issue 111 - the fishing paper & new zealand hunting news

December 2014 - Issue 111

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Canal ThumpersBeaten by the ButcherSalmon Early Starters

NOVEMBER 2014

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Story pg 33

www.thefishingpaper.co.nzTHE FISHING PAPER - DECEMBER 20142

Transducers: the Humble Servants

MARINE ELECTRONICSWith Sean Ryan [email protected]

A key component of sounders, there is a range of types, shapes, materials and sizes of transducers, and they all have positives and negatives. Most importantly, you need a transducer that best suits your boat and what you want to achieve with it.

Transom mounted transducers are generally suited to trailer boats up to 8m. How it is installed is critical - aeration issues need to be sorted and, depending on hull angle design at the transom, you may need tapered plastic to set up the dead rise correctly. Some brands have adjustable settings that allow them to flick up if hit by an obstacle. Tension them correctly, as a smashed transducer will ruin your weekend fishing and hurt your wallet, if they are too tight (I can vouch for that)! You can lose performance at high speeds and you need to be constantly vigilant for debris floating in the water, but they are a fairly robust option.

Through-hull transducers are considered the most

reliable and are produced in a range of materials suitable for installation on any type of hull. They are mounted on the exterior of the hull and require a fairing block to ensure they are both correctly aligned and fixed securely. On a trailer boat the position will be dependent on the trailer construction so there is no difficulty re- trailering and no damage to the transducer while loading or travelling. If you dont take this into consideration, then you may end up with two holes in your hull instead of one!

In-hull transducers are mounted inside the hull and shoot a signal through fibreglass and down into the water. They are the most maintenance free and perform at high speeds; the trade-off is some reduction in performance with depth and target discrimination. Care needs to be taken when installing these to insure there is no air trapped between the transducer face and the hull, and the fibreglass is in good condition. Generally better suited to boaties more

interested in depth for safety reasons and fishing is not so important.

Most brands have 200 and 50 kHz frequencies in the same transducers. A rule of thumb is 200 is good down to around 100m but can be affected by dirty water conditions and 50 is better for depths over this. If fishing in 30-50m 200 kHz will get the job done. Other frequencies are available.

Power is another factor with average units being 600 watts (great for hobby fishers), but you can get 1 & 2kW units. The more power the better the performance in depth and discrimination. You need to consider this in relation to budget and how seriously and deep you fish. CHIRP is another option which I have previously covered and something to seriously consider if fishing is your biggest passion.

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www.thefishingpaper.co.nz ISSUE 111 - THE FISHING PAPER 3

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It was a nice Friday afternoon down at the Twizel canals where I was trying out some soft baiting techniques with my family, using Gulp! with a size 1/8th jig head. The canals have been getting a lot of attention of late because of the amount of fish seemingly being caught and the sheer size of some of the monsters. However, its not always easy and on this day we didnt get a take until late afternoon.

Out of nowhere my dad, Graeme, struck hard. FISH ON! The fish went mental trying to get away. We saw glimpses of it and we

knew straight away it was bigger than the magic 10 pound. Line peeled and Dad fought back, gradually getting the upper hand as the monster tired.

As it came to the net, excitement was mounting and I think Dad was trembling with anticipation. It was enormous - a huge fat rainbow - so we wasted no time getting it to the scales. Dad was stoked with his catch; it went 18 pounds on the dot.

To top off a great day, I caught an 11lb salmon and my younger brother caught a 10lber!

Cody on the CanalBy Cody Simpson

Christmas FACTS

Norwegian scientists have hypothesized that Rudolphs red nose is probably the result of a parasitic infection of his respiratory system.

Most of Santas reindeer have male-sounding names, such as Blitzen, Comet, and Cupid. However, male reindeers shed their antlers around Christmas, so the reindeer pulling Santas sleigh are likely not male, but female or castrated.

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STORY


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It was a perfect spring morning when I turned into a layby on the diversion section of the Wairau River and, as far as I could tell, I had the entire place all to myself. Sunday mornings at 6:30am sees most folk still in the land of Nod and this had to be to my advantage - no one about to spook feeding trout or disturb the gentle mood of the morning.

I leisurely made my way down the true right bank for almost a kilometre, taking care to use scrub cover in case I disturbed any trout before I could fish to them.

I sat down on a fallen poplar for a few minutes to watch the sun rising out of the dead-calm waters of Cloudy Bay. Quite at peace with the world, I unhurriedly assembled my rod and selected a size 18 Adams dry fly which is my number one choice when Wairau trout are surface feeding.

I noted that the suns very low angle was casting my shadow well up the track I had just come down. As it rose it would swing my shadow across the land - not the river. I had chosen the true right bank because the left would have seen the sun eventually cast my shadow on to the river - not a good option if you are endeavouring to ambush trout.

A few moments later I saw movement at the start of the track I had just wandered down and inwardly groaned. What looked like a small dog was bounding along but every so often it paused and turned to the rear. Doubtlessly

its owner was following up and would likely spook each and every trout I was hoping to ambush. My best laid plans looked like they were going to be history. As the dog moved towards me I could see that it had enormously long ears but wait, there was a second dog following. As they advanced I perceived they were not dogs but very large hares. I almost laughed. I had never seen hares running together. It surely had to be the influence of spring and the mad March hare syndrome. Mating hares are renowned for their crazy antics and the duo heading towards me were probably engaged in a courtship ritual. I waited, motionless, until they were little more than a rods length from me. The very low angle of the sun was blinding them and they appeared to be quite oblivious of my presence until I abruptly swished my rod at them. In a flash they bolted up to the stop-bank and vanished. I focused my thoughts back to trout and commenced the long upstream beat.

Over the next four hours I spotted several decent trout but they were very fussy feeders. My little Adams failed me and in spite of numerous fly changes, I never so much as got a touch for my trouble. Whatever the trout were feeding on was not represented in my fly box. I was defeated but not despondent. The delightful little swallows and a couple of hare-brained creatures had turned a duff-day into one which has remained very memorable - even if it was for the wrong reasons!

Spring Morning On The WairauBy Frank Cartwright

With a calm forecast after such a long run of windy days, the family headed into Tasman Bay during late November and berleyed up in 20m. Then we waited.

At ten-to-eight in the morning the first of the snapper hit, but the bite time was short - exactly half-an-hour later it all stopped. However, during that magic spell, the fish were all good size and the action lit up, with reels humming and the kids having a ball. The snapper gave Sophie and Matthew good runs on their lines, taking five-minutes or more to get in.

On sighting the size of her big snapper, Sophie decided to release it as it was a good breeding size and, as it turned out, filled with lots of roe. She wanted to save the fish, being the animal lover she is, so we took a quick photo for Dawnbreakers Club points and let the snapper go. Unfortunately, the bladder wouldnt release and the fish could not turn itself over to swim back under; we left it for about five minutes before backing the boat up to collect it and keep it from a painful death.

We caught five snapper, mostly averaging around the 55cm length, with Sophies fish measuring 65cm. Two gurnard and several small kahawai were also added to the list - after finding a huge school working on our way back in.

It was a good day in our fishing office - Mondays can be like that!

Sophies Choice Snapper!By Chris Jobe

Matt Jobe with a nice Tasman Bay snapper.


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East Coast Beaches Ablaze with FishBy Daryl Crimp

November saw a flurry of activity off the South Islands east coast beaches, with surfcasters tucking into some good catches of rig, red cod and elephant fish, a particular hotspot being south of Timaru.

Jason Chamberlain from Waimate was fishing Morven Beach over a rising low tide with his favoured Fin-Nor rod and reel rigged with a long dropper and banana prawn for bait. He uses 20lb braid main line and 6/0 recurve hooks and 5oz breakout sinker on his terminal rig.

With the tide pushing, Jason didnt have long to wait for the action to hit. A big bend signalling a solid hook up. The fish put up a huge scrap but Jason, who never smiles much, remained good for the task and eventually won the battle, beaching this grunty 14lb elephant fish.

It was later beer-battered with Speights and self-raising flour and deep-fried in rice bran oil - beautiful!

Locals report a very good start to the season, in fact, its on fire down south.

Jason Chamberlain bends this big elephant into a smile!

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Black Magics expanding range of freshwater products has produced a real winner with the introduction of their Jellybean lure.

The Jellybean is a 5cm soft plastic lure with a very flexible and lifelike transparent body. Unlike many similar lures, Black Magic has cast this one around one of their chemically sharpened, high carbon steel Japanese fly hooks. They are ready to use straight out of the packet.

Another great feature is its paddle tail. This gives Jellybeans a particularly enticing swimming action making them a very tempting mouthful for hungry predators (visit www.blackmagictackle.com and look under freshwater/lures to view a video of a swimming Jellybean). Although Jellybeans were designed with trout fishermen in mind, they have also attracted a number of saltwater anglers. Despite being built around a freshwater

hook, they work well on a range of bait fish species and, of course, kahawai cant resist them.

The current range features six natural colours, from blue to smelt to baby brown, and the hook is wrapped with holographic thread providing that added attraction.

There are a number of ways to fish with Jellybeans. Some anglers like them rigged up for jigging with three Jellybeans to a rig. They can be used on a spin set up, but a small split shot in front of the nose makes casting, this otherwise lightweight lure, a lot easier. They can also be used on a fly rod with a sinking line, or nymphing for searun browns. Harling is also a viable option.

You can buy your Jellybeans at leading retailers as single lures, but Black Magic is currently working on a packaged version where you can buy them in fives.

Black Magic Jellybean

Christmas FACTS

Ancient peoples, such as the Druids, considered mistletoe sacred because it remains green and bears fruit during the winter when all other plants appear to die. Druids would cut the plant with golden sickles and never let it touch the ground. They thought it had the power to cure infertility and nervous diseases and to ward off evil.


With the tide pushing, Jason didnt have long to wait for the action to hit. A big bend signalling a solid hook up. The fish put up a huge scrap but Jason, who never smiles much, remained good for the task and eventually won the battle, beaching this grunty 14lb elephant fish.

It was later beer-battered with Speights and self-raising flour and deep-fried in rice bran oil - beautiful!

Locals report a very good start to the season, in fact, its on fire down south.


Catching a monster snapper - priceless!

Hesitation Leads to Priceless Fish By Grant Price

The three of us were enjoying some great November fishing off Rabbit Island, Nelson, with a good haul of pannies by sun up. Rene Visser, Reece Jones and I were fishing shallow water with a good berley trail attracting and holding the fish. Most of the damage was being done by ledger rigs under the boat - nothing fancy, just hooks, sinker and bait - but I had also tossed out a stray-line way out the back of the berley trail. With a large chunk of fresh mackerel I was prospecting for a big moocher.

The bite died right away and we contemplated moving to another spot but just as we were about to pull up the pick, the snapper came back on the feed; nothing big - all around the 35cm. Then the big hit; it just grabbed the mackerel and ran. In only eight-metres they put up a stonking fight: line peeling, drag screaming, and adrenaline pumping. When it came to the boat and finally flopped on the deck, we were all stoked. Twenty-three pound of Tasman Bay snapper - priceless.

What is the Best Bait?

One of the most often asked question in angling circles is, What is the best bait for?

Currently, with rig showing up inshore in good numbers, land based fishers are questioning the dietary requirements and preferences of the spotted smooth-hound.

Enthusiastic Marlborough surfcaster, Vic Wysockyj, in his usual dramatic fashion, answered the question emphatically. Crabs anyone?

Vic Wysockyj annswers the sixty-four million dollar question.


Vic Wysockyj annswers the sixty-four million dollar question.

With Lake Hutchisons female tench already starting to spawn, I had decided to make the most of it by trying to catch a couple of fish that hadnt yet fully spawned out.

I arrived at the lake in the evening hoping to catch two or three of these hard fighting fish. The sky was overcast and there was a strong easterly wind blowing over the lake. I chose to fish against the wind on The Point because tench follow the wind as it pushes food items in the direction it is blowing.

I used a 21gram small shotgun feeder attached to a four-inch hook link, with a grain of unflavoured popped up fluorescent yellow artificial corn on a curve shanked size 12 hook; by using a IQ D rig. For ground bait I used layer mash and breadcrumbs, which also had the juice from canned corn in it. I cast out, turned my bite alarm on and waited.

I choose to fish around 10 metres out and

it wasnt long before the first tench fell victim, which turned out to be a 3lb male. After a couple more tench, the bites went quiet. I kept putting sweetcorn and the ground bait around my feeder to try and hold a shoal if they cruised past.

During the last hour of light, my bite alarm screamed off so I picked up my rod and I was in to what felt like a reasonable fish. It was jagging left and right, taking a bit of line and producing big head-shakes, so it lead me to think that I had hooked in to a male tench. I lifted the rod and as it came up from the bottom, I saw it was a good perch. I also noticed that it was just hooked right in the corner of its scissors and was scared at this point that it would shake the hook. However, I managed to get the fish to grace the landing net. It weighed 2lb 10oz, which is a new personal best.

Tench Moments on PerchBy Tyler McBeth

It may have been a corny catch but it was Tylers PB.

Jaw-Dropping TroutBy Craig Grant

I hooked this fish in the upper jaw while fishing the lower Taylor River near Blenheim. It couldnt close its mouth.

The high water levels have taken out most of the weed in the river and deposited a layer

of gravel in the section of river above the Hutchinson Bridge. It is not worth fishing as there is no cover for the trout and there has been significant erosion of the river banks making the stream shallower and wider.

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I have vast experience with all brands of outboards.

I can offer full servicing and repairs, rebuilds, wiring, electronics installation, trailer repairs, repowers, refurbishments and pre-purchase inspections.

Quality results, workmanship and happy clients are my aims.

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Email your story to editor@thefi shingpaper.co.nz

Stories should be 300-400 words

Congratulations to Grant Fowler. Grant is our December winner of the Snapper Pack. His story, Beaten by the Butcher is on page 15.


Captains Log: Beam me up spotty

I was popping back from a hunt a couple of weeks back, minding my own business, when I had the most bizarre experience. It was quite a long trip because Id ducked out

the back of Sweden for a moose. In the course of my travels I discovered the world is full of idiots. Normally they are quite harmless and can be mildly amusing, like the lanky guy who thought I should give up my aisle seat on the plane, with no-one in front of me, to him just because he couldnt sit for long periods with his ankles around his ears. I did offer to let his girlfriend sit on my lap so he could stretch out, but he wasnt open to lateral thinking.

However, idiots can become a problem when you put boots and badges on them; that makes them Important Idiots and thats where the fun begins.

The trip home took forty hours during which time I successfully navigated four international airport security systems and cleared all customs seamlessly. Then came New Zealand. At Auckland Domestic Airport I was paged to go to a counter where an Important Idiot was waiting for me. Demeanours changed dramatically when I mentioned my name: smiles were replaced with aghast stares, frenetic activity, group huddles and hushed whispers. I was then escorted into cavernous bowels of petty bureaucracy with the warning they had found live ammunition in my luggage.

Now Im not making this up, but it was like a scene from an old Monty Python movie. The security guard ushered me through a heavy solid door, into a dark room with no windows. In the middle of the room was a stainless steel table with what looked to be an interrogation light above it, shining brightly down on my suitcase. A tall guard, arms tightly folded across his chest, was standing over it. It was unopened.

Whats going on here? I asked.Weve located live ammunition in your luggage!Im allowed to carry ammunition in my checked

on luggage, I countered.In a packet, he said. Not a loose single bullet!

Its a cartridge and its harmless for Gods sake!Its Dangerous Goods, he argued.Not without a rifle wrapped around and a firing

pin smacked against the primer!Arguing proved futile. He cocked his head toward

a computer scan in the corner, without taking his eyes off my bag - and, yes, there was a lonely 30.06 cartridge buried somewhere in my belongings. I was made to search for it and after much fruitless digging, I twigged to where it was. I pulled out the large pillow-like inner bag that contained my hunting clothes. There, deep in the folds of material, right at the bottom of a cavernous pocket of my jacket, lay the offending item.

Here you go, I said, Fill yer boots... get rid of it.What happened next left me speechless. Both

security guards were mortified at the thought of having to dispose of it because it would mean calling the police, I would be held in custody for the day and they would have a mountain of paperwork to do. So they hatched a cunning plan - so cunning you could pin a tail on it and call it a weasel. They would make it safe and I would be free to travel home - and they did.

How?They wrapped it

in a paper towel and popped it back in my bag, in the top of my hunting boot that was stuffed to the brim with socks! I kid you not.

It adds new meaning to the old terrorist saying, A tissue, a tissue - we all fall down!

The Important Idiot Syndrome

Fishing the South China Seas earlier this year, we were jigging and bottom fishing in 200m, so I took the opportunity of testing the Special Edition Okuma Makaira reel matched to a CD Fast Jigging rod, rated 250 400g.

It proved a good testing ground, as we spent a total of three long days fishing numerous spots in differing conditions and almost all deeper than 150m. It was physically demanding so a prerequisite was light, balanced gear that could comfortably be used for long periods. This combination didnt disappoint.

The fast jigging rod from CD was 1.56m long, made from uni-directional graphite with Nano-like resin systems to give it extra strength while remaining lightweight. It certainly was light and when coupled with the Makaira, nicely balanced and a delight to use over long periods. I found the action medium-firm, and suitable for slow jigging as well, in the 200g+ range. There was plenty of strength right through to the rod butt, allowing you to really load up when necessary, and the action

was very smooth.Both the rod and reel are

ergonomically designed and aesthetically very nice, with high-end finish. As a combination, they work well together. The reel is a compact size for jigging, fitting comfortably into a medium paw, and the levers and drags system appear solid and work smoothly. I caught quite a number of fish using this gear and enjoyed it immensely even using it for all my bottom fishing as well.

Overall: a good quality product that incorporates good design features with sound ergonomics to deliver a smooth action and good balance. Lightweight construction married with strength has created a versatile rod and reel combo that would double easily as an all purpose set up.

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Kayaking with Chris West

FIRST IMPRESSIONS:Makaira Special Edition Reel & CD Fast Jigging Rod

An unfortunate side effect of kayaking can be wrist pain. This can range from tightness in your wrists and forearms through to crippling pain. Typically, people experience wrist pain after a long days paddling, or if they are new to kayaking and have over-exerted themselves. Here are a few tips for avoiding wrist pain and injuries.

GripHaving a tight grip on your paddle shaft makes

your wrist and forearm muscles work harder, which can lead to wrist pain. To reduce this, modify your paddle technique a little. You do not need to grip the paddle tightly with your top hand (the hand closest to the paddle blade that is not in the water). As you paddle, open your top hand as it pushes forward. This may take a bit of thought, but after a while it will become natural.

Over-using Your WristThe more you move your wrist during a

paddle stroke, the more likely it is that you will experience wrist pain. On a paddle the blades are usually set at different angles to each other. As you paddle you twist your wrists to ensure the paddle blade enters the water on the correct angle. The greater the offset angle, the more twisting your wrist does. If you are having wrist

trouble consider trying a paddle with less offset. When you are paddling take a look at how you

use your wrists. Ensure that you are not moving your wrists more than is required. During a paddle stroke, your wrist should stay in close to a neutral (straight) position for the majority of the stroke.

Paddle DesignIn addition to the offset of the paddle, there

are other factors which can cause wrist pain. Ensure that you are not putting too much strain on your wrists from trying to use a too big a paddle. This can be either a paddle that is too long, or has too large a blade. For the majority of your paddling, each stroke should be keeping the kayak moving at the same speed, rather than accelerating the kayak with each stroke.

Some paddles feature a bent shaft. The idea of a bent, or crankshaft is to keep your wrists in a more natural position. If you have a look at your wrists you will notice that when relaxed, they look like they naturally inclined outward a little. A bent shaft paddle allows you to hold your paddle with your wrists aligned more ergonomically.

Lastly, a heavier paddle will create more stress on your wrists; the less weight that you wrists need to control when paddling the better.

Wrestling with Wrist Problems

Taranaki TupperwareBy Kelvin Wright

Opunake is not often fishable because of weather but this day it was a cracker. We launched and paddled for 1.5km and pulled up in 5m of water.

Berley over the side and it was all go, with biggest challenge getting them on the boat before being smoked off into the rocks. But we had a great day with snapper, kahawai and blue cod on the menu.

Gradually the paddle fitness has been coming up and more recently we have been visiting the offshore spots, targeting groper and deeper water snapper spots. Some of these paddles are quite long range with trips 7-10km offshore, and up to 35km being paddled over the summer trolling for tuna. Obviously you need to pick your days for these trips but they are always done with more than one paddler and most are fully equipped with PLBs, hand held marine radios, and cell phones. The kayaks themselves are incredibly stable, quite wide and have plenty of storage - although you have to plan ahead and be lean with your packing, as its still a kayak at the end of the day. With large centre compartments, eight rod-holders, and bait bins etcetera, they are well set up for fishing.

After having several larger boats there are a couple of distinct advantages of fishing from a kayak. Low cost - $2500K set up and ready to fish with electronics on board. Cheap to run most days about six stubbies will see you right for fuel. Very little cleaning, it takes about five minutes to pack up after a day out, and if you cant be bothered so be it - the plastic aint corroding. Another slight bonus, if you can call it that, is a bit of fitness on the side. With that being said there has been several times when we have left it a little late to come back and ended up with a tough paddle in 15-20knots of chop and swell that made a 7m hard top look pretty attractive.

Despite the extra effort required, the kayaks do handle those conditions okay, provided the paddler doesnt run out of steam. Planning around weather needs to be a

bigger part of your preparation. A comfortable paddling speed is about 6km/hr, so at times it could be a two hour plus paddle home hence heading home before the change comes through is a good idea.

We have had several hook ups on big sharks, which often results in a short trip as you get towed along! Hence, if youre serious about playing big fish you need to think ahead and take one or two sea anchors to throw out and add a little more drag to your fish. Im really looking forward to the summer and the kingfish numbers increasing. Kingies are a fantastic fighting fish and my favourite fish to catch, so there are bound to be a few tours behind a kingi this summer.

Some of my mad kayak fishing mates are planning to try and live bait for a marlin from the yak this summer. It will be a team event but one that Im silly enough to be keen on being involved in. It will either be a horrendous cock up (most likely outcome!) or a legendary trip that will no doubt make the local rag, but either way it will be an adventure.(Courtesy of Tautuku Fishing Club Newsletter, Dunedin)

Opunake catch- snapper, kahawai and blue cod.

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cortez 10 comboThe bigger brother of the 5, The Cortez 10 has all the same features with a narrow frame and more line capacity making it perfect for fishing those deeper waters for Snapper, Kingfish, Cod and Pup puka. An all round gem for fishing deeper waters with its fast retrieve 6.2:1 gear ratio and narrow spool matched up with the Cortez 6'6 medium action 10-15kg 2 piece rod. Another winner from Okuma!

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cortez 10 JIGGING comboThe perfect setup to get you out on the water jigging for Kingfish and Hapuka this summer! This combo has been designed for the Kiwi angler to tackle small to medium size Kingfish but is still gutsy enough to handle that big one. The most important features on the reel are the dual anti-reverse system, stainless steel gearing and carbon drag. Teamed up with the parabolic Cortez 5 300gm jig rod. A superb 24kg entry level jigging setup at $299 - unbeatable value!

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Stray-lining is a versatile and effective way of targeting shallow water snapper and, with a few tweaks, it can be adapted for deeper water as well. The basic idea involves presenting bait as naturally as possible by using the minimum weight (if any at all) to reach the bottom, while allowing the bait to drift naturally with the current, down to the fish.

THE GEARBoth overhead and spin sets can be used, and both have

advantages. Spin sets are easy to use, easy to cast and have the option of the Baitrunner feature, while overhead sets give you more sensitivity and control on the drop. Use rods in the 66 - 7 range and a reel that has a nice smooth drag and holds at least 200m of your preferred line weight. My current sets are a little Okuma Coronado Baitrunner on an X-Factor 6-10kg rod and 6kg braid for the light, shallow stuff and an Okuma Cortez 5 on a Cortez 10-15 kg rod with 12kg mono for the heavy stuff. Both are brilliant and have dealt to some serious fish, and have me covered for nearly any situation.

THE RIGThe basic rig is effectively just a running rig with the sinker

below the swivel, with J-style hooks as opposed to circle hooks; you need to strike rather than let the fish hook itself. Hook size: bigger is generally better - the smallest I would recommend is a 6/0. The barb needs to be well clear of the bait, and large hooks reduce the chance of gut hooked small fish. Mostly, I use

8/0 or even 10/0 - snapper are very aggressive feeders and you will still catch a 30cm fish on 8/0 hooks.

Short leaders of 1-1.5m allow you to cast your rig easily and to this I run two hooks the same size, one attached with a uni knot, and the other sliding freely on the leader above. Slide a ball or egg-shaped sinker onto the leader above the hooks and fasten the top of the leader to a swivel, which is then tied to the mainline. The sinker slides freely between the hooks and the swivel.

A crucial element is selecting the right weight: too light and you wont reach the bottom, too heavy and your bait will sink unnaturally. Every situation is different so, through trial and error, vary your weight so that the bait just touches down after drifting back with the current. A selection of weights from 1/4oz in the shallows to 3-4oz in deeper, high current areas should have you covered.

WHERE TO LOOKFor stray-lining to be most effective good current flow is a must.

An ideal startling spot will have adequate current running back towards some sort of structure or channel. These sorts of areas hold fish but the challenge is drawing them out and enticing a hit. Headlands, points, reefs, rocky guts, sandbanks, harbour channels and drop offs are all very much worth investigating.

BERLEY, BERLEY AND MORE BERLEYBerley is key to your success; without it, you are targeting

fish that just happen to chance across your bait. Pumping a big berley trail will draw fish from a huge area and get the fish feeding. It will draw big reef dwelling snaps out from territory where they will inevitably bust you off, into the open where you have a much better chance of landing them.

In less than 10m of water I will set berley pot on the surface so it covers as a wide area. Any deeper and I will use a wobbly pot a few metres off the bottom. When using surface berley, cast your bait down the berley trail to get it away from the boat. In the deeper water, drop straight down as the current will carry it naturally down the trail.

THE STRIKEThe strike is crucial but probably the most difficult aspect

to master. Strike too early and you might miss the fish - strike too late and it might spit the bait. With the bait on the bottom, engage the baitrunner on spin sets. On overheads,click the reel into free-spool, ensuring that you have enough thumb pressure on the spool to prevent an overrun while letting a fish run freely with the bait.

It is tempting to strike straight away when a fish picks the bait up, but fight the urge in order to give the fish time to swallow the bait. As a rule of thumb, count to five before engaging the reel and striking firmly. At this point, take care not to give any slack line, as it will give the fish opportunity to shake the hook free.

Stray-lining can produce electric fishing sessions, especially at dawn and dusk; the rush of a fish screaming off with your bait before setting the hook is hard to beat. It also generally produces a much better class of fish than traditional bottom bouncing and less by-catch of smaller fish. It is a method that has produced some of my biggest snapper.

ESSENTIALS of STRAY-LININGBy Bryce Helms

Read Crimpys First Impressionsarticle on page 10 where he reviews the Makaira Reel and CD

Fast Jigging Rod on the South China Sea.


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Published by Coastal Media Ltd261 Paton Road, Hope

PO Box 9001, Annesbrook, 7044, NELSON

Ph 03 544 7020 Fax 03 544 7040

www.thefishingpaper.co.nz

EditorDaryl Crimp021 472 517

[email protected]

Mike Brown

AdministrationAnnette Bormolini

021 996 [email protected]

Graphic DesignPatrick Connor

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Guardian Print

ContributorsDaryl Crimp

Ron Prestage

Chris West

Sean Ryan

Bryce Helms

Craig Grant

Grant Fowler

Kim Swan

Poppa Mike

Cody Simpson

Grant Price

Tyler McBeth

Kelvin Wright

Anton Donaldson

Rhys Barrier

Dave Dixon

Ian Sutherland

Tony Entwistle

Paul Clark

Charles Smith

Tony Orman

Dennis Bender

Shane Bruce

Chris Jobe

Frank Cartwright

Dave Duncan

Ivan Wilson

The Fishing Paper & NZ Hunting News is published by Coastal Media Ltd. All editorial copy and photographs are subject to copyright and may not be reproduced without prior written permission of the publisher. Opinions or comments expressed within this publication are not necessarily those of the staff, management or directors of

Coastal Media Ltd. Unsolicited editorial, letters, photographs will only be returned if you include a

stamped self addressed envelope.

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Shoulder roast of wild pork, mutton or venison.2 cups fresh breadcrumbs1 cup freshly chopped mixed herbs (thyme, mint, sage, oregano).I clove garlic crushed and choppedSea saltCracked pepperOlive oil

Trim excess fat from the shoulder. Rub a good sprinkle of sea salt into the topside.Place breadcrumbs in a large bowl and season with

cracked pepper. Add finely chopped herbs and garlic, mixing well. Gradually drizzle in olive oil, mixing as you go. The breadcrumbs need to be well-coated in oil damp but not soggy.

Spread evenly over the topside of the roast and place ribs down in an oiled roasting pan. Place in an oven preheated to 150C and bake for two hours. Turn up the heat to 200C for the last hour. Skewer the thickest part of the roast to test when it is cooked the juices should run slightly pink. Stand for 15 minutes before carving.

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TIDES OF CHANGE By Poppa Mike

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BUILDERS ARE YOU READY?

The 1st of January 2015 sees significant changes to the Building Act and Regulations that will affect EVERY builder. The changes include new responsibilities including the need to provide a written building contract for all jobs over $30,000.

The timing of these changes is not ideal as they require builders to hit the ground running as of the 1st of January 2015. Were sure youd rather be fishing than running around like a headless chicken sorting out paperwork. The GOOD NEWS is that Certified Builders already have a suite of contracts ready to go and a help-line available to all members for a minuscule cost. If youre already a member youll be

SWEET ASand if youre not dont worry, simply give us a call and well help ensure you dont hit any unnecessary speed bumps come the new year. To join the Certified Builders team visit www.certified.co.nz or call us today on 0800 237 843

IMPORTANT

WAVE21689_ITM

TIORI-PATEAThe 140km drive from

Wanaka to Haast is one of New Zealands most beautiful scenic drives, especially on a fine day in mid summer with the windows down. The colours and smells of nature, the history and the grandeur all play their part.

Early Maori were the first to find this route through to the West Coast in their search for food and pounamu (greenstone) and named it Tiori-patea, the way ahead is clear, as they first spotted the West Coast seas far below them. Although the route today has the names Haast Pass, Haast township and the Gates of Haast in recognition of Julius von Haast, Canterburys Provincial Geologist, who led an exploration party of four through to the West Coast in 1863 where they celebrated by standing in the surf and giving three hearty cheers.

However, it was not until some time later that another explorer, T.N.Broder ick, followed in their footsteps and came across a metal

powder flask wedged in a prominent tree on the west side of the pass, inscribed, Charles Cameron, July 1863. Scotsman Cameron, a gold miner seeking new fortunes had preceded Haast by just a few days.

The route gradually developed from a bush track to a pack track, to a stock route. During the 1930s depression years the track was widened, employing up to 400 men. After WWII the government again set about opening up the road, which was finally opened in 1960, although the final links northwards to the West Coast

were not finished until 1965. For many years after, this the road construction continued until it was all finally sealed. Unfortunately some see this luxury as an opportunity to get from A to B as quickly as possible and fail to recognise all that has gone before them.

If you get to travel this route and find yourself entering the Makarora Valley, take the time to pause at the DoC rest area where a plaque recognises the significance of early Maori, Charles Cameron and Julius von Haast in our history.

Are you aware the Harbour Master has the power to

direct ships, board vessels, remove wrecks and issue infringement notices? Fortunately those instances are rare, however, how they have come about in the past is:

1. People have gone away and forgotten to notify the Harbour Master they are leaving their boat on a mooring for six months or more. (We have removed a few of these)

2. People have literally neglected their vessels and this is an issue for council and the Harbour Master; accordingly we will be removing these neglected wrecks over the ensuing months

3. Directing ships and infringement notices are an unusual event, however they do come about when people dont understand the rules (ships include your six foot dinghy or your stand up paddleboard)

Access the rules through Rule 22 on Maritime New Zealand web site or attend a Safe Coating Course with Coastguard Boating Education Services. Knowledge saves lives.

Are you aware in Nelson that you must wear a lifejacket on any vessel under 6m, unless the skipper of the vessel directs you not to? If you join a mate to go fishing and he doesnt offer you a lifejacket, ask him for one. My take on the rule is if he then says, You wont need one of those, then he is taking

personal responsibility for your life and your not wearing the lifejacket. If he doesnt give you one because he doesnt have one, then you are as responsible as he is for being on the water without one. $200.00 please. Wow, suddenly a lifejacket is real cheap AND it will save your life as a small bonus.

Have you wondered if the pilot or captain on that fishing boat or container ship can see you, or has seen you. Already you are too close. Did you realise that you can disappear from a pilots and captains view when you are two football fields away? Get to know the bylaws, give ships the room they deserve, as their pilots/captains are not trained to run aground the alternative is equally unthinkable but it is in your hands.

I would also like to talk about hypothermia. I recently learned the likely survival time in water 10 to 16 degrees C is one to two hours, depending on your body type. It doesnt improve much when the temperature goes above 16. Maybe the agony is prolonged for another hour or so. Mmmmmmm which would be worse? It can be prolonged until old age catches up if you wear your lifejacket. Why wouldnt you?

Have fun out there. Boat safely this summer. Be prepared

Harbour Views By Dave DuncanA Nautical Notice Board

Mmm... yes I see your problem - tonsilitis!

NEW ZEALAND HUNTING NEWS 15www.thefishingpaper.co.nz

HUNTINGNEWSNEW ZEAL

AND

By Grant FowlerA few of us boys went on a Labour Weekend hunt high

in the hills above Lake Ohau. Amongst our crew was a home kill specialist from Canterbury, so we had the meat recovery and processing side of things covered.

We arrived on the Friday and sorted the hut out before heading off for a quick afternoon hunt. There was meant to be six in our party, however only five set off, all equipped with radios. Some paired up but I remained alone in the absence of my hunting partner. I hadnt gone far when I

spotted 22 tahr down low. I tried calling the butcher and co but they hadnt switched on yet, so I started making my way up into position. Everything was favourable, no wind and a ridge keeping me from view.

When I finally reached my shooting position I found I had two tahr at only 50 metres. One was eyeballing me and all I could see was head, while the other was turned away with only rump and right shoulder visible. I chose the right shoulder of the lower animal dropping it instantly. The animal above then presented itself and I dropped it. I had

two good size bulls to deal with. I dragged them down the scree to lower ground and began gutting them out.

Two shots rang out from the butcher and co, which were soon confirmed as kills and then more successful shots were heard from the other boys. No sooner had I finished gutting my bulls, the butcher announced on the radio there was a deer running down the river about 450 metres away. He suggested I start running down the hill and try to head it off, so I thought why not?

While running downhill I realised my mag needed loading, so I dropped it out and proceeded to load it on the run. The deer was gaining too much ground so I had very little time to find a position. I set my sights on a good size rock not too much further away. As I reached my point of rest I could see the deer was going to pass any second now.

I went to cycle a round and it jammed in the mag as I hadnt loaded it right, so I spat the mag and dropped one into the chamber. No sooner was I in position when the deer came into my sights 300 metres away. I squeezed off about two feet in front of the right shoulder, he gave a good jump but kept on running. I sorted the mag and cycled another round, but missed as he went up and over the bank into a scrubby gully.

The butcher came down and offered to go look for the deer while I drag the tahr into the snow for the night. Soon after the butcher lets off a shot and confirms the kill. He removed the head and gutted the animal while we buried my tahr in snow. Later in the hut we reflect on the day where we claimed five tahr and a deer. The two tahr I shot both measured 11 inches.

It was a once in a life time event and it totally slipped my mind to get photos of the tahr on the hill before the butcher boned them next day. I had to hold the deers head in place for the photo too, because the butcher got there first.

Beaten By The Butcher

One was eyeballing me and all I could see was head, while the other was turned away with only rump

and right shoulder visible

SNAPPER PRIZE PACK

WINNER

Grant and the long shot deer.

[email protected] Hall Street - Cheviot

Cheviots only supplier of fresh and saltwater shing gear. Rods, reels, lures and Fish & Game licences.

Ammunition , knives , hunting and camping supplies.

Ph 03 319 8869Fax 03 3198844 - Phil Duncan

CHEVIOT HARDWARE & LOTTO

NEW ZEALAND HUNTING NEWS16 www.thefishingpaper.co.nz

By Kim SwanWhile doing a radio interview with Stephen

Spargo on The Hunting Show recently, he asked me where in New Zealand was a locale which I would describe as the pinnacle of the awesomeness. It was difficult to reply fluently when my mind was in a spin. The pinnacle of the awesomeness - I knew instantly these few words would become a very popular phrase in my limited vocabulary.

Lazy as I am, I have adapted the new phrase. Ive shortened it whilst speaking or writing, to either a) The Pinnacle of Aness - used positively to describe events or places which are especially special. Or b) The Pinnacle of Anuss - which needs no explanation.

A fortnight later I was in the back country on a cold November morn. With me were my two pig dogs, fat old Gin and the petite young blond, Pearl. I had walked, clambered and crawled whilst they had walked, worked and hunted, far and wide. For two hours we three had inched ever upward, crossing the creek innumerable times, scaling bluffs and forcing our way through bracken and blackberry. All for nought.

I was tired. Tired from lack of sleep and tired of the grind my hunt had become. I felt like giving up, there was little incentive to continue onwards, no fresh pig sign, no let-up in the climb or the conditions.

Pearl and Gin had already given up. They trailed behind me despondently, no sniff nor snout-digging to enthuse them. Sometimes pig hunting is shite, today was one of those days.

Far above and to my left was an isolated knoll Id always wanted to explore. I altered my route and veered towards it. It took a determined trudge to even get close - and I was still 100 metres away from the top when I sensed what I was going to find there.

Without doubt I had almost reached the Pinnacle of Anuss.

Acres of couch-sized boulders, all gappy and sharp-edged. Talk about break a leg. Among the boulders were patches of wind-stunted manuka and a tangle of bracken. The soil was thin and dry, my boot prints dusty along the ancient game

trails. The Pinnacle was high and dry, no water source within cooee. It was a bad and ugly place, I hated it already.

I was absolutely convinced this was the pinnacle with a U and not an E - tired, grumpy and over it - when Gin gave voice. Normally her bark would tip my upside-down smile up the right way but not today. All I could think of was those gappy rocks and the potential for tragedy.

I hurried uphill towards the aggressive dog bark. Gin sounded edgy. Pearl was there but I seldom heard her. Close-in I loaded my rifle and stifled my panting. Breeze in my face, eyes wide open, I snuck nearer.

I located the dogs and we silently acknowledged each other with a glance of eye contact. They were tag-teaming The King of the Ring - excuse the pun. He was up for it.

Though they had him bailed it was he who was on the attack and them on defence.

This was a testing situation. An angry, athletic boar, in hot pursuit of my dogs. Uphill, downhill, they ducked and dived around manuka, he crashed solidly into it. The King would fiercely attack one dog till the other caught his attention - crashes and ker-thumps. Boar and dogs with hackles up and tails down - I was in the midst of it, a very biased referee.

I did a skittish and thoroughly unprofessional dance now and then - a hybrid between a pole dance and the highland fling - circling the manuka tree trunk which was my shield. As the battle raged all around me, I was seen to circle the trunk at various speeds and even to jump up it with my feet held high and bum cheeks clenched. Only when the three fight contestants paused to catch their breaths could I intervene with a placement of scope crosshairs and a timely caress to my rifles trigger.

The dogs were unscathed by ragged rock or by tuskers tooth. I was grateful.

The sign all about told me that this pinnacle was a boar hideaway and it had been for many a year but Ill not bring my dogs here again. Im not that anal.

The Department of Conservation (DoC) has commenced a ground and aerial hunting programme to eradicate wild pigs from Farewell Spit. The programme aims to protect the many rare and threatened species inhabiting the spit, which include plants, birds and the katipo spider.

Farewell Spit is New Zealands longest sand spit, a 25-kilometre long nature reserve. It is an internationally renowned bird sanctuary and is particularly important for migratory seabirds.

More than 300 pigs have been removed to date. The wild pigs root up bird nests and large areas of ground, destroying habitat for native species. Last gannet breeding season pigs were venturing out to the gannet colony and killing about 15 gannets per night. They have also been seen eating shellfish as far as 1km out onto the wet sand.

The thought that the pigs would provide good eating was quickly dismissed with the meat smelling strongly of whale, which the pigs scavenge following strandings.

Ian Cox, DoC Biodiversity Ranger, says that DoC would love to


The Department of Conservation (DoC) has commenced a ground and aerial hunting programme to eradicate wild pigs from Farewell Spit. The programme aims to protect the many rare and threatened species inhabiting the spit, which include plants, birds and the katipo spider.

Farewell Spit is New Zealands longest sand spit, a 25-kilometre long nature reserve. It is an internationally renowned bird sanctuary and is particularly important for migratory seabirds.

More than 300 pigs have been removed to date. The wild pigs root up bird nests and large areas of ground, destroying habitat for native species. Last gannet breeding season pigs were venturing out to the gannet colony and killing about 15 gannets per night. They have also been seen eating shellfish as far as 1km out onto the wet sand.

The thought that the pigs would provide good eating was quickly dismissed with the meat smelling strongly of whale, which the pigs scavenge following strandings.

Ian Cox, DoC Biodiversity Ranger, says that DoC would love to

eradicate the pigs from the spit completely. The increase in vegetation and birdlife since 1975 is

encouraging, but until the pigs are removed from the spit, were not really going to get effective lasting regeneration and ground nesting birds will continue to be lost. Sows can have up to 10 piglets at a time, so it doesnt take long to build the numbers up again if any are left behind. Using thermal imaging equipment allows us to see pigs that are hiding in the bush and would not otherwise be found.

The ground operation involves DoC hunters tramping the spit with their dogs for 3-4 days at a time, shooting the pigs that they find on foot. This is followed up by helicopter operations at dawn and dusk. Reid helicopters fly the spit, with Anthony Corke of Yukon Optics New Zealand spotting the pigs with the aid of a Pulsar Quantum HD thermal imager, and Ian Cox of DoC on the trigger.

There are also pig traps at both ends of the spit, with a camera in place to help monitor whether any pigs are left.

Stag Party Bondage Gone WrongBy Daryl Crimp

South Island hunter, Stuart Graham, had his eye on a couple of promising stags in the lead up to the 2014 Roar but one disappeared. He, and a good hunting buddy, had been keeping watch on the animals with trail cameras, and thought one stag had driven the other off.

However, months later, deep in a shaded gully, Stuart found the stag wrapped in supplejack and in a state of decomposition. He said stags thrash vegetation in the lead up to the Roar to shed velvet, sharpen tines and build up neck muscles.This character had obviously worked himself into a state before succumbing to a slow agonising death, he said. To look at the moss covered skull and antlers youd think hed been dead years, rather than a few months!

While it was party-time for the other fella, this chap proved to be too tied up for the Roar!

Farewell to Spit Pigs

Shooting pigs through the Pulsar Quantum HD19s.

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Typically obsessed game bird hunters know the end of the duck-shooting season can leave a bit of a void to fill. Add the long sad stare of a restless gun dog and it only makes things worse.

I was having a chat one evening with a good friend who pointed out that during October through December, juvenile geese dont all head for the hills and rivers to breed. With the weekend looking free and a couple of newbies to blood in the goose department, I rang a couple of contacts to see what was around.

First call: Nope, havent seen any since you were here last!BUGGER! Second call: Yep, there is a small mob down the back - cheeky

buggers dont even take off as we drive past! Bingo - that sounds like what we were after, so a plan was hatched

to meet around lunchtime on the Saturday. The week seemed to really drag but finally everyone arrived, were

introduced and it was time to hit the road and track down a bird or two.

Arriving at the farm and while heading down the back, I thought, I hope there are some geese in the paddock so we get the correct place.

You guessed it, not one goose to be seen! So a quick check of the

paddocks to see which had the freshest droppings and it didnt take long to find the mother lode. An interesting discussion was had on to how to set up, as normally you want the wind at your back with game birds; they NORMALLY land into the wind (have seen them break that rule!), but this would mean we wouldnt see any geese flying the river in the distance. The plan was reached that we would set up slightly side on to the wind and sideswipe them as they come into the decoys.

Gear was put out and decoys were out in groups, with several pairs in amongst the decoy spread to try and make it look like breeding pairs.

I realised it was still very early arvo and the geese may not move until late evening, if at all. Remember the saying, WILD GOOSE CHASE!

Thankfully I was wrong and with the first mob flying over, our newbies had grins from ear to ear! After the first mob, they turned up well spaced between flights and in ones and twos, which is the best, as they dont leave and educate the rest of the geese.

The arvo ended with 25 birds picked up and was spent with a great bunch of guys, which is always a good recipe for any hunting situation Roll on the next shoot!

Mother Lode of Mother GooseBy Ian Sutherland

Left to right: Ray Evans (Gandolf), Geoff Irvine, Malcolm IrvineKneeling left to right: Gerry Evans, Holly Irvine, Ian Sutherland

50 Years of Trophy Hunting By Gary JollPublished by Halcyon PressReviewed by Tony EntwistleRRP $5050 Years of Trophy Hunting is Gary Jolls fourth hunting book, following Big Game Hunting in New Zealand (1968), To Alaska To Hunt (1978) and Bulls, Bucks and Bureaucrats (2010). In this latest book Gary sets about documenting his extended journey as a trophy hunter in an easy, unpretentious style. The book is not a chronological sequence but rather details his hunting experiences country by country, from New Zealand and the South Pacific to the United States and Africa, re-telling an enviable series of adventures, successes and inevitable disappointments. Gary Joll is a natural born storyteller with a flair for observation. His descriptions of the hunting terrain, the animals, their habits and the unfolding stalks both good and bad, are compelling. Garys forte as a hunter is undoubtedly trophy bull tahr and there is probably no-one who is better able to provide better insights into successfully hunting them and assessing their trophy potential. In 50 Years of Trophy Hunting Gary also provides plenty of sage advice for aspiring trophy hunters on a wide range of species, based not only on his successes but also from several less than satisfactory outcomes he experienced. His narrative of the various hunts, interspersed with insightful observations into the individual nuances of each animal and balanced with a series of excellent photographs, should maintain the interest of any true-blue hunter whose soul is stirred by the scent of the chase.Trophy hunting can be a controversial sport even amongst hunters themselves. Some see it only as the collecting of heads which couldnt be further from the truth. Trophy hunters like Gary Joll have a genuine reverence for their quarry, valuing their one-on-one experiences long after the fleeting moment of the kill. The ethics of trophy hunting cannot be prescribed and are not simply about securing the biggest heads. Ultimately they are something an individual must subscribe to for themselves. Joll is a true professional who sets high standards not only for himself but for others he hunts with including the many guides he used to help him in his trophy quest. It is a self-evident absolute that there are no degrees of Professionalism Professionalism is a complete way of life, a mind-set and attitude. Not all guides got Garys tick of approval.I may be biased off course, but I can sincerely commend this book to all hunters: those who aspire to hunt trophies wherever they can find them and those who more regularly hunt for the pot. For whatever reason you hunt, it is about gathering a lifetime of experiences. How you go about it ultimately defines who you become and Gary Joll has certainly done that.(Read the full review @ www.thefishingpaper.co.nz)

BOOK REVIEWS


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Daniel and I sat overlooking a series of grassy clearings until dark, but the only interlopers on the tranquility were four playful billy goats and a choir of tui rehearsing for the dawn chorus. We were on a pot hunting mission and retreated from the gully to try Plan B: spotlighting a mates farm in the southern hemisphere.

My mate, Rusty Chain, was starting to look a bit pale around the gills by the time hed played his trump card, his ace, full house and four jacks, and was left contemplating the joker, but his face lit up brighter than the light when the last possie came up trumps.

Deer, he hissed, and I dealt a hand that saw us take the pot home.

The combination of my new Swarovski Z6 1.7 - 10x42 and 150g Norma Nosler BST poleaxed the yearling spiker, shot through the neck at 80m, and it disappeared on the heavily vegetated hillside.

Rusty visually marked the spot while I went looking but once on the hill it was a whole new dimension; scrub, shadows and undulating terrain led me a merry dance. Then I turned on the new LED LENSER H7R.2 and put it to the test.

Not being a gadget freak, I hardly ever get excited about new technology but with the H7R.2 I feel huge progress has been made in headlamp design and functionality. Thoughtful ergonomic design makes it very comfortable to wear - properly molded battery case and lamp housing to fit contours of head - and amidst the usual array of boastful claims are some very useful advances.

The power range is from 200 lumens on high to 20 on low, but can be graduated seamlessly with a dial at the back of the headband, but it also has a boost mode (300 lm).

The lamp features high, low and strobe settings, and can be programmed to three function modes: low - high (default), high - low, high - strobe.

A press of the front button turns the lamp on to the low setting, a second press switches it to high power, and a press and hold will give you boost - after a while it drops back to default setting to conserve power. I found the switch sensitive and it took a bit of getting used to; initially I kept turning it off when going for boost.

The red light on the back dial can be set as a flashing warning light (ideal for bikers, kayakers, extreme sports, joggers etc) and also serves as a battery level indicator.

It has a very good wide angle, and focus between wide and spot is quick and crisp. The R signifies that it is has a rechargeable lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery, which definitely makes it high calibre, and it comes with charger adapter or can be used via USB port - brilliant.

It is rated IPX6, which basically means it will be water resistant under a high pressure stream, so Fiordland rain should be no bother.

I certainly found it useful in finding my deer in the scrub: being able to switch quickly from high to low, wide to spot, and graduate the power was good. The wide beam angle was excellent in this situation and Daniel and I also found it helpful when coming back down the creek after dark.

I will do another report in six months and see how it stacks up to repeated use and see how the blurb specs stack up to field measurements. Initial feelings - very impressed.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS:LED LENSER H7R.2

By Daryl Crimp

The LED Lenser H7R.2 helped locate Crimpys kill in difficult terrain.

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A not commonly discussed hunting essential is mountain fitness. If you rarely venture more than a few hundred metres from a horse, quad bike or similar vehicle, maybe this article isnt for you. Mountain fitness is an acquired art mind frame, which translates into a body type suitable for mountain hunting and other vigorous outdoor pursuits.

So how is it acquired? Basically, with lots of hard work, maybe blood, heaps of sweat for sure, and sometimes tears of frustration. Unfortunately, it doesnt happen overnight unless you are unusually gifted in body type.

The Roar of 2015 is about four months away and if your fitness level is not up to doing the Southern Crossing of the Tararua Range in under nine hours with a light pack, you have some work to do. So start planning NOW. If you unfortunately live in the Auckland area, which suffers from a shortage of high hills to work out on, you are going to have to allow more time to get mountain fit.

Sort out a day pack; to put in some appropriate clothing, high energy food, and water - remember, you will sweat and you dont want to dehydrate. Take a personal locator beacon and/or cell phone, remembering that in mountain country they are

often useless, and tell somebody where you are going and approximately when you expect to return.

Work out a climb on the local hills that will require an elevation gain and of at least 600 metres and chose suitable lightweight footwear. If you are mountain fit it is possible to cover the entire Tararua Range, north to south, in about 24 hours of actual jogging time in footwear like basketball boots. But dont start out that way - you will more than likely damage your ankles.

The secret to building mountain fitness is going fast uphill in steep country, initially with a light load, then, as the fitness improves, a heavier load. As you progress, extend the elevation gain to 1000 metres, if possible, and increase the load carried. Flexible water bottles are good for increasing the weight carried uphill and for the return journey on the steep downhill section of track, can be emptied to reduce the weight and prevent damage to knee joints. You dont want to get to 45-years-old and find that your knee joints are stuffed, so look after them. Mine are still good at 64 years of age, and over 45 years in the hills and mountains of NZ, and other countries.

Proper mountain fitness leads to a more rewarding hunting experience.

By Paul Clark - New Zealand Ammo

Dont Knacker Your Knees


NZ Open Coarse Fishing Champs Last month I travelled north to the Mangawara River near

Huntly to fish in the New Zealand Open Champs, an event Ive enjoyed success before with two wins and two seconds in the five times its been held.

Once again the river was running low which made the draw particularly important as the deeper water pegs would be favoured. Peg 2 came out of the bag on Saturday which was a pretty good draw. Situated just above a bridge at the top of A section it had a couple of feet more water than the rest of the section, apart from Peg 1 and had a few features to fish to, including the bridge stanchions to my right and an inviting-looking tree hanging in the water to my left.

I fed bait into both these areas plus straight out in front and across to the far bank where I could already see a carp moving on the surface. Things were fairly slow to get going, which is not unusual but at the two hour mark I struck into a good fish which tested my pole gear to the max, before I slid the landing net under a 10lb 10oz carp, exactly what I needed.

Disappointingly, the match went from slow to dead slow and it was more a case of picking off a fish or two from different spots than getting into any regular rhythm. However, others were finding it even harder and my final weight of 19lb was more than double the angler second in my section.

Sunday saw me pull Peg 7 from the draw bag and my hopes sank. This was the shallowest peg in A section and had only produced 3lb for a very good angler on the first day. However, I did have some knowledge of the peg and felt I knew where to find the fish if they were there. Again, it was a slow match and although I didnt immediately get any signs of fish from the known underwater snag to my right, I did manage to pick up the odd catfish and rudd from my short pole line and then a run of eels by fishing further out with worm on the hook. I felt I was winning the section but with just over an hour to go a shoal of carp moved slowly down the river

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Department of Conservation media reports noted the following in early 2014:

New Zealand faces one of its biggest pest population explosions in decades. This year is a mast year for the South

Islands beech forests, which means the trees are going through their heaviest seeding in nearly a decade. That

means a feeding frenzy for mice and rats, which leads to an explosion in stoats and weasels.

While this was extremely bad news for our native birdlife, the silver lining from an anglers perspective is that there may be some monster trout about this season, following the expected explosion in mice numbers that may be occurring in some areas. Reports of excessive mouse numbers have not been widespread to date, despite these dire projections from DoC, but there are obviously some areas where this phenomenon is occurring. Fish & Game were recently sent the following picture of this whopper fish from a happy angler, with an accompanying photograph of its stomach contents that showed the fish to have had close to ten mice inside it. This fish cracked the magic 10 pound benchmark, weighing in at 11 pounds, or 5 kilograms!

So if you are still after that elusive trophy fish, keep prospecting any South Island beech forest catchment fishery this summer

for that mouse monster heavyweight! Note: there is no need to kill your fish for a wall mount take several photos from different angles as per advice from the following website: www.taxidermist.co.nz/freshwater-fish and leave your fish for the following breeding season, particularly if the fish is near a catchment that has had aerial 1080 applied.

Despite messaging from DoC that there are no risks to anglers from aerial 1080, Fish & Game advice in relation to consuming fish from near these beech forest catchments, based on Cawthron research, still stands. Check the DOC website www.doc.govt.nz/conservation/restoration-projects/battle-for-our-birds-beech-mast-2014/pest-control-operations/1080-operations-status/ for details of the location and timing of the latest 1080 drops. Catch and release is still advised, based on potential residual 1080 levels in trout flesh after a fish has consumed one or more mice that have received a sub-lethal dose of 1080.

A November 2014 Mouse Monster heavyweight following the February 2014 beech seeding event.

NZ Open Coarse Fishing Champs Last month I travelled north to the Mangawara River near

Huntly to fish in the New Zealand Open Champs, an event Ive enjoyed success before with two wins and two seconds in the five times its been held.

Once again the river was running low which made the draw particularly important as the deeper water pegs would be favoured. Peg 2 came out of the bag on Saturday which was a pretty good draw. Situated just above a bridge at the top of A section it had a couple of feet more water than the rest of the section, apart from Peg 1 and had a few features to fish to, including the bridge stanchions to my right and an inviting-looking tree hanging in the water to my left.

I fed bait into both these areas plus straight out in front and across to the far bank where I could already see a carp moving on the surface. Things were fairly slow to get going, which is not unusual but at the two hour mark I struck into a good fish which tested my pole gear to the max, before I slid the landing net under a 10lb 10oz carp, exactly what I n

issue 111 - the fishing paper & new zealand hunting news

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