New Zealand offers some of the most spectacular sport fishing opportunities in the world, hosting a wide variety of different game fish that often reach their maximum size in our waters. The following is a brief summary of our more popular sport fish including where and when to target them.

Striped Marlin:
This is probably our most recognised game fish and the one that put New Zealand on the map as a world-class marlin fishery. We host the largest striped marlin in the world as attested by the stranglehold we have on world records for the species in almost every line class.

In the summer months, striped marlin are abundant throughout the top half of the North Island. The east coast gets more pressure due to the more sheltered ports and conditions, but a large number of fish also run down the west coast. You need to wait for the ideal conditions to be able to get across the west coast bars, but when you do manage to get out there, the blue water is often really close in and the fishing can be phenomenal.

Hot spots are the Bay of Plenty, the entire northeastern coast from Tutukaka through to North Cape and the Three Kings islands. In the last ten years the Middlesex and King banks off the Three Kings have built a reputation as the premier spots to target trophy striped marlin. From February through to late May they congregate in big numbers to feed on the masses of bait fish attracted by the current up-wellings and it isn’t uncommon to have over ten shots a day at fish that grow in excess of 200kg. 80-120kg fish are considered average.

Blue Marlin:
Over the last couple of summers, catch-data suggests that blues are becoming a lot more common in our waters. The Three Kings, North Cape and the Northland coastline are all hot spots and a good run of Blues can be expected off the East Cape during a short time frame, usually around February. Their average size is usually around the 200kg mark but much bigger fish are frequently encountered and occasionally landed. In 1998 a 456kg specimen was taken off North Cape, the first grander caught in New Zealand waters in since 1968.

Black Marlin:
Blacks can be encountered throughout the summer months around the upper half of the North Island coastline. They are more frequently found in closer than the other species and are usually hooked by unsuspecting anglers who are live baiting off a reef or headland for kingfish. Most are found off the Northland coast and Bay of Plenty, especially off Mayor Island, White island, Whale Island and the Motu river mouth. These are often very large fish and although no granders have been taken, some have gone very close and numerous fish over 350kg have been caught.

Broadbill Swordfish:
The Broadbill fishery is still in its relative infancy in New Zealand, yet it has been made clear through commercial catches that we do have a good stock of them here. Swordfish can be caught year round off our entire coastline but the more popular spots are the canyons off the Northland coast and the Three Kings. These fish grow very large with the average size normally between 150-250kg.

The fast growing charter fleet is becoming far better equipped to get out to the deep water where these fish abound, and the only hindrance is usually the weather.

Yellowfin Tuna:Every summer these powerful predators turn up in significant numbers off our upper North Island coastline. They are particularly common in the Bay of Plenty where they herd great schools of baitfish into ‘meatballs’ which makes for spectacular fishing. The fish average around 20-35kg but this tends to fluctuate from season to season. The bigger fish tend to show early on in December and January with 50-60kg fish not uncommon. These early fish are normally taken trolling, but as the season progresses and the ‘meatballing’ kicks off around February and March, anglers tend to switch to live baits and chunking techniques. Further north Yellowfin are caught in good numbers but usually as a by-catch when trolling for billfish.

Bluefin and Bigeye Tuna:
Both species are available year round off the entire coastline, but don’t get a lot of pressure due to their widespread nature and that they are normally well offshore. In the last few years anglers have discovered that bluefin have been showing consistently in good numbers in the summer off the southwest coast of the South island. They can be caught relatively close to shore due to the proximity of deep water and although these fish aren’t huge by bluefin standards, there have been plenty of fish caught over the 60kg mark. Commercial operators target bluefin and bigeye off the west coast of the South Island, East Cape, the Northland coast and the Three Kings.

A 198kg bluefin was caught in October this year by a recreational angler off the Kaipara harbour on the west coast of the North Island. Another catch worthy of noting was the landing of three huge bigeye on Bay of Islands charter boat Predator in 1997, following a quadruple strike. The fish were caught off North cape and weighed 121kg, 116kg, and 114kg respectively.

Albacore Tuna:During the summer months these fish can be found in big schools all around the north eastern coastline and the entire length of the west coast. They are present year round but the summer is definitely the time when they are most abundant. Winter fish tend to be considerably larger, with fish of up to 20kg regularly taken from the Bay of Plenty.

Yellowtail Kingfish:
This is another species that put New Zealand on the map as a major sport fishing destination. Kingies reach their maximum size in New Zealand with almost all world records coming from our waters. The all tackle world record stands at 52kg, a size of fish that is held equally in both 15 and 24kg line classes. Both fish came from the Bay of Plenty. These big powerful fish are relatively plentiful and easy to target, but landing them is another story altogether as they are virtually unstoppable and normally inhabit relatively foul areas.

The hot spots are the Three Kings islands, White island and the Ranfurly bank off East Cape. They are found consistently throughout the top half of the North Island in good numbers and as far south as the Marlborough sounds at the top of the South Island. They can be caught year round with winter fish tending to be less common but generally larger. Summer is the best time to target kingfish. They are usually found around rocky headlands, reefs and deepwater pinnacles, particularly those that are exposed to reasonable tidal current.

Snapper:This is the bread-and-butter fish for the majority of New Zealanders. They are found consistently around the entire North Island but are less widespread down south. The average size fish are around 2-3kg, but the really big specimens get up to 15kg and can put up an impressive fight. The hot spots are Nelson and the Marlborough Sounds in the South Island and from Hawkes Bay right around the top to Taranaki in the North Island. Snapper will be found on almost every reef, harbour and channel, and are just as likely to be taken from the shore as from a boat.

Mako Sharks:Makos are common throughout New Zealand. They can be found year round and anywhere where there is reasonably warm water and a good food supply. They vary in size from the relatively small (10-30kg rats) to the exceptionally large (beasts of over 450kg) and are normally hooked as by-catch by anglers trolling for billfish in the summer months off the Northland coast and in the Bay of Plenty.

Thresher Sharks:
Most world records for these unique sharks are from New Zealand waters, including the all tackle record fish of 364kg from Tutukaka. They are an open ocean shark and can be found throughout New Zealand coastal waters where the temperature is between 12-20deg.C. They are usually taken as a by-catch while trolling for billfish, but can also be found around schools of baitfish holding close to a reef, offshore pinnacle or island.

Kahawai:The kahawai is widespread throughout New Zealand and will be found from estuaries to the outer islands. This sleek fish has an average size between 40-50cm long, which would weigh around the 2-3kg mark. Their tremendous fighting ability has earned them a reputation as a top light tackle game fish, especially on salt-water fly (SWF). They can be found year round and will be enticed by plenty of berley.

Trevally:
This is our other top light tackle sportfish. They are found consistently around the North Island and at the top of the South Island. They will be found throughout different water levels from shallow bays right through to great surface schools that are feeding on krill. They are more predominant in the summer and warm water environments. This top eating fish has an average size that will range from 2-4kg and they will put up a powerful fight on lighter gear. Another great target on SWF.

This fish was certainly a New Zealand record and I wanted it. I had stayed attached through the violent runs after the hook-up and was now focusing on the slow lifting process after the tuna sounded. It was just a matter of time. I didn’t voice my concerns to the crew, but they may have not wanted to mention it to me either. I wished that the tuna would head for open water away from the rocks. It didn’t though and slowly we worked closer and closer to the rocks.

If we had been after kingfish, this may well have been the place we would have tried, and now I had a suicidal New Zealand record tuna heading straight for the lions’ den. I stepped up the pressure a fraction by putting my finger on the side of the spool. It was subtle but I knew the tuna would notice. The result was instantaneous, encouraging it to run harder for the rocks. Damn!

As the tuna entered the strike zone the line angle suddenly changed, becoming rapidly shallower as the tuna headed for the surface. This was not good, probably indicating that a kingfish was indeed on its tail. The rod was alive in my hands; I could feel the tail beats of the frightened tuna as it headed for the surface. The writing was on the wall; my New Zealand Record tuna was about to get eaten! The tuna and several kingfish came to the surface together. The rod thumped once as a kingfish hit the 1kg line and broke it. The surface exploded and my 2kg tuna was gone in a flurry of kingfish tails.

Game fishing has many faces, one of which is light tackle fishing. The above introduction is an example of the highs and lows that make this sport the all-consuming passion for some, and yet be disregarded as ‘trick fishing’ by others.

This article deals with the use of line class weights of 1kg up to 4kg line – and don’t think that the tackle mentioned is only for little fish as some of the catches will be many times the breaking strain of the line. There have been some outstanding catches on light tackle, a good number of which were a lot more meritorious than much bigger catches made on heavier gear. Light tackle fishing is available for everyone. There are plenty of species that offer exciting and challenging fishing, and which anglers can try for at any time.

For example, North Island anglers are never far from kahawai. Most anglers have caught kahawai while trying for other species and, in fact, may even perceive them as a nuisance if they are not the target species. In addition to this, surfcasters tend to catch them on their heavy surf rods and boat fishers on their snapper gear, so they are liable to be less than satisfying from a sporting point of view.

Try for the same fish on one or two kilo line though, on a light spinning outfit, and you will be amazed at their fighting ability. A two kilo fish that you would be able to muscle in on heavier gear becomes a tenacious, spectacular and hard fighting adversary. Sounds a bit dramatic you think? Well that probably tells you that you have not experienced the thrill of light tackle fishing. 2kg breaking-strain line is a good starting point if the kahawai sought are averaging around two kilos. Line weight captures are not as easy as they may seem.

Success requires focus, patience, attention, a soft touch and an understanding of the fish you seek. A kahawai, for instance, will probably jump after it is hooked. You will find that they jump more when hooked on light tackle than they do on heavier gear. A trevally will fight increasingly harder as greater pressure is exerted, while a snapper will stay deep for the early part of the fight. A kingfish is likely to head for any nearby structure, and a tuna will take your lure and head away at a great rate of knots when it feels the hook. Knowing these things before you start will help with the outcome of your light tackle encounter.

Equally important is quality gear. Drags must operate smoothly when unloading line – and I mean as smooth as a raindrop running down a window pane. With one and two kilo line, a single stutter of the drag may mean a bust-off.

Line loads don’t need to be huge as there is little future for your quest once a fish has two hundred metres of line in the water. Hooks need to be needle sharp so that they penetrate easily; you won’t be doing any great rod wrenching strikes to set the hook with this gear.

Rods must be soft tipped but still possess enough lifting power to raise the fish at the end of the fight. All rings must be checked regularly for any imperfections that will damage line. The line itself needs to be a reliable, consistent IGFA rated line so that you know exactly what you are fishing with. IGFA line is pre-tested and the rating marked on the spool. Who knows, your next fish on light tackle could be a World Record and then the line rating is all-important.

Shock leaders are mandatory and knots need to be well tied and well tested. The best approach is wind-on leaders of 8 to 10kg as they can be useful during the landing of the fish; once you have overlapping turns on the reel, you can add the extra pressure required to hold a fish nearby until boated by the landing net or gaff. Keep the wind-on leader simple by tying directly to the main line with a Albright or doubled Uni-knot.

There is some merit in using tapered leaders for light tackle fishing, but keep in mind that every knot is another potential weak spot in your rig. If you are fishing in a current, a swivel will need to be incorporated into your rig. Do this by tying up short leaders with a swivel at one end and a hook at the other. Make sure that these are not too long or you may not be able to cast them when you need to.

There will be times when shy fish (trevally in particular) will demand the absence of swivels and heavy leaders. At such times, it may be necessary to tie the hook straight onto the mainline if it is over three kilos, or simply keep the wind-on leader short and light on the one and two kilo gear.

Hooks

Hooks are always a good topic for discussion when light tackle anglers get together. Most think along the same lines and demand the same properties from their hooks. There are basically two ways to go with your hooks. My favoured style of hook is the Gamakatsu Octopus because these are made on a thin gauge wire and easily set, the penetrative qualities helped further by phenomenal sharpness. They are strong hooks and even the smaller sizes, which suit the light tackle fishing, can be relied upon. They are also available in a variety of colours – if you think that is an important feature.

The second line of thought for light tackle fishing is to use circle hooks that are self-setting. In the past I have used the Tainawa and Mustad longline hooks with success, but now use Gamakatsu circle hooks as they are made on much thinner wire and are chemically sharpened for easy setting. They are available only in black.

I well remember an afternoon fishing with Mark Feldman in Mangonui Harbour using circle hooks. We caught an embarrassing number of snapper, trevally and kahawai without striking a single fish. Baits were set and rods dropped in rod holders. The tip bent over, and when line started running from the spool under a reasonable drag your fish was hooked. Neat! (If you cannot resist striking these fish, then you will be sure to pull the hooks away when using circle hooks). Hook sizes are important, as it is all but impossible to set big hooks with the light line.

For 1 and 2 kilo fishing I like to use 1/0 or 2/0 hooks as a maximum. If the bait size or shape allows it, I will go smaller. Hooks of this size are easily set. If I am fishing 3 or 4kg line I will happily use up to 5/0 hooks. (Keep in mind that I am referring to Gamakatsu hooks that are made on thin wire. Some types of hooks may have very thick shanks in the 5/0 size and not be suitable for this style of fishing).

Baits

Baits are really determined by the fish that you are after. For instance, if you want to catch a parore on 1kg line, then you need to use shellfish or weed for bait. Throwing pilchards at them is generally a waste of time. Therefore, think about the species that you are targeting and prepare the best baits you can, in a manner that you believe will be attractive to that fish.

Here are a few thoughts on baits and species; they have all worked well for me.

Kahawai: use half and whole pilchards, strip baits of skipjack tuna or mullet.
Snapper: half and whole pilchards, strips of skipjack tuna or kahawai.
Kingfish: small livebaits and dead pilchards or piper.
Trevally: shellfish, skipjack tuna and pilchards.
Parore: tuatuas, mussels, bread and green weed.
Skipjack tuna: small lures to 60g or anchovies/pilchards in meatball situations.

Knot tying can be tedious with the light line. A good trick is to wet the line before tying. It also pays to get out of the wind if possible. If you are unlucky enough to get a tangle in 1 or 2kg line, don’t bother untangling it. Cut it away and start again, as the line will be damaged and the breaking strain may even be halved. Taking no chances with your line can be the critical difference with light tackle fishing.

Approach this fishing with an open mind. You are going to bust off a few fish while getting the hang of it, and will probably frustrate other anglers if you are fishing from a boat. Make sure that they are aware that you are fishing light line and that they are prepared to keep out of your way when you hook up.

If they are out to fill the fish box, the light line might be better used on another day as they will not want to be chasing your fish around during the bite time. Be prepared for a major learning curve in your fishing skills. If you master the light stuff, anything else is easy.

Once you’ve got the right gear to fish softbaits (or soft baits and sometimes referred to as soft plastics) effectively, you’ll be itching to get out there and try it.

As detailed in the first article in this series, proper equipment plays a big part in soft bait success, but there’s a lot more to it than simply tossing soft baits into the ocean in the hope a fish will eat them.

Soft bait fishing is a technical form of angling where a number of variables can mean the difference between success and failure. Consistent success demands a certain level of skill, which comes with practice; the most successful anglers will be the ones who take the time to learn the right techniques.

Lures, not bait

Despite the name ‘bait’, soft bait fishing is really lure fishing – it’s an active technique, which is probably why it appeals to so many good anglers. It’s a fair bet most good soft bait fishers are skilled in other fishing techniques as well. But no matter what your level of experience, softbait fishing is something you can learn, and reasonably quickly as the techniques are not particularly complex.

Soft baits will catch fish used as a substitute for natural bait, even when fished statically. In some instances this is a legitimate and effective technique (see Gulp! peeler crabs below) – Berkley Gulp! offers ‘artificial bait’ made from the same material as the rest of the Gulp! range, but designed as a cut-bait substitute. It works well.

But most soft baits are designed to be actively fished, i.e. worked through the water by the angler to impart action, attract the attention of fish and fool them into biting. And like any form of lure fishing, you need to hunt out fish and work the lure in the strike zone for consistent success.

In this respect, soft bait fishing is rather like flyfishing – you need to present your offering right in a fish’s face. They’ll move a certain distance to intercept your softbait, but not too far – it really needs to pass close to them to draw a strike.

Of course where most soft baits have an advantage over a fly is scent. The majority are impregnated with scent/flavouring, which fish can detect from some distance away. It may not draw fish from a great distance, but it could trigger them to actually bite rather than just look. Soft baits such as the Berkley Gulp range have yet another important advantage over other artificials: they’re soft, so fish hold onto them longer, allowing the angler more time to set the hook.

Available in a huge range of shapes colours and sizes, they’re also incredibly lifelike if worked properly. The combination of action, softness and scent/flavour, in that order, is what makes soft baits so deadly on so many fish species.

Why soft baits work

Soft baits work on a whole range of fish, but by some fortunate coincidence, they’re especially effective on snapper. Snapper are opportunistic feeders perfectly happy to accept any decent-sized food item presented in front of their noses – that’s why they’re also suckers for metal jigs.

Soft baits are large enough to attract a range of fish sizes and available in a variety of shapes and colours, which effectively imitate common food items. Their unique action, partly the result of their material composition and partly imparted by the angler, is highly attractive to snapper and other fish. Perhaps soft baits imitate injured prey items or maybe fish bite them out of annoyance. Sometimes bites can only be the result of fish chasing intruders from their territory.

To get the most from soft baits, anglers need to match the bait size, shape and colour to the appropriate jig head (weight) for the conditions and species sought. In general, larger lures attract bigger fish, though it’s surprising how big a fish will eat five-inch jerk shads!

When I began my rediscovery of soft bait fishing, I brought home from Australia several packets of three-inch Berkley bass minnows and a selection of lightweight jig heads, after experiencing first-hand how successful they were on Australian bream. I figured that snapper were in the same family, so they should work here too. And they did – spectacularly well.

However, the baits were small enough to be considered fair game by snapper as small as 15 or 20cm. I caught bigger fish, too, but the lightweight jig heads were often unequal to the task, the hooks straightening or breaking and small fish took an ungodly toll on hard-to-get soft baits, which were not available here at the time.

Matters improved markedly when I laid my hands on larger five and six-inch soft baits with jig heads to match. Pure Fishing got in on the act, importing the Berkley range of soft baits and soft bait fishing took off in New Zealand. Armed with larger five-inch baits, I was hooking a much better class of fish and this lure/tail size continues to be a favourite, particularly for snapper fishing. It is attractive enough to take just-legal fish, as well as mega-snapper.

The more recent introduction of larger seven-inch jerk shads has resulted in some very large snapper, as well as kingfish and other species, while even larger lures with heads to match are opening up a whole range of deepwater soft bait fishing.

All shapes and sizes

I particularly favour jerk baits (jerk shads) because they work so well on a variety of fish species and sizes. But there are many other shapes and styles that work equally well or better at times. Classic grub tails, or variations thereof, are great, though they’re more vulnerable to having their tails removed by small or short-biting fish. Worms and ‘stick baits’ – long, cylindrical baits – also work well, either fished on an appropriately weighted jig head, or from a weighted or unweighted worm hook. They really come into their own in shallow water.

Other styles include ‘shads’ – baitfish imitations with paddle tails – squids, some in XOS sizes, crabs, shrimps/prawns and a variety of plastic creations imitating creatures at whose identity we can only guess. All of them work to a greater or lesser degree so don’t be shy about experimenting – you may just discover exactly the right bait on the day.

Rigging for success

Rigging soft baits correctly makes a big difference to their effectiveness. A soft bait won’t be anywhere near as attractive if it’s simply impaled on a hook any old way.

Ideally, the bait should be free to move as much as possibly and its natural shape shouldn’t be distorted when it’s rigged. This is not as easy as it sounds. If you push the point of the hook too far into the lure before exiting, the lure body will bunch up; alternatively, if you don’t push it in far enough, the lure won’t snug home properly on the jighead’s collar and its tail may kink at an odd angle. It’s also important for the hook to run down the centreline of the bait for similar reasons. It takes a bit of practice to get it right every time. Fortunately, you can usually pull a dud lure off and have another go.

Now that jig heads are readily available, most anglers rig soft baits on these. A few years ago, when jig heads were hard to get, we used to rig the lures on conventional, unkirbed O’Shaunessy or ‘baitholder’ hooks of appropriate size with a ball sinker on the trace directly above the lure. This rig works well, though it doesn’t seem quite as good as a jighead. We found our strike rate improved if we secured the sinker against the eye of the hook using a toothpick or similar. The fixed weight seems to impart a better action to the lure.

These days I seldom use this technique, though I have resorted to it on occasion when I lacked suitably heavy jigheads for the water depth or current I was fishing. Also, an extra ball sinker pinned to the trace directly above the jighead is a good quick fix if you haven’t got jigheads heavy enough for the conditions.

Jig heads are designed for a certain size of bait, regardless of the head weight. The length of the shank between the lead head and the bend of the hook is a good guide: extra-long shanks are meant for large soft baits. There’s a fair bit of latitude. You can successfully fish large soft baits on relatively small jig heads, but it doesn’t work so well the other way round – a large jig head designed for a seven-inch lure will completely deaden the action of a five-inch bait, rendering it much less effective. Berkley have a great range of ‘Nitro’ jigheads on strong, sharp Owner hooks – a deadly combo.

The attachment of the trace to the jig is also important. For the lure to work properly, it should be attached via a loop connection. The easiest way to do this is using a uni-knot, pulled tight, but not snugged down against the eye of the jighead’s hook. Every time you hook a fish, the knot will pull tight, so you need to remember to work the knot back up the line to re-form the loop after each fish.

An alternative is to use the Rapala knot, which forms a loop that doesn’t close under pressure.

Trace line is another part of the system that deserves attention. Soft bait fishing is all about lightness and subtlety of presentation – you’re using light tackle, so traces should also be light. Fluorocarbon is the trace material of first choice – readily available in the ‘Vanish’ brand at most tacklestores. Go as light as you dare. For most of my soft bait fishing I use 10kg trace or lighter – sometimes as light as 5kg.

If you’re fishing for large fish in foul territory, whether the water’s shallow or deep, you might go to a heavier trace for some protection against sharp rocks and weed. But not too much heavier, or you’ll compromise the lure’s action, making it less attractive, which means fewer bites.

In really deep water, or if you’re using alternative rigs like a dropshot or a Captain’s rig (more on these subsequently), heavier trace may be a OK or even an advantage. But I seldom go heavier than 15kg trace except when fishing jumbo soft baits for kingfish and hapuku in deep water.

Ingredients
• 1 or 2 Garnard
• dash of olive oil
• 1 lemon
• chille sauce
• salt & pepper

Method
• Clean the head and gutted fish and lay on some alloy foil
• Pour some olive oil and chilli sauce over the fish
• Slice 2/3’s of the lemon, lay the slices along the sides of the fish, and then squeeze the juice of the remaining lemon along the fish.
• Wrap up the fish so that no juices will come out while cooking for about 20/25 minutes..

Deploying the Baits
In order to cover more area and options (dependent on the size of the boat, the bait supplies and prevailing conditions), two or three rods are positioned out at different depths and distances. The two most important areas are well out past the pool of light cast by the deck and bait lights (set shallow), and the other down beneath the boat, set much deeper.

Whether you set the deep line first or last depends on whether youre in a position to use a downrigger. If you are, you need to follow a couple of basic rules: the first being that it must be set before the float lines (or risk tangling) and the second is to let at least fifty metres of line out in the current before attaching it to the rigger ball and lowering both down to a depth of around 100 metres — or wherever deep schools of bait are showing on the fish finder.

If a downrigger is not a possibility, deploy the float line(s) first instead. Whether you use one or two will mainly depend on the position the boat assumes on the drift, as they must be kept well apart. If only one can be used, it should be set at around 20 to 30 metres down and will usually need about ten ounces of weight to keep it there — you dont want the bait too close to the surface. When lowering the bait, do it at a pace that allows the current to keep the bait away from the rest of the trace and mainline. Too slowly is much better than too quickly — you must not have a tangle and a broadbill on the line at the same time! Measure the amount of line off in arm spans so that you know how deep the bait is being set every time and leave the reel with the lightest of drags and the ratchet on — it wont be the first or last time a bait gets taken on the way down!

Having reached the desired depth, a float is now tied onto the mainline. I find that the best floats are empty two litre plastic milk bottles with an activated light stick inside them. This means that not only is the bait held in position but its location can also be monitored via the light stick. If two float lines are being used, put a different colour light stick in each for positive identification.

As an added bonus, the milk containers pouring handle provide a good place to attach two feet of rotten cotton. This length of cotton is necessary because blue sharks sometimes eat lightstick floats and we dont want the mainline too close to their teeth. The rotten cotton is secured to the mainline with a series of firm half-hitches until it cannot slip. Any slippage under pressure is likely to result in mainline abrasion. Next, let the float drift out about eighty metres. This shallow line gets hit a lot, especially by sharks. Sometimes two float lines can be deployed, with the second being set deeper at around fifty metres. This changes things somewhat, with the deeper line now being set furthest out instead at about one hundred metres, and the shallow one brought in closer to fifty metres. The two float rods must be kept as wide apart as possible to help avoid tangles. Usually one is put up at the bow and the other at the stern. If theres no rod holder forard, leave the rod in the cockpit but place a Roller Troller up near the bow and put the line through it. This is probably the best system as it means that all the rods can stay in front of you for quick and easy access and better control.

The amount of drag needed is a contentious issue. Mostly we tend to place just enough drag to prevent an over-run from a fast strike, then engage the ratchet. If the bait is rather small (squid and mackerel), you may wish to leave the reel in gear with a moderately hard drag and the ratchet on instead, particularly when circle hooks are used. If you dont have a downrigger, the deepest bait is set last. It needs twice as much weight as the shallow rig and is very slowly lowered to around 100 metres, again using arm spans to give a consistent measurement of depth. If the current catches it to give some angle, so much the better, as this will allow the reel to be left in gear if the bait is small. If not, some angle can be gained by attaching the mainline to an outrigger with a lightly set Roller Troller or firmly fixed rubber band. The rubber band must be wound around the mainline at least ten times to avoid damaging slippage.

If neither scenario is viable, for whatever reason, leave the reel in the holder with a light drag and the ratchet on. Once we made the mistake of leaving a hard-drag rod in a vertical holder with the baited line also hanging vertically. We all watched, wide-eyed, as the tip gave a couple of hard bangs and then wrenched down in an impossibly tight upside-down U. Instead of running to grab the outfit, we all ran away with our hands protecting our heads — it was so point loaded, it looked set to explode into a million pieces! Fortunately for the owner, the hook pulled free shortly after and his rod survived. We all learned from that experience.

Watching and Waiting
When fishing for broadbill, there should be someone awake at all times. This rarely happens. No matter how keen the crew is at the start of the expedition, warm beds soon beckon and they quietly disappear from the deck. This can be made worse by adverse sea conditions or improved by steady fishing action.

To encourage people to stay up, it is advisable to only attempt broadbill fishing in the best of sea conditions (no more than 10 knots) and keep a deck light on, preferably a powerful spotlight. This makes the cockpit a more welcoming place and helps attract squid and other baitfish to the vicinity.

The reasons for staying on watch are as follows: i) the gear must be retrieved for inspection at least once every two hours — sooner if the squid are thick and proving to be a problem (they can nibble baits away surprisingly quickly);
ii) In order to watch where the lines are angling so that the rods are always kept clear of one another;
iii) To keep an eye out for broadbill — they sometimes swim into the light, especially when squid are present (sometimes they will be trailing your line!);
iv) so that the boat can be repositioned if it drifts out of the productive zone; v) so that fresh bait can be caught (mostly squid) to replace those that are mangled or of inferior quality (i.e. those that are nibbled, frozen or smelly) and finally;
vi) in order to be at the controls should the boat need to be put into gear to help set the hook. Ideally there should be one person at the boat controls as well as an angler to take the rod. Its also nice to have some company in the middle of the night.

Although a broadbill can strike at any time, the first few hours of dusk and darkness are very productive, as are those prior to dawn — usually from 4am to sunrise. The last period is often neglected due to exhaustion. I urge you to make that extra effort, particularly if the change of tide coincides with the change of light, as the hour and a half either side of the changing tide is also a strong trigger of big fish action!

Remember to treat every biting fish as a broadbill until proven otherwise, as they can be very deceptive. When a Wide Willie takes a bait, the bites can often register just like the bites of a snapper. I particularly remember one beautifully calm evening when we had the close bait attached to the outrigger and the whole rigger was jerking like a monstrous fishing rod as a fish mauled the big squid bait. Eventually the line was pulled from the clip and then left. After a short wait, the bait was retrieved by hand for inspection. On the way up, the angler felt more bite, but thinking it was a shark, kept on going. As the mangled remains of the squid came into our puddle of light, the unmistakable form of a nice broadbill followed close behind, then slowly turned and swam back down. I repeat: treat every strike or bite as a broadbill until proven otherwise. Although hard-set drags mean fish are hooked up immediately (or not, as the case may be), it is still wise to get the boat under way to keep the line tight and the angler in the chair facing the right direction. When fishing light drags, always wait until the boat is moving before placing the reel into gear and attempting to set the hook.

A popular technique used overseas, by those using standard game hooks, is to allow the broadbill to run off eighty to one hundred metres of line before striking. This ensures that the hooks are down deep and that a lot of internal damage is inflicted. Usually this serves to drastically shorten the fight but I cannot bring myself to do this to such a neat fish.

The Fight
Having gone to all the effort of hooking a broadbill, it doesnt get any easier. They are very different to other gamefish in the way they fight, being stubborn and immovable like a tuna one moment and then scorching off and jumping like a marlin the next. These fish are extremely tough and even small specimens give a good account of themselves. Everything possible must be utilised when battling a broadie: make sure that the skipper uses the boats speed and manoeuvrability to the greatest effect; that the fighting chair and harness are as strong and well set up as possible; and that the angler is familiar with quickly changing the reel into high or low speed, as is deemed necessary at the time. N.B. Understand that if you do not have a two-speed facility on your reel, that you are placed at a major disadvantage: sometimes using low gear will be the only way you can move the fish and get any line back on the reel.

Even with all these advantages, it sometimes seems that broadbill will never give up — and then for some inexplicable reason, they suddenly do. When it comes to being gaffed, they should first be hooked in the head or gills as this is the toughest part and provides optimum control, then a second gaff further down the body for added insurance. Even so, Wide Willies will usually retain enough power left to give the boat a jolly good thrashing. Once secured, you have every reason to celebrate, as well as a heap of the most wonderful fish to eat; they taste fantastic, either fresh or smoked.

In Summary
There is no doubt in my mind that broadbill are the toughest fish in the sea to catch, but the fact that these fish appear to be territorial, are found in specific areas, and are being incidentally caught in large numbers by commercial boats using lightstick baits is cause for concern and can only make it harder for the recreational broadie fisher to succeed by the day. We can only hope that common sense prevails and that this world-class fishery is regulated well enough to ensure its long-term future.

Ingrediants

• 3 Cups of stock (chicken or fish)
• 1 onion finely diced
• 2 potatoes par cooked and cubed
• 500g white fish (shouldnt be a problem getting that!)
• 250gm marinara seafood mix
• 300mm cream
• flour/milk to thicken
• 1 tbsp fresh chopped parsley
• 1 tbsp sweet chilli sauce

Method

• Bring stock to a simmer and lightly cook onions
• Add potato, fish and marina mix and cook until potatoes are soft
• Add cream and reduce heat to simmer. Do not boil. Thicken with a paste made from milk and flour
• Continue cooking for 5 mins
• Stir in parsley and sweet chilli sauce and cook for a further 2 mins
• Season with cracked pepper and service with croutons or crusty bread on the side

Thanks Mel and Lewis

It has been the finest and most consistent marlin lure I have ever fished with. I have been using “Old Blue” lures for over 30 years, in New Zealand, and many other parts of the world. I have caught more marlin with “Old Blue” than any other lure.

An old friend who was a game fishing skipper in Hawaii originally gave “Old Blue” to me many years ago. As soon as I used “Old Blue” I started catching more marlin, when other boats were mainly using skip baits.

I made a mould of it because I knew that I would eventually lose it, as happens to all good lures. I then started to make “Old Blue” in difference colours. As the season changes, so doe the feed, then it is time to change the colour of “Old Blue” to suit the new conditions. ON “Te Ariki Nui” I carry “Old Blue” lures in a variety of colours. When fishing the King Bank at the Three King Islands, I prefer a pink “Old Blue” because the marlin are often feeding on pink maumau.

With the selection of colours that are now available, marlin can be raised at any time of the season with this highly successful lure.

Here are a few tips for you on putting “Old Blue” to work. “Old blue” has a special weighted insert, which makes it swim like a fish, so treat it like a fish and allow it plenty of water to swim in. The lure performs best when towed from a low angle, so avoid running it at an acute angle from high on the outrigger or rod tip. Allow it to grab the water with its nose, when it does this it will dive beautifully and perform better than any lure you have seen. If you want to run it close to the boat from the outrigger, lower the halyard so that the line is less than halfway up the outrigger in order to reduce the angle. Likewise, if running the line from the rod, bring the line down from the rod tip and attach it with a 32 rubber band to the reel handle or a suitable position low on the boat. The flatter you can keep it on the surface the better “Old Blue” will work for you.

My most successful rig is a single 12/0 hook set level with the back of the skirt, using a double length of leader to space the hook in the right position. All hooks need to be needle sharp.

“Old Bleu” swims like a fish, let the marlin treat it like a fish, too much drag will pull the lure out of the mouth. I use just enough drag to keep the lure in the water without it slipping back. When the fish runs do not touch the drag, the weight of the water on the line as it runs out is enough to drive the hook home (providing it is sharp).

If you use a wire leader “Old Blue w” will not perform as well, use the more flexible mono leader. Do not jam the leader into the lure with a matchstick or whatever. “Old Blue” does not like restrictions, it likes to roll and swim freely and it cannot do this if it is jammed to the leader. Finally wrap some dental floss around the top of your leader, so when the marlin strikes the lure will jam itself on the dental floss keeping it clear of the hook in the fish. You will be able to see the lure at the top of the leader long before you see the marlin. Good luck with your purchase and tight lines.

Bill Hall

To mark your braid to the depth sounder pick a calm day, stop your boat where your sounder says its 20m and tie a simple loop in your braid line. Pass a short length of trace nylon through this loop and tie a simple knot. Trim the nylon back to about 2mm on each side of the knot. Repeat for 25m and 30m. Leave the nylon slightly longer for each depth.

When you see a fish on the sounder you simply lower the line to the depth the sounder says,(say 23m)and you will feel the first knot hit your thumb as you lower it (20m) keep lowering till you hit the second knot and stop the reel. Your sinker is now at 25m. wind up slowly till the fish hits your fly. If you get back to the first knot, lower it again and repeat. most fish strike a slow rising smelt. Most feeding fish are between 20 and 30 m deep on lake Rotoiti!

This sleek fish has an average size between 40-50cm long, and an average wiehgt of 1 to 2kg. Appropriate tackle is 6-10kg mono or braid is even better as the bites are small. As their tremendous fighting ability has earned them a reputation as a top light tackle game fish, especially on salt-water fly (SWF). They can be found year round and will be enticed by plenty of berley.

Best Rigs.
Kahawai are most often caught on a jig, softbait or trolled lure or fly when they are schooling. A cast spinner will also work well in the same situation. Match the hatch. If they are feeding on small silver baitfish, a silver jig will be deadly for example.

A good berley trail will often bring in Kahawai when you are targetting snapper and they’ll be caught readily on the strayline (Kiwi & Aussie versions), and dropper rigs, also flashers with small cubes of bait

Best Spots.
Kahawai can be caught in most of our inshore waters. They are often found in schools on or near the surface and generally where you see birds diving and feeding, the kahawai will not be far away.

Best Times:
Morning & evening seem best but kahawai can be caught year round and at any time during the day.Soft baits, jigs, flies, spinners and flasher rigs are all very effective. They’ll eat any of our normal cut baits such as pilchards, squid skipjack etc.