alternative to the running rig for that little extra distance. The floated soft baits still work to the same principle, the only difference is the float is made more aerodynamic and in sync with the rest of the rig allowing a smoother cast.

Walk the dog,Perfect for the times where nothing is happening, this rig takes your bait to the fish! same style as the running rig although instead of using a sand grip sinker, run a ball sinker. Use a two or three ounce sinker depending on current so your rig rolls down the beach in the current, along shallow shelves, deep holes and right in front of the fish. use a simple trace without a float 500mm long, so the soft bait bounces around on the bottom freely. It can take a little perseverance to nail this technique, but thats what fishing's all about !!

CASTING AS A LURE

There are many ways to do this from the shore,this can be great fun and very exciting, whether you are after a challenge on light gear or after the big one, A friend of mine Lee christianson is a gun with soft baits and has caught some excellent fish from the shore including snapper while casting soft baits as a lure.

He use's a Star Rods Nickelite Series 3-8 kg rod running a Abu Garcia T-Alloy 4500, this is a great little combo. Plenty of flex in the rod is important for landing fish and retrieving the lure back through the surf in a jigging motion, yet enough strength in the butt to get a good cast. Running light line 2-4 kg adds allot more interest and skill into the mix, and is a test even for even the best angler. For best results i would suggest using 1/4-1/2 ounce jig heads, its nice and light to cast, yet heavy enough to get good distance and depth.

The local river mouth is a great location to get in amongst the action. Kahawai is the main catch although a stray kingfish wont hesitate to strike! Around rocks, reef area's especially over foul ground is where this method works best for snapper. wharf's and jetty's are also site's worth a look as you never know what will turn up.

HOOKS

One of the most important components when using soft baits while surfcasting are the hooks. Most fish that strike tend to pick the soft bait up and run with it before realizing and spitting the hook. Not always are we right beside our rods to strike the fish at this moment so circle hooks are great especially for these situations. Striking the fish using circle's is not necessary just gradually applying the weight does the trick. Depending on the size of the soft bait, i generally use 3-4/0 gammy circle's, I find this size hook presents the soft baits quite well and gives a very good hook up rate. However a 4-5/0 is a much better size for a 5-7 inch soft bait on a running or long cast rig. If your not a fan of circle hooks the other alternative is a long shank hook. The benefit is the longer shank allows you to thread the soft bait right up the shank towards the eye and have the hook on the lower region of the soft bait.

BITE TIME

This is a very important aspect of fishing, bite time is the period where the fish are hitting the line in rapid succession. You can sit in one spot all day and catch bugger all but when the fish come on the bite you can fill your bin in half an hour. Its important to have rigs already baited and ready to deploy! Bite time usually doesn't last to long so every second counts! soft baits are awesome in these situations, its just a matter of unhooking your fish and ripping your line back out there.

DURABILITY

Unlike fresh baits such as pillie's when using soft baits there's no need to rebait after every cast, or fish for that matter, they just keep on catching. Their quite tough and durable although crabs can be a hassle at times. I have noticed they have a taste for soft baits and will demolish them. This can be an expensive lesson! So if fishing an area where there is a plague of crabs, just hold off with the soft baits until the change of light when predators come in and feed on em.

SUMMARY

fishing with soft baits is a good substitute to fresh bait, and very handy to have a selection in the tackle box. Not only are soft baits visually stimulating but they have an added scent witch brings fish in from a distance. They work in all conditions,dirty or clear water. i wouldn't suggest you fish with soft baits solely, rather treat them as a bait alternative. Great for the times when nothing is happening, they can make all the difference. perseverance, Trail and error are huge aspects of fishing in discovering what works for you !!

Forum: Fish Catching Methods

Tackle for Casting

Wed, 26 Mar 2008 14:17:15 GMT

Though I am not good at Tournament Casting but I have used many different Reels and

Rod. I know there are no Tournament Reels in New Zealand market Specially Overhead

Reels such as Magge ABU and Penn 525mag. Some people even thinks its stupid to use

overhead reels for surf casting. I would like to let you know some good mail order site

for Reels.

https://www.veals.co.uk/acatalog/

This Shop has good range of Reels for fishing and Casting.

http://www.customrodsnreels.com/index2.htm

This shop specialize on building Reels for Tournament.

http://www.hatterasoutfitters.com/s-mart/s-mart.cgi?command=listitems&type=all&p

This site has good Range of ABU,Penn and Daiwa reels.

This this shipping cost for reels are not that expensive.

As for Rod Rodshop N.Z is best place to go.

I bought my Rod While I was in Australia since they do not charge duty tax for goods which worth less then $1000.

hope this helps.

Forum: Distance and Tournament Casting

Daiwa SL30SHX

Fri, 07 Mar 2008 08:57:17 GMT

Hi, Casters,
Thought the forum was a little quiet lately. Just wanted to share this. I just received a brand new SLoSH-x from an outfit in Texas, pre-tuned, with the brakes pre-set and spooled, at a very affordable price. It only took 7 days from order to receipt too.
Evidently the expert who tuned the reel (well known in America) would have us use both red brakes, inserted with the flat sides facing out to the end plate.
I will be trying it this weekend and may very well re-tune my SL30SH the same, with a drop of slightly heavier oil on the bearing, following Nick's (Wgtn) advice, as he correctly observed that I was having a little difficulty controling the spool one night.
I recall Hardy mentioning taping the line down on the spool and giving the spool a spin to see how long it ran free for. I think I shall fall asleep waiting for the spool on this baby to slow down! it will be with shaking ands that I try it with this weekend!
Tight lines guys, Philip

Forum: Reels

hi all

Tue, 19 Feb 2008 05:58:02 GMT

just aline or to get my foot in hope to see some of you around the beaches we fish napier ,welly and of course the west coast cheers bryan

Forum: Welcome!

Hi All

Wed, 16 Jan 2008 23:44:38 GMT

Looking forward to having a "wander" around the posts and learn as much as I can from everyone. Just started beach fishing after boating and enjoying every minute of fishing (not catching). Hope to catch up with some of you on the beach sometime.

Gazza

Forum: Welcome!

New Outlet for Quality Rods

Mon, 07 Jan 2008 20:46:10 GMT

This is just to let everyone know. There is a man whom i have spoken to a few times out from the Uk. He personally knows the zzipplex team and owners and is now able to supply the NZ market with top answers and prices on the UK,s top rods. No more being conned or forced into inferior products the real thing is just a touch type away. He is new with loads of knowledge so if you want the best in the world for performance fishing rods he is the go to man in NZ. George is his name at... http://www.rodshop.co.nz Just opened so test him out.

Forum: Distance and Tournament Casting

Fishing Reel Schematics

Mon, 31 Dec 2007 00:07:04 GMT

Over 8,500 online fishing reel schematics, trolling motor schematics,
plus a great collection of marine motor owner manuals:
http://www.reelschematic.com

Forum: Reels

Rough Seas

Tue, 25 Dec 2007 10:08:05 GMT

Went out fishing tonight and the sea was in a very bad mood. Large ocean swells crashing onto the beach and riding these parallel to the beach was a large chop. The sea was brown in colour.

I decided to wet a couple of lines anyway but did not get any action. Just wondering is it worth the effort to go fishing in such conditions? or would it be wiser to seek out calmer waters.

Forum: Fish Catching Methods